LCI (542) - Naval Cruise Book

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25 Locks. 'The journey through them lasted only 25 minutes, followed by a short trip to Mirallores Locks lasting 17 minutes. Then we were in the Pacific Ocean having spent exactly four and one-half hours transitting the Canal, and set o-ur course west and north for San Diego, California. . Ten lazy days of good weather and calm seas followed, seas of rich blue set off by the barren brown hills of Latin America, with occa- sional tall mountains, sometimes volcano-es, in the distance. We were escorted at times by flying fish and once or twice by large schools of dolphins--as many as thirty or forty would cluster under and around the bow, maintaining position without seeming to move, although the ship was making better than twelve knots. Occasionally a giant turtle would float by, asleep in the sun, sometimes with a bird perched on its back. These aroused the sporting instincts of Bruce and some of the other more ardent shots, so the small arms were broken o-ut for hunt- ing. One turtle was wounded, and we came close aboard in hopes of ho-isting him onto the fantail. All went well until someone emptied a tommy gun into the animal, sinking him without a trace-no turtle soup. Another time we saw a giant manta ray leaping out of the water close on the port bow, but did not go fishing. Very early one morning the port engine co-mmenced a high-pitched whine, which grew louder and worseg investigation showed that all the oil had leaked out of the gear box due to the carelessness of the Coco Solo pitch control boys. Luckily the trouble was located before the gears were stripped, though the engine was noisy from then on. The morning of April Z, the day after Easter and the invasion of Okinawa, we arrived at San Diego. After threading our way up the harbor for an hour, we reached Berth 9, South Quay Wall, Naval Repair Base, and moored to the 581 in the midst of ab-out 100 LCIS. Shortly after tying up, we had an arrival inspection and learned that we were to remain at San Diego for a period of overhaul, followed by several weeks of training. No one could have any leave, however, and liberty was restricted to 48 hours. For almost three weeks the ship sat at the pier while minor repairs were made, the Base would not replace the noisy gear box. During this period Beloin left for treatment in the hospital, and Roberts succeeded to the Bosun's position. Finally the training exercises commenced the week of April 20. In company with a group of other ships we beached in the Bay, maneuvered out- side the harbor, practiced mooring to an AKA and to Mole Pier, and beached and maneuvered some more, The following week was taken up with classes ashore, including the fire-fighting sch0O1, 3 valuable,

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, 24 ceeded in selling our old washing machine to the depermers. Then came the reloading of ammunition and a move to the Charleston Section Base on the other side of town, where we relaxed for a couple of days and lost Aynes and Eldridge to the hospital. Finally, on March 9, the 542 sailed for Key West, dropping the pilot at 1705. For the next three days we cruised down the coast in calm seas, never far fro-m shore. After passing Miami Beach, crowded with war workers relaxing, we arrived at Key West early in the morning o-f the 12th and moored to LSM 146 at Craig Dock. Since a generator needed repairs, it was necessary to move to the Naval Operating Base the following afternoon. This proved to be quite an undertaking as we had to stand off the entrance to the basin in a narrow channel and strong current, waiting for a group of mine- sweepers and a French submarine to get out of the way. Repairs took two days, allowing us a little time for relaxation. Meanwhile the 419 had arrived with only three officers, so Mr. Allen trans- ferred to her, after being our welcome passenger for three months- especially welcome to the officers, because his being aboard permitted four watches instead of the usual three at sea. On the morning of 16 March we sailed from Key West fo-r the Canal Zone, with the 410 in company. After skirting the western edge of Cuba that night, the ship headed south in the hot and rolling Caribbean. All went well except her compasses, which were affected strangely by- the change in latitude. Thus it was that on the 19th we passed to starboard instead of to port of Quenta Suena Reef, not that anyone noticed it until the bottom appeared where there should have been deep water. The coral knobs looked very close to the sur- face, so a wide sweep to starboard was executed, even though the 419 wanted to stop for swimming. Finally the ship reached deeper water and headed back to the proper channel. We arrived at Coco Solo late the next afternoon without further incident and moored to a pier at the Naval Base. The next day all hands indulged in some rest and recreation, and the base wo-rkmen checked the pitch control, neglect- ing to replace all the bolts in the port gear box, a fact we were not aware of for some time. A Early on March 22, after swinging ship, we anchored off Balboa to await a Panama Canal pilot. None came, and after three hours orders were received to go thro-ugh, or transit',, on our own. We shared the locks with an LSM and the 410, feeling like a toy boat in a bathtub, nor did the electric engines help us through. The 542 entered Gatun Locks at 1200, spent 50 minutes there, and then sailed through tropical Gatun Lake until 1530, when she entered Pedro Miguel

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26 if soaking, course culminating in a trip into a Haming tank with the nozzle of the hose to tame the flame.. . - May came and with it the first outside training cruise. We set forth in a group on the 4th, tiring at a towed sleeve that afternoo-n. Beaching on San Nicolas Island began bright and early the next morn- ing, followed by power runs that afternoon. After anchoring off the island for the night, we beached again and practiced to-wing other ships off-the long strands of kelp together with the surf made this difficult, and our score was not too good. The next night was devoted to inde- pendent night steaming on set courses, after which came more anti- aircraft target practice, until we anchored in Wilson's Cove off San Clemente Island. May 8, while making speed runs over the measured mile at San Clemente, the radio brought the news that Nazi Germany had surrendered. The efforts of the 542 had contributed to that victory, -and she saluted it with blasts on the whistle, even though the other ships did not join in. The following morning we returned to- San Diego. . Next on the schedule was another week of classroom training, so on the morning o-f the 15th we were lying quietly at the pier, with half ship's company at classes and several more on liberty in Lo-s Angeles, when the 552 came alongside and disgorged 11 officers and 135 men on our decks fo-r transportation to Morro Bay, half way up the coast to San Francisco. Th-ere was little water and less food, and some of the compartments were being painted, the ship had no radar for a trip that was sure to be foggy, and she was sho-rthanded. Nevertheless, we had to get under way as soon as possible, after some bread was obtained and the nearest students rounded up, we sailed. At first the voyage was uneventful, with clear weather up past San Pedro- and Los Angeles, but entering Santa Barbara Passage a head wind and sea developed, bringing fog. The passengers got seasick and so did not need the food we did not have. The paint buckets in the forecastle overturned in the heaving waves and decorated the passengers' gear stowed there. By morning the fog had closed in completely, which meant that the navigation department was in for a tough time 3 what with the inaccu- rate Compasses and strong current and seas, dead reckoning proved dif- Hcult. The ship went no-rth until it was judged that Morro Bay was abeam and then turned east for the coast. The coast came sooner than expected, for breakers were heard dead ahead when the ship was going about 8 knots and co-uld be seen by the time she was stopped and anchored. When dawn came without fo-g, Morro Rock was only a mile or so away. Presently a pilot came- out to guide us through the narrow entrance to the harbor , which had never seen anything larger' than an