Menifee (APA 202) - Naval Cruise Book

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Wed been qettmq pretty Well tlred ot that dead and toq bound town ot srrnple tlshertolk Hstorla Wed been qettma even more trred ot bernq shoved around trom one HPH to an other dodqlnq Workrnq parttes and l1v1nq out ot a seabaq When brqqer than lrte and streaked bow to stern Wrth razzle dazzle camouflage ln steams our own baby the 202 Flnd for some strange reason she looked Just a lrttle better than a dozen others poured of the same mold lnvrtatrons were broken out The date set November 4 Wrves sweethearts buddy buddys mustered Ceremonres were scheduled tor topsrde But the qood old Oreqon Weather f1XGd that Ceremonles Jn the crew s messhall So We mustered rn the m sshall port srde Carrrer sarlors battlewaqon sarlors yrppee sarlors statesrde sarlors Pacrtlc rock sarlors but mostly boots 70 or 80 percent 1n therr t1rst real duty assrqnment Guests starboard srde lt was brret That s th way We Wanted 1t The sklpper ot the base turned the shrp over to Captaln Spauldlnq wrth a few terse statements He alluded to the Job ahead ot us Cwe expected rt to be lapanl and enJomed us to carry out the wrll ot the people of the Unlted States. Captarn Spauldrnq then a three-strrper read h1s orders and Won our hearts With- one statement: None of us 1S here because he Wants to be But We d do the Job. .Qnd by God We drd. Rnd it there s a plankowner aboara who can remember the commrssronrnq and the year since Wrthout some prlde Why we say he doesnt rate the trust the hard-worklnq people ot the Unrted States placed Jn htm I fd COMMl5Sl0NlXlf' 22

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PRE-SHIP TRAINING Long before the men of the Menifee reported for duty in Hstoria the first part of November, l944, they were in training for their work aboard at naval stations from Coronado, Calif., to Whidbey Is- land, Wash. The largest group of those making up ship's company formed at Barracks ll, HPD. Pre-Commis- sioning school, Seattle, on September 29. Men of this group had been gathering at the school since its formation in luly. Organizing the school, though just a part of the tremendous task the Navy had in putting to sea a fleet of f3lPH's, was an impressive job by itself. Well before the school's construction was complete, instruction in radio, signalling, damage control, navigation, engineering and deck watch standing, gas warfare, swimming, and other subjects had started. Some men had had specialized training for their work as attack transport sailors even before their arrival in Seattle. Thirty-seven hands of the deck force had spent two weeks in Hugust at the cargo handling school, Port Hueneme, Calif. The vital cargo handling part of an HPH's work was to depend on them and the men they taught. Six Badarmen had six weeks at Point Loma, Calif., another six trained at Bremerton for a week, and then the whole group went to Whidbey Island, Wash., for a week's work as a C.l.C. team. Qfter the crew was formed, attendance by divisions started in two weeks' courses given by the school. Deck force men and few others concluded their training ashore with a week at Pacific Beach Hnti-Hircraft school. Meanwhile, in southern California, the Boat Group and Beach Party members were in training for their shipboard tasks. Officers of the Boat Group reported for duty at the Hmphibious Training Base, Coronado, in mid- luly, but it was two more months before the bulk of the enlisted men arrived and the present Boat Group began training together as a 'P' unit. .Qll hands assigned the 'P' unit were drilled in boat handling-beaching, retracting and coming along- side-boat salvage, signalling, use of machine guns, and the rigors of physical training. While prospec- tive boat crews continued practicing boat handling, other groups learned salvage, maintenance and re- pair of boats and arms. One crew had a month's experience salvaging boats in Coronado's heavy surf. Motor Machinist Mates learned every detail of the Gray marine diesel engine, and men with Carpenter's Mate or Ship Fitter rates learned their work by repairing hulls of damaged assault boats. Machine guns and small arms were studied by the Boat Group's Gunner's Mates. The Menifee's Beach Party went into training at the Hmphibious Training Base, Oceanside, Plugust 3. Men at the base learned to run an LCVP, take soundings, rig buoys, salvage boats, and on the dry land side learned to hit a beach, dig a foxhole, shoot a ri-fle and throw a hand grenade. The Beach Party came aboard 5 November. Thus ready to assume their responsibilities aboard before they had seen their ship were many of the men who have since sailed the Menifee all over the Pacific. n 21

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RIGGING OR EA 5 t lust two months from the day the U.S.S. Menifee's first crew came aboard her 4 November l944, the Mighty M headed west from San Diego to assume an active part in the Pacific war. In that first 61 days, the ship was outfitted and underwent minor alterations, and the crew members, estimated as 70 percent land- lubbers by QPR school, learned their parts in the com- plex organization of an assault transport-as well as the miseries of sea sickness. The pace that was to be maintained throughout this trying period was set immediately after Wegge, CBM, piped the first watch that rainy commissioning day. The deck force rigged for quick loading of the tons of pro- vis1ons that were to be taken aboard. So fast were Kaiser's yards in Portland and Van- couver sending HPQ's down the Columbia river to .Qs- toria, that dock space for outfitting was precious and speed essential. Qll hands turned to with a will, as they were to do many times since in loading or unloading their ship, and earned a Well Done for a speedy job. On l5 November, the Menifee got underway for Seattle. That afternoon General Quarters was held for 'est firing. Hounds expended: 4 rounds 5 38 cal., lO4 rounds 4Umm, l8O rounds 20 mm. Next day, the ship was deperrned and all hands turned to again to load arnrnunition. purpose of the Menifee's trip north was accom- pushed l8 November when Captain Bartram and staff I the training command made a personnel and material r-, inspection, the first of three suffered by the Menifee ',lILI'.Q this two month period. Meanwhile, Menifee sail- ors were renewing auld acquaintances or making new forges ashore. Next day, Sunday afternoon, the ship was underway again. !HUI'ldQfVJGY again, in fact, is the short short story of the Menifee to datel Three days later the hook wer? down in San Francisco Bay for an overnight stop, aurlrrg which the boat group picked up boats and some other hands tried Frisco liberty. 23 NN, Wi L7 fx 7 X f :af fig? 4 Vt WXQ g --'-Pi-4,-P -7 y ,7,,,,s K fx, if fin gf . f 1 i xg .tt ii l ' xy l Q ti ft 2? bl tfriiq set' tix ll t t Xie x ,sf A of tl ,- kf SU? t 5 l I l 5 1 i 5 4 2 i l l t V I z , t 1 t E l t t i ,z l