Block Island (CVE 106) - Naval Cruise Book

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l 1 .- i.-xL-,-- 553' ' TO FORMOSA i- X -.fx 'sg V' 'W' I 'O I' A 'O'ii i 'id l 1 F A : V X, 541' -W 5 'K if Cf. 5 -' . Fgx . , ' 'I . ., , V, ' ,J 1 I . V . . Q Az whip ' I ,L Q .rv , k ., Qna I :Al y V, I., --1 .-,Q - 0 , 1 i ., . . 5 f- ' '- , '91 T Ik . 9' ,Q Q f ' I XT W ' .V + - - A-I . :sf-. ., I -Q-f. gmc-BQ 3 I- if J if '. 'E' T1 r ' QA? bm, V.. 4 h V a V, I - -- X ' ... V,,. Us 2 .. -6 J sy. , B N I l ., - J , . . ' - ' 1? i , . . -1 . , - , . ,, fa- .. ' ' :4 9' i ' X191 f' '. . 'ff Y -' f 3i.if9.f.'fV'f ff'f4 5' Y f 'if ill: if ' Q. :IYQIEV 2417, yn ly, ,V Hg? AIM?--V ETZV5., E541 Y af 'Jw' E LI, I N Q, '75 24'E.'7 'iff-f 1'-1' ff. rr' f 'fi-is A ' pw I. .1 . 1 . g, A, WS' ,2 ',, fl . ' 9-' ' ' 27 1 t xi 9' '. ,fl-'Dire' M'g!s A P- , h , 9 , . 6 . , . ,La ff . , -. , , 1- . . yi, I ,I 'af'f1 ,, -,uv f ffggmt ,fvfk 7,3454 fgfyf I. l' V , x Q fgf W .EVM 'fe -I Vt f ',f7' '+iwwffWl. '-'ft-ifazrfg-Yf'4. A I f ff 1, W, , I .fvsrfyru 'f .f I I ' ' fs .,,.1,'li1-Jb,v.s..i.'nfi . . . . OUR MINVADERSN IN FORMOSA A ERRA D OF ERCY 1.200 prisoners of war were rescued at Formosa. At dawn on 5 September, planes were sent from the BLOCK ISLAND ln parade formation over Formosa, a rich island once .lapan's strongest fortress south of her homeland, now battered and in ruins. A fighter plane dropped messages directing the Japanese Commandant to send harbor pilots out to meet the DES T. J. GARY and KRETCHMER at that time standing off the port of KIIRUN. Covered by combat air patrol from the FBI and tl1e USS SANTEE QCVE 291 the two small ships entered the port which they found littered with the hulks of ships destroyed in tl1e last year of the bombing raids. Colonel Cooley, USMC, set forth to tl1e Japanese the terms of the occupation. Our men brought the first official word of Jap surrender. An advance rescue party had landed a few days previously but their reports had not been made. Information from China indicated that prisoners of war were dying for lack of medical aid and food. An Avenger torpedo plane, piloted by Captain Dick Johnson, USMC, took off the BI and landed unheralded on Matsuyama Airfield in the outskirts of the city of Taihoku. Major Peter Folger, a passenger, set out to determine the most critical needs of prisoners in camps near the city. Scared Japanese drove him in a Packard to the prison camps. Witliin a short time divisions of fighter and torpedo planes from both carriers, with rations, and medical supplies stowed in their auxiliary tanks and bomb bays, were landing at tl1e airfield. Japanese soldiers willingly scurried about offering assistance, and trucking tl1e supplies to the camps. It was found that the liberated prisoners had turned the tables on their oppressors since V-J Day, taking tl1e camps under their own control but supplies were still scarce. Colonel Cooley commandeered a rail- road train at KIIRUN, travelled to Taihoku. The prisoners greeted l1im joyously and piled aboard, leaving behind under Navy medical officers only 79 men, whose pitiably emaciated state prevented their moving. The men were sent to tl1e USS BLOCK ISLAND and the USS SANTEE after dark Wednesday night. As they boarded the BI orchestra played loudly everything from God Save the King to Rum and Coca-Cola. The men deposited their clothes and belongings on a sponson for delousing. Then they were given a shower, being sprayed with DDT powder. Their bodies were a pitiful sight but smiles were upon their faces. They bore the signs of beriberi. Their buttocks were two sharp bones. They were marked with scars from beatings at the hands of brutal Japanese soldiers. One manas face was misshapen from a broken jaw suffered at the hands of a Japanese tyrant who left him tied to a stake after the beating. Dozens of their buddies had 'Q fi.-31 3' my A BRITISH ADMIRAL PAYS A VISIT COLONICL COOLICY CONFI-IRS WITH JAPANESE

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died of malnutritiong others were yet to die in spite of the llvsl efforts of our medical officers. They were provitlvll Wlfll IWW issue Navy clothing, haircuts, plenty of food, and good bunks. They ate themselves into nausea. I Their docility and readiness to fall in line, their happiness and yet their sorry condition, impressed all hands. DIVIIIC services of thanksgiving were held to a pew of bunks. Before the ship reached Manila a smoker was held on .the hangar deck. The British Chaplain, to express lllS appreciation, gave an Ensign of the ship a precious gift, 10 yen, about two months' salary in prison. The prisoners came from three camps, only 89 being Americans. Some of them were survivors of the '4Death March from Bataan. The British, many of them survivors of Dun- kerque, were from artillery and engineering units who fought down the Malayan Peninsula in 1942, through the battle of Sin- gapore. At least one man had escaped from Singapore to Java, fought there, took to the jungles when the battle became hope- less, and was at last captured in the hills. Almost universally these British and American soldiers had been forced to labor under sickening conditions for the past three years in the copper mines of Kinkaseki in Northern Formosa. Some walking skeletons had farmed rice and tea plantations, grown sweet potatoes and been thankful when they were allowed to eat the tops. These men will never forget the glorious comforts and delicious food of the great CVE 106, and the trip that meant ugoing Home. The following letter is one of the many received from the evacuated prisoners. Tuesday, 11 September 1945 Before we disembark from the ships under your command, we should like to express on behalf of all the prisoners of war whom you have rescued, our deep gratitude and sincere appreciation of the delightful courtesy and lavish hospitality with which we have been treated by all ranks of the United States Forces since they first contacted us on September 2nd. The celerity and efficiency with which Colonel A. D. Cooley and his officers and men swept into Taihoku and swept us out in less than twenty-four hours will always amaze us. Lastly, I should like to bring to your notice the names of Lieutenants John MacLellan and John Sehon of the United States Navy and Lieutenant Cook of the United States Army, who, in the teeth of many difficulties first contacted us from the China Theatre of Operations on September 2nd, estab- lished a buffer between us and our captors, and gave us our first foretaste of the treatment we have received ever since. 'LYou must realize that these poor words are in no way commensurate with the depth of our feelings. The days since xahfr ' ' , ' FORMOSA RUBBLE H f . T .. . 1 Wgixxxaxxxxxx xx ,Z X ia , , COLONEL COOLEY AND OFFICERS RELAX WITH CHINESE September 2nd have been one of the greatest experiences of our lives. Col. Fitzpatrick, British Army, Lt. Col. Glattly, U. S. Army, Lt. Col. Blyneham, Australian Imperial Forces. 'I 1' ' .,'2 'jrg,1 gf, if it .Q gp.. THE FIRST l.Ali' llOiVll'i FOR POVUS - s Ns.: 'l'lIl'I PRISON

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Vw' THE VICTORY MARCH and Coast Guard who are absent today because they gave their lives to reestablish a world in which free peoples might live. Our sympathies go out to their relatives and friends. At the same time we extend thanks and appreciation to our companion services of the Army and to the gallant allies who fought beside us and to the millions of people on the home- front who supported us with their labors and their prayers- It is as a team we have worked and fought to the victorious conclusion of the war. As we turn now from tl1e vital tasks of A TOAST TO VICTORY war I call upon all members of the Armed Services to re- dedicate their efforts with the same courage devoted to duty and united spirit to the work of resolving the great problemS of peace. Only by doing this can we fulfill our obligations in preserving the freedom which has been gained at such great cost and effort. I am proud to have served with everY one of youf, r t V ' s ,. W ,NJA ' 1 ' 'rule vurrom' CAKE