Navarro (APA 215) - Naval Cruise Book

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'.i if nf ,,,,.- - ,,..--ff A . ts . our human cargo. Theylaidifsiege to this land of rickshaws. 'This was also ACI shoppingrspot xfor men. Tailors andlshoemakers did a tremendous business. Liberty was granted and the men thoroughly en- joyed it. As usual time ran out. We picked up our passengers and headed back to Sasebo. Enroute, we think military history was made. A dance was held on the crew's mess deck. Everyone had a ball and the Captain was presented with a Petticoat Plaque. The women expressed their gratitude for such a wonderful cruise. We spent just one night in Sasebo and then headed for Naha, Okinawa. After embraking troops the ship pulled into Buck- ner Bay until the Zlst of April. With only l97 troops aboard the operation was easily accomplished. Operation Sea Turtle was accomplished on the shore of Pohang, Koreap it was-our one and only complete lA. Going back to Naha was another story, one full Battalion made the trip. After off-load- ing, the men enjoyed their first liberty in two weeks. The next stop was considered the first step home. Arriving in Apra Harbor, Guim, lVl.l., on May 9th, the Navarro crew was put to work cleaning up the ship forfhomeg Here iwas an island full of beaches .Eiandfifiplenty ofrbeer, everyone got- his ,share of both. Many cases of sunburn were suffered. Again, the Recreation Committee came-though with a party, at GabGab. beach. lt was decided the Deck department was' toot-muchtifor the Engineering Department at Tugsof War. , y l , V Beforefyou knewrit, the time came for the trip home. Cn May .2l, the Navarro set a B-line course for LongfBeach. Ourfhoping to be the first ones home out of PHIBRON SEVEN almost came true. Four days out of Long Beach, we crossed the path of the U.S.S. CAVALIER and U.S.S. CABILDO. We ioined forma- tion and proceeded at l2 knots for the remainder of the voyage. y , We entered the breakwater early on the morning of lune Sth. behind the U.S.S. CAVALIER. Many men were thinking of the past four months remembering experiences most people only dream about. To the oldtimers it was all in twenty? to the Boots of yes-2 terday, 'When do we start back. A ' ' ' Hood, lackie, FTSN

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CRUISE OF THE U- 55- N. i, , ff ' 'fm V 5 V WX, z f 'iff f f g, y,, V, 4 f ff . mf, ,V 'fs' 4, . f f mmf, 1: .f , , fagw V, !,,, X f,,V ,,,, , ,,,k , ,Vk., ,Z G ,i,,h,,, I VVV, .K Vlfy . V!5,,1.V.V,iW,L,, M L I ' ' f mgif, gf ,v ,.,..7g.,',fffcuff-ff7'.gfgy.Z7ffffezvqQ,q,554 1, . , . J X V, V V. , , fgrfwfr qi, K. c,ff!i,y,.,5,4 ,f ,-VCf,1,ff'Vv Vf,M!!!!,,f,H Wk f, , EC1r1ff.,Qn,pth,e l.t, morning , wodfhyesyzweref ff ' ,U H' 2 , 1 'V f , f-, f 'V-1 4. i' nf v,', 'V Qi- 07,4-X ', Uae't1fi.11 f'.f: C ', PQf'ff ff ''21- -f f,2',f'w'1-'fff' T 1 1 V 1 ' 1 I 1 I V 1 u ' ,, I dufi , fgff. Q fir? t ggge . ff 123 1 Xibfrfl fa. Gt 16.00. lf l,l'T'l1lS ..it f ie f elle f f Wee .itrf , X X f See l X f f X This f ever l ' , They f f Orient , ,ee OH f . ihtO the f f l liberty klA,1 l i f , ,A i.e , 1 , e i, .,.., 1? 3mf , - TO See some toeigj-5 te After spewing. the Ship ing on the their hf1e gh-kill quonsef huts weather they, They soon learned, trucks started H a little cooleifi,Qlifisteicidjfof llll coming, carrying their human cargo. Deck divisions wearing foulisizveathertiigear. But nevertheless, ex- put in a full day's work loading. After loading was . oitement liliilli w as in the air. This was the land ot the completed, liberty was granted. Many were tired 4 Navarro was to spend two weeks in but again the Navyman never misses a port. We 'These two weeks proved to offer many drank our beer and saw the country. No one was lexperiences.QThe men found the people very polite .tsimpler.i,lThey bargained on Black Market Ally took inthe sights of Tokyo. Here in Yokosuka, ,tl'1e2Ship's Party was held at the Kanko Hotel. Fine food and drink plus a very good tloor show added upfftola-huge' success. But like all good things must end, the time Came to depart tor new experiences and new people. T . The next port to be assailed by the Navarro was B11CknerfBay,Qkinawa. We arrived at our destina- sdd at our departure for Namazu. This was a short stop, just to oft-load troops. We then set sail for Sasebo, arriving on 31 March, liberty was again a selfish thought. Men worked hard to keep the ship clean and keep their early liberty. On our last day the dependents of military r personnel were embarked for their yearly shopping tour of Hong Kong. Out oi the l20 dependents, 75 were women. The journey was more like a party. We arrived in l-long Kong on April 6 and debarked

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Commander CHARLES A. HILL relieved Commander WHITEAICER as Executive Officer of the U.S.S. NAVARRO in Iune 1958 at ENIWETOK. Commander HILL entered the Navy in 1937, and then proceeded to be a YN striker aboard the U.S.S. WHITNEY. In 1938 Commander HILL entered the U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY and graduated with the class of 1942. Commander HILL was assigned to the U.S.S. DETROIT where he was the Radar Officer and F. Division Officer. After 2 years aboard the U.S.S. DETROIT Commander HILL went to PG School at the USNA. Then in 1946 Commander HILL boarded the U.S.S. OAKLAND where he was the Gun- nery Officer. One year later, Commander HILL went to shore duty for 10 years. Most of this time was in schools of Ordnance. In 1948, Commander HILL was on the Staff of Commander Carrier Division Three. In 1949 Commander HILL was with the Bureau of Ordnance of the Navy Department going to school. Then in 1951, Commander HILL was attached to the StaffComPhib Group One. Then in 1954 he went to George Washington University for more schooling on Ordnance. After a few years of schooling in Washington, D.C., Com- mander HILL went to the U.S. Navy Advisory Group, Re- public of Korea as Officer in Charge. Then in 1958, Com- mander HILL reported aboard the U.S.S. NAVARRO. Captain l.C.G. WILSON, a 1935 Naval Academy graduate, has been Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. NAVARRO CAPA-2151 since 18 March 1958. Captain WILSON has served in the Gunnery De- partment aboard the cruiser ASTORIA, and then as the Torpedo Officer and Asst. Gunnery Officer aboard the Destroyer SIMS. Aboard the Destroyer U.S.S. RODMAN he served as the Gunnery Officer and the Executive Officer and during the latter part of the war, Captain WILSON was the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. CHARLES F. HUGHS. Captain WILSON has participated in the Algeria- Morocco landings of the North African Campaign. Captain WILSON has also participated with the support of the Anzio beach head and the invasion of Southern France. For conspicuous gallantry during the Amphibious invasion of Southern France on August 21, 1944 he was awarded the Silver Star Medal. Captain WIL- SON also received a Letter of Commendation, with Ribbon and Combat V for action at Anzio. During the last 6 months of the war period, Cap- tain WILSON was attached to the Executive De- partment of the Naval Academy. Remaining on duty at the Academy until Ian. 1942, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College. I-Ie then served as Ad- ministrative Officer and CIC Officer on the Staff of the Commander Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet from August 1947 until lune 1950. During the fifties, prior to taking the Command of the NAVARRO in 1958, Captain WILSON had been the Executive Officer of the NROTC unit at Iowa State College and of the Cruiser PITTSBURGH, Commander Escort Destroyer Division 22 and Com- manding Officer of the Naval Receiving Station, Norfolk, Virginia.