Dauphin (APA 97) - Naval Cruise Book

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DAUPHIN carried the THIRTEENTH General Hos- pital, including ninety-seven Nurses from Agoo, Luzon, Lingayen Gulf, to Sasebo. This unit from the Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, was com- manded by Lieutenant Colonel Evan M. Barton, of Chicago, Illinois. This unit, a part of VAC (Fifth Amphibious Corps) was designed for Fukuoka on Kyushu, and as no quarters were available they remained on board about a week at Sasebo. All hands were able to get ashore at Sasebo and view the destruction of the city. The Navy Yard was in a state of disorder and we were ad- vised it had not been in active operation since January 1945, however the submarine caves and the reported fifty-seven miles of tunnels for shops and submarine construction were practically in- tact. This was the first liberty granted in Japan. The Island of Kyushu was found to be a ruined, broken country industrially. The DAUPHIN then reported to CTG 16.12 for Magic Carpet duty and departed Sasebo, Japan, 6 November 1945 with 116 Officers and 1772 men, all Marine and Naval personnel, for San Francisco. Approximately nine hours per day were required to feed these passengers and Ship ' s Company. In compliance with Third Fleet Orders, 168 low-point men were left at Sasebo from Ship ' s Company as replacements. The DAUPHIN arrived in San Fran- cisco 20 November 1945, and after passengers were debarked and high-point men released from Ship ' s Company, took advantage of the stay in port to accomplish several needed repairs in addi- tion to fueling and taking stores and supplies. The DAUPHIN was assigned to the Navy Block between Samar and 11th Naval District and de- parted San Francisco 7 December 1945 with a cargo of mail for Samar. With nearly two hun- dred men aboard, the majority of whom having never been to sea before, the outbound trip re- sembled a shakedown cruise. The DAUPHIN ar- rived Samar, P. I., 26 December and loaded fifty Army Officers, six Naval Officers, 1772 Army en- listed and 12 Navy enlisted men, and mail at Tacleban and departed for San Pedro, California, 30 December 1945. The DAUPHIN Magic Carpet capacity (25% ex- cess of normal) is 1757 men and 114 Officers, but as has been noted, a few extra can be carried. 108 —

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cargo and replacement troops for Manila. Sev- eral transfers of personnel were made. During a fog on the night of 29 May 1945 the DAUPHIN departed from Pier 15, passed through the net gate and proceeded independently on the Great Circle course to Eniwetok. The ship fueled at Eniwetok and proceeded to Ulithi without incident. Anti-aircraft practice at a towed sleeve was held off Ulithi. The Convoy Commander from Eniwetok was Captain G. G. Herring Jr., USN., in the BROADWATER (APA 139). From Ulithi in convoy and with escorts the run was made to Manila via San Bernardino Strait. Navigation in Manila Bay was restricted by the numerous wrecks left by Admiral William F. Hal- sey ' s Third Fleet strikes, during the previous winter. Troops were unloaded during bad weather at the anchorage. They were not happy to leave — under the circumstances. Our landing boats were battered considerably during the operation. As the cargo consisted of 600 tons of cigarettes and matches, the Army were quick to order the ship berthed at Pier 9 for unloading. Only one truck load of cigarettes was lost in the maze of Army vehicles on Manila streets. There was no recrea- tion other than viewing the ruins of Manila. No drinks or food were purchased on shore, due to unsanitary conditions. After five days at Manila the ship departed in- dependently for Hollandia, New Guinea, on 27 June 1945. The ship was now attached tempo- rarily to the Seventh Fleet which had the job of Rolling up New Guinea. Appropriate ceremonies were held on 1 July 1945 when in Latitude Zero, and Poliwogs became Trusty Shellbacks. After loading troops and cargo at Hollandia, on 6 July 1945, the ship left in convoy for the Philip- pines. Captain Harold J. Wright, USN., in the U.S.S. OLMSTEAD (APA 188), was Convoy Com- modore. When eighty miles off Leyte Gulf, the DAUPHIN and the JAMES O ' HARA (APA 90) were detached and proceeded independently. Each made the best speed in an effort to cross the line of buoys before dark. Each reached the buoys across Leyte Gulf at 2000 and after picking up charts the ship proceeded to Dulag, Leyte, and anchored for the night. Arrival was made off White Beach, San Pedro Bay, near Tacloban, Leyte, on 10 July 1945, and the Ship ' s Company unloaded the cargo with- out benefit of the usual stevedores. The ship had not had an overhaul period assigned since leaving the Navy Yard on 8 February. The boilers had been opened and washed out while in San Fran- cisco. Word had now reached the Captain of important combat work ahead, after one more trip in the roll up schedule. On 24 July 1945 the ship left San Pedro Bay independently for Finschafen, New Guinea. Submarines had not previously been reported in this area. This was the day the UN- DERHILL (DE 692) was sunk east of Leyte. The ship proceeded to Finschafen, New Guinea, and thence to Hollandia, taking on troops and cargo at each port. The DAUPHIN and the U.S.S. CLEARFIELD (APA 142), Captain F. C. Stelter Jr., USN., Commanding, Convoy Commodore with U.S.S. CHAFFEE (DE 230) as escort, left Hollandia on 5 August 1945 and proceeded to the Philippines. The U.S.S. CLEAR- FIELD was met off Leyte by an escort, and the DAUPHIN and escort CHAFFEE proceeded to Ma- nila. Contacts were reported by the CHAFFEE at the entrance to San Bernardino Strait and after taking evasive action, passage was made with arrival at Manila on 10 August 1945. On 11 August 1945 the ship was moored star- board side to at Pier 9, and sounding showed that low tide would give insufficient depth, therefore cargo was unloaded on the docks and in our boats; 151 tons of fresh water was pumped overboard from the after peak tank and fuel was shifted forward. The next morning the ship returned to an outside anchorage. After considerable discussion with the Port Authorities, a deep water Pier for unloading the heavy cargo, units weighing up to 9 tons, was assigned. Our sounding showed thirty feet, so the ship was moored to the pier assigned, quickly unloaded and returned to an outside anchorage. Prospects for returning to the West Coast were good and spirits were high, due to the Japanese surrender proposals, yet, on the morning of 18 August the ship proceeded to Batangas in South- ern Luzon Island and reported to Commander Transport Squadron SIXTEEN, Commodore J. B. McGovern, USN., Commanding, and was assigned by him to Division FORTY-EIGHT of which Cap- tain C. L. Andrews Jr., USN., was Transport Divi- sion Commander. Here and at Canda the Twelfth Cavalry, Colonel James B. Corbett, USA., of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, of the First Division of the EIGHTH Army was embarked for the Occupation of Japan. Pas- sage to Subic Bay, thence to Tokyo Bay, was made without incident. Vice Admiral T. S. Wilkinson, USN., in MOUNT OLYMPUS AGC 8, was SOPA. Rear Admiral J. L. Hall, USN., in the U.S.S. HANSFORD (APA 106), was O.T.C. Arrival off Yokohama was made during the morning of 2 September 1945 and in view of the uncertain conditions, the combat landing of troops was made from an outside anchorage. The cargo was unloaded at Pier 8, Yokohama waterfront. On the second trip to Japan the DAUPHIN loaded the Sunset (41st) Division USA., at Zamboanga, Mindanao, and proceeded to Hiro Wan near Kure and Hiroshima. Brigadier General H. Haney, USA., of Columbus, Ohio, was senior Army Officer in the DAUPHIN. On the third trip to Japan the 107 —

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LIST OF OFFICERS ON BOARD U.S NAME t RANK ' Bailey Connelly Cdr Capt Gladstone G. Bricker LtCdr LtCdr Herman E. Talmadge....Lt Lt Carl F. Wymore Lt Lt Henry A. Feltz Lt Lt George H. Hart LTjg Lt Kenneth Eldridge LTjg LTjg Lewey T. Lands... LTjg Lt Francis Palms, Jr LTjg Lt Eden R. Tharrington LTjg Lt Everett W. Jameson Ens Ens William F. McPhee... Ens Ens Ernest E. Longworth Ens LTjg Robert H. Hamilton Ens LTjg Edmond H. Oliver.. Ens LTjg Harold R. Lay..... Ens Ens John A. Grygo Ens LTjg Joseph A. Gagliano Ens Ens Francis J. MacDonell Ens Ens Charles A. James Ens LTjg Leon J. Buividas Ens Ens Raymond J.Weber Ens Ens John A. Kennedy LtCdr LtCdr Marshall M. Searcy... LTjg LTjg Melvin A. Snyder Lt Lt Darius R. Barber LTjg Lt Marion H. Powell Ens LTjg Glen M. Warner Lt Lt Foriest M. Cunningham.. 3PC CPC James B. Tansey Bosn ChBosn Loran A. Butler Carp ChCarp John W. Hampston... Mach ChMch Harold D. Wright.. Elec ChElec Eugene C. Peterson Pharm Pharm Edward Mathews, Jr.......APC CPC John L. Gayle LTjg LTjg Paul E. Horn Ens LTjg Benjamin G. Smith .....Ens LTjg William C. Jeter Ens Ens John B. Adams Ens Ens Joe W. Cariker Ens LTjg Walter C. Rogers Ens LTjg Donald W. Fox Ens LTjg George E. Edwards Ens Ens William L. Yancey Ens LTjg Eugene F. O ' Connell Ens Ens Orla J. Kimbrough Ens Ens Romaine E. Andrews Ens LTjg S. DAUPHIN (APA 97) UPON COMMISSIONING IN SEPTEMBER 1944 CLASS USN Commanding Officer, Waverly, Ten n. USNR Engineering Officer, 501 1 Santa Cruz, San Diego, Calif. USNR Executive Officer, McRae, Ga. USNR Gunnery Officer, 315 Washington St., Jefferson City, Mo. USNR Communication Officer, 2608-29th Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. USNR Navigator, 219 Leonard St., Long Island. New York USNR First Lieutenant, Marblehead, Mass. USNR CIC Officer, 1 13 N. Brady St., Morganfield, Ky. USNR Watch Third Division Officer, R.F.D. No. 1, Vienna, Va. USNR Watch First Division Officer, Recog., Inez, N. C. USNR Watch Second Division Officer, Buffalo, N. Y. USNR Assistant Navigator, R.F.D. No. 7, Bangor, Maine USNR CIC Radar Material Officer, 932 Fairfax, Norfolk, Va. USN Watch S E Division Officer, 412 O ' Brien, Whitefish, Mont. USN Assistant Gunnery Officer, Fincastle, Ky. USNR Asst. First Lieutenant, 24 Michigan Road, Bellrose, N. Y. USNR Watch A Division Officer, 133 Tulip, Floral Parte, N. Y. USNR Watch M Division Officer, 115 Wyckoff, Brooklyn, N. Y. USNR Third Division Officer, 1511 Fischer Ave., Detroit, Mich. USNR Asst. Communication Officer, Box No. 35, Holliday, Texas USNR Watch B Division Officer, Cinnaminson, Palmyra, N. J. USNR First Division Officer, 73-37 Ausgin St., Forest Hills, N. Y. USNR Senior Medical Officer, Baltimore, Md. USN Junior Medical Officer, 2236 W. Jefferson, Dallas, Texas USNR Dental Officer, 2 No. Broadway, White Plains, N. Y. USNR Supply Officer, 1000 Shotwell St., Bainbridge, Ga. USNR Disbursing Officer, 3263 No. 48th St., Milwaukee, Wis. USNR Chaplain, 444 W. William St., Delaware, Ohio USN Stores Officer, 1289 Church St., San Francisco, Calif. USN Ship ' s Boatswain, 5523 Gresham St., St. Louis, Mo. USN Ship ' s Carpenter, Cocoa, Fla. USN Ship ' s Machinist, 789 Parker St., Roxbury, Mass. USN Ship ' s Electrician, Chattanooga, Tenn. USN Ship ' s Pharmacist, Milwaukee, Wis. USN Commissary Officer, R.R. No. 2, Charlestown, Ind. USNR Boat Group Commander, 1619 Pope Ave., Richmond, Va. USNR Boat Engineering Officer, Box 371-B RFD. No. 2, Pottsville, Pa. USNR Asst. Boat Group Comdr., 107 Railroad Ave., Swed, N. J. USNR Boat Division Officer, Nashville, Tenn. USNR Boat Division Officer, Springfield, Ohio USNR Boat Division Officer, 306 3rd St., N.E., Childress, Texas USNR Boat Division Officer, Shelby, Miss. USNR Boat Division Officer, Enon Valley, Penn. USNR Boat Division Officer, 821 Hummel Ave., Lomoyne, Penn. USNR Boat Division Officer, 1759 Cherrydale, Baton Rouge, La. USNR Boat Division Officer, 254 Marion St., Bridgeport, Conn. USNR Boat Division Officer USNR Boat Division Officer, 171 Woodhaven Dr., Pittsburgh, Penn. — 109-