Dauphin (APA 97) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 109 text:

were exchanged for 13,000-pound anchors, which remedied our week-end dragging tours of New- port Harbor. High winds were often encountered during this training period. Sometimes as high as 800 men would be trained in one week. At least one night per week would be spent under way. CIC training was also given in the improvised CIC set-up in the Troop Officers Mess. About 0800, one Tuesday morning, while an- chored west of Cornfield Light Vessel in Long Island Sound, a boat was placed in the water so that boat handling instructions for the Pre-commis- sioning crews could be made more realistic. A dense fog set in and the tide quickly carried the boat out of sight. In the ensuing search for the boat much valuable training day and night on a twenty-four hour basis was obtained. Other boats with radios were lowered and made many wide ten-mile sweeps throughout the eastern part of the sound, yet contact was not made with the missing LCVP, which contained four men includ- ing Saris, George O, Cox., of 3115 E. 65 Street, Cleveland, Ohio. The weather was cold and foggy. The Third Naval District was advised of the missing boat and through them she was lo- cated at Cornfield Light Vessel. The DAUPHIN arrived at Cornfield Light Vessel at midnight. The LCVP had obtained an auto- mobile road map, diesel fuel and oil, and de- parted for Newport. She arrived at the Naval Training Station, Newport, after twenty-eight hours running, at noon the second day. After a hundred- fifty mile trip, a wiser, cold, and hungry boat crew were ushered out of the training station mess hall. They were out of uniform. The List of Ship ' s Pre-commissioning crews that were trained are as follows: SHIPS Officers and Men U.S.S. CASWELL AKA72 325 U.S.S. CIRCE AKA25 214 U.S.S. CLYTIEAS26 58 U.S.S. CORVUS AKA26 213 U.S.S. CHIPOLA AOG63 202 U.S.S. DEVOSA AKA27 149 U.S.S. FIREDRAKEAE14 161 U.S.S. GENERAL WEIGEL API 19...... 273 U.S.S. GRIGGS APA1 10 204 U.S.S. GRUNDY APA1 11 175 U.S.S. HAMPTON APA1 15 14 U.S.S. HYDRUSAKA28 353 U.S.S. LUMEN AKA30 140 U.S.S. TYRELLAKA80 128 U.S.S. MEDEA AKA31 225 U.S.S. MONTOUR APA101 286 U.S.S. NEW HANOVER AKA73 162 U.S.S. OSAGE LSV3 228 U.S.S. OTTAWA AKA101 276 U.S.S. PRENTISS AKA 102 256 U.S.S. QUEENS APA103 180 U.S.S. RANKIN AKA103 251 U.S.S. RIVERSIDE APA102 211 U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. U.S.S. SHELBY APA105 373 SHELIAK AKA62 .. 168 STOKES AKA68 15 SUFFOLK AKA69 15 TODD AKA71 154 TATE AKA70 142 TOWNER AKA77 258 TROUSDALE AKA79 141 THEENIM AKA63 146 TYRELL AKA80 150 TREGO AKA78 150 WESTMORELAND APA1 04.... 260 WINSTON AKA94 265 Total: Ships, 33; Officers and Men.... 6,921 The DAUPHIN on 20 January 1945 departed Newport and proceeded to Norfolk where she had her second availability in Norfolk Navy Yard. Various ship alterations, including the installation of the CIC along with dry docking were accom- plished during this period. New ammunition and stores were also loaded and on 9 February 1945 the DAUPHIN proceeded to Sewells Point to the Army Pier for loading cargo. After loading 1375 long tons of general stores she departed Norfolk 13 February 1945 and pro- ceeded to Pearl Harbor, via the Panama Canal, arriving there 5 March 1945, and discharged her cargo. The Officers listed in Annex B were detached prior to departing the U. S., and those set out in Annex C were the additions to our roster. On 29 March 1945, carrying 76 Officers, 1329 men and 607 long tons of cargo of the second Echelon of the Tenth Army, destined for Okinawa, the DAUPHIN departed Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. The DAU- PHIN formed a part of Convoy 355 under Captain J. B. Gay, USN. (Ret), as Convoy Commodore in the Dutch ship BLOEMFONTEIN. On 6 April the convoy arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. Fuel and provisions were taken on her and o n 1 1 April 1945 the ship proceeded in convoy to Ulithi, Caro- line Islands. The Convoy Commodore was Cap- tain R. E. Jasperson, USN., in the U.S.S. OKA- LOOSA (APA 219). The convoy arrived at Ulithi on 15 April 1945, and the DAUPHIN anchored in Berth 231. On 22 April 1945 the ship got under way and joined the Ulithi-Okinawa Convoy No. 2 with Captain Jasperson in the OKALOOSA as Convoy Commodore. After dark on 26 April 1945 the DAU- PHIN anchored in Berth H-138 off Hagushi Beach, Okinawa, in Nansei Shoto and immediately com- menced unloading of troops and cargo. The run to the beach for the boats was less than 3,000 yards. Due to congestion on the beach, each boat could not be unloaded until its turn came, causing serious delay. During this time the boats would secure to pilings near the beach. The DAUPHIN had seen no action prior to arrival at Okinawa. 105-

Page 108 text:

rridioru of ike 14. 3. 3. = Dauplti rttach transport lumber 97 The U.S.S. DAUPHIN (APA 97) was commis- sioned 23 September 1944 at the Sparrows Point Yard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Balti- more, Maryland. The ship, a modified C-3 Hull of American Export Line design, was built for the U. S. Maritime Commission and was launched on 10 July 1944, being the second of five sister ships. She was converted during building. APA ' s (Auxiliary Assault Transports) are named for Counties and the DAUPHIN takes her name from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. At 1100 on Commissioning Day, Captain N. B. Ward, USN (Ret), Assistant Industrial Manager in Baltimore, representing the Commandant of the 5th Naval District, formally accepted the DAUPHIN from the Maritime Commission and placed her in commission as a U. S. Naval Vessel. After the Commissioning ceremonies Captain Ward turned the ship over to her first (and present) Command- ing Officer, Commander, now Captain, Bailey Con- nelly, USN. The Ship ' s Roster included the Officers and men comprising Ship ' s Company, Beach Platoon, and Boat Group; as set out in Annex A . All sections of our country were represented by the crew with the Northeastern section contributing the greater number. After the brief reception for guests of the Officers and men the DAUPHIN departed Sparrows Point, and sailed for Port Covington in Baltimore Harbor, where for the next several days stores, commis- sioning allowance, supplies and equipment were loaded. This being completed on 29 September 1944, the Ship departed Port Covington and sailed for NOB Norfolk, Virginia, docking at Pier 4 on 1 October 1944. There, additional supplies and ammunition were taken aboard. The DAUPHIN then fueled at Craney Island and reported on 4 Oc- tober 1944 to Commander Amphibious Training Command, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, for duty. Lt. Comdr. Trower, USN, was senior member of the inspec- tion party for Administrative Command Amphibi- ous Forces, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. The DAUPHIN was then ordered to her shake- down cruise in Chesapeake Bay and sailed from Norfolk 5 October 1944. Captain C. L. Waters, USN., of the Bureau of Ships, and Captain, then Commander, A. B. Leggett, Prospective Command- ing Officer, of the U.S.S. DUTCHESS (APA 98) (a sister ship), were aboard as observers along with Lieutenants C. R. Boderick, USNR., and J. H. Os- borne, USNR., who represented Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, on the shakedown. Commander Sherman, USN., was the training command shakedown officer and the DAUPHIN ' s schedule was prepared by that command. Most of the training took place off Solomon Islands, Maryland, and included general drills, target practice, ship handling, lowering and hoist- ing boats, practice landing by day and night in boats, paravane streaming and recovering and actual loading and discharging of cargo. Much valuable experience was gained during the shake- down, which was marred only by a fatal accident to one of the Ship ' s Officers, Ensign John B. Adams, USNR., who was struck by a vang from the Jumbo Boom during cargo operations. A failure of a ring link in the vang caused it to give away. The full power trial run was made between Annapolis and Cape Charles City during our return to Norfolk. The DAUPHIN then had her first availability at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, from 20 October 1944 to 28 October 1944, during which time various repairs and alterations were accom- plished and deficiencies disclosed by the shake- down corrected. An Ice Cream machine was then installed which proved to be a source of great pleasure during the hot days of the South Pacific yet to come. The DAUPHIN then reported to the Commander, Operational Training Command, Atlantic Fleet, and departed Norfolk for Newport, Rhode Island, where she served as a training ship for Pre- commissioning crews of APA ' s and AKA ' s, oper- ating as Task Unit 23.13.1. Commander Riddell, USNR., Lt. Comdr. B. C. Modin, USNR., Lt. Comdr. H. S. Cook, USNR., and Lt. Wallace, USNR., reported aboard for duty in connection with the intensive training program carried out. This tour of duty likewise proved invaluable to the DAUPHIN ' s crew. In Newport, the DAUPHIN ' s small boats, on Monday, would load the pre-commissioning crews, not only for our ship, but also for the U.S.S. VICKS- BURG and U.S.S. DULUTH, which were also train- ing ships. The DAUPHIN would then proceed to Long Island Sound for maneuvers. Anti-aircraft practice would be held south of Newport on Fri- days and Saturdays and the crews debarked upon the return to Newport. As a rule sea watches were stood in Newport Harbor due to the inability of anchors to hold. The week-end the DAUPHIN took the crew of the BON HOMME RICHARD (CV 31) to Brooklyn, New York, where she was commissioned, these light anchors — 104 —

Page 110 text:

There had been many contacts by the escorts dur- ing the trip from Pearl Harbor, yet no submarine had been sighted or sunk. One mine was exploded on 26 April 1945 by an escort vessel about 2,000 yards to port while south of Okinawa. Soon after anchoring and when the unloading of troops had started, the air-raids commenced. At Okinawa the ship reported to CTG 51.22 for duty. The night fighters could be seen taking off from the air field just inland from Hagushi Beach. These fighters could not keep out all the suicide planes, and when they broke through the ring — the Control Ship TETON (AGC 14) would order the setting of the various conditions. Cargo was worked except during Flash Red — Control Yellow. The Army Platoon for unloading remained in the holds. On 26 April the DAUPHIN was assigned the duty of protectin g the merchant vessel VIRGINIA CITY VICTORY, in Berth 22, against swimmers and suicide boats. Smoke protection was also provided. On 27 April an additional merchant vessel, the LOMA VICTORY in Berth 60, was as- signed to the DAUPHIN for smoke cover and protection against swimmers and suicide boats. LCVP ' s and necessary personnel with machine guns, small arms and smoke apparatus were used in this duty. All smoke floats and smoke pots were expended the first night, which presented a problem, but it was solved due to the large quantity of fog oil carried aboard. The DAUPHIN had three non- portable Besler Smoke Generators installed. Dur- ing a raid on the night of the 27th of April the port Besler fog generator, after spreading oil over the decks, life rafts, and equipment aft, caught fire. This fire defeated the purpose of smoke, yet no attack was made on the ship by the suicide planes although other ships then in the vicinity were hit. Portable extinguishers would not ex- tinguish the fire which had begun to heat the 40MM ammunition at the port gun. The fire was then promptly extinguished with foam. Two men — Evans, GMlc, USN., of Brookneal, Virginia, and Perry, SF2c, USNR., of Youngstown, Ohio — were slightly injured fighting this fire. Gun fire was opened at various times during the raids when the suicide planes could be seen. On 28 April the port fog generator was removed from the ship and installed on a foundation which had been welded to the stern of No. 2 LCM(3). This LCM then aided in furnishing smoke protection. During the night of 28 April a coordinated attack by the Japanese suicide planes, swimmers and boats was put into effect. During the night the No. 2 LCM(3) with the fog generator was stationed forward of the bow. Fire was opened at various times with 20MM and 40MM guns at single suicide planes when they could be seen. The boat lost the DAUPHIN but made smoke for a heavy fleet unit until the alert was called off. When the smoke that was made by No. 2 LCM(3) cleared, a cruiser which had been covered threatened to fire on No. 2 LCM(3) if it did not withdraw. This the No. 2 LCM(3) was happy to do as she had been operat- ing without relief during the entire night. When the DAUPHIN arrived at Hagushi, Oki- nawa, the fog oil situation at that locality was acute and mixing was ordered. She had a full tank of 3,500 gallons of fog oil which was imme- diately made available to the fleet there assem- bled. Water, provisions, diesel oil, fog oil, GSK, and small stores were issued to numerous ships and small craft during the period 27 to 30 April, inclusive. Prior to sailing, one fog generator was given to the U.S.S. TETON AGC 14. On 28 April small craft were assigned by Commander Amphibious Group 12 in the TETON AGC 14 to make smoke in the vicinity of Berth H-138 which had become popular, as two hospital ships and others, driven out of the Southern Anchorage by Japanese fire from shore, had anchored within three hundred yards of Berth H-138. The LCT ' s, LCI ' s and small craft would open fire at bursts and tracers from shore and other ships. In doing so they fired over the DAUPHIN. This helped their morale, but not ours. By the end of the second day the S.S. CANADA VICTORY of the Ulithi-to-Okinawa Convoy No. 2 had been lost to a suicide plane at Hagushi. Dur- ing the night of 28 April at Berth H-138 many rounds of 40MM and 20MM ammunition were fired at Japanese planes. On t he night of 29 April in Berth H-138 fire was opened on attacking Japanese planes, only two planes were brought down in the vicinity of the DAUPHIN, neither was claimed. Fire was not opened by the DAUPHIN unless the planes could be seen. The order to attend a convoy conference on the U.S.S. CHILTON (APA 38) with Commodore Thomas Baldwin Brittain, USN., on 29 April was received with considerable pleasure as the DAU- PHIN would be unloaded and could serve no fur- ther useful purpose at Hagushi Beach. A list of enlisted personnel serving on the DAUPHIN at Okinawa during April 1945 is set out in Annex D . Departure from Hagushi Beach, Okinawa, in convoy under the Command of Commodore Brit- tain was made on 30 April. Arrival at Saipan was made on 5 May. Four boats were left at Sai- pan. This left the wide No. 3 Hatch available for athletics and a 60-foot target range across the deck. Independent departure from Saipan was made on 7 May for San Francisco, routed south of Eniwetok and between Oahu and Molokai. Target practice was held with all guns at various times during the trip. Firing at a towed sleeve was done by ap- pointment east of Oahu. In San Francisco, all hands were given an op- portunity to get ashore. The ship was loaded with 106-