Menifee (APA 202) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 25 text:

PRE-SHIP TRAINING Long before the men of the Menifee reported for duty in Astoria the first part of November, 1944, 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 11, APA Pre-Commis- sioning school, Seattle, on September 29. Men of this group had been gathering at the school since its formation in July. Organizing the school, though just a part of the tremendous task the Navy had in putting to sea a fleet of APA ' 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 August at the cargo handling school, Port Hueneme, Calif. The vital cargo handling part of an APA ' s work was to depend on them and the men they taught. Six Radarmen 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.I.C. team. After 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 Anti-Aircraft 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 Amphibious Training Base, Coronado, in mid- July, 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. All 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 Amphibious Training Base, Oceanside, August 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 rifle 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.

Page 24 text:

O ' Connell, John G.. S2c O ' Connor, Paul E., Sr., Cox Okra. Robert S., St3c Olin. Oren W., RdM3c Oliver, Philip B., Cox Olsen, Leonard R., SFlc Olson, James R., MoMM3c Olson, Robert I., S2c O ' Neal, Arthur L., S2c O ' Neill, lames D., SF3c O ' Neill, Thomas J., Jr., BMlc Osborn, Richard, Sic Osbom, William E., SF3c Ormsby, James A., Sic Osherhoff, Philip, Flc. Paciorek, John S., Sic Padoleski, Raymond J., GM3c Paduano, Joseph A., S2c Painter, Gordon L., SFlc Palese, John P., Sic Pandolfi, Rocco M., FC03c Panicola, John J., Sic Parshall, Donald M., SK2c Parsons, Bernard W., MM3c Pastore, Clyde W., Sic Patterson, Burl W., Cox Patterson, James C, S2c Pattie, Jack H., BM2c Patin, Ivory, StMlc Paulisch, Eugene B., Sic Payne, Jesse O, Sic Pedersen, Earl F., MoMM2c Peeler, James, CK2c Pelan, Daniel, FC3c Percy, James C, CSK Perkins, George S., Sic Perkins, Walter G, BM2c Phelps, John W., WTlc Philbrick, Jack, Y2c Pierce, Nelson C, MoMM3c Pillow, Robert M., RM2c Pirnie, Gilford A.. S2c Pittsley, Clifford V., Sic Place, Walter W., Sic Poland, James A., MM3c Pope, Max L„ BM2c Post, Norman E., Jr., Sic Powell, Clarence E., Sic Power, Maurice F., MM2c Prest, Delmar W., Sic Price, Harvey W., S2c Price, Robert E„ CEM Puletz, Henry J., Flc Putnam, Herman E., MoMM3c Putney, Donald E. J., Sic Quintana, Dannie C, Sic Ouish, Albert J., MoMM3c Rancatore, Thomas A., MoMM2c Rayford, Joe K., St2c Raymond, Dennis E., SM3c Recker, Clarence N., RdM3c Redmond, Richard E., Sic Reece, Frank R., Jr., Sic Reed. Robert S.. Cox Reinsel, Cecil J., Sic Renteria, Jesse V., S2c Rettig, Fred B., Jr., BMlc Rhoades, Floyd, Sic Rich, AlfordL., Sic Rich, Billy J., Sic Ricker, Eli S„ MoMM2c Riggen, William A., Flc Riggs, Elmo J., Jr., Sic Rinehart, Charles J., Cox Robert, Kenneth D., MoMM2c Roberts, Edward R„ Jr., MoMM3c Roberts, George J., CMM Rodgers, Donald R., Cox Rogers, Alvin J., S2c Rose, Robert C, S2c Rose, Samuel V., MoMM2c Ruppert, Edgar C, CSF Ruth, Paul R., S2c Ryan, Arthur D., Sic ! Saavedra Ticanor, Sic Sacco, Antonio, Cox Sackie, Albert G, Flc Sacks, David A., MM2c Saling, John E., MoMM3c Sanchez, Reynaldo N., S2c Sargent, Roberts A. L, StMlc Saylor, George W., Jr., SK3c Scandlyn, Paul R., Y3c Scanlon, Arthur B., S2c Scanlon, James P., Jr., Sic Schasteen, Robert G., MM2c Scheerer, Paul H., EM3c Scheuerman, Charles F., S2c Schindler, Robert J., S2c Schlicke, Robert S., Sic Schmaelzie, Leon R., S2c Schmidt, Eno A., MoMM2c Schmidt, Eugene J., MM3c Schnebelen, Harvey W.. WT2c Schneck, Robert W., Flc Schnelle, Fred, Cox Schoener, Joseph E., Sic Schrowang, Hugh J., Flc Schultz, Joseph J., Jr., Sic Schwan, Carl N., Sic Schwartz, Arthur B., CMlc Schwarzel, Harry, Sic Scolnick, Lewis N., Jr., Sic Seals, Barton L., Cox Semendoff, Solomon, Sic Sharp, Jack D , MM2c Shepherd, Harold, CBM Sherwood, Merwyn R., Sic Shields, Curtis M., SM2c Shocklee, Alex B., EM3c Simmons, Cornelius R., StMlc Simpson, Raymond G, Sic Skou, Frederick A. W., WTlc Sloneker, Robert F„ RM2c Smith, Allen D„ St2c Smith, Kernon W., WT3c Smith, Malcon C, Stic 20 Sonico, Paul S., St2c Sorelle, Joseph T., Cox Sorem, Lloyd S., QM2c Sorrells, James E., BMlc Spence, Marshall R., EM3d Spence, Rneille J., CCS Stack, Frank W., S2c Stewart, Raymond E., SM2c Strauss, Harry E., M3c Sukosky, William P., Sic Switzer, Louis M., SClc Tantzer, William F., CCS Taylor, Charles T., COM Taylor, Walter F., BM2c Taylor, William R., StMlc Teater, Chris I., S2c Terry, Quinton D., CPhM Tharp, Thomas J., MoMM3c Thomas, Allen M., Blc Tipton, Harold E., Rdm3c Tische, Francis E., PhM2c Toet, Cyril E., COM Tollefson, Maurice J., Sic Tomlin, Thomas F., MoMM3c Torkelson, Raymond, RM3c Torre, Phillip, SClc Trager, Joseph W., S2c Trimble, Lee W., StM2c Turpin, Glenn S., EM3c Ubert, Dean L., Cox Umlor, Robert T.,RM2c Vanderver, Almos A., SC2c Vanskike, James C, GM2c Vavra, William R., BM2c Veatch, Thomas B., PhMlc Venton, Harlow R., S2c Vermette, Paul A., MM3c Viands, George W., Y2c Victor, Fred W., SK3c Voss, Albert H., Jr., RMlc Voytovich, Andy, Sic Waggner, William J., MoMM3c Walsh, Harold O., BM2c Walz, Norman J., Jr., S2c Washington, John L., Ck3c Wegge, Walter, CBM Weinstein, Albert, RMlc Weldon, Harvey W., PhM2c Wells, Laverne, CBM Wetherald, James E.. RM3c White, Granger A., CMoMM Whitefoot, Howard R., RdM3c Whitehead, Lawrence D., MM3c Wiant, Henry S., BM2c Williams, Finnis W., Wt3c Williams, George T., BM2c Williamson. James B., Sic Williamson, V. B., CM3c Wills. Mark E., Jr.. WT2c Winter, Donald L„ RM2c Wiweke, Arlington D., MoMM3c Works, Charles E., Rdm3c Worrell, Lee B.,CM2c Zuffinetti, Frank, CMlc

Page 26 text:

TJ-J !• r OjVJjVJJ JOjNJ jN We ' d been getting pretty well tired of that dead and fog- bound town of simple fisherfolk — Astoria. We ' d been getting even more tired of being shoved around from one flPfl to an- other, dodging working parties and living out of a seabag. When, bigger than life and streaked bow to stern with razzle- dazzle camouflage, in steams our own baby, the 202. find, for some strange reason, she looked just a little better than a dozen others poured of the same mold. Invitations were broken out. The date set. November 4. Wives, sweethearts, buddy-buddys mustered. Ceremonies were scheduled for topside. But the good old Oregon weather fixed that. Ceremonies in the crew ' s messhall. So we mustered in the messhall, port side. Carrier sailors, battlewagon sailors, yippee sailors, stateside sailors, Pacific rock sailors — but mostly boots, 70 or 80 percent in their first real duty assignment. Guests, starboard side. It was brief. That ' s the way we wanted it. The skipper of the base turned the ship over to Captain Spaulding with a few terse statements. He alluded to the job ahead of us (we expected it to be Japan) and enjoined us to carry out the will of the people of the United States. Captain Spaulding, then a three-striper, read his orders and won our hearts with one statement: None of us is here because he wants to be. But we ' d do the job. find, by God, we did. find if there ' s a plankowner aboard who can remember the commissioning and the year since without some pride, why, we say he doesn ' t rate the trust the hard-working people of the United States placed in him.