Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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fn During mass burial services that afternoon hundreds of sailors stood at attention while their former shipmates were committed to the deep. There were many silent prayers offered during those closing hours of October 31 -prayers for the loved ones of our shipmates-prayers that our comrades had not died in vain. It took a tragedy like this to make us realize more than ever that now the Japanese were playing the game grimf ly in earnest. To resort to suicide meant nothing else. We began to wonder what effects large scale attacks like this could accomplish against our Navy. Shortly before sunset the two crippled carriers, BELLEAU WOCD and FRANKLIN, accompanied by screening destroyers, departed from Task Group 38.4 and headed for Ulithi. Over the TBS'k, Rear Admiral Davison bade us farewell. On our bridge Captain Perry grasped the TBS transmitter: i'Badgei', this is Fagan. Goodbye. We'll be back. WTBSE- Talk Between Shipsu, a short range, high frequency radio channel for voice transmissions. 'FV 4 A

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,,,,... Y.,.....-......,.......,, ULITHI 81 HUMEWARD BUU D We anchored in the lagoon of Ulithi on November 2. Almost immediately inspectors came aboard to see if the damage could be repaired by tenders present. In one way we hoped they could not fix us. We were upset over the loss of our shipmates and groggy from the shock of the attack, we were anxious to get some rest. But we knew that every carrier was needed in the Pacific and that if we did go home, there would be one less carrier to fight. You can't win the war sitting in port. While repair men from the tender began cutting out twisted girders and bulkheads, we wearily shoveled out debris from the damaged compartmenthburned matf tresses, covers, innumerable .5 0 caliber shells from the def stroyed magazine, twisted bed springs, burned papers and books from lockers-all tainted the deep green of water dye which had come from somewhere. Working parties for handling ammunition, provisions, and stores were called away, and the spiritless work began. Then came the news that we were to proceed to Pearl Harbor and probably on to Frisco. Tired men revived. On November 11, after distributing excess equipment to other ships in the harbor and after taking aboard a num' her of passengers to bunk on eots on the hangar deck, we left Ulithi in company with the FRANKLIN and three destroyers. Steaming eastward we clicked off the time zones with consistent regularity, setting the clocks ahead one hour every other day to the cadence of the bosun mate's chant, At 1900 all clocks will be set ahead one hour to read 2000 To that accompaniment, one could be going only one direction in the Paciiic-the direction of the Golden Gate. On Tuesday morning, November 21, the ship tied up in berth Ff13 at Pearl Harbor. Two truck loads of mail from home were waiting on the dock. Planes for ferrying were hoisted aboard-PV's, Gatalinas, Wildcats, even a couple of Cubs. In the other direction went hundreds of full 40 MM ammunition cans, belly tanks, wing sections, rockets,-anything which other ships could use while we recuperated in the States. Thursday afternoon shortly after Thanksgiving dinner, a long bugle blast announced the ship was clear. On the dock a band played, Galiforf nia, Here I Come . We were goin' home . Day by day the temperatures dropped. There was no more sunbathing on the flight deck and forecastle. Lined jackets, mittens, hoods, and foul weather gear appeared on the bridge and lookout stations. To our thin tropical blood the morning of November 29 seemed mighty cold as, long before dawn, the lights of San Francisco twinkled out from beneath an extensive low cloud cover. Shortly after sunrise, and escorted by an armada of sea gulls, the BELLEAU WOGD slipped through the Gate and slowly wove her way through the Bay to Alameda where she tied up at the Naval Air Station. Leaves for half the crew had been prearrangedg hardly had the mooring lines been secured than the long file of men in dress blues with traveling bags started running down the gangway. Next morning the ship moved over to berth 3, Hunter's Point, to enter her period of repair and overhaul. 64