LCI (542) - Naval Cruise Book

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33 PORTS VISITED U. s. s. LCICLJ 542 New York City . So-lomons, Maryland Little Creek, Virginia Norfolk, Virginia Horta, F ayal Island, Azores Falmouth, Cornwall, England Plymouth, Devon, England Saltash, Cornwall, England F owey, Cornwall, England Omaha Beach, Normandy, France Portland, Dorset, England Weymouth, Dorset, England Utah Beach, Normandy, France So-uthampton, Hampshire, England Lymington, Hamp-shire, England Millbrook, Hampshire, England Arromanches, Normandy, France Le Havre, Normandy, France Praia, Terceira Island, Azores Charleston, South Carolina Key West, Florida Coco Solo, Canal Zone San Diego, California Morro Bay, California U. s. s. LCICGJ 542 Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island, Hawaii Apra, Guam Island Tolosa, Leyte Island, Philippines Guian, Samar Island, Philippines

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U 32 of November 4 we entered Apra Harbor, Guam, after a voyage of al- most 16 days, our longest continuous period at sea. After mooring to a buoy in the deep harbor, we sent our Marine passengers to a larger ship en route China. The sojourn at Guam was short, hot and rather rainy, with little to do, except that some of us took a bus tour around the island, end- ing with a swim and beer at Hoover Beach. On 7 November, 27 Navy men unexpectedly came aboard for transportation to a barracks barge in the Philippines, making it necessary to take on more water from a barge. While we were doing this, the convoy left the harbor, but we caught up with them at nightfall outside. The destination was Leyte and the company the same, minus the ARL. Once more we had a calm and following sea and an uneventful passage of six days. i November 13 we entered the famous, hot, rainy Leyte Gulf and anchored among about 40 LCIS off the Village of Tolosa. Next day we made a 10-mile trip across the Gulf to the shores of Samar Island to discharge o-ur passengers- alongside APL 3, the barracks barge, which resembled an outsize houseboat. Now that the ship had been reconverted and sent out this far, there seemed to be no use for her- there were few docks, and she could not beach because of the fatho- meter. We sat for a couple of days, but by this time were very short of water, so we cro-ssed the Gulf again to Samar, this time to the water hole at Balusao, where the ship nudged the shore at a pier for four hours while the water trickled in and naked little Filipinos dived for coins and cats-eyes, using old army life belts for skiffs. We found that fresh foods were scarce out here, and we were very short. We finally located an LCI. that had visited a store ship and managed to get some supplies from her, though we almost lost Dubose, who got so interested in some equipment that he was left behind temporarily. Then on November Z0 the Captain received his orders back to the States, and Mr. Hillman relieved him as Commanding Officer. The ship also received orders to enter the ferry service between Tacloban on Leyte and Guian on Samar and on the Zlst moved to Guian to begin her new duty. The 542 had reached her postwar field of operations, far from home in a backwater of the late war. She remained in the Leyte area for about live months, finally returning to San Diego 4 June 1946 for decommissioning.

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34 U. HS. S. LCI 542 Crew Lists QNote: Blank space under date of end of service indicates' man was still aboard November 20, 1945.5 I. CREW DURING EUROPEAN OPERATIONS Name Highest Rafe Held A Frederick R. Van Vechten Charles B. Littlejohn Herbert F. Hand Donald L. Hillman Paul L. N ave Paul E. Allen Raymond H. Aynes William D. Beloin Clyde J. Bowers William L. Bruce Thomas D. Carr Frederick S.'Chovanez John E. Clenney William T. Cornett joseph Cseripko A. Vance Danielson Roy Eldridge John R. Hoblit Milton H. Howard Frederick H. Janes B. Clyde johnson H. D. King Kenneth B. LaPorte James G. Lazarus G. Edwin Matthews Archie W. McCabe William B. Neff Roger L. Petit John W. Roberts Alexander L. Simpson Harold F. Sullivan Arthur C. Vahlbruch Fred T. Wicks Russell Williams Melburn Winn Lieutenant Lieutenant Cjgj Ensign Lieutenant Qjgj Ensign Lieutenant Cjgj Ship's Cook 3c Boatswain's Mate lc Ship's Cook 3c Quartermaster lc Coxswain Signalman Sc' Coxswain Motor Machinist's Mate Zc Seaman lc Motor Machinist's Mate lc Seaman lc Gunnerfs Mate Zc Coxswain Fireman lc Shipfs Cook lc Coxswain Seaman lc Motor Machinist's Mate lc Signalman lc Gunner's Mate Zc Radioman lc Motor Machinist's Mate 3c Boatswain's Mate Zc Pharmacist's Mate lc Electrician's Mate 3c Boatswain's Mate Zc Motor Machinist's Mate Ze Coxswain ' Motor Machinist's Mate 3c Period of Service 1126144-11120145 1126144-10116145 1126144- 71 4144 1129144 7113144 31 5145 1217144- 3115145 1126144 31 7145 1126144 4113145 9129144- 31 5145 1126144 1126144- 31 5145 1126144 31 5145 1126144- 9121145 1126144- 31 5145 1126144 31 5145 1126144 9115145 1126144 31 7145 1126144- 1126144- 31 5145 9129144- 31 5145 1126144 9110145 1126144 2117144 2117144- 31 5145 1126144- 1126144-10119145 1126144- 31 5145 1126144 31 5145 1126144- 31 5145 1126144- 1126144- 61 4145 1126144- 1217144- 31 9145 1126144- 31 5145 1126144- 91 9145 1126144-11116145