Marquette (AKA 95) - Naval Cruise Book

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To all hands: When the Marquette steamed into Hampton Roads at noon on April 19, 19-16, she had com- pleted a trip around the World. By date, it was just ten months after commissioning. iThis cruise covered almost 32,000 miles and touched all continents, as Well as Hawaii, Guam, Manus lsland, and the Philippines. Of the original crew who sailed from New York on July 1, 1945, 153 remained With the ship and completed the World cruise. The balance joined the ship enroute, but practically all who returned to Norfolk had completed a trip around the World. As time passes, it is hoped that you will remem- her your cruise around the World With increasing satisfaction, and that this souvenir bo-ok will serve to recall your experiences and shipmates. J. E. GABRIELSON Captain, U.S.N. C viii J

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SMALL BOATS WITH BIG PLANS Fort Pierce g ,lAL- SV 1-1 tvl , Fort Pierce, an island separated from , Qi V:-V ','. 1 1:1 . - . ' the Florida mainland by the Indian e'eLie-' 1 . gf' Qs- 1 . . SL-1 SS'e .iL, Sll- RIVCT, Was the home of the U' S' Naval 5. .i', ffl ZA, 'f .,'- Q :A , , . . ive i t ,AAS u SSAL - ,Q,' Amphibious Training Base. All that kept LeV-e e,LLV 'L.vVe ,l--,L, ' ef,V .'i'+ 'ele ASQA iiiff ,SLvAA,A the men stationed there from drawing 'i r 'ira g th 10 H drawbrid C that ' '-'i' ,- ' . - 'r1't 125717 1'1 fz' 1 11e'i Sea pay was C g g iffy fii i .1 - Q d 0 1 d m ai -... A - rr' . . S Connects C 15 an 'iii'i, P - . , Upon arrival at Fort Pierce, we were :,4 ,.,1r . - - rrr quwldv put through 21 C1-aSS1fiC21f10n f Mia, ',fi' 1-' - '--'- center. In a very short period, we were told what our specihc job would be, where we were going to live, and what would happen to us during our stay on this island. From the center, we Were hustled into tents or barracks, and the process of settling down began. We soon found the island has an area of approximately eight, heavily-wooded, square miles, more than half of which is swamp. 'Small portions have been cleared of most of the trees and other vegetati-on, leaving nothing but bare sand which varies in depth from four to six inches. With the slightest sea breeze, the visibility drops down to two miles or less. Men from the North thought they saw low- sweeping clouds, men from the East thought it fog, but the men from the South- west knew too well that it was a sand storm. No, even they too were wrong! This strange matter flying through the air was not sand - it was pebbles. We remem- ber Fort Pierce for this most plaguing and fantastic variety of storm. The inhabited part of this island was thickly populated with men and crowded with living quarters. VVe had heard of the beautiful Spanish-style buildings found in Florida with large bay windows and broad patios. But this was the Navy -- the living quarters were tents. Un entering one of these tents, any person taller than Eve feet, eight inches, had to bow politely, not to show respect to the occupants, but t-o keep from smashing his brains out. Qnce inside, if you weren't a booby-trap expert, there was great danger of stepping on the wrong board, resulting in shock and a barked skin. Looking up, we could see our real shelter, the sky and stars. After a meeting with our new officers, we commenced our schooling. It seemed as though knowledge enough for twenty men was crammed into us in a three-week period. We lived in classrooms morning, noon, and night. Small boat seamanship, signalling, diesel engines, recognition and amphibious warfare were sent at us in rapid-fire succession. After a few weeks of school we were readv to man our boats and Commence the grind of running maneuvers, beaching, retracting both day and night We made mock invasions to get the feel of things Tuo months of this routine went by and everyone could do his Job from force of habit Among other routme events many of us, especially the salvage crews, will remember the special boat and crew who finally earned the title, Broach im boat and call me 1 7 . Q a . - , ' I U g , . ' If ' ' 7 H ' s C D ,,.