Marquette (AKA 95) - Naval Cruise Book

 - Class of 1946

Page 28 of 90

 

Marquette (AKA 95) - Naval Cruise Book online collection, 1946 Edition, Page 28 of 90
Page 28 of 90



Marquette (AKA 95) - Naval Cruise Book online collection, 1946 Edition, Page 27
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Page 28 text:

Our first liberty at Guam consisted of a recreation party at a place known as Gab Gab Beach . Here many of us rested, among other things, our weary minds by con- centrating on a couple of cans of ice-cold beer. The Red Cross had built a recreation center which housed game and reading r-ooms, along with a collection of rug-cutting discs - Maestro Benny Goodman held forth continuously that afternoon in the mid Pacific. Doughnuts and coffee and the familiar feeling of halloween posters and decorations around the place brought up remembrances of escapades at home. Here too, we got our first View of Jap war prisoners doing numerous odd jobs around the beach area. We were sur- prised at their small stature and wondered again how such little men could disrupt the peace of the world. Their apparent happiness in theiripresent position was not under- standable and a ,little disquieting. just off the beach, on a coral strand that nosed its way above the water's surface was a marooned japanese tank, standing as a silent epilogue. 1 From the ship we could often see the great number of planes that took off and landed at the Twentieth Air Force Field and the fighter strip just beyond Gab Gab bases of the B-29 groups that helped de- stroy the Japanese Empire. Planes also were coming in day after day from distant carriers and sometimes it appeared as if every plane we had in the Pacific was there on Guam. W. l Jap Prisoners on Guam A few days later, we prepared for a friendly invasion of another beach situat- ed further out on the base. The small-boat coxswains had to do quite a bit of maneuvering before sighting Hoover Beach. A long canal had been dug extending about two miles from the back of the harbor to the beach beyond. This boat trip gave us our first glimpse of Japa- nese landing craft that were sunken along the sides of the canal. The first thing that caught our eye on arrival was the entrance to the beach built up of oil drums forming a huge letter H. Upon entering, we saw a winding, and in some spots sandy, beach, with little bath houses strung out a short distance from the water's edge. About a quarter of a mile away, there was a clump of trees which looked like an oasis - it was. This wassethe always much sought- C155 Beach. Here on Guam was one of the.

Page 27 text:

STEPPINGSTONE - Guam - The Marqizette came to this largest island of the Marianas Group in early October, after an uneventful trip from Pearl Harbor. Recalling this visit to Guam, we all no doubt think of the roundabout path taken into the inner harbor and dock area. A day of so after our arrival, we received word of a tropical storm whose center was expected to strike close by. We had entered Apra Harbor on the 2nd and proceeded to our anchorage. The storm warning was received on the afternoon of the 4th and it was decided to ride out the earlier stages inside the breakwater, in the expectation that the center might veer away. On that same night, however, the CV, Bonne Homme Richard, parted her moorings due to her immensity and the force of the wind, and she was forced to put out to sea immediately. VVe followed the next morning, along with some small rarriers, to ride out the worst of the storm at sea. It appeared from the number of ships maneuvering off Guam that a second invasion was about to take place. Soon though, the center of the storm veered sharply northward, and we were able to re-enter the harbor. Coming in slowly, we maneuvered into our berth, getting a good view of the harbor itself and the many large Navy ships and floating drydofks anchored there, Interspersed among these were quite a few amplzilzious landing fraff. One of the tall cliffs that project into the mouth of Apra Harbor was among the few in this area that made history. Here on this high bluff lived a Radioman first class named Tweed, who was all but forgotten in the japanese invasion of this group of islands. He decided to hold out, along with others who were later killed, instead of surrendering to the invasion armies. His home for two and one-half years was a cave that was set back deep in the rock formation that over-looked the harbor. His only means of supply was natives who risked their lives so that he might obtain food. On the day of our invasion, a destroyer that hovered near the beach saw his frantic signalling and although a bit puzzled, investigated. He was discovered, and after a cautious approach and check, he was quickly brought aboard ship. As always, after dropping anchor in a new port, our first thought was mail. The mail boat returned that Sabbath PM loaded down, and the mad scramble was on when the word was passed, All mail PO's lay down to the post office and pick up your division's mailu. There were some sad hearts as well as bright ones aboard this ship that afternoon, for a few Dear John communiques were scattered among the divisions' mail. Summing up the story thus far, we would say that it was a fairly enlightening arrival at Guam. At first glance, there appeared little to be seen on Guam. Incidents of past destruction could be noticed here and there along the beaches. Jap caves, where long and bloody resist- ance had been encountered, were still in evidence. We soon learned however, that the Sea Bees had created a veritable miracle here following the invasion, for the harbor-and surrounding' areas had been either undeveloped or a mass of wreckage. The beaches and harbor were now cleared and the usual array of Quonset huts and equipment could be seen far up--into the hills overlooking the harbor. The inner harbor was completely man- made, dredged and filled by the Sea Bees. The recently disbanded Advanced Headquarters of Admiral Nimitz were in the heights visible to the north, and movements of all Navy ships in thearea were still controlled by his ofiice. C147



Page 29 text:

ZF 1 1 F s '..-M A425222 v-Uv for beer center. VVith the Royal Hawaiian and Waikiki so far behind us, this beach seemed very appealing, especially considering that it was in the middle of nowhere. Diving boards were placed in- an inconspicuous place for fellows who wanted to try out swans and back fiips without a wise-cracking audience. There was a well-stocked canteen and the lines in front of it were always lengthy. Hoover Beach was visited regularly thereafter while we lingered at Guam. We had not been in the harbor long after the storm when orders came to proceed to the docking area. Although most of the harbor had been cleared, a number of obstacles still remained, and Apra was still a very difficult harbor in which to navigate. Going to the docks, we passed what was later identified as the bow of the Pittsburg. Through past news reports, we had heard how ferocious the Pacific typhoons could beg the evidence of this was there at Guam. The cruiser Pittsburg had met such a gale that the wind and sea had ripped off her bow completely. Leaving her bow at sea for Davy Jones, the Pittsburg made her way'to a naval base for repairs. The structure remained afloat and was finally picked up and towed into the harbor at Guam. ' ' After we had berthed at the dock and secured all details, our alert signal bridge spotted an incoming hospital ship that made its way to a berth just ahead of us. The Sanctuary was to discharge wounded men to be sent to nearby naval hospitals. This was one of the times that the boys on the bridge were accused of using their glasses on objects other than Hag hoists and blinker lights. During all this by-play, the industrious chiefs were busily hunting periwinkles and cats-eyes in the new Sea-Bee filled land adjacent to the dock. ,Unloading commenced, and in five days we were again readyffor sea. Once more we proceeded to a berth in the outer harb-or. After anchoring, we noticed a strange man-of-swar standing in around the breakwater. It was identified as a japanese destroyer coming to evacuate Jap prisoners under American supervision. Despite previous experience in the results of underestimating the laps, this ship appeared quite fiimsy, compared to our own modern destroyers. This diversion helped to pass, a little more quickly, the long and much scuttlebutted wait for sailing orders. ., ..l.,i,..,.d rs f-.,. . .:...,,... H. ti., ,Q ,FV 1 ij N 7 f if Tl E 'e ' '1 f 't A .'.. . x . , 4 -- i . . .. ,,..,2-H143 ,ir L. ,ggj jf ,Nw . ,V Q '1' 1 - .2 ,z-1 .1 . ' v,V- V-253 V -. I, 2. f ,,v' 5,5 9 4, A, 2.4-,.,,s:.j...s', .:, ' 5 I z ' ' .ff-:-1. ,-1 p H .1 . , , 1 f ffgzgzaw-- ' 1 ., , '1.::xfaL -n- ' f- Ig---:44:1: i'1Q fn .1 ' -1 ig f -. , , ' 1 t- -I , ' fj '- I 4:1-2' f. ,. ,, ,f . .At:.1,:,g:::1:1'.:-grey' .5.,:f:::, 'z ff . - rw, - f f 1 . ' , ,ff , fe , 2 4:-' ff, f g- 'V vi' 5 , ' . -ra , f -- :J My,.,,,,.:.31:14s-'.311-z:.-:,:--.111-'2:',1:,g 1Q:4.:,,:,., E112--,Qi . 'Y .. TZ? 7 7 fwz'-1371 f- , ff' ,. V ' f 'H ,, , ,fr':5:'- '1,, ,I 1 A :Z-iyifb A412rgigfzr-3:341:i:?i52s:5:3,3:1:1:32 -Er? -'Z'i'j2 : -' - . , ' ' ' ' 'if.VQE1-il'-if5i2i:,.1. If '1E1'1.f'e 251555 ,,.Q.f? 2: ZZPTEQTIIEIQEQ' 12-QEEEEQ.-311101?1f.1:35'?f'1Q','i'E?1liijA2-bfi'QE1f:g:f'lf-Ifi21.32i:5:1i5E5-1323121i,21'51Q' ' A '33 A .V '- V:-4-1 21,1 Z 1 v :1,.3Lf:g g 9 :-.1 'f f' L- - . w t f- f- ,V1,'-'viz.i,,3g?iZ3,:,:1,,E1:fi-yr.,,,.3,V.:5:1i1--',5.r-2',g.f:'-,V,I li:-4331iQ2,Q,,E -' 1 1- , .H ' C ' , . 1 ,.I .111Z3I: ' I,-127 -155 f' 1, - '- , '1 + , V -- -fi .3:a:,1....155-,-3:f1:2.14ei.1,,.g..g1 ' WW :eta,'g'1:-:-115.1-951611. 21.23.215Q123?5:2:3iiiiEff2?2?2g , C165

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