Leyte (CV 32) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 130 text:

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT First the one with the Drill, then the Square Needle. The Captain visits our luxurious Sick Bay. DURING the Korean Cruise everyone came in contact with the Medical Department sooner or later-mostly sooner. As the LEYTE rounded 2 Charlie Baker, the innoculation lines began to form. By the time We reached Yokosuka We felt like pincushions, but we knew We were secure against typhus, cholera and almost all other diseases. ' The Medical Department under Commander Rickerd was kept busy throughout our cruise curing minor aches and catfever. The frigid weather off Korea produced numerous colds that were promptly checked. APCS Went like hotcakes at every sick call. Our Medical Department's efhciency was proven by the fact that sick bay was emptied almost every time that We reached port. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

Page 129 text:

'X 1 I UPON the S-4 Division falls the task of keeping about 200 officers well fed and contented with- out allowing the mess bill to rise to astronomical heights. - Keeping officers' rooms tidy became a major S-4 problem, for boxes of China and souvenirs of all sorts piled up as the cruise progressed. W' W f J l The way S-4 sees our officers- 200 hungry mouths to fill Thousandth landings meant many cakes from S-4 You get no bread with . . . S-4 DIVISICN

Page 131 text:

1 Some fun Easy does it NE of the Medical Department's most sparkling feats off Korea was the excellent medical treat- ment given seven North Koreans. These Koreans attempted to flee to Pusan to escapve the pangs of starvation as well as Communist tyranny. As non-members of the Wonsan Red party they weren't faring too well under the blessings of Marxism so they begged, borrowed or more probably stole a sampan in a flight for freedom. However, they drifted around for seven days after losing their course. After seven days without food or water with the Grim Reaper crawling over the gunwales, Lady Luck, in the form of the destroyer NORRIS, smiled upon them. The destroyer picked them up and transferred them to the LEYTE since they were suffering intensely from frostbite and malnutrition. After two days of treatment by our medical staff, they had recovered sufficiently to be transferred back to the NORRIS to be deliverd to Pusan for further care. A had case of frostbite Medical officer makes a final examination