Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

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IM- . LEYTE REINF ORCEMENT . 1 The Task Group retired to the'South Pacific steaming at an approximate speed of advance of 14 knots, arrived at I-Iollandia 26 October, and anchored in Humboldt Bay. The COMET re- mained in the harbor for 10 days during which time the ofiicers and men enjoy-ed recreation parties on the beach, and minor jobs of maintenance and repairs were completed. On 5 November, after topping off with water and fuel, the ship sailed in company with the KNOX, CUSTER, SHERIDAN, and MERCURY for Noem- foor Island, about 40 miles off the northwest coast of New Guinea. Arriving there on 7 November, the COMET moored alongside the merchantman SEGUNDO RUIS-BELVIS and .began loading cargo from.her in preparation for a return trip to Leyte. The next day due to a heavy ground swell, it was necessary to move to an adjacent anchorage, and on 9 November loading operations were continued using LCT's to transfer the cargo. About 900 troops of the 503 rd Parachute Infantry cameaboard on 11 November, and on the 14-th the COMET again sailed for Leyte as a part of Task Unit 79.15.4 with OTC on the KNOX. The unit included: the KNOX, CUSTER, SI-IERIDAN, MERCURY, LAMAR, ALPINE, BOLI- VAR, STARLIGHT, ALSHAIN, AURIGA, BAXTER and ALCYONE-all U.S. Navy ships. Screening vessels were the des- troyers PICKING, BADGER, ISHERWOOD, WICKES, W. D. PORTER, SPROSTEM, and the destroyer transports QAPD'sJ SANDS and GOLDSBOROUGH. I , During this trip in which reinforcements were transported to Leyte, the ships did not meet as much enemy action as in the initial landings. However, one attack transport, the ALPINE, suffered severe damage when struck by an enemy Kamikaze plane early on the morning of arrival, 18 November. Even though -interrupted by four Flash Red warnings, unloading was completed in one day and at 1711 the ship weighed anchor-and got underway, joining a convoy bound for Manus. Enroute the destroyer WILKES was fueled by the COMET while underway on 20 November. A dispatch received 24 November ordered the COMET to proceed independently to Noumea, New Caledonia. At a point X56

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just northwest of Manus, course was changed, and the speed ad- vanced to 15 knots as the ship fell out of formation and began the 5' day journey. On 29 November she .moored at the Gran E Quad dock in Noumea and began making preparations for another in- VElS1OI'1. A , Nonniea ojerecl the crew the bert liberty since the rhip left the States. It war the jfrrtiirlancl ontricle Pearl Harbor where there were honrer inrteacl of native hats. What a plear- 'are to, ree a toitch of Wertern civilization again, even though the people all spoke French. Troops embarked on 30 November, and soon the Winches began hoisting aboard another lo-ad of' combat cargo. After loading was completed it was learned that the schedule of operations would be delayed for 20 days, and consequentlyfcombat troops were put ashore. During the next 2 weeks the COMET lay at anchor in Dumbia Bay, Port Noumea, with the exception of one day under- way on 11 December when maneuvers and gunnery exerciseswere held. Embarkation of 970' troops of the 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Division, co-mmanded by Lt. Colonel Alan M. Strock was carried out on 15 December, and on the afternoon of the 17th the ship sailed for Guadalcanal in company with Task Group 77.9 with OTC, Admiral R. L. Conolly, on the USS APPALACHIAN CAGCD. Other ships under this command included the following APA's: ZEILIN , PRESIDENT JACKSON, PRESIDENT ADAMS, PRESIDENT MONROE, LLATIMER, OXFORD, AKA's AL- HENA and ALGOL, and the merchantman NAVAJO VICTORY. i Lt. Comdr. T. C. Fonda, Commanding Officer, was placed on the sick list for acute appendicitis shortly after leaving port. Lt. J. B. Blee, Executive Officer, assumed temporary command, and Lt. K. Adams, Jr., USNR, assumed duties as acting Executive Officer. Lt. Comdr. M. C. Jenkins, QMCD, USNR, andtwo pharma- cist' mates were transferred by landing craft from the ZEILIN to perform the necessary operation on Captain Fonda, assisted by the COMET'S Senior Medical Officer, Lt. Co-mdr. L. Bain. 58