LCI (542) - Naval Cruise Book

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27 LCM before. It was- a tight fit, but the ship was finally moored and the passengers d-ebarked. Johnson and Mr. Hillman went off to get some more food, fortunately, because two hours later 11 mo-re officers and 100 men came aboard for transp-ortation back to San Diego. After getting under way and turning around with the help of an LCM, we set off in clear weather and a sea still rough but following. Reaching San Diego by 0830 the following morning, we threaded another narrow channel to the Amphibious Training Base at Coronado and moo-red to a pier to unload. ' There followed four days of rest, which' were especially welcomed by those of ship's company who-se, wives had come out to live in the quonset hut settlement next to the base. Early on May 22' W-e sailed to participate in a landing exercise, designed to- train an amphibious staff. After rehearsing off Coronado in the morning, the ships pro- ceeded to Oceanside for the exercise, which was to fo-llow a night of independent steaming. While steaming, at 0435, our starboard pitch control froze, making it necessary to operate on the port engine alone. After engaging in the Hnal' rehearsal off Oceanside that morning, the anchor was dropped while repairs to the pitch were attempted by the black gang. Bruce tried out the new shallow water diving outfit, enjoyed himself, but accomplished nothing. The only thing to do was to return to San Diego for parts. Mooring at South Quay Wall proved interesting with only o-ne engine 5 the ship finally had to be backed in. An engine overhaul was then begun, during which time we stayed at the base for about three weeks-time enough for most of the crew to see Los Angeles and movieland, to say nothing of frequent trips to Tijuana, Mexico. June 4 Doc Simpson left to get his discharge, and Doc Stewart replaced him. On 18 June orders were received to proceed once more to Morro Bay, this time in company with the 528, which had radar and could navigate through the fog somewhat better. An hour after being noti- fied of the trip we were loading 6 officers and 112 men at the Coronado Base. We sailed, and this time nature was kinder g visibility was good all through the night, and the fog did not settle' in until the next morn- ing, two hours short of Morro Bay. After anchoring off the port and unloading into small boats, we sailed for San Diego that afternoon, arriving at the Repair Base the following day. . The 542 had now been at San Diego for almost three months, much longer than anyone had hoped. The war in the Pacific continued, mostly at Okinawa, but LCIS seemed to be available in surplus quantities. Pearl Harbor was said to be full of them 5 San 'Diego certainly was- another group had arrived after us, veterans of the Mediterranean.

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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

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28 The rest of Flotilla 12 had finally returned from England and were being converted to gunboats on the East Coast. Always there was some new scuttlebutt about our future, until at last the word came 3 all of the LC1s in port were to be converted to gunboats, without rockets, to serve as picket ships, presumably in the invasion of japan. On the afternoon of june 21 our conversion began, when a tugtowed us to a floating drydock. In less than 24 hours the bottom had been painted, ammunition un- loaded at Mole Pier, and the ship moored to the 420' at Pier 5. Navy yard workers littered the decks in short order and added to their con- fusion by training Welders on the job, which did not make for neat work. The 28th was a big day, for we got a sound movie projector, due to the efforts of Mr. Littlejohn, who collected money from several sources, the largest amount being a gift from the San Diego Rotary Club. 'Movies every night became the rule, and at first they were triple features. 15 July we officially became U. S. S. LCIQGJ 542. On the 17th an inspection was held with the crew in dress blues on the gundeck and Lt. Theo W. Pinson, the Group- Commander, in attendance. Roberts was summoned to the fore and being a conscientious Bosun's Mate began to worry about what had gone wrong. He was really surprised to be decorated with a well-deserved Bronze Star Medal for his heroism and conduct at the Invasion of Normandy. He and Bruce went off to Hollywood to celebrate. V .On July 20 Lt. Qjgj Donald G. Buchan, a Pacific LCICGQ veteran, reported for duty as Gunnery Officer. Next the ship was towed to the drydock once more, this time for the overnight installation of a fatho- meter. Back at Pier 5 the work continued, with the usual hitches, such as changing the type of radar after what had been shipped to us had all been unpacked or the time a yard worker rigged a bosunis chair from our old and battered yardarm and tumbled to the deck when it broke, luckily escaping with only bruises. 27 July ship's complement was increased to gunboat size with the arrival of Anwyl, Bishop, Co-n- nelly, McGovern, Pearson Polichak, and 16 seamen fresh from boot camp, all but one of whose names began with H. As of 2400 August 7 the conversion to gunboat was completed. The 542' had lost her ramps, bow winch and anchor, bow 20mm gun, and bunks in compartments 1, 2 and 4. She now sported three single 40mm guns, 4 2'0mms, 4 .50 caliber machine guns, a fathometer, radar complete with radar shack, several more radios, a Sperry gyrocompass with repeaters, a new officers' cabin where troop officers had berthed, new crew's quarters in No. 3, and a 4.0mm magazine in No. 2. After loading fuel, fog oil and ammuni- tion at Mole Pier, the ship was ,once more ready for sea by the Sth.