Dutches (APA 98) - Naval Cruise Book

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Y been successful in ff t' A A if 1 The t98,S,, Tmnspcrt Qumirec mg C1 Skeleton pre-embarkation Y, DIUSNR, were succ f 1 ' master' and his new Qssistanll EHS ess yu in if . ' Officer of Troops CG Military Pglocneaggigelthe acllreadindeslgnated - . on wor ing out the and messing arrangements prior to 1 I - As before, this lift was t b any mops Settmg mot fm the . O 6 Ci load of separatees b t th th difference. that the homecoming veterans were assignelud bills-is 11? Xlstmg organization-the l3l4th Engineers Regiment. A This outfit had built roads and executed non-combqt Cgnstruction tasks E141-Ope and the Philippines. By lanuary l946, 99 cf, f 't o 1 s personnel had been sent home and had been supplanted in their empty billets by the available troops-construction, service, headquarters combat etc --- were eligible for return. ln effect the unit was an aggregation of I D ' casuais entirely unknown to each other. However, the experienced Dutchess' knew that working within an existing regimental framework was a organizational advantage. The embarkation on the 5th of Ianuary progressed methodically in ac- cordance with the carefully considered plans as platoon followed platoon up the gangplank and down to their designated compartments. Then, abruptly, the always subconsciously expected condition SNAFU tSituation Normal-- All Fouled Upl took over at the llth hour, the Replacement Depot suddenly -.-fdropped 149 white troops on the Dutchess to complicate an otherwise solid .Q ty-lvoad of l253 colored enlisted men.19 This unexpected move necessitated the .,, 1 .' berthing together of colored and white, troops using the same heads twash- ' room and toiletsl. When.the complete load of l5l7 troops were billeted below, the Lady's normal wartime capacity had been exceeded but she still lacked 202 of her total emergency capacity of l85l troop spaces. ' Outward bound, the Dutchess dipped her colors to the men of Corregidor, and quitted the murky waters of Manila Bay in final adieu on lanuary 6, 1946. Gliding smoothly down the west coast of Luzon, the Limber Lady traversed the now-familiar San Bernardino Strait passage with ease, and on the morning of the 7th viewed for the last time Batag lsland Coff Luzonl, the eastern outpost of the Philippines. The Old Girl wanted no more of this short Great Circle route through the stormy North Pacific. As a result of the twin fury of the howl- ing wind and smashing seas, the westward passage had required 20 days to traverse the 18-day route through the bone-wearying, muscle-straining, tooth- jarring northern seas. The Commanding Officer was successful in obtaining permission to follow a comfortable smooth-sailing track line through the tropics that would bring the Dutchess and her troops home intact after 20 days of salubrious sailing. . With over' l2OU Negro troops on board, the Lilting Lady was embarked with an unusual and sociologically interesting load. Inasmuch as Secretary Ofnlhe Navy Forrestal had recently addressed a blanket directiveto. alltshlps and stations that the Navy's official policy countenanced no discrimination of trace, color or creed, the Dutchess was determined that no incident fostered disgruntled separatee should mar the record she had painstakingly bultf Sill Word was passed down the line from the responsible officers to the last second class that all hands were to re double their usual efforts to 110W the troops every courtesy. Tak o AUS who as a Military Police Officer had considerable expert Negro troops and always working through colored officers and the cognizant Dutchess Officers and PGTTY Officers expenerlced no . lk V flu Y ni' ' flculties in carrying OUT the foulme Pl U transport' f 3' for breakdown. ' P 1 ing their cue from the capable Executive Officer of TIQOPSI Meier Half ' 1. 1 ' I , I ' cl , css X

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men and 48 officers Moreover the s ir't f .attention to enable the lfady to achieve heioyitribsjttef S?'fff11f2hc,in' retirement was looked upon with disfavor in man? qusrig efficiency the QS had solved her demobilizat' I f 'D Q J 'was, despitelthe activities of prehzlsirlercgliffffirflni tgfele Iflinths efnher' demobilization was roce d' ' -as egmmng to the Secretary of the Navy congratul t d M ' ' . ' the separatees to return to the United Scfaefes afI?11iq?eCjE?2,e55?Jh516E fr date--far exceeding predictions' ' ' Y The usual appendicitis case developed, but this time the Com d' had made sure that a surgeon was embarked- the operation vrfflcm mg without difficulty. The three monkeys that had been smuggled Sxibsgfld' were officially mustered each day, and a hospital corpsmcm Wqs qgsi ned to assist their dusky masters in assuring that the comical simians cami in for their share of baths and 'lshort arm inspections. Some l'wag occasioned endless apprehensive discussion concerning the possibility of the ship being quarantined upon arrival because of the possible disease-bearing presence of ithese uninvited guests. On of the civilian U.S.O. passengers, Larry Doyle-a veteran of the show business-staged a variety show qomprised of ship's company and troops, Colored and white, that was worthy of professional performances. There were raconteurs, singing soloists, a pair of jitterbugs that moved faster than the eye, CI deep-voiced quintet of spiritual singers, hula dancers and. rhythm boys, cli- tmaxed 'by the ladies of the ensemble--called the Belles of Batangas v -Uiuzonil-featuring the motif Hdon'-touch, foe. The rhythm, grace and melody -ofthe Negro race was outstanding during the whole varied entertainment' ln late lanuaryjcolder temperatures' heralded the approaching to the United Statesand San Francisco. The Dutchess commenced making the grad- ucftedseries of complicated radio reports to inform 'lall hands and the ship's cook ashore of the nature of the oncoming shipload. Debarkation rehearsals Werefheld daily until the responsible officers were satisfied that the actual de- barkation would be accomplished in a minimum of time. With civilian life less than a week distant, the temptation for some of the more irresponsible individu- als to stuff-off was almost irresistable. To insure efficient operation, the Weary Executive Officer of Troops and the Transport Quartermaster had to exercise close supervision until the last man went down the gangway. When the bitter end of the chain of 20 days of steady steaming was reached Onthe 25th of anuar the Dutchess passed through the welcome portals of I the Golden Gate The Dutchessmen lined up resplendent in their shiny blules clean whitelhats at quarters for entering port were pleased to see tde familiar ,hillsides surmounted by patches of green parks and light colored bull - coming into view around the bend of the Presidio in the sharp, crisp, :Wind- h h d come and sun-lighted winter air of San Francisco. The .Dutc ess C1 1. f ' b nd and bunting-waving F19 gayly bedeckea yacht with her cheery a packed the Lilting LadY in as before- AS the Yflcht dfetf' Heir enotlgh maidens to closely observe the nature of the Dutchess loclili , wavintgg Y diminished, but soon was resumeduat full strengltho dooririgihe the troops were given their membership Cords m te I er O T - ' . The as they thankfully treaded the soil of the TJDSZA. OHCS Cfgfllng- g the 49 men of the Eighth D-emobilization Increrrhent Alefllgrlf . , U . ll D ' ' ' ' ' ' the new one cruise men, the Yemfllnderv Old hm T T , C 55 l rpervaded all activities' 'All handslhad p 1 O C0ODefOItiOnt'and.i F' S mg Ofdef1Y Gnd rapidly On the 17th