Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

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Hey, on deck- take her up No 6 to the ra11 One month s SUpp1lCS 4

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Rohert P. Larkin ........ . Lt. Cigl, D-VCGD, U SNR seiby Mohr ............... Lt. Cjgb, MC-VCSD, USNR Charles W. Hire ............. ....... 4 ............-...---- E nsign, USN Thomas F. Monahan ......... --------- E f1SigI1, D-VCGJ, USNR Walter B. Wofford .......... -------- E 11SigI1, D-VCGD, USNR Thomas Rowe ..............-- ------ E f1SigH, SC-VCC-ii, USNR Chester C. Traxielstead .... Ensign, C-VCGD, USNR Jimmie E. Savage .......... ........ E HSigI1, D-VCGD, USNR Robert C. Ferguson ...... ........ E nSigI1, D-VCGD, USNR Lloyd F.lHead ......... Q ...... ......................... E HSigI1, USN Ernest E. Zimmerman ....... Ensign, E-M, USNR Mario Telesmanic .......... .......... E nsign, E-M, USNR James F, Toner ,,,..,.... ...... L ..................... E nsign, USN Herman E. Duvall ...... ........ B Oatswain, I-VCSD, USNR Arthur L. Lucia .... Q. ...................... Pay Clerk, USN Alfred Clark ......... ................... B oatswain, USN Joseph Bonetti ..... ........ B Oatswain, USN Although one would think that the history of a ship and its crew would start upon commissioning, I think that the story of the USS COMET really began at the Receiving Ship, Q Treasure Island, California, for it was there' thatthe men , who were to be the crew of the COMET were brought to- 'gether by fate, and orders from the Bureau 'of Naval Per- sonnel, to be formed, from an aggregation of landlubbers, into a well-moulded, smooth-running, sea-going Navy Crew. It was there that the men got to know each other and that spirit of camaraderie, which is so prevalent in the armed forces, blossomed out. I The COME T that day wasn't quite ready to go to sea, but in a short time all hands were turning ton making prepara- tions for getting underway. It's strange how a person remem- bers minor incidents while the major ones may slip his mind, but the thing that remains foremost in my memory on that February day was not the commissioning ceremonies, but our 30

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jirst chow aboard ship The galley was in a state 0 con usion and the cooles were running about tearing at their hair trying A to put out a meal or the crew The tables werent as yet set up in the messhall and a ter the men passed through the chow line they had to seek a place to eat 4h the memory o that rst meal weiners and sauerleraut with the deck or a table and chair N The COMET left'San Francisco California on 29 February to Commander Fleet Operational Training Command at San Diego California This first trip was made following a few days loading at Naval Supply Depot Oakland California and operat- ing in San Francisco Bay in connection with testing degaussing equipment calibrating of compasses and radar and compensating radio direction finder .Enroute the COMET proceeded Without surface escort as Task'Un1t 14 6 2 at an average speed of advance of 15 knots. D I . f f f f . J , f . . I , If ' fl i 1 i ' f 1944 on its first assignment as a Navy ship under orders to report e 'B This was the first trip, and as recall, it also was the acid test. One day out of 'Frisco the forces of nature combined andthe test was on. If the crew had been judged that day as to whether they were sea-worthy or not, I believe that most Q of us would have been sent baclegto shore duty. Would- that! were able to describe the agony one experiences when ajlicted, it would rival any nightmarish tale of Poe's. Yes,'the fishes were well fed that night. g . ' Upon arriving at San Diego on 2 March 1944 and reporting to Commander Operational Training Command, the COMET re- ceived orders to undergo training off San Clemente Island begin- ning 5 March. The ship returned to San Diego Bay 10 March. The following day Rear Admiral F. A. Braisted, USN, Commander Operational Training Command, accompanied by his staff, held a military inspection of the COMET. T 32 as aeee I A gg ' I I' ,A A I