Menifee (APA 202) - Naval Cruise Book

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L A N D L J B £ R J £ S

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Mog Mog was the payoff. The Navy spent much of the war winning advanced bases so that its ships could be sup- plied and repaired quickly and sent out to fight again. This re- moved the necessity for the long haul back to Pearl, Australia or the States. A seldom-mentioned bypro- duct of this strategy was the fact that it also cut out the fair liberty of the first place, the good liberty of the second, and the wonderful liberty of the third. Therefore, the Navy, doing what it could, set up what it called Fleet Recreation Cen- ters. Sooner or later, any base of any importance had one. Some, in the rear areas, had Red Cross girls, beer, cokes, juke boxes, doughnuts and box- ing rings. Others resembled Mog Mog. But Mog Mog was the payoff. Mog Mog is one of the islets of Ulithi Atoll in the Carolines, long one of the most advanced and most secret naval anchor- ages. Ulithi is a huge and typi- cal atoll — a necklace of islets and reefs surrounding a huge lagoon. Names of the islets of Ulithi read like a fable: Waseri- meyoruuechiichi, Pugelug, Feit- abul, Lam, Asor, Pig, Mange- jang and Elipig. Mog Mog had the recreation center and was dedicated to the drinking of beer. As your P-Boat skimmed the choppy waters of Ulithi ' s ho- rizon reaching lagoon, you could smell two things long be- fore you reached Mog Mog — beer and urine. Acres of co- coanut trees were interspersed with picnic-type tables set in the mud. We stopped over at Ulithi on our way to the Okinawa opera- tion. An entire amphibious task force — soldiers, marines, and ships ' crews would be ashore at one time, inhaling tons of beer. Some, by begging, barter- ing or buying, would get enough beer to grow happy. And, in that state, a considerable number became suddenly inspired to climb a cocoanut tree and knock down nuts. Beer just seemed to work that way. Mon- ey meant nothing. The common price for beer was one buck straight. With too many beer just seemed to work that way. It would rain several times in the course of a three hour liber- ty. Liberty parties would come back wet, muddy, tired, but sometimes with enough beer in them to make it worthwhile. It wasn ' t much. But Okinawa was the next stop and beer was beer, no matter where you drank it. 46

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WAJVfJjVJ DJARY r- Uf iVJ£ JJf££ TR W£ 5 January 4 — At 1305 completely loaded with cargo and carrying 1676 troops of the sixth ACFT, warning division, the Menifee stood out from the Bdwy. pier, San Diego to destination . . . Pearl Harbor. January 10 — Arrived in Pearl Harbor. Distance covered 2310 miles. January 11— Underway for Port Allen, Kauai, T. H. 254 passengers aboard. January 12— Arrived in Port Allen, T. H. January 13 — Commenced loading Army Ordnance equipment, and 83 Army passengers. January 14 — Underway from Port Allen to Honolulu. January 15 — Moored to pier in Honolulu, T. H., disem- barked passengers and commenced loading car- go — completed loading this date. January 16 — Underway for Pearl Harbor. Arrived this same date. January 25 — Underway for Honolulu — commenced load- ing Army and Navy cargo. January 29 — Completed loading cargo at 1719 stood out of Honolulu Harbor with 638 troops on board — destination Guadalcanal, Solomon Is. Steam- ing singly and escorted by one PC. February 1 — Crossed international date line — advanced all clocks 24 hours. February 5 — Anchored near west Kukum Beach, Guad- alcanal. Discharged troops and cargo. February 8 — Underway for Port Purvis, Florida Island, Solomon Is. Arrived this same date. February 11 — Moored alongside USS Vulcan, for six days availability. February 22 — Underway for West Kukum Beach, Guad- alcanal. Arrived this same date. February 23-31 — During these days the USS Menifee held debarkation drills. General Quarters, Fire Drills , and other exercises in preparation for her first invasion. Anchored several times in White Rock Cove, Guadalcanal, while on maneuvers. March 21-31 — Anchored in Ulithi, Caroline Is. April 1 — Anchored off Okinawa Shima, Nansei Shoto. April 3 — Anchored in inner Transport Area — commenc- ed discharging troops and cargo. April 5 — Underway in convoy from Okinawa to Saipan, Marianas Is. April 9 — Anchored at Saipan. April 10 — Underway from Saipan to Pearl Harbor. April 20 — Arrived in Pearl Harbor. April 23-30 — Ship was given ten days availability at Pearl Harbor. May 5 — Underway from Pearl Harbor to San Francisco. May 1 1 — Arrived in San Francisco. May 12-15 — Loaded cargo and troops. May 16 — Underway from San Francisco fully loaded and 1387 troops on board. Destination, Manila, to stop off at Pearl for further orders. May 23 — Stopped off at Pearl for further orders. May 24-31 — Underway to Manila. June 1 — Stopped off to fuel at Eniwetok, Marshall Is. June 6 — Anchored in Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Is. June 7 — Underway to San Pedro Bay, Leyte. June 10 — Anchored in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, Is., Philip- pines. June 19 — Underway for Milne Bay, New Guinea. June 25 — Arrived at GOPI Point, New Guinea — com- menced loading cargo. July 2 — Underway for Hollandia Bay. July 4 — Anchored in Hollandia Bay, New Guinea. July 6 — Underway for Manila Bay. July 11 — Anchored in Manila Bay. July 14 — Underway for Ulithi, Caroline Is. July 19 — Anchored in Ulithi — Underway for San Fran- cisco. August 2 — Arrived in San Pedro, California. August 4 — USS Menifee went into drydock. August 6 — Underway from drydock, San Pedro, to San Diego, California. August 7 — Arrived in San Diego, Calif. August 21 — Underway from San Diego, Calif., to Guam, Marianas, carrying 1558 troops, and fully loaded. September 5 — Arrived in Guam, Marianas. September 8 — Underway from Guam to Saipan. September 11 — Moved to Tanapag Harbor to load troops and cargo. September 18 — Underway from Saipan Harbor to Nag- asaki, Japan. 1237 troops and their cargo. September 23 — Landed in Naga ' saki — Debarked troops and cargo. September 26 — Underway from Nagasaki to Manila. October 1 — Arrived in Manila Bay. October 4 — Underway from Manila Bay to Mangarin Bay, Mindoro, Philippines. October 5 — Arrived in Mangarin Bay. October 10 — Underway for Manila Bay. October 14 — Arrived Manila Bay. October 16 — Underway for Saipan. October 21 — Anchored in Saipan Harbor, underway from anchorage to dock in Tanapag Harbor. Com- menced loading troops. October 22 — Underway from Saipan to San Francisco, California. November 3 — Arrived in San Francisco! 4.-