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

Page 34 text:

.. , , ,. . 'ri-is BLATCHFORD'S WAR DIARY I TO 2 AUGUST - CRISTOBAL, C. Z., AND PANAMA CANAL-Good liberty for those who got it. Hard work for some. Completed loading stores and provisions at 0705 on 2 August and at O8I 3 were underway for trip through the Canal. By l558 out of Canal and standing out of Panama Bay once again headed for Hollandia. No one happy about it. 2 TO 23 AUGUST-UNDERWAY FROM PANAMA TO HOLLANDIA-On I3 August at I739 passed Christmas Island abeam to port only three miles away. First sight of land in eleven days. Next day Japan accepted surrender terms and it looked like war was over. But we were plumb in the middle of the Pacific Ocean headed in wrong direc- tion. On I6 August at 20I4 crossed International Date Line once more, this time jumping from Thursday to Satur- day. Sighted land again on I8 August, but it was only Matthew and Charlotte Islands. This excited no one. On 20 August at I827 again crossed equator from North to South. On 22 August sighted Emerson Island, Purdy Island and Rat Island. Not much to look at. Back in Hollandia at I240 on 23 August, after longest continuous time at sea. Too long. 23 TO 25 AUGUST' - HOLLANDIA, NEW GUINEA, N. E. I.-On 23 August at I338 moved alongside tanker and took on fuel. Next day loaded a few stores and at 0648 on 25 August got underway for San Fernando, Luzon, P. I., leaving Hollandia forever, we hoped. 25 TO 30 AUGUST-UNDERWAY FROM HOLLANDIA TO SAN FERNANDO-On 28 August sighted Samar Island at I446 and at I800 entered San Bernardino Straits. On 29 August passed Fortuna Island at I026 and Bataan Peninsula at l2I 2. At 0500 on 30 August stood into Lingayen Gulf and at 0615 entered San Fernando Harbor. 30 AUGUST- SAN FERNANDO, LUZON, P. I. -An- chored at 0727 on 30 August and an hour later got under- way for Army Pier, docking at 0955. At I3I7 all troops for this port had debarked and at I40I underway for Manila. 30 TO 31 AUGUST -1VUNDERWAY FROM SAN FER- NANDO TO MANILA-Passed Corregidor at 0630 on 3I August and at 08I8 anchored in Manila Bay and waited. 3I AUGUST TO 8 SEPTEMBER-MANILA, LUZON, P. I. -On I September still waiting. 2 September got underway to inner harbor at I638 and anchored at I72I. Waited. On 3 Sepwmber at I020 started debarking troops after forty-six days aboard. Completed at I I20. At I I22 began discharging Army equipment. On 4 September still dis- charging cargo and waiting. 5 September, same thing. 6 September, no change, until I820, thenunderway to Dock No. I5. At 2240 resumed unloading cargo and wait- ing. 7 September waited and discharged cargo. On 8 Sep- tember loaded tr 'ps and supplies, finally completed dis- charge of Army c , ant and got underway for Leyte at I I 50. Took only eight and one-half days to do one day's work. 8 TO I0 SEPTEMBER-UNDERWAY FROM MANILA TO LEYTE-On 9 September at 2222 entered Surigao Strait. At 0230 on I0 September stood into San Pedro Bay, Leyte, and anchored at 0304. At 0743 underway to Berth No. I2 and anchored at 0935. I0 TO I4 SEPTEMBER-LEYTE AND SAMAR, PHILIP- PINE ISLANDS-On II September took on fuel from tanker. At 063I on I2 September moved to Berth No. 20 and at I630 debarked Army passengers 'for Leyte. On I3 September at l0O0 started embarking troops and at I34I began taking aboard patients. At I604 underway for Guiuan, Samar, and anchored there at I9I9. At 0700 on I4 September began embarking Navy patients and corps- men. At I353 underway for San Francisco, we thought. I4 TO 30 SEPTEMBER-UNDERWAY FROM LEYTE TO SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE-I 4 to 2I September steam-A ing along, passed near Wake Island and Midway but did not see them. Nothing interesting until cry of Man Over- board at I008 on 2I September. At' IOI 5 lowered No. 3 Boat, at I023 picked up man, at I030 picked up boat with man, at I035 resumed course and speed. Fast work. Steamed peacefully and happily along towards San Fran- cisco until the bolt struck on 27 September, when, only three days from home, orders arrived diverting the ship to Seattle. Changed course to the North on 28 September, entered Puget Sound on the foggy morning of 30 Septem- ber and at I800 docked in Seattle which was the wrong port for all but a few. But the U. S. A. looked good after eighty-six days, especially to those who were eligible for discharge. A THE TROOPS CARRIED ICONTIN give the crew members who lived in the East a short look-in on the folks at home and we were off again. This time to Leghorn in Italy. There we took on a ship- load of Service troops, units of Quartermaster and Medics, but mostly Combat Engineers who had seen service in North Africa and made the long trek up the Italian Penin- sula with Mark Clark's V Army. Ahead lay the long voyage, more than half way round the. world, to the Western Pacific. We settled down, through the Mediterranean, back into the Atlantic towards the Canal. An eleven-piece orchestra was assembled from the troops, the shows, ln- ternational Musical and Victory Parade , were put on by the soldiers, an amusing newspaper Deckings was published and other events to lighten the tedium of the long trip were organized. Speculations were rife as to our e,:act destination. Events were happening so rapidly there was no telling the place these troops would dcbark. At Cristobal they were given a chance to go ashore, obtain ,refreshments and stretch their if .- if: UED FROM PAGE 25l legs,and then on again into the Pacific. Two weeks later, in the middle of the vast ocean, the news broke. Japan accepts unconditional surrendesr! Joy was uncoinfinedl Thanksgiving services were held by all denominations. But the sober business at hand had to be carried through. At Hollandia, we found our next stop would be San Fernando in Northern Luzon. We debarked some Quarter- master and Medical Units there and moved on to Manila. The city had not changed much but docks had been built and we were able to tie up. Troops were debarked and others took their place, but plenty of room was left for the patients we still had to pick up at Leyte. From there we made our last stop at Guiuan in Samar to take aboard a draft of Navy patients and corpsmen and then off for home. We were rounding out our first year of duty. For many of us it would be the last voyage. The war is over! And, although there is still much to be done. by a ship like ours, we can safely adopt the motto of the famous 4I st Division, many of whose men we carried . . . Mission Accom- plished. 355 8689 'O' i i I l I i I X I ,I i I I .,. I 'i I of AIN fa .1 ?l 4 I