Montrose (APA 212) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 9 text:

. . . 4w iA 6uM an ine Till ' lii]) |ii( -paiL ' s for IJi-Larkatii ' ii — ■ The complicated process of debarking troops requires a knowledge of boat team composition, available boats, troop cargo and priority, time schedules, and capabilities. ' . HlUJ BMii lfHS . vMr y ' Teamwork — Each man aboard ship has a key position in the .Am- phibious Operation. He must be trained with his shipmates at hi assigncfl statinn --ii llial nti D-dav. ihe (ipfratiiJii uili run smoothly. Boating — All 2 ' bi)al iiiu-1 hr c lircki ' d fcir anv small discrepancy so that when |iut in tin- water cadi i reaily to fulfill its task. One boat out of commission while in llie water could mean ■ )() troops or ina l)e even a lailin jeep will not lia e a wav ashore. Safety- Each davit, hook, sling, and winch must he inspected before D-day to ensure that no defect is present. The fail- ure of a boom brake or a boat sling would mean the loss of lives.

Page 8 text:

7 ' THc ca . . . The troops come aboard — . . . Sometimes 1500. sometimes less but always the wait and anxietv of the mission ahead . . . The Wait— . . . There are books to read, radios to be played, rifles to be cleaned, and stories to be told . . . but always, always, the wait . . . The Objective — . . . the sliipbiiaid trainini:. the uail ami the uurk all |inint tci arcl ihc final cii)jective . . . hitting the beach.

Page 10 text:

- acf. , , . An Si -o ton LCVP hangs in space waiting for the word Awav All Boats. BOATS TO THE RAIL! With the passing of this word: the whir of deck winches, the grinding of the davits, and the cry Hold that from a Boatswain ' s Mate somewhere on deck commence to- gether, and the actual operation has begun. With the word to Land the Troops begins the long and dangerous climb down the debark not into the boat wait- ing alongside.