Current (ARS 22) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 15 text:

Back in Hawaii OUR SHORT HOLIDAY IN PEARU TURNED INTO A VACATION SINCE THE SHIPYARD COUL-D NOT COM- PLETE REPAIRS TO THE EVAP- ORATORS UNTIL THE I6TH OF JANUARY. THE ENGINEERS FIXED THEIR EQUIPMENT, SUPPLY RE- PLENISHED THE SHIPS STORES, DECK PERSONNEL CLEANED AND REPAINTED, AND OPERATIONS LAIDOUT THE COURSE TO GUAM. BY THE NIGHT OF THE I5TH THE SHIP WAS AGAIN READY TO GET UNDERWAY. AT THE FUEL PIERS CAPTAIN FULD ASSEMBLED ALL PERSONNEL ON THE FANTAIL FOR A SHORT DEPARTING PRAYER AND PRESENTATION OF ADVANCEMENT IN RATE TO EN2 KING, SF3 GARIES, EN2 WOLF, AND SF3 npREDDY ' l FULLWOOD, AFTER THE TRADITIONAL SWIM CALL THE SHIP SINGLED-UP ALL LINES ... UNDERWAY FOR WESTPAC ... 1400 16 JANUARY 1967. FIRST STOP GUAM.

Page 14 text:

Back to the Islands--- THE TRIP FROM BREMERTON TO PEARL. WAS AN ENGINEERING WATERLOO. THE CHIEF ENGINEER , LTJG BRYANT, CHIEF ZEPP, ENt FERGUSON, ALONG WITH MANY OF THE ENGINEERS SPENT A LOT OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS KEEPING THE BOILERS AND EVAPORATORS OPERATING. MOLAKAI AND OAHU WERE A WELCOME SIGHT AS THEY CAME OVER THE HORIZON. SINCE WE WERE SCHEDULED TO STAY IN PEARL JUST A FEW DAYS, THE CREW WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS BEFORE DEPARTING TO WESTPAC. FN PITTS, EM3 DELANEY. AND EM2 STANLEY MAN MAIN CONTROL i I WHAT, NO WATER AGAIN TODAY? EVEN SN RIVERA HAD HIS PROBLEMS. SA ISSAC CLEANING SHIP BEFORE ENTERING PORT

Page 16 text:

gnam THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY FOUND THE CURRENT AND TOW OFF A 216 SQUARE MlUE VOLCANIC ROCK LOCATED WITHIN A GROUP OF ISLANDS CALLED THE MARIANNAS. APRA HARBOR, GUAM WAS OUR DESTINATION. CURRENT ARRIVED OFF THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR ONLY TO ANXIOUSLY WAIT UNTIL THE USS WANDANK ATA-204 WITH HER TOW ENTERED FIRST. THIS EXTRA TIME GAVE US A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THE RUSSIAN TRAWLER WHICH STEAMS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS JUST OUTSIDE THE HARBOR ... OROTE POINT CLIFFS HOLD TWO MOORED ECHO PIERS THICK UNDERGROWTH COVERS MUCH OF THE ISLAND FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT SHE CAN TRANSMIT INFORMATION ON SHIPS ' MOVEMENTS FROM THE HARBOR AND THE DEPARTURE OF OUR HEAVY BOMBERS FROM ANDERSON AIR FORCE BASE. WITH THE CHANNEL CLEAR CURRENT AND TOW STEAMED INTO THE HARBOR BETWEEN THE GLASS BREAKWATER JETTY AND THE CLIFFS OF OROTE POINT. THE MERCHANT FREIGHTER GUAM BEAR LAY OFF OUR PORT BEAM WITH HER STERN BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. SHE HAD SUNK ONLY TWO WEEKS EARLIER AFTER COLLIDING WITH A CIVILIAN TANKER. CURRENT SAILED DIRECTLY TO ECHO PIERS IN THE OUTER HARBOR TO TAKE ON MUCH NEEDED FUEL, THEN SHIFTED TO A BERTH IN THE INNER HARBOR AND ONCE AGAIN MADE UP TO THE APL-26. WE WERE TO GET UNDERWAY THE FOLLOWING MORNING ...