Thomas Jefferson (APA 30) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 17 text:

V'? 'i'7 VW W!3fV5Y'W5E Me- fi I r X 4 X G55 M133 'EEL f.f:.-ffg.-.,fA-f,.fiff-ffh? it wfiqfggfwxeh 9 f- .A 0 V 2 QW f-X-1 f ' QQ' ' M in J 6 X I A X ' 'E 1 ' Xu Q-Ni x X f QW ' X i x My 1 if 4 M X ky Q I lx 1 f . - R1 X d CURlOSlTY WAS GREAT S

Page 16 text:

TERRACED FARMLAND AND VILLAGE NEAR OUR ANCHORAGE L 1 , 1 THE LATE ENEMY I4

Page 18 text:

if I ! z 3 auf ' wav! THE PE III. Ill? THE IIHIE T 4 On the morning of September 25, the ship weighed anchor and proceeded in company out through the narrow entrance and headed south- ward. At 2200 on the 26th, Okinawa hove into view on our port bow. A great sentimental curi- osity seized the men. Here was where they had sweated out the original invasion and a follow-up. The furious destruction of so many U. S. ships was fresh in their minds as they gazed at the now victory-flushed, lighted and peaceful shoreline. Even the landing of Marines in Sasebo could not bring home so clearly the fact that the war was really over. Okinawa was left astern and 'two days later the coast of Luzon appeared ahead. Down past Lin- gayen, down past Bataan, and finally, as darkness fell, past Corregidor into Manila Bay. It was quite dark and raining that night, with visibility so bad you could hardly see the fo'csle. The Thomas jef- ferson anchored safely near the center of Manila Bay and the next morning moved into her as- signed anchorage. Manila was once called '4The Pearl of the Ori- entf, Her grandeur came from a peculiar mixture of the Spanish, American and native influences. The old ravaged forts were picturesque standing next to widely spaced, modern buildings, with neat parks and well ordered roads. Now it is im- possible sometimes to tell the old ruined forts from the newly ruined buildings. Ivy and weeds grow in the parks, the roads are muddy and badly drained. A luxuriant black market is in full swing, and prices are so high that a single meal costs around six dollars. But the people are happy. They actually are. Gangs of Filipinos labor on roads, but they are smiling and joking. Tradesmen have a smile for anyone, although they,ll gyp you out of your last peso. But Manila will still be a long time re- building. Only a few of the crew had liberty ashore. Com- ing back to the ship, they report, was a hard trip. It took an hour and a half in rough water, the ship being anchored so far out in the bay the coxswain could never make her out among the hundreds of large craft anchored there. He would steer for the middle of the bay on a compass course, then peer around through the gathering gloom until the fat stack of the T. I. caught his eye. It was always a wet and dragged-out group of officers and men who returned. We left Manila after fueling and steamed north- ward up the coast of Luzon and 'then down into Lingayen Gulf where we were scheduled to pick up Army troops for the second round of occupa- tion. Recreation parties were organized by the Chaplain. Finally, on October 9, we shoved off for Sasebo. -X . . ..-... . . . . X if-5--My-,s, - .. .,,3,X..,X . s ' g k - zsgxifisx Slargp X - . 1 .-.- - -I K.: qw, ,-i-.--1-fa BRITISH AIR POWER IN MANILA BAY I 1 5' ik 5 i is I I i i 2 al . 'sl 1 A IA- M f , ' 1 - is 'Q . as 'xx' 7311 41 . -if 5 wa 2 L- 'wifi' i ,ii .. A: Qgilwngiaj if: .. it