General R M Blatchford (AP 153) - Naval Cruise Book

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lAbove leftl Gibraltar as viewed from shipboard. lAboive centerl Le Havre in better days. lRightI The leaning tower at Pisa. lLower leftl Main Street, Le Havre style. lLower centerl The shoreline Boulevard at Le Havre. 7 TO 8 JUNE-BALBOA, C. Z., AND PANAMA CANAL -Orders to dock came at 1845 and got underway for Pier No. 16, Balboa, and tied up at 2006. Stayed overnight and took on fuel, water and a few supplies. Good liberty for those who got it. Next morning at 0947 underway for Le' Havre, France, via the Panama Canal. Trip through canal took about ten hours. Very interesting. 8 TO 20 JUNE-UNDERWAY FROM PANAMA TO LE HAVRE-On 8 June at 201 1 passed through the Cristobal Breakwater and into the Caribbean Sea with lights on and ports open. No blackout considerably improved life at sea. First impression of Caribbean not favorable. It was rough, rough enough to slow us down and cause seasickness among those who did not yet have their sea legs. On 1 1 June at 0940 passed Mona Island abeam to port and soon after entered the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mona Passage. Entered English Channel on 19 June, rounding Bishop Rock at 2016. Foggy. At 1218 on 20 June sighted French Coast, at 1314 sighted Le Havre and at 1400 entered the mouth of the Seine River. Anchored in Pastures at 1539. Z0 TO 23 JUNE-LE HAVRE, FRANCE-At 1610 under- way for Pontoon Dock No. 3, Le Havre, tied up at 1650 and soon stretched our legs on French soil. Liberty was good but price of Cognac too high. Next day took on fuel and started discharging surplus provisions. On 22 June advance party came aboard and at 0930 on 23 June main body of troops arrived. All aboard by 1645 and ata 1937 underway for Boston in the United States of America. Z3 JUNE TO 1 JULY-UNDERWAY FROM LE HAVRE TO BOSTON--Passed Bishop Rock at 0946 on 24 June and once more entered the Atlantic Ocean, this time headed West. North Atlantic turned out not as rough as expected. No one objected. No land sighted on way. In fact for time nothing could be sighted. Several days of fog and haze. Sighted Boston Lightship at 0441 on 1 July and passed it at 0641 thereby entering Boston Harbor. 1 TO 6 JULY- BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U. S. A. -At 0806 on 1 July docked at Commonwealth Pier No. 5 and at 0900 commenced unloading passengers and bag- gage. All troops disembarked bv 1420. Those living on East Coast had five days leave, others had good liberty. Best yet, some said. Took on fuel and began loading supplies on 2 July and continued on the supplies until 6 July. Yard work- ers left at 1550, stevedores at 1555 and 1606 on 6 July were underway for Leghorn, Italy. . THIRD TRIP 6 TO 16 JULY-UNDERWAY FROM BOSTON TO LEG- HORN-On 11 July went through. the Azores, passing Flores Island to starboard at 0847, and Corvo Island to port at 0855. At 1741 passed Graciosa Island about 20' miles to starboard. At 0940 on 14 July entered Strait of Gibraltar and at 1010 had our first look at famous rock. Entered Gibraltar Bay at 1051 and departed at 1 140 having received orders to proceed to Leghorn and at about noon entered the Mediterranean Sea. At 1317 on 15 July passed Majorca Island abeam to starboard. On 16 July at 1310 sighted coast of Italy and at 1458 anchored off Leghorn Harbor. 16 TO 19 JULY-LEGHORN, ITALY-On 17 July moved inside breakwater and moored to Diga Curvilinea lbreak- waterl at 1005. At 1550 began loading army equipment from barges. At 1825 advance party came aboard. On 18 July at 1420 completed loading troops. At 1435 on 19 July all Army equipment was aboard and at 1530 got underway for Gibraltar. Liberty good at Leghorn with side trips to Pisa and Florence. 19 TO 21 JULY- UNDERWAY FROM LEGHORN TO GlBRALTAR+Trip across..lVlediterranean calm and un- eventful. Rounded Point Europa at 1723 on 21 July, En- tered Gibraltar Bay at 1800 and anchored at 1849. Com- menced fueling at 1935, finished at 2250 and underway again at 2345. Fast turn around. No liberty. 22 JULY TO I AUGUST-UNDERWAY FROM GIBRAL- TAR TO PANAMA-On 30 July at 0731 passed Desecheo Island and 0800 sighted Mona Island and we were back in Caribbean again. This time not so rough. On 1 August at 0814 sighted Coast of Panama and at 1 130 entered Cristo- bal Harbor. At 1213 moored to Pier No. 10, Cristobal, and started taking on fuel, water and supplies. ICONTINUED ON PAGE NO. 321

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I2 TO I6 APRIL-MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS- Nothing happened until next day when discharge of pas- sengers and cargo commenced at 0935, passengers 'having been aboard over a month. To most it seemed longer. All passengers disembarked by 2I 30 and all cargo discharged by 0I 45 on I4 April. Swung on hook two more days. Most got ashore to view remains of Manila. Sightfseeing only available recreation. At 0909 on- I6 April shoved off for Leyte again in a convoy of which our Skipper was Commo- dore. This one a little faster. I6 TO I8 APRIL-UNDERWAY FROM MANILA TO LEYTE-On I7 April at 0938 passed Naso Point, Panay Island, and at I256 passed Sojoton. Point, Negros Island. At 2I 30 passed Silino Island, followed in rapid succession by Siguijon Island. On I8 April at 0902 passed Caligangan Point, Leyte Island. After passing lots of other points which certainly were not points of interest, entered San Pedro Bay, Leyte, at I346. I8 TO 26 APRIL-LEYTE, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS-An- chored in Berth No. I9 at I50I on I8 April and stayed there too long. Beer was good at San Antonio on Samar, but the quantity was limited and it was a long, wet trip by boat. Loaded fresh provisions from the U. S. S. Pastores on 20 April and on 22 April took aboard a few Navy passen- gers and then continued the long vigil. Refueled from tanker on 25 April and underway finally on 26 April. No- body was sorry to leave. Destination, Biak, Netherlands East Indies. 26 APRIL TO 3 MAY - UNDERWAY FROM LEYTE TO BIAK-This time our Captain was not Commodore and the convoy was really slow. Godl Was it slow. Ships have been known to move faster just drifting. Finally shook off convoy at I I46 on 2 May and lit out by ourselves towards Biak. Entered Sorido Lagoon at 0807 on 3 May. 3 TO 4 MAY-UNDERWAY FROM BIAK TO HOLLAN- DIA-At 0930 stood off Biak awaiting orders which turned out to be-proceed to Hollandia. At I I22 left Biak forever. No one will miss it. Back in Hollandia at 0729 on 4 IVIav, 25 minutes ahead of convoy which we left on 2 May. At I250 loaded a few Army passengers and at I752 got underway for Finschafen. Things were moving fast for a change. 4 TO 6 MAY- UNDERWAY FROM HOLLANDIA TO FINSCHAFEN-On 5 May at I I I0 passed Blupblup Island. There is too an island by that name. At I707 passed Karkar Island. That sounds silly too, but it's true. Both islands were named by a baby learning to talk. On 6 May at 07I 5 entered Langemak Bay and docked at Pier No. I0, Fins- chafen, at 0757. The number is deceptive, there was only one pier. 6 TO 7 MAY-FINSCHAFEN-At I005 on 6 May started loading mail, baggage, fresh water and later on passengers. On 7 May finished loading passengers, water, baggage and mail alrid at I508 got underway for the good old U. S. A. urra I 7 TO 22 MAY- UNDERWAY, FINSCHAFEN TO SAN FRANCISCO-On II May passed Funafuti Atoll of the Ellice Group and the International Date Line, this time. get- ting back a Friday in return for the Saturday lost before. This made an eight day week with two Fridays. Fish on only one though. Special dispensation for sailors. On I3 May returned to right side of equator at 0522. Very few aware of it at time as none that could possibly avoid it were awake. On 22 May sighted Farallon Island Light at 02I0 and entered San Francisco Bay at 0400. Passed under Golden Gate Bridge at 044I and anchored at 0553. Home again seventy-one days after leaving. Oh, boy! 22 TO 30 MAY - SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.-Docked at Army Pier No.7 at 0844. Commenced discharging passengers at 09I 5 and cargo at 0945. All passengers ashore at I 430, half of crew soon after. At 0804 on 23 May underway for Anchorage No. I2 in San Francisco Bay. Workmen soon came aboard to make minor alterations and repairs which continued until sailing time. On 25 May at 0838 underway for Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, and moored at Berth A at 09I 2. At 0958 began loading sup- plies. This continued until 0820 on 30 May and at 0856 under way once more. We would like to have stayed longer. SECOND TRIP 30 MAY TO 7 JUNE-UNDERWAY FROM SAN FRAN- CISCO TO PANAMA-at 0947 passed within 2000 yards of Alcatraz. That's close enough. At 0958 went under Golden Gate Bridge and once again out to sea. Weather good and trip pleasant without passengers. Arrived at Pana- ma Canal Zone, Pacific side, at I728 on 7 June and stood by for orders. lAbove leftl Manila Street Scene. lAbove centerl Native Filipino porter with partial load. lAbove rightl Quonset Hut cluster at Hollandia, New Guinea. lLower Ieftl Quarato Church at Manila. lLower centerl Trading Center on Escalta Street near the fleet landing on the Pasig. iLower rightl Manila's Chinatown.

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THE TROOPS CARRIED . The shakedown was over! Now for the actual job of carry-' ing troops. The ship was ready and eager. lt was aptiyl summed up by an exuberant mess cook in the galley as preparations were being made for handling the long troop mess line. O, K., he said, Bring on your doggies! And on March l2th at San Francisco, they streamed aboard, 3000 strong. Fresh, young, eager infantrymen they were, for the most part, not long out of training camps, on their way to replace the weary and battle-scarred veterans waiting to go home. At sea, it wasnlt long before things settled down. The long planning had not been in vain. Our destination was New Guinea but the war in the Pacific was moving rapidly and we all knew that that would not be our final destina- tion. On board was the USO Camp Show Oklahoma re- cruited from the New York Theater Guild. A jolly bunch they were and they entertained all hands unstintingly. An area on deck was reserved for them and it was a pretty sight to watch the ballet dancers practicing. They helped tremendously to make the trip pleasant. They got off at Hollandia, New Guinea, along with a group of Red Cross girls and were replaced by veterans of the lst Cavalry and llth Airborne Divisions returning to their units which were then in the thick of the fighting in Northern Luzon. We took aboard, too, a small group of Filipino refugees among whom was a five-year-old baby who was promptly adopted by the troops. After a ten-day trip in a slow convoy we arrived at Manila on April l2th.. The city was in shambles. The Japs had only recently been driven out. The docks were demol- ished and the harbor cluttered with sunken ships. The troops were debarked in small boats and rushed to replace- ment depots nearby. ln a few days they joined fighting units at the front. Now the voyage home. At Leyte we picked up a draft of Navy men bound for the States, at Hollandia a Ship's Hos- pital Medical Platoon and at Finschafen the main body of troops, mostly patients and casualties. Th.e vessel was prac- tically converted into a hospital ship. Staterooms were used for litter patients and officers were carried in troop com- partments, most of which also held patients, to say nothing of the hospital wards which were filled to overflow. About a week out to sea we got the electrifying news. The war was over in Europe! It was the Atlantic for us, we knew. Troops had to be redeployed to the Pacific and we were slated for the job. And, sure enough, after only a week in San Francisco, we set out again, this time through the Panama Canal to France. lt was kind of nice cruising along without troops, plenty of room, no blackout and the time was used to good advantage. The vessel was made ship-shape in preparation for the new troops to come. At Le Havre, June 22nd, the crack 379th Infantry of the 95th Division embarked. Heroes of the Ruhr, the Rhine, the Saar and conquerors of the City of Metz, th.ey were a smart looking outfit. They were bound for the Pacific through the States and we carried them to Boston, the shortest haul we made. At the famous Commonwealth Pier in Boston we were hailed by press and public. Colonel Akin, Commanding Officer of the Regiment, had this to say, May l compliment you on the appearance, efficiency and comfort of your ship . . . the high. standard of the mess and comfort of the quarters. But the time was urgent and much to be done. The six days in Boston were long enough to be re-supplied and ED lCONTlNUED ON PAGE NO. 329 lAbovel Part of troops aboard the first trip. The USO show Oklahoma in the foreground. lTop centerl Chow-down for troops in the mess hall. lLower centerl Troops assemble for an open-air show on l-latch 5. lBottoml Sunday devotions topside.