Mountrail (APA 213) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 42 of the 1946 volume:

lwafrwfax : 2a'Sf"-'ive "f1'w 1.,'1i 27' '1.'g'w-'vb Q 'K- N - . ' n 4: ---J -. ., .,., hu ,. -M- ...J-J. u -" x .i ., 4 ..-f, . ",...-..,.Q-'-. ':'fi-wwf ... ,-,Ag -un 1 x ' 1 1 -, ' . s v 1 . Ai! 5 4, L., an A n A T' . . . . V. - 1, 1 - M. , .A . Y . Fl T A-, w, 8 V, 4" vs X 34. i, Qs :,:.r. 'N ,, X Aw, . f 4 I ,V '. -., J "ff , e -w' ,--K .A ..,,s T, , ,N , I - in p I J fi W, ,X , ., , -.. O 'vo . Pl' ' sf!-1 -fn .1 f.-v Q K . A . f ' , . L f,. Q. ff , J . A ,.. , I f x X "vi S. S. MCJUNTRAIL APA 213 ik NOVEMBER 16, 1944 TO DECEMBER 1, 1945 Hg , p-'2l'y4"1I JU if 1 15115313 .HY ii NAVY DEP!-RRTNBENT LIBRARY yi 1 i I V 1 E I K I 5 I I F w F n I 1 I I . L+.g T- ,ofyfdi ai x, P , . ,-----Q --' F LAN 5 3 'B mv x' rn '- ASE 52 is 22 :Ei X . P Xxx, ff? "3 5 vff .A 5 . X ' s 3 U, x : ' . 'Q I I 30 S IK gy ' 'I' sw., Z 1 lg X1 QI. 'mc 5 25vg,w'xjN'A 5 ,-,I X I , ' N O at -Q Q f ' K Q 0 0' i M, X X ' 2. 519 .. 6, 'X 5 Nm -...R x U- fVm-. E ' N 0, .55 Vi -Q 1 5 gig N ag 'trek X, ig, 69 Q o - - , I 5 M w yfff O W . V13 fb . . 3 X, f' KX E .J - I 'll m rg' - . W . '- .I . Uv- xx 'LA ' 2: 3 ff .8 O 1: Q Z gk' 3'?f XQTL is Q E A I ' r, A 1-"II 'ff -Q 9 2 NR 3 9 3 A L? Z' . 'Xie X 1' . QP N' :F of 5 nu 0?-lx tf E- 'vxff'-W Q 53 XX, E Q of xx Ei' rw D Q X XX? L! r- Q x NX f m' XXZQX X2 . ' X Z XX cf? . X xx 2 xx 9 r M 'ef is fn .Nubian VY FOREWORD This is the story of our ship. We who were aboard her think of her as a female. Generally she was a lady, but, as at least three spirits of dead Japanese pilots and their crews will testify, she could also be a hellcat. There were even times when we got irritated and she seemed a floosie to us, but now that it is all over, I guess she was a lady most of the time. All ships have personalities. It's hard to decide whether the personality of a vessel stems from the Cap- tain, the Crew, or the ship itself. In the case of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL, we like to think that, what began as an inanimate pile of steel plate at a Kaiser Shipyard in Richmond, California, developed into a spirited, wide-beamed lady through the efforts of sweat, fthank God, not bloody of every man who sailed on her, re- gardless of his race, rate, or rank. P . It seems sort of disrespectful to speak of her in the past tense, but I know that wherever she is today she isn't alive and vibrant with the life and activity that walked her decks from November 16, 1944, to Septem- ber 2, 1945. She can't be because there isn't a war on now, and she was designed to live and breath in the fore- front of war. A specialized, Pacific type of conflict which bore an American trademark g Amphibious warfare. Our ship possibly wasn't the best in the United States Navy, and she certainly wasn't the most beautiful, but we think that she could outshoot, outhaul, and outwork any other female in her class. The Navy Department assigned her a letter designation followed by a number. You could see it on the Bow: "A P A 21 3." The "A P A" stood for Auxiliary Personnel Assault Transport, while the numbers desig- nated her as the two hundred and thirteenth ship of her class. Shortly after she went into commission she became a mother, by adopting twenty-six lusty offspring. These youngsters were the landing craft carried aboard. They were not stepchildren, however, because the Lady was designed to carry these boats as her main battery in the battle against the Nips. After the night of April the 2nd the Gunnery Officer insisted that our five-inch gun on the stern deserved to also be considered a part of the Main Battery, and even the most biased Coxswain aboard was inclined to agree with him. The boat crews lowered their boats in a personal sort of way, and felt that in them they would be able to make a beachhead anywhere, anytime. Load their craft with the 77th Division, they used to boast, and they would tackle the shores of hell. We'll try to be honest in our story because we want to remember the lady as she was. Nevertheless, we all earnesly hope that this breed of preditory female shall never have to prowl the seas again. Why! Take our word for it, the Pacihc War wasnit any fun. , 'S 'S T1 HON ILLN 'HV ,LV HEIId 'I 'd CVTINVN LL THE COMMANDING OFFICER COMMANDER R. R. STEVENS, USNR Assumed command of the U.S.S. Mountrail November 16, 19-44 after relinquishing Command ofthe U.S.S. Bridge, a Heet supply ship THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER E. J. MASSELLO, USNR ' Assumed his duties OI1 November 16, 1944. Detached November 29, 1945, after 55 months' active duty. 7 SE-EEPS DATA f"E"GN PUBUC H557 553 515555031 OFFICE rf' Q- K 27 FMLLQ4. Eiiaifkilifiii NAVY ARD LBO CA TACTI 3 l TAMPHIB MAN You've heard of the air force and the paratroops, You've heard of the army and the other groups, But think as hard as you can, Have you heard of the Amphibious Man? ' The amphibious gob is a real rugged sort, But unlike the fleet, he has no home port, Goes where he is needed, does what he can, This poor orphan sailor, the amphibious man. You might be a batleship sailor, from a cruiser or off a tin can, Maybe fresh out of boot training, or perhaps a second cruise man. They pick the men at random, how else could they provide, A few might choose the duty, but they mostly are shanghaied. You've heard plenty of the navy, of ship both fore and aft, But we'll bet you a pretty penny you've heard least of the landing craft They've built a few already and they're building plenty more, For they've got to have the LST to win this blasted war. They come in with the transports in the middle of the night, Sail around to rendezvous, can't even show a light, Find their way in darkness, and land upon the shore, g Through bombs, discharging their cargo, they go back out for more. Bringing in the first wave doesn't end the job, For the troops upon the beach can't live without this gob. ,He brings in reinforcements and everything they use, His job is full of danger but he never makes the news. For when the beach is taken andthe radio starts to tell, You'll hear of marines and soldiers and how they went through hell, You'll thrill to front page stories and of their heroic job, But you'll never hear a word of the poor amphibious gob. And when this war is over and he's back in civil life, How in hell will be explain to his kids and to his wife? They know he's in the navy, but he's the subject of a gyp, He's just an orphan sailor-A gob without a ship. 9 FIRST VOYAGE Now our training was over. We had been commissioned to join the Amphibious Forces as a fighting auxiliary and we rightly felt that we had passed our exams and could consider ourselves graduated to the fleet. So, with the scuttlebutt flying we hoisted anchor on the afternoon of December 21, and that night arrived in Los Angeles Harbor. Christmas hand New Year's Eve were celebrated there, and on the morning of january 1, 1945, we set sail for Seattle, Washington. Drills, drills, and more drills. Fire drills, collision drills, damage control drills, were held every day on our trip North. We all knew that they were necessary, but that didn't keep us from despising the very word "drill." On the morning of the fourth we arrived in this busy Northwest port. More stores were taken aboard, the fuel tanks were topped off, and army troops began coming aboard for the first time. In six short days we were ready for sea with a full load of troops and cargo. It was 2230 on the night of January 10 that we pulled away from the dock, headed North up Puget Sound, turned West, passed through the Straits of juan de Fuca, and plunged our bow into a stormy, unfriendly Pacific Ocean. The waves looked moun- tainous to our unhappy eyes. Green water crashing over the bow, sent stinging spray into the faces of even the bridge watch while the curse of mal-de-mer settled heavily on the stomachs of even some of the old timers. The chow line be- came shorter and shorter each day. As we progressed Southwest the seas calmed, and the temperature began to climb. Daily, one hour before sunrise, we were routed out of our sacks by nerve-shattering summons of the general alarm. Not until the sun was clearly above the horizon did we secure for breakfast. It soon became generally agreed that these dawn alerts were probably one of the most disagreeable features of our new Navy life. As we steamed deeper into Southern waters the seas became warmer, the days longer, and the dawn alerts earlier. The skies were par- ticularly beautiful as huge thunderheads towered over the horizons, and sudden squalls would drench us at our morn- ing gun stations. Flying fish and porpoise became so common that they no longer drew any attention. A short run out of Honolulu we were ordered to delay our arrival for one day, so we backtracked, steamed a couple of hundred miles, turned around again, and on the morning of January 19 the MOUNTRAII. sailed past Diamondhead and came alongside a Honolulu dock. As we tied up at berth D, pier 39, an Army band serenaded us with such native Hawaiian music as "Mr, Five by Five" and "Boogie Woogie Jump." Here we unloaded our troops and cargo, and on the morning of january 23, we cast off and made the short run into Pearl Harbor. We were given a short availability period at Pearl, during which our camouflage paint job was covered over, giving the ship a coat of solid blue. Liberty was granted and everyone went as his fancy dictated. In peacetime, Honolulu may be a quiet restful little city, but while we were there the streets were a solid mass of white and khaki as thousands of soldiers, sailors, and marines tried to find amusement for themselves. You had to stand in line for everything, to see a movie, buy your dinner, or get a drink. Everyone wanted to buy souvenirs to send home, but most of the stuff for sale was either manufactured in the States, or too expensive to fit our G.I. budgets. However, in all fairness to the island and city, it must be said that it is a beautiful place. Fantastic and exotic flowers and trees were everywhere. The temperature was warm but not uncom- fortable, and just to walk around on dry land after our re- cent seasickness was treat enough. Those of the crew not on liberty had to work hard and long during our stay at Pearl. More provisions were loaded aboard. Spare parts were ordered and received from the Naval Supply Depot. Every ship in the harbor was duplicat- ing our activities. We had our first opportunity to see for the first time a large portion of the battle strength of the Pacific Fleet. the huge battle-cruiser ALASKA'was busily preparing to set sail for the Iwo Jima operation. The old battleship NEW YORK, having returned from the Normandy Invasion, was preparing herself for the Pacific war. Around the harbor, if you knew where to look, were a few mementos of the Jap sneak attack of December 7. The abandoned hull of the battleship UTAH lay partly buried in the mud to remind us that we were not on a sightseeing tour. During the last few days we spent in the harbor, four 45 ton pontoon barges were secured to the sides of the ship. We were then ready to take on troops. On january 30, 1945 we moved to a dock at Honolulu and troops were hurriedly loaded aboard. That afternoon we said, "Aloha Hawaii," as we lumbered out to sea like a dyspeptic elephant carrying twins. A few miles out we rendezvoused with the U.S.S. MONTROSE QAPA 2125 and then set our course for Eni- wetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On February 3 we crossed the International Date Line at the 180th Meridian and entered the "Domain of the Golden Dragon." Arriving off Eniwetok Atoll on the morning of February 7, our entry was delayed by a task group of transports, destroyers and battleships coming out of the narrow passage. We later learned that this was part of the force assembling to blast the Iaps off Iwo Jima. With visions, of countless, native Dorothy Lamours dancing before our wishful minds, we entered this, our first, Pacific Atoll. Eniwetok Atoll is made up of a series of small dots of land connected to each other by a reef of coral. The whole group of Islands encircle a lagoon. Normally these islands would be densely covered with cocoanut palms. However, the larger ones had received the "Mitscher Haircut," which means that they had been bombarded by our surface forces and aircraft until they were barren wastes of torn coral and sand. The Sea Bees had con- 10 , .Ma ccpmicinna p I, Vxxli, 1 NITWMESS . 1 fkfff- HALL . YJ, 0 f . Q 1 X - I Z I J 'NV V ,K I - . ,f I I ' if I i CLANG CLANG P - '- -W-I i His 'NS' 'S 2 S A Q Gi - roam. ,Xl . , gm, . 'S 4 ,qw a , ill A si g S -all structed an airfield and hangars, but in spite of the construc- tion, we had never-seen a more desolate looking spot. It was hard to realize that these specks of land were important pawns in the eventual destruction of the japanese Empire. We sweltered here for two days, and on February the 9th formed up with other APAS and sortied out of the Lagoon on our way to Ulithi Atoll in the Western Caroline Islands. The convoy zigzagged the next few days to throw off the aim of any lurking sub, while the destroyer escorts patrolled our front and flanks constantly. As we travelled West we passed atolls still in the hands of by-passed japanese gar- risons. These Islands were no longer active bases except for midget submarines and an occasional plane might be able to slip through our patrols. The islands did serve a very useful purpose though in training our combat pilots and bom- bardiers for more dangerous missions later. The Army, Navy, and Marines trained hundreds of pilots by sending them on bombing missions over these atolls. This kept them effectively neutralized, and, as mentioned before, served as the sandlot training for the major leagues farther West. On the morning of February 13 we arrived at Ulithi and anchored in the lagoon. This atoll seemed little different than Eniwetok except that the Navy had not blasted it. It had been taken without opposition, and except for the teeming harbor and the airfield, was much as it had been before the war. Eliminate the heat and the stifling humidity and it would be a beautiful place. However, no one removed 'either of these for our benefit. So we were not a bit unhappy when we upped anchor the next day and set sail. A On the 16th, one day later, we sailed through a reef bound passage into Kassol Roads, Palau Islands. To our left was the island of Babelthaup, a large mountainous piece of land which we had never bothered to take from the Nips. From our anchorage, four miles away, its peaceful and quiet appearance obscured the fact that it still held twenty thousand frustrated and unfriendly japs. Squadrons of Corsair fighter planes fiying out of Pelelieu, one hundred miles to the South, helped make life miserable for the japs by daily bombing and strafing attacks. These Hghter planes were assisted by groups of PT boats who effectively held the Nips in their island cage by constantly patrolling the shoreline shooting up everything that moved. If it hadn't been so terrifically hot we would have been fascinated, because it was as close as we had come to the fighting war. As it was, we just sweated and hoped we would get underway soon so that we could get a breeze. We had only two days to wait. On the 18th we again weighed anchor and set our course for Leyte, Philippine Islands. At 2119 on the night of February 21 we arrived at our destination and dropped anchor in Leyte Gulf. Even though it was late we cut loose the pontoons that we had been carrying, and then secured all activities but the Watch. The next morning we awakened to a beautiful sight. A mile and a half away lay the Island of Leyte. The beaches were covered with palms almost to the waters edge. Small native Outrigger canoes with grinning Filippinos milled about the American ships. The natives all seemed to speak English, and all seemed to have the Nicotine habit to a marked degree. The clamor for cigarettes was continuous. We were not sur- prised at the apparent poverty of everyone in the outriggers, since we heard that the Emperor's armies had treated the Filippinos as an inferior race, taking their homes, food, clothing and women, giving nothing in return but disease, misery and death. There was no doubt in our minds that these people were genuinely glad to see us. The next day we began debarking the troops we had aboard. As we neared the beach we could see that it marked the Eastern edge of a very fiat coastal plain, with towering and extremely steep and jagged mountains marking the West- ern edge. just back of the palm groves were stagnant swamps and Hooded rice paddies. We were surprised to find that up and down the beach for miles, hidden in the palm groves, were the bivouacs of thousands of troops. There were com- panies of Amtracs, heavy guns, Dukws, and all the men and equipment necessary to make up an amphibious army. We could guess, and the Army confirmed it, that all these troops were lined up on the beach waiting to be transported to some Jap held territory. Our next job was to load aboard our ship a battalion landing team with all its equipment. We were to "Combat Load" the lst Battalion of the 307th Regiment of the 77th Infantry Division. "Combat Loading" means putting aboard a ship the cargo in the reverse order in which it will be needed on a beach head. The Hrst weapons and vehicles to go off onto enemy territory are loaded last. This meant two things to us. First a lot of work and secondly, that we were now on our way to a first hand view of the war. We com- menced loading, using LCMS and an occasional LCT or LSM that would be assigned to us for a couple of round trips to the beach. It was a treacherous shore with sandbars ex- tending just off the beach. Our boats would often broach high and dry. Then the Ship's boat salvage group would spend hours re-floating them. Men in the Beach Party spent a large percentage of their waking hours waist deep in the water, holding broaching lines tied to the stern of the M boats so that the high surf would not swing them sideways upon the beach. Boat crews ate their meals and lived in their boats, while on the ship the hatch and winch crews worked day and night to get her loaded. Several times the beach was secured because of high seas that made it impossible to get the boats safely through the surf with a heavy load. As an added annoyance the laps would send one or more of their few remaining planes in the Philippines on a bombing raid. The planes flew in from well camouflaged air strips on Mindinao, always making their runs at night. Their apparent target was the Tacloban airfield. Although they did little damage they had a high nuisance value. Since it was night and they fiew very high we could not see the planes. We could, however, see the bursts of our anti-aircraft fire and the Hery blossoms of Jap bomb bursts lent a grim festivity to the night skies. On the morning of February 27 we sent twelve boats on a twenty mile trip to San Pedro Bay to pick up provisions. A few hours after they had left, the seas began to increase while a strong wind from the East whipped the swells into Whitecaps. About six o'clock the Commodore secured all loading operations over the beach, as the surf was becoming dangerously high. At eight o'clock the boats began returning from the stores trip. They were heavily loaded and some of them were taking on water. The hatch and winch crews began unloading them as fast as they could. However, LCVQPQ number 4, even though it had been unloaded, began to settle in the water. It was tied up on the starboard side of number one hatch, and the crew assisted by an officer began trying to bail the water out of the boat. It was no use. The swells were running ten and fifteen feet, and in a few minutes the boat sank. As the excitement from this was quieting down, the Officer of the Deck reported to the Captain that the ship was dragging its anchor. Immediately, the special sea detail was set and the ships screw was turned at slow speed to help offset the effect of the wind and sea. There were still fourteen of our boats in the water gathered in a cluster on the star- board side about one hundred yards from the ship. Each was manned by a three man crew all wearing lifejackets. At 0200 on the morning of the 28th boat number 10 swamped and sank. Fortunately, no one was lost or hurt in either of these sinkings, but we all felt pretty bad about the night's happenings. The wind and seas had calmed down during the night, so, the next morning we continued our loading. On March 2 we shifted berth to San Pedro Bay and took on a load of fuel. The next day we moved back to our anchorage off 11 Tarraguna. We then loaded aboard the last of the 1st Bat- talion and preparation for a combat landing. The training was for the boat crews, and every day they went through a simulated amphibious landing. On the afternoon of the 13th the squadron of transports to which we were now attached, weighed anchor and set sail for the final invasion rehearsals at two small islands off Southern Leyte. .F They were named Cabugan Grande and Cabugan Chico. We sailed all night, and an hour before dawn arrived in the transport area near the islands. Boats were lowered, troops were embarked, and a simulated assault was made on the bits of land. This procedure was duplicated the following day. Then after a series of conferences and critiques, during which all of the apparent errors in procedure were pointed out and discussed, we pulled in our anchor and sailed back up the coast, dropping the hook in San Pedro Bay on March Znd. The word was out! We were going to attack islands in the Nansei Shoto group. Our first specified objective would be Kerama Retto, a small group of Islands approximately twenty miles off the Southwestern tip of Okinawa. These islands inclosed a natural basin that would furnish ideal anchorage and base for logistics and service for the main attack that was to follow our attack six days before L Day. "L" or "Love Day" was the time the main landings would be made on Okinawa. The date for this invasion was set as April 1, 1945. We were to make our first landings on Kerama Retto beginning the 26 of March, and were to have the islands secured and an anchorage established by Love Day. It was obvious to all hands that this attack was to be one of the most daring in the Pacific war. From the sizes of the forces that were gathering all over the ocean it certainly was going to be the largest scale operation to date. Okinawa was considered by the laps to be a part of their home islands. It is 60 miles long and averages three to ten miles in width. The population was estimated to be one half million Okinawans, who are a mixture of japanese and Chinese with the Japanese influence predominating. Strateg- ically, the capture of these islands would place us poised for a strike either at the Jap homeland or the mainland of Asia. In addition it would bring most of japan within medium bomber range of our airforce. To better explain the position of Okinawa in relation to the war the following list of dis- tances might help: It is 330 miles from the tip of Formosa, 790 miles from Manila, 4040 miles from Pearl Harbor, 740 miles from Iwo Jima, 450 miles from Shanghai, 845 miles from Tokyo and only 360 miles from the Southern tip of Kyushu which is the Southernmost island of the Jap home Islands. We were really headed into a hornets nest, and warned, that the N ips could be expected to put up a fanatical fight in defence of these islands. For weeks we had been told that if we encountered Jap- anese aircraft we should expect massed suicide attacks. They had started throwing planes and pilots at our ships in the Philippines during the land and sea battles that had raged on and around Leyte and Luzon. The enemies purpose was "a ship for a planef' 12 1 This information came to us well documented, but in spite of its authenticity we just couldn't believe that the Japanese airforce would use this type of attack on the same scale that they had used their bombers and torpedo planes in the past. It was inconceivable to us that masses of pilots could be whipped to such a fanatic frenzy that they would try to die en masse in a flaming pyre on our decks. In a few days we were to find that we had underestimated the enemy's fanaticism. On the afternoon of March 21 we sailed out of San Pedro Bay with our squadron of transports. We entered Leyte Gulf and then set our course Northward towards our foe. We were escorted by destroyers, destroyer escorts and assault personnel destroyers. The sea was moderate, and the entire ship was busily preparing for batle. The guns were checked and checked. The boat engines were tuned. Small arms and ammunition were issued the Boat Crews and the Beach Party. Officers and men were briefed on the job the ship had to perform, and each man's individual responsibilities during the operation were explained. On paper our task was relatively simple. The troops we carried aboard were to be the floating reserve for the land- ings on Keramai Retto. They were to remain aboard ship upon call until it was decided by the Army Commander that they were needed to assist in the securing of some heavily defended beach head. This sounded simple, but in reality it was the most difllcult assignment to try to prepare for, be- cause, where other ships had one specific beach to hit and only one job to do, we had to have complete information and be ready on short notice to make any one of the seven land- ings to be made in the Retto. Our boat crews had to be briefed on the characteristics and identification features of each shore- line, and the ship had to be ready tochange its plans on a moment's notice. - As we sailed Northward the destroyers sighted and de- stroyed many floating mines. The day after our departure from Leyte, three small aircraft carriers fell in astern of our formation and added the protection of their planes to give us air coverage. Two days away from our objective, Jap snooper planes were reported, but we saw nothing but our own Hellcats. A On the night of the 25th and early morning of the 26th we began our approach to the transport area, which was three miles off the islands of Yakabi Shima and Kuba Shima. We went to general quarters many hours before dawn. At 0402 we arrived at our destination. To the East of us to- wards shore we could see the flashes of our Naval guns beginning their bombardment. As dawn broke we could see around us ships of every fighting class. The beautiful 'fto usj silhouettes of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers were visible everywhere. We also saw for the first time other and more sinister silhouettes. Tiny specks in the sky. Jap planes !i The anti- aircraft fire from the .capital ships was intense and accurate. One after another of the Nip aircraft would burst into a ball of flame and fall like an incandescent meteor into the sea. As they hit they would explode violently and then disappear from sight., leaving only a flaming circle of gasoline on the surface of the water to mark their graves. Our attention was attracted to one Jap fighter plane which was first visible at about five miles off our port. Suddenly, from an altitude of six thousand feet it went into a steep dive. We thought at first that it had been hit, but it was soon obvious that the plane was under control, and that the pilot was hurling himself at a destroyer which was twist- ing and turning below him. The Jap steepened his dive and gunned his engine, but because of the distance, we could not tell whether he crashed the ship or not. All we saw was a burst of orange flame when he hit. We had seen our first Kamikaze. Now it was time for our bombardment vessels and the supporting aircraft to commence the Hnal softening up before the landings. The LCI rocket boats moved in and we could see the patterns of their projectiles hissing through the air. Destroyers began firing their five inch guns at point blank range. Then group after group of our divebombers added the screaming crescendo of their deadly loads to this sym- phony of amphibious war. The tiny, mountainous dots of land became shrouded in clouds of smoke, flame, and dust as they were mercilessly worked over. From the ships carrying the assault battalions, loaded landing craft headed for the line of departure. We remained at general quarters most of theiday with everyone taking his turn eating. The reports from the beach heads were excellent. Very light -and ineffective opposition was being encountered, and all landings were proceeding according to schedule. Later in the day we sawa destroyer that had been hit by a suicider. One of its gun turrets was destroyed. Its deck was being cleaned of burnt debris, and dead were lying on the fantail covered .with sheets. We watched it fascinated, and tried desperately to remember everything we had been taught about the defensive tactics to be used against this type of attack. - Just before sunset two boats with an officer in charge departed to assist a net layer in putting out anti-submarine nets in the Retto. Then just before sunset we formed up with our squadron and retired for the night retirement area. This retirement at night was to avoid air and submarine attacks while we were sitting still. We steamed through the darkness with Jap planes con- stantly being reported nearby. The following morning we were again off the Islands. The day was relatively uneventful. We furnish fuel to an APD, and we waited to be called into the beach. The fighting on shore was progressing ahead of schedule, and we began to think that the whole show was going to be a very tame one for us. We returned to the retire- ment area again that night, and the next morning, March 29, we had our Hrst air attack aimed at our convoy. Early in the morning hours a Jap dive bomber sneaked in and made a low level bombing attack on the AKA off our port quarter. The plane zoomed over our ship at a low altitude and escaped. - We could hear the roar of its motor and see its exhaust flashes, but as the night was very dark we could not identify its type. It had dropped one bomb that missed the AKA, but did some underwater damage and the ship had to drop out of formation. At dawn we arrived inside the islands harbor and went to a previously designated anchorage. Aka Shima was one half mile to the East of us. Kuba 13 Shima was a half mile to the West and Yakabi was the same distance to the Northwest. There were several air alerts dur- ing the day when a couple of Zeros came overhead. Early in the afternoon one of our signalmen reported that he could see a group of laps on the beach of Aka Shima. We trained our glasses on them and there in full army uni- form, but minus weapons, were a group of twenty or thirty 1i 14 , bandy legged, Nipponese soldiers. One was waving a white flag tied to a pole, while several of the others were gesturing with what appeared to be white handkerchiefs in their hands. They had had enough and wanted to surrender in the worst sort of way. Not one of the ships sent in boats to pick them up. Several hours later they could still be seen trying forlornly to gain- attention. At last they decided that they weren't wanted and began wandering off into the brush, rock, and scrub pine that covered the Island. On the evening of April 1, we again left the anchorage on our way to a night's steaming. The area in which we would travel all night lay between Kerama Retto and the Sakashima Islands to the Southwest, which were still enemy held. The night was dark and overcast with little air activity being reported. An hour before dawn on the morning of April 2, we sleepily dragged ourselves to general quarters. It was misty and the visibility was very limited. We could barely see the last ship in our column even though the vessel was only 1200 yards astern of us. A few moments after we had manned our guns, one of the lookouts reported a plane breaking out of the fog. We all strained our eyes and there above the last ship in the column we could make out the shape of a slow fiying, single motor plane. It was skimming along at mast head height trying to keep under the low cloud layer that hung over the water. It calmly flew over the last ship and as it passed over the transport directly astern of us we suddenly heard the staccato bark of a 20MM anti-aircraft gun. All eyes immediately focused upon the plane which up to now we assumed to be a friendly scout, and as it neared our stern we could clearly see the two red meatballs of the japanese Empire painted on its wings. We opened fire at a range of about five hundred yards. The pilot, apparently not yet in the mood to die for his Emperor, banked his craft sharply to the left and speedily headed for the nearby cloud cover. As he zoomed for altitude he dropped a bomb which landed between the columns of ships, doing no damage. All our fire did to him was blow a few pieces of aluminum off his wings and possibly frighten him. We reached gloomy depths because we felt that we had muffed our chance to get a much coveted Jap flag painted upon our bridge. We returned and spent the remainder of the day in our usual anchorage. Early in the afternoon we again went through the narrow passage between Kuba Shima and Yakabi Shima and headed Southwest. just as we sat down to our evening meal all hell broke loose. The ensuing action is best described in the official action report which follows, and in the letters of commenda- tion written by the Commander of Army troops aboard, Lt. Col. G. G. Cooney, and his executive officer, Major M. Culpepper. I' l eUss MOUNTRAIL QAPA-2131 I cfo Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California . 5 6 April 1945 1 l From: Commanding Officer. If To: Commander, Transport Squadron SEVENTEEN. Subj: Enemy Aircraft-Claim to Destruction of. E Ref.: faj ComTransRon 17-Dispatch 042350. I ' fbi Peerif Ltr. 51L-44 of 28 September 1944. Enc.: CAD Statement of Lt. Col. Gerald G. Cooney. 5 CBJ Statement of Major james M. Culpepper. 5 . 1. In accordance with reference faj this vessel submits its claim to have splashed and assisted in splashing five 155 enemy planes during the AA action on the night of 2 April 1945. Three C55 of these planes were "Sure Splashes" unassisted by the gunfire of other ships A g and two f2j were "Sure Splash Assistsf, ' Q 2.. In order to distinguish with unmistakable clarity the particular planes which this vessel claims to have splashed, each plane observed l, to have participated 'in the attack, whether taken under fire by this vessel or not, is separately discussed, indicating what part, if any, this vessel ' played in its ldestruction. This report is based on a careful and discriminating objective analysis of the testimony of all ofiicers participating in, or in a position to observe, the firing, and careful screening has eliminated all possibility of unintentional duplication. I 3. As observed by the personnel of this vessel, nine Q91 enemy planes identihed as "Francis', participated in the attack. Analysis of the actions of each plane involved in the attack is set forth in chronological sequence as follows. ' faj The first plane sighted was destroyed in the air. It was not under tire from surface vessels. Two friendly F4Us attacked it and it exploded in mid-air after showing a trail of smoke. This vessel in no way participated in its destruction. . fbj The second plane was observed immediately thereafter. At the instant it was observed, it had gone into an attack-dive and crashed the U.S.S. HENRICO. No return fire was observed from any ship. This vessel in no way particpiated in its destruction. I fcj The surprise and speed of attack achieved by the enemy had averted any return fire up to this point. However, by this time this vessel's after twin 4oMM and other War-Cruising Condition gun crews had opened fire on a third plane which appeared off our starboard quarter. General Quarters had been sounded and Condition I gun crews were rapidly manning their stations with a consequent increasing volume of fire being delivered. No gunfire from other ships was observed. Hits were observed and the plane was splashed without threatening any surface ship. Credit claimed for a "Sure Splash" unassisted by other ships in this case. . fdj Next a twin-engined bomber fidentified as enemy "Francis"j appeared off our starboard quarter. It winged over and went into L a suicide dive directed at the U.S.S. TELFAIR which also engaged the plane. Smoke and flame was observed to come from the plane before , it struck and splashed over the port bow of the TELFAIR. Observers state that hits were registered by the fire of this vessel. It is I believed that the gunfire of this vessel participated in a "Sure Assist." 1 'fej At this point, a plane was seen to go into a dive well forward of the convoy, followed by a burst and prolonged flames. It is , believed that this was the plane that struck the APD-21. This vessel in no way participated in its destruction. . ffl Almost simultaneously a twin-engined bomber fidentified as "Francis"j appeared slightly forward of the starboard beam.on a course of approximately 15 degrees, range about 9000 yards. The 5"!38 gun took it under fire and the first burst appeared to commit the , la 15 pilot to his course of action. The plane winged over and went into a dive apparently aimed at the bridge of this vessel. Every starboard- bearing gun commenced rapid fire which was sustained without interruption. The plane kept coming through a solid cone of fire and it appeared that nothing on this earth could possibly stop it. Then, at a range of about 500 yards, it suddenly barrelled over and splashed into the sea. Despite the intent to make this a purely objective and conservative report, it is utterly impossible to describe this action without a sense of emotion for the superb gallantry and heroism of all hands, especially the gun crews. In the face of almost certain destruction, not a single man faltered for so much as an instant. This vessel emphatically claims a "Sure Splash," unassisted by the gun- fire of other vessels. fgj With hardly an opportunity for interruption of fire, another plane appeared in approximately the same position as a previous one and on a parallel-and-opposite course fidentified as a "Francis"J apparently making an estimate of the situation. The 5"!38 took it under fire and its second burst chewed off its tail. The plane dipped, went into a nose-dive and splashed into the sea without having committed itself to an attack. No gunfire from any other ship was observed. This vessel claims, with equal emphasis, a "Sure Splash" of this plane unassisted by the gunfire of other ships. QhJ Simultaneously for possibly slightly precedingj the Quad 4OMM and Forward Twin Starboard 40MM Guns engaged another plane which was crossing forward from starboard to port and apparently aiming at the U.S.S.GOODHUE. Observers reported that hits were scored and flames were seen to emerge from the plane before it struck the GOODHUE on the fantail. It is believed that the gunfire of this vessel may have participated in a "Sure Assist." , fij The last enemy plane observed by this vessel failed to participate in the attack. Apart from its enemy character, its identification was somewhat uncertain. It circled and left the area, trailed and apparently pursued by two F4Us. It did not appear to be taken under fire by any surface vessel. 4. If any other enemy planes participated in this attack, they were not observed by the personnel of this vessel. 5. The supporting statements of Lt. Col. Gerald G. Cooney and Major James M. Culpepper, both of whom were present on the bridge throughout the major portion of the action, are enclosed. These statements represent entirely independent observation on the action, although, of course, there has been much general discussion of the action throughout the ship. . 6. The Commanding Oflicer is fully conscious of the magnitude of our claims and, for that very reason, subjected all testimony on the subject to a most exacting and rigid scrutiny, rejecting everything that failed, to have the support of numerous independent sources of evidence. He even tested his own direct observations and those of the Executive Oflicer against the testimony of others to check the coincidence of details. Judged by this exacting and objective attitude, the Commanding Officer feels that he could not, in strict honesty and with good faith toward his ship's company, claim less than has been set forth in the preceding paragraphs. 7. The Commanding Oflicer at this time wishes to state that the results attained show the benefits of an almost unceasing period of drills and especially great benefits derived by the gun crews always tracking planes whenever they are within sight. R. R. STEVENS. HEADQUARTERS FIRST BATTALION A 307TH INFANTRY On the evening of April 2nd I was aboard the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL with my Battalion Clst Bn. 307th Inf.J when a group of approxi- mately ten 1101 Japanese suicide planes attacked our convoy. It was a privilege to witness the splendid courage and devotion to duty of the oflicers and men of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL. The U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL I am sure was the first ship to pick up the enemy planes and open fire. The first plane I saw was flying parallel to our Starboard side. All guns opened up on the Jap "Francis" The plane made a slight roll and angled off to the left with smoke streaming from its tail. On its way down the plane hit the forward part of the TELFAIR. Shortly afterwards the plane that dove on the GOODHUE was brought under fire by all guns forward of the bridge. I am sure their assistance helped considerably in setting the Jap plane afire before it hit the GOODHUE. A A few minutes later a Jap "Francis" far out on our Starboard turned and headed directly into our ship. All the guns on the starboard side opened up and stayed on the approaching Jap plane until it exploded about 500 yards from the ship. This particular action was the most impressive experience I have ever witnessed of courage and plain Gulf! Considering the fact that these men are 75'Zi new men and their first action. It was extremely encouraging to stand there and watch the crews of two guns in particular stay at their guns with the Jap plane headed directly into the guns. Not as much as an ammunition bearer left his post until the Jap plane exploded close enough to almost feel the blast of the plane as it exploded about 500 yards from the ship. There is absolutely no question that the splendid courage and devotion to duty of these men saved the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL and our men from a disasterous evening. - The next plane witnessed was at agreat range passing parallel to our ship. The five Q55 inch gun on the fan-tail fired two shots. The second shot knocked the tail off and the bomber burst into flames and plunged into the sea. Those were the only two shots fired at the plane. To me this whole action showed splendid courage and devotion to duty which can come only as a result of good training and teamwork. I must say I am exceptionally grateful to be aboard the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL after witnessing the action of April Znd. l Lt. Col. GERALD G. COONEY, Commanding Officer, lst Bn., 307th Infantry. HEADQUARTERS FIRST BATTALION 507TH INFANTRY I On the evening of 2 April I was on the bridge of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL when several enemy planes attacked the convoy. To the best of my knowledge the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL was the first ship to open fire on the attackers. The first plane fired on was flying parallel to the ship on the starboard side. All guns opened up with effective AA fire and as the plane began its suicide run on the U.S.S. TELFAIR it burst into flames before splashing. It is my belief that the fire of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL greatly assisted in the destruction of this enemy plane. Following this action a twin-engine bomber was brought under fire by the guns of this ship. The plane started a suicide attack on the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL from about 10,000 yards. The following action was one of gallantry for all oflicers and men of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL. The attacker was kept in a solid cone of fire until it splashed several hundred yards from the ship. There is no doubt that the heroic and gallant action of all gun crews in the face of almost certain destruction, saved the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL from serious damage to ship, crew, and troops. A short time later a two-engine bomber was sighted at a great range moving parallel to the ship. The five f5J inch gun of this ship shot its tail off with the second shot and the plane splashed into the sea. There was no other hits observed on this plane. Another plane attacked the U.S.S. GOODHUE and was set on fire by AA from the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL and other ships. This plane was kept under constant fire from guns of this ship throughout the suicide run. The actions of all officers and men of the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL under enemy fire assured all army troops aboard that we are in "Good Hands" and showed that this ship is prepared to handle any emergency. JAMES M. CULPEPPER 4 Major, 507th Infantry. TQM. 16 The entire action lasted only about twenty minutes, but to us it seemed years. When the plane that nearly got us finally fell, there arose from every man on the ship a cheer of triumph and hate that came fromour very hearts. A few moments later when the last enemy plane had been shot down we all stood there straining our eyes looking for another target to destroy, another Jap to kill. That spell lasted only a few minutes, and then we all started chatering like magpies. Every man wanted to give his version of the action, and each had seen the thing a little differently. We remained at general quarters until 2200 and then wearily went to our bunks to lie awake and let the patterns of planes and tracers'whirl around our brains for hours. Our exultation at splashing three planes was more than tempered by the sight of soldiers and sailors dying horrible flaming deaths on the ships that had been hit. Enemy planes were searching for us all night, but for- tunately they didn't find us as the sky was filled with dense low hanging clouds. We were called out of our bunks by the general alarm several times before morning but did not see any more aircraft. We returned to Kerama Retto at dawn and found that the ships that had remained there through the night had also been under constant attack by the suiciders. We rested at anchor all day and that evening our squad- ron again sailed out to the retirement area. This time we headed Southeast, which took us out of the path of aircraft coming up from Sakashima and Formosa. We did not return to the anchorage in the morning but continued steaming for the next ten days. We would travel 140 miles on one course, change direction 90 degrees to port, steam 40 miles and then alter course 90 degrees to port and sail back 140 miles. Traveling around this rectangle became monotonous but we were more than thankful that the Japs were not bothering us. We had a couple of submarine contacts. Our escorting de- troyers depth charged the area each time they suspected a submarines presence while we put on full power and hauled out of the way. No positive proof in the form of oil or wreck- age ever floated to the surface to prove that subs had actually been stalking us. Late at night on the 14th we turned towards Okinawa,' sailed up the Western coast of the island and headed for the Hagushi Beaches. As we traveled along the coast we could see the flashes of the artillery duels on shore and close at hand cruisers and battleships were pouring murderous broadsides into the Jap lines. We could see the red hot projectiles arch their fiery path through the night and burst in a mushroom of flame on the shore. One out of every Okimzwfzn W077Z67Z ' few would be a star shell which would Hood the island with an intense light. On shore, small arms and heavy weapons would blast anything that moved, while thousands of eyes peered across the fireswept no-mans-land. Two hundred years ago Francis Scott Key must have witnessed a smaller but in many ways similar display of deadly pyrotechnics when he described such a scene. We too were witnessing freedom's holy light at its grimmest. The morning of the 15th we awakened to Hnd ourselves anchored about a mile off the beach where the Army and Marines had stormed ashore 15 days earlier. Down the coast, about 5 miles to the south, we could see the pall of smoke that marked the front line positions, while opposite us in the low hills could be seen the Kadena airfield, now being used as a Marine fighter and interceptor base. Up the coast to the north stretched the mountainous section of Okinawa where the Sixth Marine Division was mercilessly digging scattered Jap units out of their caves and hideouts. Around us on all sides were ships representing every class of vessel in com- 1'I'11SSlOI1. Just at dusk of our first day here we were alerted by an air raid when several Jap planes came over the land, appar- ently intending to make suicide attacks on the ships in the anchorage. Two were immediately shot down. The third plane, visible to us, miraculously flew one of the densest anti-aircraft barrages that anyone aboard our ship had ever seen. There were numerous other attacks the next two days, but the Marine and Navy pilots did a wonderful job shooting down most of the planes before they even came near the shipping. . We received word on the 16th that we were to partici- pate in a demonstration landing off the southeastern coast of the island. The purpose of this attack was to simulate a full scale landing so that the Japs would draw troops out of their front lines to meet the new threat. This, it was hoped, would enable our army to crack the stubborn defensive positions across the center of the island which were protecting the capital city of Naha and its adjacent airfields. On the night of the 17th we got underway, and dawn found the ships about 8 miles off the enemy held beaches. Closer to shore our battleships and cruisers were bombarding the shoreline and the territory immediately inland. Still closer to the beaches LCI rocket ships and gunboats were blasting the hills and shore with tons of explosives. Along with the other ships present, we lowered our boats, loaded them with troops, and dispatched them to the ren- dezvous area. The transports then headed out to sea to wait until the feint was completed. Our boats formed up in waves and headed for the line of departure through the rough, whitecap covered seas. Most of the soldiers were seasick before they had barely begun. As we neared the line of departure our boat waves formed a line abreast and waited with their engines idling for the signal that would start them on a two mile dash towards the Jap held shore. The signal was executed and the boats 17 roared away while the bombarding ships intensified their fire. Several squadrons of divebombers and fighters began bomb- ing and rocketing the shoreline with high explosives, Their gyrations ending in screaming dives reminded us of the attack of an angry swarm of bees. Refugees on Okinawa . As we neared the beach we saw a few splashes in the water which we assumed was enemy mortar or artillery fire, but since the shells were falling at least a quarter of a mile away from us it caused no concern. Two thousand yards from shore our boats swung sharply to the left and then headed out to sea again while our control boat remained behind to see that there were no disabled boats left behind to drift onto the beach. All our craft cleared the area safely, then wet, tired and seasick we turned back to the transport area where the ship was waiting to hoist us aboard. Because of the heavy seas it was difficult to secure the boats. Soon though, the convoy got under way again for the Hagushi Beaches. We dropped anchor that afternoon about a mile off shore. Four days were spent waiting for word to unload the troops, and sometimes during the day and always at night there were air raids. When it was dark our two smoke boats would lay a dense smoke screen around the ship at the approach of Jap planes. Most of the time the smoke effec- tively hid us from aircraft, but waiting at our gun stations in a grey billowing artificial fog was hard on the nervous system 18 when we could hear the engines of the aircraft as they skimmed the water looking for us. We would strain our eyes, and occasionallyi through a hole in the smoke we would see the exhaust flare of a searching Jap, but gradually we would become used to the routine until a smoke generator would blow up and start burning, ora perverse wind would start to disperse our smoke screen. Our Bullhorn and those of the hundreds of ships around us would bellow out orders over the water to their, often lost, smoke boats. The order "Smoky make smoke" would sound off at first when the planes were miles away and if for some reason the order was not immediately complied with, the horn ,would keep repeating the order with a volume and urgency entering into the talker's voice that was inversely proportional to the dis- tance the enemy was from us at the time. Gradually the words "Smoky make smoke" became the battle cry of the Okinawa campaign, while the Hagushi anchorage became known as "Smoky Hollow." Finally on the 23rd of April we received orders to debark troops and unload cargo. All the boats were lowered and we turned to the job with a will. We wanted to get out of there as soon as we possibly could The beach party went ashore, set up a command post and started surveying the beaches for a suitable spot to land the vehicles. The boats were loaded and started making shuttle trips to and from the beaches and the unloading pontoons that the Sea Bees were operating. All day and night we worked without stopping except for the inevitable air raid. On the following day we carried the last load to shore and our boat crews then wearily returned to the ship and were hoisted aboard by equally weary deck A F I '2 AN I Z! N Q-2 29 ' I WNW rg-tof 'f E Q 72. Q X W rw it 1 f sa f f - , .- , . I ff f ' I ff w'7'f' I r f'!f?L:2 . f I - - 5,4 V ' X , - L X f X K X W I .. V K fm! 7 ' fl M1034 j I f 1 ff- - 7 'Le' ? , jf ,, X K A: 0 on '- 1-ff l 7 " ' w " 445 q, K , f - if J 399 ANI!-,J 9061-1 hands. In preparation for our departure we sent out a mes- sage to all smaller amphibious ships telling them that we had some fresh provisions for issue. Immediately LCIS, LSMS, and LCTS descended upon us like a swarm of hungry ants upon a picnic cake. When we had finished giving food away we had very little left aboard, but we were glad to give it to those people. We were going to return to a rear area while these poor devils would have to stay out here much longer. April 26th we heaved in and with the entire ship in high spirits we set sail with our convoy bound for Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines. As we sailed southward along the coast of Okinawa, I know there were many of us that said a silent and personal prayer for the safety of the men we had carried aboard and who were now getting ready to go into the front lines. We had found the lst Battalion willing to work and fight alongside us as comrades. Radio Tokio re- ferred to these men as "The Bloody Butchers of Guam" but we will remember them always as good shipmates and friends. We steamed past the Western end of the battle line where we could see clearly the artillery duels still thundering, past the Southern tip of this island that was to exact such a toll of blood from our nation, and then we set our course to the Southeast. On the 30th of April we anchored in the lagoon at Ulithi and began taking life easy for the next few days. The carpenter shop made a couple of aquaplanes which we towed and precariously rode around the lagoon. We sent daily liberty parties of officers and men to the recreation island of Mog Mog while those left on board started cleaning up and painting the ship. A few words should be written about the Island Paradise of Mog Mog. It's a small coral dot about one mile long and half a mile wide at the broadest point. On shore there is a large recreation area and a baseball field with the only sub- stantial buildings on the island being the refrigeration huts where thousands of cases of beer are kept cool for the righting men of the fleet. So far it sounds good. However, the heat is so bad that you sweat continuously, but because the humidity is high the sweat won"t evaporate so you become sticky, smelly and uncomfortable. The glare of the hot sun on the glistening white coral is so bright that you get a splitting headache in a very short time. The icy beer tastes wonderful and refreshing but treacherously assists the sun in torturing your aching cranium. Then there are the crowds. Literally thousands of sailors are ashore trying to relax after weeks aboard crowded ships, and if you find a shady spot to rest you are considered either lucky or quite tough. Then to amuse ourselves we fight. Yes that's right, we start fights with men from other ships. They are not vicious battles, mind you, and it's all done in the spirit of hearty good fellowship with everyone joining in but the shore patrol who vainly try to keep more than three or four hundred men from fighting at one time, and also try to keep themselves from being the victims of some minor mayhem. Yes indeed! Mog Mog was very relaxing. You could go ashore, let off your steam, have a drink, and return aboard with an entirely new perspective on life. Beginning the 18th we had four days of anti-aircraft firing practic. We anchored our ship in the firing anchorage and planes towed targets past our guns at every imaginable angle. We shot down 7 of the targets and felt justifiably proud because it was the best shooting done by any APA in our group. On the night of May the 21st we received a message aboard ship that we just couldn't bring ourselves to believe was intended for us UPROCEED TO THE UNITED STATES." At 0650 the next morning to the strains of "Cali- fornia Here I Come," we sortied from the lagoon and set our course to the East and Home. g May 28th we re-crossed the International Date Line and lost a day. On june lst we sighted Diamond Head Light on Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands and kept right on sailing. By the 5th of the month we had the ship really shining for the Captain's Inspection, and when the Commanding Officer seemed fairly well satisfied with what he found, all minds turned with one accord to making plans for liberty in San Francisco. On the morning of June 6th we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge while the Chaplain said a prayer over the loud speaking system, thanking God for our safe return and pray- ing for the many men left behind us who would never again see the shores of their homeland. We all felt serious and reflective because we realized suddenly that during the last Hve months we had learned some very simple truths. We felt that only those who have come close to death can realize how precious life is, that our country represents everything to us that we are fighting for, our homes, wives and families. We were really grateful to be back alive, and capable of returning to finish the destruc- tion of our hated enemies. ' LIBERTY COMMENCED AT 1600. ,I fr ' - Afilgyalflfflig i"l i nh' , 7' I ' l Yi Q f fl qt' f f ll T if ix fg 2 A l l' ff gl ' fpaisv f f ' 5- - . ,ily N T1 -V4 3 f 2 rw , 75. Going over the ride 1 OKINAWA Y 21 t SECGND VOYAGE Those of us who didn't get to see our families while we were in San Francisco at least talked with our homes by long distance telephone. We had so much to tell and so many things to ask about that the hours seemed like minutes and days like hours. On june 12th we shifted to Dock No. 2 in Oakland's outer harbor and, since this move indicated to us that soon we would be underway, we tried with renewed vigor to make the most of every moment of liberty. On the 16th we loaded 80 officers and 1391 enlisted men and made all the necessary preparations for the new voyage. That night each officer and man celebrated his last liberty as fancy dic- tated, the always difficult farewells were said, and we re- turned to the ship on the following morning, weary after a sleepless night of celebrating or "mourning," as the case might be. Casting off our lines at 1414 we steamed slowly down the bay standing at the rails and memorizing every detail of San Franciscofs skyline. As we passed under the span of the Golden Gate Bridge we cast pennies into the waters in con- formance with the tradition that these offerings to the sea would be accepted by Neptune as insurance for a safe and speedy return. Our bow lifted to meet the first swell and we were officially on our way to Leyte. The first leg of our trip took us North of the Hawaiian Islands and close to Midway. From there we steered sharply to the South. Nine days out of the states we crossed the International Date Line and to celebrate the event all hands, passengers and crew, gathered Milf!! 1 I l l f'Li5.s'efz, Mac-Tloir aiffzf 120 boat, .flif cl ship, reef' topsides. The Golden Dragon flag was unfurled from the foremast while Neptune and his royal retinue opened court on number two hatch. It should be noted that ladies of the court were all stunning creatures, full bosomed, and with a gay lascivious charm about them, although, a few of the less discreet observers did call attention to the fact that the queen could stand a shave. The first to be initiated were six Lieutenant Colonels, who, we were surprised to Hnd, looked little different than the more common breeds of home sapiens when they had been stripped to their shorts. The charges and accusations were solemnly recited and each Colonel was found guilty on all charges regardless of his plea. In turn each had his head clipped of all hair Qthat is those did who had somej and their bodies were given a bright new lustre with a fine grade of bunker oil, then all were unceremoniously dumped into a large coffin, filled to the brim with salt water. Spluttering and cursing they were carried to an operating table that had an exposed copper plate for them to rest their weary posteriors upon. A small but provocative charge of electricity was sent crackling through their bodies which seemed to immediately bring back their lost youth and make them frisky as ten year olds. Colonel and Yard-Bird received the same fair, impartial treat- ment although some of us did give special attention to a couple of gorgeous 2nd lieutenants. Tortured and torturers alike had a whale of a time fwe like to believej and the gruesome festivities lasted until the evening meal. i Four days later we dropped anchor in Berth 1 in the lagoon of Eniwetok. We remained there a couple of days and on july 1st sortied through the coral-bound entrance and continued to the Westward, arriving without incident in Ulithi on july Sth. We remained here overnight leaving at noon of the following day. The heat and humidity again had swept their oppressive cloaks about us so we were uniformly happy to sight cooler rain drenched mountains of Leyte on the morning of the 9th. We anchored in San Pedro Bay which is the Port for Tac- loban, provincial capital of the Island, and where General MacArthur landed his first assault troops for the reconquest of the Philippines. The next day we debarked 1023 officers and men on a beach that still showed the ravages of war. Our boats returned to the ship and we left the next day on our way to the Capital of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manila. We passed Southward along the broken shoreline of Leyte, past the Islands of Cabugan, Chico and Cabugan Grande, and then turned to starboard into the Surigao Straits with the rolling hills of Mindanao close at hand to the South. We slid rapidly through the Mindanao Sea and rounding the Southern tip of Los Negros Island, headed North through the Sulu Sea. At no time were we out of sight of land. We saw in turn the shorelines of Panay and Mindoro and often changed our course to avoid one of the small, jutting, jungle covered pieces of land which go to make up this 6000 island 2 2 - a archipelago. On the morning of July 12th we passed through the narrow entrance of Manila Bay. To the North we saw the hallowed ground of the Bataan Peninsula, a misty halo of clouds ringing its towering mountain peaks. Within a half mile of our port beam was the rocky, barren fortress of Cor- regidor with its topside blasted and torn by thousands of tons of cordite and steel. Near the Eastern shore of the huge yellow bay was a forest of masts, while shimmering on the sun drenched plain behind we could see the City of Manila, bedraggled "Paris of the Orient." We weaved our way across to the anchorage, avoiding native lateen rigged sailing boats and the sunken hulls of dozens of japanese war and merchant ships. Our carrier aircraft had, some months previously, made this shallow, muddy bay the grave for over three hundred Nip vessels. In places their Hre and bomb torn decks and superstructures were visible as they lay rotting and rusting in the shallow water. ' Filippino Children Planting Rice - We anchored about four miles from shore to await our turn to discharge. On the 16th we moved alongside pier 13 and all hands went ashore on liberty. We soon discovered that Manila was no longer anything, but a caricature of a city, a Memorial to the destruction of modern war. Flame, steel and high explosives had gutted every structure of any size, the jagged skyline presented a pitiable and terrifying scene of destruction. Our liberty boats took us up the Passig River which is a heavily trafiic waterway that roughly divides Manila in two. On the Northern shore near the waterfront, were- the slums teeming with tens of thousands of ragged Filippinos and a scattering of Chinese, each trying to resume their normal lives. This was the least damaged area of any we saw. Farther inland on the same side of the river is the business district which the japanese fought for from every corner, alleyway and rooftop. Only the unleashed fury of our artillery and flame throwers had been able to blast and burn them out. On the right bank of the river were the shattered structures of the government ibuildings , the ancient walled city, and farther back, the residential and apartment house areas where a hierarchy of Jap officialdom had lived like the Oriental despots they were. As we stepped ashore we were astounded by the numer- ous bars, bistros, and gaudy night clubs that enterprising natives had built out of rubble and palm fronds. These establishments with victrolas blaring mid-thirties jazz were everywhere. "Mary's Joint," "The Golden Slipper,', "Pedro's Greasy Spoon," and "Dirty Girties,' were typical of the tin wallboard signs that beckoned the G.I. and sailor to come inside and try poisonous cocktails made of wood alcohol, or a full course meal featuring "real beef steak," fwhich the old timers recognized at once as being water buffaloj smelly eggs, and in addition, with the compliments of the house, you could at any time get a side order of amoebic dysentery. On the muddy streets urchins were selling genuine Manila- manufactured Jap flags for ten pesos or five dollars Amer- ican. Nipponese invasion currency of every denomination was the stock in trade of each peddler. However, donit. get the impression that the population as a whole were trying to fleece their American cousins, most were far too busy try- ing to clean up and rebuild this city that they had always been so proud of and which they still loved with a nerce pride. We visited the walled city which was where the japs, who had been trapped in Manila, had made their final bloody stand. It is the most ancient section of the city, and is an area about a mile and a half square enclosed by a huge wall of stone and earth that in places is thirty feet thick. Inside there had originally been numerous churches, schools, and homes, but what we saw looked like a scene from the seventh ring of hell as described in Dante's "Inferno" For days artillery fire had swept every square foot of ground, probing with the relentlessness of doom for the entrenched laps. Very few slant eyed Sons of Heaven lived through this murderous barrage' to surrender, and many who did, were babbling pieces of shell schocked flesh little resembling men. We left this scene of destruction and continued our sightseeing along the once fashionable Dewey Boulevard which now carried a constant stream of every imaginable type of Army vehicle. Battle weary troops were being returned to the city from the fierce fighting that still raged in the Northern mountains while fresh units were being moved out on their way to the front lines. Huge supply dumps and staging areas were being set up for another major operation. We also passed other camps, covering acres of muddy swampland, in which had been deposited the shattered wreckage of thousands of jap- anese aircraft of every size and description. We visited Santo Tomas University which the Army had converted to a modern military hospital with hundreds of tents pitched around the main buildings to accommodate the recuperating patients. The Monkey Men had used it for the much less humanitarian purpose of incarcerating the hundreds of allied civilians who had been trapped in the Islands at the outbreak of the war. Bilibid prison with its forbidding stone walls and barred porticos was now the cage for Japanese prisoners of war who observed all the niceties of military conduct by religiously saluting us as we walked 2 E - - through its guarded yards. We ignored the salutes of men who had been responsible for the Death March from Bataan and whose brothers in arms had nearly taken our lives on April 2nd off Kerama Retto. Our sightseeing was abruptly halted on July 19th when we set sail for our return to the United States. Our orders were, to hurry back to the States, pick up a load and return to Manila where we would be assigned to a combat squadron to go into training for a new operation that was being secretly planned. This hush, hush attack, we now know, would have carried us to an amphibious assault on the Jap's home Island of Kyushu. From the bay entrance we turned South into the Sulu Sea, this time our route to the Pacific through the Island barriers took us by way of the Straits of San Bernardine. It was through this passage that the shattered remnants of a proud Jap naval force had fled after our old battleships, many of them being the vessels that had been salvaged since Q ' 23 December 7th from the mud and slime of Pearl Harbor, had destroyed the greater portion, a major portion of their fleet. We, as the fleeting Japs had done, passed through the Straits at night, feeling and groping our way with radar and the skill of our skipper guiding us. At dawn we traveled through the last few miles of the narrow passage bounded by Luzon and Samar, then with a pitch and roll settled on a easterly course through the Pacific. Seven uneventful' days later we refueled at Eniwetok and impatiently got underway again. We polished and painted the ship so that we would be presentable in San Francisco, and the Captain inspected the results of our efforts the day before we arrived. It was after dark on the night of August 5th that we saw the beckoning light of the city of Saint Francis shining through the narrow straits that have watched millions like us sail out of and return through from the war. We were home again. LIBERTY COMMENCED AT 2100. f ! a 41' f X f -13 X .nv ,gs X. Xl S 3 liiiciy , X Q3 y Px Di En ! ! ,,,,,. l ' I E . QQ , 4 , X512 ' -: . - Qi ll ' .KW WXK ' I S I - L V .- E-, Q .--xi 11 1 ' - - T..- 2 , ig? L+- ---"za" If -X ' t --'-Q-"",.""----Q.au-I-., .5 4.67910 ' - - I 4 B Oflif C mrhin g , w , ' 1 3 f g 2-I , , N 1 4 I l i . ,, Q ' 1 ' I I 1? ' 3 i i I ! 5 i Water bzzjjtalo czzltiwztifzg rice ppzdclief l i g iv I 1, ri ' Q 3, 5. x i 4 W 5' 1 ! xl f , W ' I r y , 1 V J 2 ,- 'N 31 - ' ,I ,su Q. A , . 1,1 ' M M V! 1 ,1 A 5 I 9 5 I , l 1 Q I 3, , ,i V 1 l 1 . y - : w If iz 1, I 1 Coaxial lgighwgzy Home Sweet Home for the Filippifzof 5, i 1 We looked ode! to the falpf, 100. E ? E I Everybocly weary cl zzzzifomz in japan DNICIVOT G HlL!. IAI IS .LV NO HHS 1'd6f1 27 THIRD VOYAGE Our stay in San Francisco was marked by a series of events that the peoples of the world had waited many years to see, the United States loosed the terror of the Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, japan reluctantly sur- sendered and the MOUNTRAIL had a party. History's tomes will completely discuss the first two happenings, but for fear that they will overlook the third we will discuss it with a few well chosen superlatives. On the night of August 14th all the officers and men, except a skeleton watch, began con- gregating in the Masonic Temple in San Francisco. Our dates appeared on time and the dancing and beer drinking began. Outside we could hear the howling mobs tearing up the city in a victory celebration. Inside we were enjoying the esthetic satisfaction derived from a fine show of interpretive dancing by as comely a line of buxom blondes and redheads as could be found. Between their abbreviated costumes, our long beers, and the good fellowship of the officers and men relaxing together after a rigorous voyage the evening couldn't have been better. We wearily returned the next morning to the General Engineering and Drydock Corporation's Alameda yard where the ship was undergoing a general overhaul. On the 21st we steamed across the bay to a San Francisco Army dock, took aboard a full load of troops and that same afternoon headed out to sea. We were again headed on what was now to us the boring voyage to Eniwetok. On the 29th we crossed the 180th Meridian and then a few days later stopped at Eni- aq- Q-f , Q - .fix-1"-'izfzrsrstv .3 . 'sw ef? X fi, '-.M wt-' ' f, wit .1 Z1 N, ,ww 5. 'cg tx-.sw , AfA,, A vs , X1 at f 0 4 A ,y , ,. yas", ws. ws N VQQXK? 1-259 N W NSSH . W Kgs? WW! 'ix' 1', " ,, XWYX 9111 WW Q' X. ., . + as-. '2 . yin' f QV ' mc Kia aw- . if I, .ii 4 . f x Q 'MV .1 wi - ii? S, Ny mf af., 23221 if - 'If' '- ' ': X f I ' 1 if ' V4 , f 1 if ' ' , Yi! 7974 ' ' - Q N I.-. A sy 'Rf -q',-QA" E' " if 4, -X 'Pia f ff J SEP" isfvwf-will 1, , j 7 ,f f ' Wyfglwgf 0-gi ' 12+ . f ' '- - 'f ga, f f f gg,-fxgQ'xx., I . ,Q W l I' .2 1-:ff 'W ' X ' mzrszxff A I i Z fi'-in ' Ii' 'fi 1 ' ' 111' --'- i1?5.9"f".. M" . ' Pifilti--zz M4 flex lllfhI'ff?'-- .. ' I rw . '-'.a-- I A I-Jflrfh 4 -'.-t2Y:2!-'2-Egfg-- 1 if 14,1 ' E-I' A A 4- - '-"" 5 I A lg -f Q' S -f ,f . -"' , Q I N, if ' Q 4 ,QSM- f .7 . , 9 H' I 1 i ' 011fl0f ' ' I by Shilblf ,Imrly I Bazlmgay Cathedral I wetok, from there to Ulithi, thence to the Philippines, through the San Bernardino Straits, and on the morning of September 11th we came to anchor at the port of Batangas, Luzon. Here we debarked the units of the 86th Infantry Division that we had been carrying aboard, and then took a look at the city. It is a small mountain-encircled port about 70 miles south of Manila. It was here that General Mac- Arthur made a bloodless landing during his encirclement of the Philippine capital. The harbor has a few scarred masts of Jap ships sticking out of the water and the beach was strewn with our and our recent enemy's landing craft. The town itself had been torn by bombs and fire and presented a pitiful sight. The inhabitants had little to sell to the souvenir hunters except the inevitable wooden shoes and hemp table cloths that were to be foundeverywhere in the islands. A few days later we sailed back through the danger- ous Straits and anchored the following afternoon in San Pedro Bay, Leyte. Here we took on fuel and waited for orders. We received word on the 18th to go to Abuyog about forty miles down the coast to pick up a company of troops and thence to Cebu city on the Island of Cebu and prepare for an operation. We spent the night of September 19th an- chored off the village of Abuyog and the next afternoon left 28 for Cebu. We steamed all night through narrow channels studded with pinnacles of coral and rock, arriving at our destination the following morning. Cebu is the second largest city in the Philippines and before the war was the center from which hundreds of ship- loads of hemp and sugar were sent to every nation in the world. The japanese realizing its value commercially and also coveting its protected harbor made it an Army and Navy Operating Base second only to Manila in size and importance. During our softening up raids prior to the Philippine Invasion, carrier task forces had made this Island city and harbor the focal point for murderous attacks by air. They blasted the waterfront area and any shipping found in the bay until the muddy bottom was covered with dozens of rusting hulls. We had a pleasant surprise at Cebu when we found we were going to load a Battalionof our old friends, the 77th Division. Our destination was to be the City of Hakodate on the Island of Hokkaido, japan. We moved shop from the outerharbor alongside a dock and commenced loading. All hands again were given a chance to go ashore and as-usual no one refused the opportunity. p We found the city similar to all others we had seen in the Philippines. Everywhere was an all prevailing rancid sweet smell that is peculiar to the islands. We discovered that its source was rancid coconut oil which is used for everything from cooking to hair pomade. The inevitable wooden shoes and hemp tablecloths were again for sale at the usual inflated OFF OPS if .I .,?4f,1,j! F T X 1 'gf .' ' '-1 Ii fzffx - I-.ra-.f,..ff as X pf . Q'-f - f N 'F F M .' s I I I P H -xx mg f ' ik' W 'A 'mud You can carry it too far 1 7 P - . Q ,el-'5 . N i .. 'lo' i'-,I 'X ' ig.. "I, i' , . . I ,ll 'I' "".,' fi , Q , A af f I - W A . ! 541: .1 X W r 3-' 4 gl -QLY' - L U' will A - - i t A-Y il? - C?-l O-'-O A C :S-'5 'ii Q ' C. - -S . .11 1.15 -- PLQWZ 4"'1 Q ,QV-:v.ixT1QL1fi-L" .2 z..- - -1 tg - ... . . - ii? - --v " Q "f-- LVY ,-'fgii-dnl.-!?', -4' - - 'Bal' if Y' "W -D prices. It wasia pitiful sight to see ragged underfed natives with pockets bulging with money and nothing for them to spend it on. Those of us who had an opportunity to take trips along the coastal plain upon which the city is built, saw some of the most beautiful country in the world. Mountain streams came babbling out of the mountains and jungles and emptied into the muddy inland sea. Slow moving water buffalo, up to their bellies in yellow mud, pulled primitive plows through rice paddies. The only evidence of war was the bridges which had been destroyed by the retreating japanese, who were now impounded inside a barbed wire stockade a few miles out of town. We were told that they made no attempt to escape because the Filippinos still were prone to indulge themselves in their time honored custom of decapi- tating their enemies. Our boat crews held a series of rehearsals for the loadings which were to be made just as if we were going in upon a defended beach. Then on the 26th of September we got underway in company with Transport Squadron THIRTEEN and the following morning stopped briefly off Abuyog head- ing North later in the afternoon. As we progressed north- ward we received word of a typhoon in our path so we changed course and steamed eastward in an attempt to skirt the storm. We pitched and rolled through froth-covered seas that often broke over our bow but successfully avoided the full fury of this storm that Hnally expended its destruction on Okinawa. Again we changed course and continued our travels Northward. On the night of October 4th we entered the narrow Tsugaru Straits between the Jap Islands of Honshu and Hokkaido and the following dawn found us in the outer harbor of Hakodate. Our boats were manned and lowered, formed up in waves and proceeded to line of departure. From 1 Looking down main street in Hakodate our vantage point the waterfront appeared deserted, in fact the entire city showed nothing but a few lazy spirals of smoke to show that anyone was there. We received the dispatch order and our landing craft roared into a small boat basin where we discharged the fully armed troops we carried. Here we saw our first japs. Working parties of stevedores were lined up on the docks ready to assist in the unloading of cargo. You could not characterize these Japs as having any unity of expression or emotion, some were laughing and pointing at everything they saw, some were definitely sullen, while most just stood impassively observing our every move. They were being directed by dapper but sullen japanese police each in a black uniform with a short decorative but very businesslike dagger at his belt as his badge of authority. The ship was speedily unloaded and then all hands were given a chance to visit the city with the strict provision that there be no buying or trading and no contacts with the civilians. Higher authority wanted us to enter as conquerors not souvenir hunters. We found the city modern in many ways with street cars, paved streets, department stores and Shinto .rbrifze . 29 wide boulevards but primitive in many other respects with all the sewage from its teeming slums and beautiful residen- tial sections running down ditches at the side of every street. We saw a great many demobilized japanese soldiers in the streets and most of the men and boys were wearing some kind of a uniform. Women ran as soon as they saw us the first day we were there. A day later they did not run but hurried about their business watching us suspiciously out of the corners of their eyes. Hakodate abounded with religious shrines. We visited Buddhist Temples, an Orthodox Greek Church, a small Catholic Church, and numerous Shinto Shrines. Our sightseeing was over on the 6th of October when we sailed across the narrow straits, anchored overnight off the city of Aomori on Northern Honshu and then left the following day for Guam in the Mariannas. Five days later we dropped the hook in Apra Harbor which is the only harbor for this nerve center of the Pacific. Recreation activities 'were numerous but the Island had so many thousands of soldiers, sailors and Marines on shore that our stay was rather dull. Because of necessity, everything we did was regimented and planned and we had no chance for individual excursions. We did however see the huge B-29 bases from where our Superforts left in the last year of the war to destroy Tokyo and the major cities of the Nipponese empire. While we were here numerous japanese warcraft put into the harbor to pick up supplies or to carry their prisoners back to their homeland. Again we began taking aboard a new load of troops, this time units of the 6th Marine Division. The day before our departure we had a big beer party and then without regrets set sail for China. We passed close to Kerama Retto, continued through the South China Sea, entered the Yellow Sea and on October 28th arrived at the North China port of Tsingtao. This city at one time was owned by the Germans who developed its Hne harbor, dock facilities, and made of it a modern city for the Orient. During the First World War the Japanese had driven the Germans out and left themselves only to return during the China incident. From the harbor the city appears Dowfzlozwz H akodate 30 y . to be much more modern than it really is. All the roofs are of red tile and the imposing buildings in the business district appear to be new and clean. When we got a closer look at the city we found it not quite so pure. As they had been in japan our noses were assailed by a variety of odors the minute we set foot on shore, with the smell of long dead fish being the most predominant. The streets were crowded with thou- sands of rickshaws each human beast of burden clamoring for our trade. The sidewalks were a milling throng of peddlers, beg- gars, 'business people, Chinese soldiers and our own sailors and Marines. Every few steps there were bars and restaurants clamoring for us to taste their poisonous concoctions. White Russians, people without a country, were numerous in the city and their establishments were cleaner and a little more modern than the average Chinese Bistro. The shops were overflowing with goods for sale most of it being cheap Japanese wares with which the recently defeated Nips had flooded every occupied country. The eicchange rate for cur- cency when we arrived was three thousand Chinese dollars for one American, however, in a fewidays it was four thou- sand to one. Compared to the succession of barren spots we had visited before Tsingtao was a paradise, and we were thrilled when we learned that we were to load our ship with men eligible for discharge and return to the United States via Shanghai. Loaded with souvenirs we prepared to get underway for Central China on the afternoon of November 2nd, but just as we were pulling in our anchor we had a change of orders sending us to Manila. Griping with the change in orders but happy to be headed homeward we set sail and five uneventful days later arrived in Manila only staying overnight. On the 8th we left the harbor and began a non stop tripshome. On the 16th of November we celebrated the first anniversary of our com- missioning. During that year's time we had travelled a total distance of 61,289 sea miles. The days seemed to be endless on our voyage back and we begrudged every minute of it, but Hnally on the 24th of November we sailed, many of us for the last time, under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the beloved waters of San Francisco Bay. Liberty commenced at 1600. .1-I .. fr" - MR. ONESHJ as amass-rea on -me nnvacfa-non amos-E I!! 0 off' T'-T .1 Thani? God! SafeiAgaf1z I ap deftroyer "Hibiki" at Guam Mighty "M", Apra Harbor, Guam f b!glWlllIl,5, Tfifzgtao main ftreetx Chinefe begar r'HZl726i7'6d Dollar! foe 32 , AFTERWORD This has been the story of a ship. Not the kind of ship that writes its name in history but an humble ship, one of many, a good ship, OUR ship. V Once she was a mass of raw materials pouring into San Francisco from every corner of the land. The sweat and toil and grime and prayers of a nation laid her keel and gave her form. A terrible urgency throbbed in the nation's pulse. Shattering events were rocking the world. In such a time, the U.S.S. MOUNTRAIL slid down the ways, was fitted out and commissioned. Inert and inanimate, a thing of steel, she lay at the dockside awaiting the stream of life that would be her crew. , Fresh from school, factory, farm and business house, from city and countryside, from penthouse, slum or modest home, from every walk of life, with the drawl of Texas and the twang of New England on their tongues, came the five hundred officers and men who clambered across her decks to become her ship's company. V Full of dewy enthusiasms were these men and officers. A swift transit of boot-camp or indoctrination-school had given us only a dim realization of what lay ahead. If we had nursed any illusions, they vanished with nightfall. Endless months of endless days followed while we perspired and labored, erred and faltered, cursed and were cursed, learned and forgot and learned again. There were brief glorious interludes of shoreleave with an aura of Sky-rooms and bubbling cocktails and the scented rustle of silk. But mostly we labored, labored, labored . . . madly, insanely, until we learned to hate the ship and all it represented, almost . . . but not quite. And then, out of the embers of fatigue and weariness and heartache and homesickness, something new emerged. It shuddered into being and pulsed through the ship. It mingled with the throb of the engines and the sounds of complaint and self-pity. A soul had been born, the soul of OUR fighting ship. It stiffened our backbones, uplifted our hearts, fortified our spirits. Was there a Utopia aboard ship after that, a "Never Never Land" of honeyed words and sugar-coated phrases? Oh, no! There were still times when we stewed in our own dismay, faltered in our inadequacies, boiled' in a cauldron of mute invective. But it wasn't quite the same. S We had meaning and purpose now. Perhaps we didn't like Joe jones or Ensign Smirk. But we weren't looking for charm and personality those days. This was no mincing minuet in which we were engaged but a hard, grim war of unprecedented savagery. We liked the feel of joe jones and Ensign Smirk at the guns, scanning the skies for the lightning horror that ever threatened. Survival was at stake, our own survival, and it well might hang on the sure eye and steady heart of a shipmate. When the shadow of death looms ever over the horizon, we learn to prize the iron in men, not the glossy finish. There was joy and laughter too, on the MOUNTRAIL, and an easy fellowship that we so took for granted, we were hardly conscious of it. There were long dreamy periods at sea when work was at a minimum and war seemed so wondrously far away. One day the MOUNTRAIL will be decommissioned and sent to pasture. We expect that day to come soon. We shall travel, each to his own little world. And what shall we remember of our year on the MOUNTRAIL? Shall it be the late watches, the harsh words, the liberties we didn't get, the dreary nights in boats, the transient joys and trivial triumphs? No, we shall remember that feeling of calm competency when the order was given to commence operations. We shall remember the cold grey dawn when Kerama Retto hrst loomed up before our wondering eyes, that calm confidence we shared on the dawn of battle where we had feared to feel fear, the quiet unity and purpose of the entire ship. We shall remember the cool efficiency at the Hagushi Beaches and the quiet conviction of Southeastern Okinawa. We shall remember, of course, the shore leave at Manila, Tsingtao, Cebu, Hakodate, Honolulu, even the beer-brawls at Mog- Mog. Long after the resplendent souvenirs we carried aboard with ecstatic delight have been relegated to the scrap-heap they so richly deserve, the thrill of barter in foreign lands will warm our hearts. And we shall never forget our horrified appreciation of the unwavering fury of our gun crews on April 2nd and our savage ex-ultation when, at last, the menacing kamikaze crashed like screaming meteors into the sea. These are the things that have become a part of us. Five hundred officers and men poured into our ship the best that was in them. Out of their enthusiasms, disappointments, heartaches, triumphs and fulfillments was distilled an essence that became the soul of the MOUNTRAIL. It flowed into the spirit of every man and gave him strength when he needed strength. Some of us will count it for much and some of us will count it as nothing. Perhaps it will live long in the hearts of the men who trod the MOUNTRAILHS decks. And then again it may not. While it lived, it fulfilled a purpose. Perhaps, in a later day, there may again be a need and this chronicle of the MOUNTRAIL may serve to re- kindle the flame that burned in our hearts at Leyte and Okinawa. . ROSTER OF STEVENS, Rober+ R., Commander, Capfain 2362 l8+h Avenue, San Francisco, Calif. MASSELLO, Edmund J., L+. Comdr., Execufive Officer 2I Dar+mou+h S+ree+, Somerville, Mass. HILL, Swen A., L+. Comdr., Naviga+or Baraga, Michigan PFANNER, Eugene F., L+. Comdr., Senior Medical Officer 22I Hayes S+ree+, Tehachapi, Calif. KIMBALL, David C., Commander, Senior Medical Officer 609 "C" Avenue, Coronado, Calif. I SMITH, James, W., Lieu+enan+, Beachmasfer IPresen+ Execu+ive Officerl 30 Nor+h Eas+on Road, Glenside, Pa. DEMPSEY, John H., L+. Comdr., Assis+an+ Senior Medical Officer 66 Washingfon Avenue, Berlin, New Jersey EISAN, Herman G., Lieu+enan+, Engineering Officer I47 Asylum S+ree+, Norwich, Conn. McCONNELL, Frank P., Lieu+enan+, Beachmasfer I85 Angell S+ree+, Providence, R. I. SWEENEY, George C., Lieu+enan+, Is+ Lieu+enan+ 430 Marion S+ree+, Denver, Colorado NELSON, Marlin C., Lieu+enan+, Boa+ Group Commander I I30I Blix S+., Nor+h Hollywood, Calif. LOOSE, Jack C., Lieu+enan+, Gunnery Officer I2 Wyomissing S+ree+, Wyomissing, Pa. MIMMS, Carney W., Jr., Lieu+enan+, Communica+ion Officer I4I2 Eas+ 5+h S+., Ocala, Florida PECK, George S., Lieu+enan+, Engineering Officer 42I James S+ree+, Geneva, Illinois McCALL, Fred C., Lieu+enan+, Supply Officer 20I4 Whelan Avenue, San Leandro, Calif. HOWE Roberf E. Lieu+enan+ Is+ Lieu+. and Dama e Con+roI Officer I I I g I5 8+h S+ree+ N. E., Rochesler, Minneso+a EISOLD, John E., Lieu+enan+, Naviga+or 3698 Avalon Road, Shaker Heigh+s 20, Ohio DOWNS, Frederick S., Lieu+. CIC Officer 6 Nor+h Cliff S+ree+, Ansonia, Conn. McAULEY, Terry F., Lieu+. Iigl, Naviga+or 6023 Wa+erman Avenue, S+. Louis, Missouri PAUL, Frank R., Lieu+. Iigl, Assis+an+ Gunnery Officer I350 Euclid Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida LEE, Russell M., Lieu+. Iigl, Assis+an+ Beachmasfer 3I747 Cloverly S+ree+, Warren, Michigan HALE, E. Alan, Lieu+. Iigl, Signal Officer I45 Mifchell S+ree+, Ranfoul, Illinois THARP, Roberf J., Lieu+enan+, Den+aI Officer l2I47 Harvard Avenue, Chicago, Illinois ODOM, Vincenf L., Lieu+enan+,.ChapIain 8I I Easf College S+., Iowa Ci+y, Iowa LEE, Francis B., Lieu+. Iigl, Assis+an+ Medical Officer 50I Sou+h Church S+., Monroe, Nor+h Carolina TRUE, DeWi++ S., Lieu+. Iigl, Assis+an+ Medical Officer 60 Manlhorne Road, Wes+ Roxbury 32, Mass. CLARK, Da +on R. Lieu+. ' Assis+an+ Medical ic Y . IIQI. Off ef I4 Gleason Road, Lexingfon 73, Mass. OFFICERS MARTIN, Frank E., Lieu+. Iigl, Beach Parfy Medical Officer 70 Sou+h l2+h S+ree+, Minneapolis, Minn. McPHERON, Alfred P., Lieu+. Iigl, Boaf Salvage Officer 206 Maple S+ree+, Box I20, Shepard, Michigan RIGGS, Anson V., Lieu+. Iigl, Boa+ Group Execufive Officer .No. I Beach Tree Lane, Bronxville 8, N. Y. PATTERSON, Mar+in L., Is+ Lieu+. USMCR, Debarkafion Officer 533 26+h S+ree+, Ogden, U+ah MILLER, George H., Ensign, Recogni+ion Officer No. I Holsfon Ap+s., Johnson Ci+y, Tenn.' O'NElLL, Richard M., Jr., Ensign, "C" Division Officer I679 Church S+ree+, San Francisco, Calif. McKENZIE, Charles S., Ensign, Assis+an+ Is+ Lieu+enan+ 53 Johnson Avenue, Wes+ Medford, Mass. A FAGAN, Paul J., Ensign, Assis+an+ Naviga+or I I5-58 I75+h S+ree+, S+. Albans, Long Island, New York SMITH, Edmund H., Ensign, "M" Division Officer 3I6 Eas+ Bridge S+., Wesfbrook, Maine MEYN, Frederick W., Ensign, "A" Division Officer 548 Ches+nu+ S+ree+, Meadville, Pa. MASTERSON, Edward E., Ensign, Disbursing Officer Eas+ 728 23rd Avenue, Spokane, Wash. ALEXANDER, Wayne D., Ensign, Boa+ Officer P. O. Box 289, Concord, Nor+h Carolina CLAPP, Charles L., Ensign, 2nd Division Officer 5I Love+l' S+ree+, Beverly, Mass. CIFELLI, Richard, Ensign, Assis+an+ Educafional Officer 249 Avon Avenue, Newark, New Jersey DAVIS, Rober+ L., Ensign, Assis+an+ Naviga+or I849 Jefferson S+., San Francisco, Calif. FISHER, Roberf D., Ensign, "F" Division Officer I 3 I2I Frazier, For+ Wor+h, Texas MUDD, Jack E., Ensign, "B" Division Officer I690 Win+er S+ree+, Salem, Oregon STEGMAN, Melvin M., Ensign, 3rd Division Officer Offerle, Kansas STEPHENS, Theodore P., Ensign, Is+ Division Officer 407 CaIume+ Avenue, Aurora, Illinois ROBERTS, Mervin F., Ensign, "R" Division Officer 626 Grassmere Terrace, Far Rockway, N. Y. KEECH, Paul H., Ch. Pharm., "H" Division Officer Elwyn Road, Por+smou+h, N. H. PIPER, Floyd S., Ch. Elecf., "E" Division Officer 259I 2I8+h Place, Long Beach, Calif. I BARTH, DeWayne, Ch. Bos'n, Assis+an+ Is+ Lieu+enan+ Forres+ Cify, Iowa LETT, Howard L., Ch. Mach., "B" Division Officer I4I2 Sou+h S+ree+, Long Beach, Calif. RIMER, Elmer L., Chief Pay Clerk, Assis+an+ Supply Officer 7I8 Union S+ree+, Geneva, Illinois PARKER, Clarence W., Acfing Pay Clerk, Assis+an+ Supply Officer 729 44+h S+ree+, Oakland, Calif. VAN DAGRIFF, Tony G., Carpen+er, Assis+an+ Is+ Lieu+enan+ Kealia, Kauai, Terri+ory of Hawaii 34 AKIN, Arvel D. Box 333, Tahoka, Texas ALLGOOD, N. H. . . l624 Plarson Ave., S. W., Blrmlngham, Ala. ALSOP, Glenn W. ANDERSON, Leonard c. l692 Linden Sf., Brooklyn, New York ANDRUS, Clarence J. Maurice, Louisiana ANGEL, Frank E. ARCHABAULT, S. A. 6355 S. Calif. Ave., Chicago 29, lll. ASCUAGA, Frank A. ATKINSON, Jackie C. 200 Amarillo Sf., Wellingfon, Texas AUSTIN, Charles P. . AYER, Glendon Percey's Corners, Benningfon, Vermonf BADEN, Francis E. 8Il Errion, Pineville, Louisiana BAILEY, Harold D. l . 6I0 Wesf Hadley Sf., Whiffier, Callf. BAIRD, P. B. Essex, Missouri BAKER, George G. R. D. No. I, Downingfon, Penn. BARBEE, Maxwell 2430 River Road, Milwaukee, Oregon BARTEE, Alberf l9I3 Thompson Sf, Kansas Cify, Kansas BARTON, George W. Box 9I, Oakland, Mississippi BEASLEY, Huberf P. Leon, Iowa BEAVERSON, Paul R. 8 N. Mission Sf., Sapula, Okla. BELL, Charlie 2l6 6fh Ave. Soufh, Columbus, Miss. BENJAMIN, John E. I7I7 Ward Sf., Berkeley, Calif. BENSON, Floyd R. 3662 Venfon Ave., Los Angeles 34, Calif. BERKOWITZ, Maurice I2I2 N. 8fh Sf., Philadelphia, Penn. BESTARD, Efrain 556 Wesf l40fh Sf., New York, N. Y. slEsEL, Howard H. BISSETTE, Murray E. Sfar Roufe, Brandon, Vermonf BLACKFORD, Richard, Jr. ' R. R. No. I, Nicholasville Rd., Lexingfon, Ky. BLISS, Laurence A. Box 75, Buena, Wash. BOEHLE, William A. R. R. No. I, O'FaIIen, Missouri BOKER, John C. R. R. No. I, Gilmore Cify, Iowa BOSS, John A. BRADFORD, Troy C. Bee Branch, .Arkansas aRAosl-lAw, J. w. 2I0 w. 9+lr sf., Chandler, Okla. BRIX, Calvin H. . I37 Lamb Sf., Cumberland Mills, Maine BROOKENS, Carfer A. . 5649 Praine Ave., Chicago, Illinois' BROWN, E. L. 309 N. Bye Sf., Abilene, Kansas ROSTER OF CREW BROWNING, John D. 304 Moss Sf., Housfon, Texas BRUMMETT, Ausfin R. lll0 Gardena Blvd., Gardena, Calif. BUCKLES, Delberf G. BURNS, Roberf D. Gen. Del., Haileyville, Okla. BURSON, Norman D. 283i Carpenfer, Dallas, Texas BUSCH, Rayi'nond E. 428 Oliver Sf., San Pedro, Calif. BYRD, Larry E. Rf. No. I, Conley, Georgia CAFFEE, William G., Jr. Vance, Alabama CAIN, Roberf L. l08 E. Scharbauer Sf., Hobbs, N. M. CALEEN, Clifford G. 4 Chafham Place, Norfh Plainfield, N. J. CAMILLO, Roy J. 28 Knowles Ave., San Francisco, Calif. CAMP, Lawrence B. l 30l0 Elizabefh Sf., Dallas 4, Texas CAMPBELL, Donald J. Moon Rd., Chagrin Falls, Ohio CAPPETTA, William M. 238 Grand Ave., New Haven, Conn. CARPENTER, l-lorlei M., Jr. CARTER, Leslie S. 364 Orange Sf., Manchesfer, New Hampshire CAYLOR, Daniel R. Suspension, Alabama CHAMBERS, O. M. Box 432, Cullman, Alabama CHAPMAN, George L. Islefa, New Mexico CHARLES, William A. 34 Allsfon Sf., Bosfon, Mass. CHATELAIN, Emmanuel P. CHENAL, Arfhur S. 362 Perry Sf., Denver, Colorado CHRISTIANSEN, William H. 233 Oldfield Sf., Alpena, Mich. CIUZIO, Roberf E. 38l9 27fh Sf., Long Island Cify, Ky. CLARK, Evereff R. 26-229 Easf River Road, Crosse Ile, Mich. CLARK, Jack A. Prospecf Park, Penn. COBB, William H. 2l2l Avenue K., Galvesfon, Texas COE, Wyman W. r 2l2l Avenue K., Galvesfon, Texas COFIELD, Lonnie 2643 2nd Sf., Macon, Georgia COLLINS, Roberf 508 E. Glendale Ave., Alexander, Va. CONDREY, Julius L. P RFD No. I, Box I96, Livingsfon, Ala. COOK,,Billy G. l06 Navasofa Sf., Groesbeck, Texas COOPER, Carl R. Il658 Blue Sf., Los Angeles, Calif. coRlalN, laleirre E. couLoN, William J. COUNTESS, Melvin Brooklyn I9, New York COUTURE, Lyle T. l408 Maine Sf., Sioux Cify, Iowa COWlE,'Alfred J. I635 82nd Sf., Brooklyn, N. Y. CRABTREE, Roberf F. Box No. ll, Providence, Ufah CRAWFORD James J. 559 Taff Pl., Gary, Indiana cREElcMoRE, l-lerrry E. Box 979, Eloy, Arizona R CROWNINGSHIELD, Le Roy O. Whallonsburg, New York CRUCIOTTI, John F. CRUISE, Bob J. Seminole, Oklahoma DELAHOUSSAYE, Joseph P. O. Box No. 326, New Iberia, La. DEMARTINO, George I2l0 Ludi Sf., Syracuse, N. Y. DENN, Richard Whiffield Box I44, Richards, Texas DENN, Shirley D. Box I32, lfaly, Texas DERAS, Joe L. 8238 Alix Ave., Los Angeles I, Calif. DEUITCH, Carl W. 205 High Sf., Garreff, Indiana DEUSEBIO, Joseph I9l8 86fh Ave., Oakland, Calif. DEWAR, Harry David I566 Treeman Ave., San Francisco, Calif. DIAL, Cecil Eugene, Jr. P. O. 3303 So. Highland Sfa. Birmingham, Ala. DICHIARA, Angelo 84 Cleveland Sf., Malden, Mass. DIEFFENWIERTH, Paul N. RFD No. I, Largo, Florida DIRICKSON, Howard Eugene Box 327, Liffle Field, Texas DOBROWOLSKY, George Joseph 46 E. Church Rd., Elkins Park, Pa. DOLLINS, John J. 548 Vine Sf., Glendale 4, Calif. DONELSON, Earnesf 5II Olive Sf., Liffle Rock, Ark. DOOLEY, Donald F. Fleef Records Office, cfo F.P.O., San Francisco, Calif. DOSSIE, Edward W. l0I7 N. 4fh Sf., Birmingham, Ala. DOZIER, Joseph H. 37 B. Sf., Sf. Carney's Pf., New Jersey DRAGICH, Melon Bayard Ave., Rice's Landing, Penn. DUNCANS, Samuel DUNN, Earl Lernard, Jr. 480 Sunderland Rr., Worcesfer, Mass. DYE, Donald David Rf. No. 3, Mineral Wells, W. Va. DYE, Donn Joseph Napa, California DYKEHOUSE, Harm cfo J. R. Dykehouse, I609 Almo Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich ECKMAN, clrerle. A. 2l0 Froy Sf., Canfon, Penn. EDMONDSON, Roberl' Buchanan, Jr. 28l8 Harrison Sf., Arlingfon, Calif. EDSENGA, Jack A. 926 Courfney Sf., N. W., Grand Rapids, Mich. EDWARDS, Marion L. EHRCKE, Charles A. I628 Van Urankin Ave., Schenecfady, N. Y. EICHELBERGER, Paul E. Gen. Del., Flefcher, Ohio EICHHOLTZ, James H. ELLIOTT, William L. 457 Sheridan Sf., Ridgeville, Indiana ELTON, Richard N. Fifchville, Conn. ELY, Edward W., Jr. 204 Myrfle Ave., Jersey Cify, N. J. EMANUEL, Louia Oakwood, Texas EMMONS, Paul H. Olive Hill, Tenn. ENDERLE, Henry J. R. D. No. 4, Mansfield, Ohio ENGLISH, William E., Jr. Line Road, Laichmonf, Penn. ENQUIST, Harold G. II4 W. 5fh Sf., Boone, Iowa ESCHAN, Donald C. 5l9 Maple Ave., Newporf, Ky. ESPARZA, William I34 Wesf 4fh Sf., Piffsburg, Calif. EVERETT, James H. Roufe No. I, Arp, Texas FAGAN, Frank T. I8II Orleans Sf., Chicago, Ill. FARRAR, George A. I5I3 W. 84fh Sf., Los Angeles, Calif. FEDELE, Anfhony T. I27 Culione Sf., Albany, N. Y. FEELY, Frank L. FERENC, Roman 663 2nd Ave., New Kensingfon, Penn. FIFIELD, William A. Box I92, Lake Cify, Iowa FISHER, Harold G. 330 So. Jackson, Fresno, Calif. FLOWERS, Raymond Frederick I003 Poplar, Cenfralia, Ill. FORMAN, Ira J. 20 Main Sf., Bingham Canyon, Ufah FORTUNE, James B. Pikeville, Kenfucky FOSTER, Kennefh E. Whife Cloud, Michigan FOSTER, Roberl M. Ness Cify, Kansas FRANCISCO, John Easf Seansif Sf., Providence, R. I. FRIES, Archie 305 No. Maple Ave., Fresno 2, Calif. GABEL, Richard N. ew sw asfh sf., oklahoma cify, Okla. GARLAND, James C. Kansas Cify, Missouri GARRY, Charles E. I34 Franklin Ave., Harfford, Conn. GATTERDAM, James G. I32 So. Champion Ave., Columbus 5, Ohio GERMAN, Roberf G. Rf. No. I, Sumas, Washingfon GLENN, James L. 2626 Wesf Armifage Ave., Chicago, Ill. GHIO, Augusf 3746 Clinfon Sf., San Diego, Calif. GIERZEWSKI, Raymond W. l42I N. Rockwell Sf., Chicago, Ill. ROSTER OF CREW GLOEDE, Harvey E. Rf. No. I, Box No. 524, Racine, Wis. GLOVER, Amos L. Rf. No. 3, Box No. 67, Marianna, Florida GITTINS, Norman Smifhfield, Ufah GOCHNEAUR, Lee D. - II448 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Il, Ohio GOINS, W. T. 908 I9fh Sf., Cleveland, Tenn. GONTARZ, Theodore I44 Cross Sf., Mefhuen, Mass. GOODWIN, Cloal R. 330 W. l3fh Sf., Ada, Okla. GORE, Vance Ash, Norfh Carolina GREEN, Devere J. 2I7 E. Linsey Blvd., Flinf, Michigan GREENAGE, Roberf F. 5l8 Gay Sf., Denfon, Md. GREGG, Roscoe H. ' Rf. No. 5, Box I09 W. Oklahoma Cify, 730 Wesf 2nd Sf., Ada, Oklahoma GRIFFIN, John W. I Henderson, Kenfucky GRIGER, Sfeve J. 2785 So. 9fh' Sf., Omaha, Neb. GROSS, Samuel C., Jr. Hasfings, Florida GUNS, Frank ini 72 Livingsfon Ave., Newark, N. J. GUBERA, Frank A. cfo Haskell Insf., Lawrence, Kansas GUPTON, Lawrence J. 4579 Maybury Road, Defroif, Mich. HAHN, Roberf M. l726 So. l0lh Ave., Sioux Falls, S. D. HALL, Calvin Wrisfon , l0l Miller Sf., Beckley, W. Va. HALL, Harold E. R. R. No. I, Bailey, Michigan HALL, Henry Schuberfh, Jr. R R. No. I, Downingfown, Penn. HAMES, Marlin A. 2l80 Bush Sf., San Francisco, Calif. HAMILTON, Elberf .423 Lafimer Courf, Tulsa, Oklahoma HAMMOND, Eldon L. New Bosfon, Illinois HAMMOND, James A. HANOLD, Leanard H. R. R. No. I, Sheldon, Wisconsin HANCOCK, Julian R. 45l Irwin Sf., Ponfiac, Mich. HANSON, Hermie A. 340 7fh.Ave. So, Fargo, N. D. HARVEY, Norman W. RFD No. 4, Tanquaneck, Penn. HASKELL, Vernon John 527 "T" Sf., Bakersfield, Calif. HASTINGS, Carlile H. HAYES, Clifford P. 587 Capifal Ave., Aflanfa, Georgia HAYMES, Richard R. 448 Belded Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. HAYNES, William N. HAYNIE, Charles K. RFD No. I, Pacific Junclion, Iowa HEARN, Raymond A. Okla. or 35 H ERB ERT, Lionel M. HEIDTMAN, Paul Sfewarf 3426 Nafional Ave., Defroif, Mich. HENDERSON, Leo F. P. O. Box 573, Hughson, Calif. HENDERSON, Malvin B. Soufh Hills Br., R.D. No. 9, Box 250, Piffsburgh I6, Pa HERDEJURGEN, Bracey J. l570 Munger Sf., Housfon, Texas HERMINZEK, Harry F. 300 Harding Sf., Lafrobe, Penn. HIBLAR, John J. Rf. No. 3, Box 445, Tacoma, Wash. HICKS, William E., Jr. 30l8 Lamp Ave., Sf. Louis, Mo. HOARD, Ray Auburn, Illinois HODGE, Ervin W. Redway Lodge, Garberville, Calif. HODGE, Wade L. Delay, Mississippi HOEFLICKER, Edward J. 6l8 Arrin Sf., Bakersfield, Calif. HOEFLINGER, John J. 825 54fh Sf., Brooklyn 20, N. Y. HOERING, Thomas C. 3532 California Ave., Alfon, III. HOLEMAN, Roberf HOLMES, Chesfer C. Mankafo, Kansas HOLZWARTH, Aaron E. Brownsville, Minnesofa HUBBARD, Vernon Lee 203 S. W. Kenyon Sf., Des Moines, Iowa HORNER, Donald Edward 90l Ecorse Rd., Ypsilanfe, Mich. HUGHES, D. M. l45 Easf 60fh Sf., Los Angeles, Calif. HULBERT, L. G. , Rf. No. I, Box No. 30, Hemef, Calif. HUNTINGTON, Collis P., Jr. I073 Commercial Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon HURLEY, James Donald I53 Sanbaurn Sf., Fifchburg, Mass. HURSH, Thomas W. Prue, Oklahoma HURTADO, Francisco V. 938 Nicherson Ave., Trinidad, Colo. HUTCHINGS, Donald R. cfo Elms Hofel, Excelsior Springs, Mo. IKERD, Merville O. Rf. No. 4, Box I967, Modesfo, Calif. IRWIN, Warren E. P. O. Box I97, Birmingham, Iowa JACKSON, Ralph E. JAMRUCK, Sfanley M. I I746 N. 9fh sf., E. sf. Louis, III. JEFFORDS, Morfimer II9 Progress Sf., Providence, R. I. JAUERNIG, James D. R. No. 4, Burlingfon, Kansas ' JENSEN, Ernesf R. JERNIGAN, John W. R. No. I, Trenfon, Texas' JOHNSON, Ralph l75 63rd Ave., W. Rulufh, Minn. JOHNSTON, am L. 226 So. 4fh Wesf, Brigham Cify, Ulah 36 JONES, Frederick M. I2l2 Good St., Dallas Texas JONES, George F. JONES, William F. JORDAN, James A. l I743 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa JOSEPH, Azzatte D. Box I90, Ranger, Texas J U DY, George W. JUNGERS, Edwin E. Hespers, Iowa KALLENBERGER, Waldon lnl Eureka, South Dakota KALOKITUS, Albert W. I6 Pulaski Ave., Shamakin, Penn. KAYE, Kenneth I. KAZEZSKI, Stanley lnl KEARNS, Wayne T. . l5I4 Madison St., Charleston, Illinois KEELING, John L. . . 4l2 South Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, KEMP, Don L. 4l4 So. Ist St., Zandy, Utah KENT, Robert P. ' i ll22 Del Paso Blvd., N. Sacramento, Callf. KILBORN, Cecil O. R. No. 5, Box 7884, Sacramento, Calif. KILBRIDE, John P. Bearing, Missouri KIMBROUGH, John R. Houlka, Mississippi KISZTY, Andrew S. 50I7 Langhorn St., Pittsburgh, Penn. KITZINGER, William E. 4I25 Woods Ave., Evansville, Indiana KLATT, Paul F. 73I Union St., Monroe, Mich. KLEPPIN, Felix E., Jr. I3I6 N. I4th St., East St. Louis, Mo. KOEHLER, Edwin L. Caseyville, Illinois KOHLHAAS, Dean P. 3I2 N. Garfield St., Algona, Iowa KOCH, Frederick C. 2624 Upshur Drive, San Diego, Calif. KORTZ, Joseph H. West Clark St., Rt No. 2 Albert L Mass. 7 y , ea, Minn. KOSINSKI, Joseph P. KRAUSE, Charles G. 2622 Rodge Ave., Ft. Wayne, Indiana KRETSER, Ki.-nh ini KROEPLIN, Herbert A. 409 Plunes St., Warsaw, Wisconsin KRUEGER, Carl A. V . KRUEGER, Melvin R. 23l7 4th St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin KUNDUS, Joseph R. 925 E. Indianola Ave., Youngstown, Ohio LACKEY, -George V., Jr, 3I08 Coolidge Ave., Oakland, Calif. LAFFERTY, Clell F. R. R. No. I, Arlington, Ohio LAHAY, Bernard J. l806 Arcola Ave., Garden City, Mich. LAKE, John E. I764 Chestnut St., Redding, Calif. ROSTER OF CREW LAMB, James C. Hubbell, Nebraska LARSEN, Verner B. I034 Treat Ave., San Francisco, Calif. LARSON, Rudolph O. 52IV1La. Bill. N. Thier, River Falls, Minn. LASCH, Robert H. Rd. No. 5, Madiera, Ohio LATHROP, Frederick M. Old Boonton Rd., Denville, N. J. LAWRENCE, James T. ' P. O. Box 588, Mena, Arkansas LAWRENCE, LaVern E. Henada, Ohio LEACH, William F., Jr. Rt. No. 3, Syersburg, Tenn. LE BLANC, Roy J. . 35 West Charlotte St., Ecorse, Tenn. LENNY, Albert T. l07 North Burdish, Rt. No. 2, Opportunity, Wash. LEPPARD, Thomas E. l267 Glencoue Rd., Syracuse, N. Y. LEVERONI, Mario E., Jr. 447 Green St., San Francisco, Calif. ' LEVINE, Donald lnl I33 Smalley St., New Britain, Conn. LEVINSKI, Joseph C. 2I57 Medburg Ave., Detroit ll, Mich. LEWIS, David A. 208 N. Oak St., Owastonna, Minn. LEWIS, Robert K. West lst St., De Ridder, Louisiana Llsowslcl, sen J. 2608 Evergreen Ave., Chicago, Ill. uHll HJII Route No. 4, Waterloo, Iowa LIEN, Irvin N. Box 64, Presho, South Dakota LIMP, John L. R. R. No. 3, Box I08, Huntingburg, Indiana LONGCOR, Oliver B. R. R. No. 2, Bustington, Iowa, cfo Mr. Rasa LOU KIDES, Michael H. LYONS, David lIl0 Hugh St., Fort Wayne, Indiana MAPLES, Raymond V. Rt. No. 2, Westville, Oklahoma MARINELLI, Joseph lnl 6335 Race St., Philadelphia, Penn. MARSHALL, R. E. 92l Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles- 46, Calif. MATH ESON, Malcolm lnl MATTHEWS, R. W., Jr. I 525 So. ,Coronado St., Los Angeles 5, Calif. MAYER, Steven L. ' Baring, Missouri McBRIDE, Joseph P. l20 Orange St., Chelsea, Mass. MCBRIDE, Virgil D. 837 Pine St., Fulton, Missouri MCCANN, Wagene R. 27l4 Duffin St., San Bernardino, Calif. MCCASLAND, Jarold C. 923 Curtis St., Ranier, Colorado MCCLUSKEY, Russel C. ' Beach Star Rt., Box 20, Bellingham, Wash. MCCRAW, Harold K. 826 Peach St., Abilene, Texas Hand McHOOD, E. Rt. No. 2, Belton, Texas McKlLLIP, James L. MCMAHON, James J. I293 Cambridge St., Cambridge, Mass. MENICHETTI 78 Bedford St., New York City, N. Y. MESSINGERI, Raymond P. 63 Delano Ave., Yonkers 65, N. Y. MICHAEL, Bobby W. Rt. No. I., Marietta, Oklahoma MIELKE, Charles E. Box I38, Sidney, Montana MILLER, Ralph W. MILLER, Robert G. MILLER, Robert P. MILLS, J. A. Rt. No. 6, Box 496-A, Olympia, Wash. MINTZ, Reginald A. ' ., MOLELLA, Fred A. 43 Abbot St., Springfield, Mass. Moons, J. T. I 236 Monroe St., Clarksdale, Mass. MONAHAN, W. J. 48l5 So. Ward St., Chicago 9, III. Mokwooo, B. B. 5 Forbing, Louisiana MOSER, Raymond P. 683I Kollenback St., Huntington Park, Calif MOSCOWITZ, Arthur B. MUNDIGLER, Roswell R. 8055 Illth St., West Allis, Wisconsin MUNSEY, J. L. l007 E. I7th Ave., Denver 5, Colorado MUSSELMAN, R. 9344 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif. MYERS, Thomas O., Jr. 382 Addison Ave., Clanhurst, Ill. MYSKA, Edward J. , I05 Hayes St., New Britain, Conn. NORBURY, Kenneth L. Talihina, Oklahoma NORRIS, Jack C. 5ll Peach Tree 8: Battle Ave., Atlanta, Ga. NORRIS, W. G. Valencia, Pennsylvania NORTON, Donald M. Auemade, Texas NUZUM, Carl J. RFD No. 4, Worthington, W. Va. OLIVER, D. V. l2l5 Henry St., Hanston, Texas OCONNOR, Louis F. New Cambria, Missouri ODELL, Frank H. 67 So. Munn Ave., East Orange, N. J. O LCOTT, Byron R. OLTHOFF, Peter R. RFD N. 2, Hesperia, Mich. OSBORNE, Edward J. 649 E. Gerhard St., Philadelphia, Penn. PALLET, R. 22l8 Pierce St., Detroit, Mich. IIHU ll-I-ll 2227 E. 63 Rd., Long Beach, Calif. PARRISH, "J" "B" Rt. 8, Box 360, Ft. Worth, Texas PATCHETT, K. Box I, Oswego, Oregon PATENAUDE, Joseph A. R. l5l So. A Sf., Taffville, Conn. PATTERSON, Frank A. 2lI2 Colby, Evereff, Wash. PATTON, Charles W. Rf. 2l, Box 359, Memphis, Tenn. PAYNE, Donald E. u P. O. Box 95, Royal Oak, Much. PEASE, Edwin N. - l40 Walnuf Ave., Redding, Callf. FENCE, M. D. Rd. No. 4, Eafon, Ohio PERCIVAL, Walfer L. . l2l3 Sewey Ave., Los Angeles, Callf. PERKINS, Louis B., Jr. 2305 So. E. Taggerf Sf., Porfland, Oregon PERDUE, Clyde W. R. No. 2, Box l025, Albuquerque, New Mexico PERSHALL, Billy J. Eldorado, Kansas PETERSON, Raymond M 30ll Malcolm Ave., Wesf Los Angeles, Calif. PHILLIPS, George rn: PHILLIPS, Kennefh R. PHILPOT, Allen E. . I46 Main Sf., Norfhanson, Malne PHOENIX, Raymond J. Bough Road, Cohows, N. Y. PICKRODT, Henry P. PINKERTON, Pickens P. Rf. I, Tyler, Texas PISCAGLIA, Frederick L. 690l Soufh Adams Sf., Peoria, Ill. POLLZZIE, B. J. lll6 Franklin Sf., Monroe, Mich. PRITCHARD, William A. 205 B Sf., Youngsfown, Ohio PRAWITZ, Loren E. PUGHSLEY, Noah W. l725 Navarro Ave., Lima, Ohio QUINN, James C. RANES, William B. 9255 llfh Sf., Cenferville, Iowa RAQUINO, Lanny R. REEDER, W. F. 8 N. Kresson Sf., Balfo, Mo. REIN, George W. 2l9 W. 30fh Sf., Wilmingfon, Calif. RENNELL, Clarence A. l75 N. Rd. Norfh Adams, Mass. RESAR, Sfeve lnl RICHARDSON, Bruce H. 85 Essex Sf., Laurence, Mass. RICHARD, Selwyn D. Sf. Gabriel, Louisiana RIDER, William R. l0l2 83rd Sf. Terrace, Kansas Cify, Mo. RIGGS, James C. Monarch, Arkansas ROBINSON, William E. 85 Essex Sf., Laurence, Mass. ROBISON, John L. Rf. l, Box l78, Palmeffo, Florida RODRIGUES, Louis lnl ROLLINS, Warren K. ROSTER OF CREW ROSE, Clyde L. Rf. I, Box I, Spanish Fork, Ufah RAUCH, Samuel 3225 llinville Ave., Box 67, New York Cify SADBERRY, Henry lnl 600 Garfield Sf., Jackson, Mich. SARGENT, Frederick E., Jr. l836V2 W. 36fh Place, Los Angeles, Calif. SAULTER, Vernon A. A l700 Sherwood Sf., Missoula, Monf. SAVAGE, George W. SCAGLIA, Paul lnl 7576 Grand Ave., Kansas Cify, Mo. SCH EM PP, John W. SCHIEDEL, Charles A. cfo W. L. Campbell, Golden Gafe Ave., Belvedere, Calif. SCHLUETER, Raymond L. Box 73, New Trenfon, Indiana SCHMELLING, George G., Jr. SCHUIER, William H. l723 Markef Sf., Youngsfown, Ohio SCI, Rosario R. Old Cider Mill-Rd., Darieu, Conn. SCHAUMBURG, Wallace D., Sr. I3l l25fh Ave. N. W., Norfh Sf. Paul, Minn. SCOTT, Beniamin lnl 362 Mass Ave., Bosfon, Wash. SEDDON, Melvin H. SEDERQUEST, John H., Jr. I2 La Salle Sf., Wakefield, Mass. SELBY, J. V. 2904 Sfeven, Louisville I2, Ky. sHAlN, Alberf B. - 280 Gusdon Sf., Bridgeporf, Conn. SHAVIES, Isaac l624 l2fh Sf., Oakland, Calif. SHIFFER, Lawrence E. RFD No. I, Malfer, Illinois SHIREY, Norman Hale 500 N. Chesfnuf Sf., Perry, Penn. SHORT, Gordon lnl SHORT, Henry lnl 2504 Filberf Sf., Oakland, Calif. SILVA, Roberf H. U.S.S. Moufrail, cfo San Francisco, Calif. SIMMERMAKER, Bob lnl l5l6 S. Union Ave., Tacoma, Wash. SIMMONS, Roscoe B. Rf. No. 4, Wenfenville, Norfh Carolina SIMS, E. V. Rf. No. I, Sfrafman, Texas SIMPSON, Roger W. l209 N. W., So. Spain Ave., Pendlefon, Oregon SINGER, Gerald S. SITES, Warnie E. Pefersburg, Wesf Virginia SLATER, Theodore W. SMITH, James P. Reedsporf, Oregon SMITH, Raymond' L. 26lI No. Franklin Rd., Arlingfon, Va. SNYDER, Philip R. Rd. No. 2, Harrisville, Penn. SOLEY, Verner M. l605 E. Madison, Seaffle, Wash. SORRELS, Gerald H. Box No. 42, Abboff, Arkansas SOUTHARD, Donald L. I636 W. l5fh Sf., Anderson, Indiana SPARKS, Girvan R. V ll02 Sophia Sf., Carthage, Missouri SPATES, Vernon L. SPATOFORE, Emilio R. SPENCER, Dallas C. Roufe No. 2, Sheridan, Oregon SPRENGER, William R. STERLING, James F. 749 So. Clarkson Sf., Denver, Colo. STEENBERG, Kennefh O. II7 Park Sf., Wesfly, Wisconsin STEWART, Douglas C. 3333 Brayfon Sf., Long Beach, Calif. STOTTS, Arfhur L. 7l S. Wick Ave., Waferbury, Conn. STOUT, James G. STRICKLAND, Joseph lnl 283 W. Il8lh Sf., New York, N. Y. STEWART, R. S. I464 Pacific Sf., Redlands, Calif. SUTTON, Clarence W. Isl' Sf., Floreffe, Penn. SUTTON, James O. RFD No. 3, Box 32, Porfsmoufh, Virginia surToN, John E. Maffhews, Indiana SWEENEY, Alfred C. - 5056 Winnernac Ave., Chicago, Ill. SWEET, Harry L. , 209 N. Franklin Sf., Springfield, Mo. swear, Sfewarf c. SYX, Ellis D. I079 Grant Sf., So. Akron, Ohio SZAFRAN, Eugene J. l03 Walnuf Sf., Holyoke, Mass. TANGEMAN, Roberf G. lll8 Garden Sf., Hoboken, N. J. TAYLOR, Kennefh E. 3l6 S. Walnuf Sf., Ames, Iowa TAYLOR, Paul J. ' Rd. No. I, Aspers, Penn. TOMMIE, "J" TELLES, John P. - Box No. I6, Benf, New Mexico TENWINKEL, Richard J. Easf Troy, Wisconsin TEVIS, Warren R. 20l7 California Ave., Topeka, Kansas THIEMSEN, Charles, Jr. THOMAS, Dorian L. R. R. No. 4, Sf. Maries, Idaho THOMAS, Sherman l8ll Sfaford Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. THOMPSON, James R. Wichila, Kansas TIBBS, M. E. Rf. 4, Box I79, Fairmonf, W. Va. TITMAS, Frederick H. 8l3'f2 So. Teion Sf., Colorado Springs, Colo TODD, James H., Jr. R. R. 3, Charlesfown, Indiana TOOLE, J. J. 4932 Renier Sf., New Orleans, La. TOWNSEND, David S. 38 TOPPER, Harold L. . Box 94, Orangeville, Ohio TRICKEY, F. J. 467 W. Shaw Sf., Sf. Pefer, Minn. TRAWEEK, B. B. Beeville, Texas TUCKER, Clarence T. i I543 Ridgewood Ave., Toledo, Ohio TURDO, Rocco A. TURNER, Penis L. TUTTLE Carroll E. less Nibon Drive N. w., Grand Rapid., Mich. URBAN, Arfhur J. Box I63,'OId Ocean, Texas URESTE, George Inl Porf O'Connor, Texas VAIL, Roberl' L. R. R. 2, Effingham, Illinois VANCE, James E. . VAN OSDOL, K. G.' 5027 N. Roslyn Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana VAUGHAN, Walter F. Pixen, Missouri VAUGHN, George W. I47 Wesf 57fh SI., Los Angeles, Calif. VAUGHN, Harry L. VAUGHN, Woodrow W. 207 McNary Ave., Princefon, Ky. VEDDER, William E. ' RI. 2, Box 2l0-A, Arlingfon, Texas VIAU, Earl R. I7 Johnson, Pawluckef, R. I. VIDALES, Alexander Inl l0I5 Chapmen Sf., Housfon, Texas VISCO, Alphonse A. 74 Roger Ave., Lynn, Mass. VOGTS, Marvin V. Madison, Kansas VOLKERDING, R. R. Bafavia, Ohio ROSTER OF CREW WARREN, Hobarf D. I l3ll I8fh S+., Defroil, Michigan WALKER, Walfer R. 2I4 Easf Cedar Ave., Jefferson Cily, Mo. WARWICK, James E. Rf. No. I, Box 585, El Paso, Texas WANAGEL, A. W. 2828 35+h Sf., Asforia, L. I., N. Y. WASNAK, Alvin G. 304l 61h Sf. S. W., Anfon, Ohio WATKINS, Donavan D. 70 Libby Sf., Clarksfon, Wash. WEAVER, Billy H. Bailey Heighfs, Nafchifaches, Louisiana WEAVER, James "T" P. O. Box l376, Pryor, Oklahoma WEBER, Edward C. Woycesburg, No. I, Ohio WEBER, Vicfor A. 26I6 Libbell Sf., Cincinnafi, Ohio WELCH, L. B. 490 Sf. River Range, l8, Mich. WELLER, John H. WENDT, John H. New Lenox, III., cfo E. J. Bufzen WHISLER, W. R. 2945 Jackson Blvd., Chicago IZ, Ill. WHITACRE, Jonas D. 843 E. 43rd Sf., Cleveland, Ohio WHITE, Charlie C. WHITE, James V. WHITE, William F. WHITTED, Eliiah M. WIERENGA, Charles H. 6I7 Oak Sf., Manesfigue, Mich. WILES, H. E. 2l0 E. Samuel Ave., Peoria Heighls, Ohio WILLIAMS, Charles N. 873 Campbell Si., Oakland, Calif. r-'CU LLEN, James F. .P. O. Box No. 24 Sloneham, Mass. CUMMINGS, Paul D. R. R. No.V3, Mansfield, Ohio CUNDIFF, Edward, Jr. RI. No. 4, Clarasville, Ohio -CURCIO, Eugene B. 6552 La Mirada Ave., Hollywood, Calif.. CURLEE, Sferling Box I3, Ilasca, Texas ' CURRAN, william '3357 N. Second Sf., Milwaukee, Wis. CURTIS, Roger K. . '7024 Kesfer Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. CZACHOROWSKI, Edward F. '207 Boyd Ave., Jersey Cify, N. J. 'DALEY, James .404 S. W. 35fh Sf., Oklahoma Cify, Okla. DALY, James J. 'DAMATO, Henry J. I I 2l E. Day Sf., Easi Orange, N. J. DANA, Leslie R., Jr. DANIEL, Paul H. WILLIAMS, James F. I9I6 Schoff Rd., Cleveland, Ohio WILLIAMSON, Harry V. 2707 Knighl' Ave., Rockford, III. WILMS, W. L. RFD No 2, Newfon Falk, Ohio WILSON, Raymond L. R. R. No. l, Caney, Kansas WINTERS, Clarence M. Williamsburg, Indiana WISE, Howard R., Jr. RFD No. 2, Mansfield, Ohio WISE. J. R. l7l4 Sfewarf Place, Nashville, Tenn. WISEMAN, Quenfin H. II00 Washingfon Ave., Alfon, Illinois WISNIESKI, Harold J. l505 E. 69fh Place, Chicago 37, Ill. WOLF, John M. IOI7 S Sf., Harrisburg, Penn. WOOD, J. A. 87 N. Shirley, Ponfiac, Mich. WOODS, Bernard J. 4l4 Baldwin Ave., Jersey Cify, N. J. WOODS, Ralph E. 44ll N. Florrissanf SI., Sf. Louis, Mo. WOOTEN, John L. Sfar Roufe, Love Lady, Texas WRIGHT, Charles E. Sfevensville, Maryland WUTTKE, Roberf T. l37 N. Easf SI., Holyoke, Mass. YOUNG, Arfhur F. l409 N. Michigan Sf., Plymoufh, Indiana WHITNEY, R. B. l276 Ohamce Ave., Akron, Ohio WURNMEST, R. E. 6l5 Ny. Main Sf., Kennefi, Mo. ZIEMNIK, Edward F. 2389 Fremonf Ave., Cleveland, Ohio DANSIE, Donald A. Riverfon, Ufah DANZI, Vincenf 392 New Hersey Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. DAVIDSON, James A. RI. No. 4, Granger, Texas DAVIES, Gerald L. 89I6 2nd Ave., Indewood, Calif. DAVIS, Charles R. I023 l0I'h Ave. So., Nampa, Idaho DAVIS, Langford Wayde Ri. No. I, Box HO2l2, EI Dorado, Ark. DEAN, Melvin C. Woodruff, Ulah DEAN, Ralph Lee DE ANGELIS, Gaefano 85 Barrows SI., Providence I, R. I. DEAVOH RS, Theron H. Decxeiz, Alvin Ponchaioula, La. . DEETER, Ray Leroy 3344 Kerckhofi Ave., San Pedro, Calif. STONE, Dendle Edward STRINGER, Brooks o 7' 1 MM 'Q g. 4 1 I ' Q l v 1 v Q I. wr 5