Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

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ship went to aid them. It was a clear night and the moon was just going down as the officers and men of the sinking ship began to come topside. The ship was well down by the bow, and her loud speakers were clearly audible as instructions were given to mem- bers of the- crew and the boats standing by. Two tugs came to her assistance, and she was kept afloat, despite the gaping hole in her port side between No.. One and Two holds. The explosion was thought to have been caused by an enemy torpedo but this was not verified. That same morning the COMET set sail as part of an Okinawa-Ulithi convoy under command of Captain P. Dix, on the LATIMER. 0 Alt was at Okinawa that we were able to see preparations for the Corning final defeat of japan. Although they were in- terrupted eoeryro often by air raid alertr, we had iniooiey topride every night. Here we were, a few hundred miles from japan, enjoying niovieriwith hardly a care in our rnindr, while a .vhort dirtanee to the north the Nipr were no doubt worrying about where our bornbery would hit that night.. It was, indeed, a wonderful feeling. In company with the USS STORMKING CAPD, this ship broke off from the group at 0300 on Z5 July and proceeded to Guam, arriving at Apralflarbor the following day. The next morning'a4few patients, prisoners, and passengers returning to the States came aboard from the receiving ship, and the COMET proceeded inde- pendently to the west coast, steaming close to -Eniwetok, Wake, and Midway following a great circle route. Just a day outiof San Francisco, orders were received to divert to Seattle. The course was changed immediately, and the ship steamed up the coast and into fogbound Puget Sound. The mist was just lifting as the Seattle skyline came into view, and the ship tied up alongside the merchant vessel SPINDLE EYE at Todd's Dry- docks on 11 August.- 70

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New Guinea natives 69 ,Taps quit the War

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Shipfxtter Machine Shop Welcome Home Committee