General Leroy Eltinge (AP 154) - Naval Cruise Book

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Left: Saddle Island, Entrance fo Yangtze River Shanghai Street Scenes Right: CO1'7'Qg7.ClIO1', Bafaan Antics on Hatch No. 6 with music by the Rockin, Red Dogsn and skits by Rotatin' Sam. We had fairly good weather that trip so the show drew large crowds. But after we passed north of Hawaii and started heading north, the going got a little rough. We came into Seattle on the morning of the 26th and after debarking our navy passengers, went down to Tacoma, where we remained until the 28th, to debark troops. Qn returning to Seattle we anchored out in the stream for two weeks and finally went into the Todd yards on Harbor Island. Liberty in Seattle was fairly good, it would have been better if it weren' t for Seattle's eager Shore Patrol. Scuttlebutt said we were going to the East Coast for decommissioning but when our orders came, they said we were going to Jinsen, Korea. We sailed on March 3rd with a load of replacement troops, they threw many a longing glance back as the shore receded behind us. Qnce again we passed just north of Hawaii and sailed on about the same course as we had before, just south of Kyushu, the large, southern japanese island. This time, however, we turned northward, sailing up through the Yellow Sea to Jinsen on the western coast of Korea. We could see immediately, when we arrived on the 19th, that Korea wasn,t much of a place, the troops knew they,d be spending about a year there and were pretty unhappy about it. They were ferried to the beach in boats as there were no docking facilities for large ships and then for a few days we just sat around. Regular liberty wasn't granted since there was so little to do in Jinsen, but the army arranged a trip to Seoul, the capital, for us. The train that took us was old and dirty. Since there was little glass in the windows, it was cold. The 20 mile trip took two hours as the train was slow jinsen, Korea . . . March IQ, ZQ46

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.I is si i i li 1 , Korea ' DOC and also stopped every feW minutes to take on more passengers although it Was croWded to begin With. Seoul is a large city and the capital, but there Wasn't much to do except Walk around. Most of the interesting places, including the native section, Were out of bounds. There Were many curio shops but prices Were high, hoW' ever, some of the men did Well by trading toothpaste for souvenirs. The train ride back Was as bad as before, just as slow and cold and dirty. y Un March 24th, loaded With troops for discharge, We sailed back to Seattle. We took a more northern route than before since the stormy season Was over and We made it back in thirteen days, arriving on April 6th. We debarked our troops and then anchored out in the stream for a feW days. We kneW more about Seattle and could make the most of our liberties this time. Since We needed some repairs, We Went into Lake Union by Way of the canal and anchored out in the lake While repairs Were being made. It Was While We Were there, on the 12th, that We got the Word that We'd been aWait' ing for a long time-We Were to go to Nc-:W York for decommissioning. As this is being Written We're almost ready to put out to sea. We'll sail doWn along the coast to San Diego Where We'll receive aboard 154 ofhcers and men of the German battleship PRINZ EUGEN Whom We Will take to NeW York. Then-decommissioning. That's all, brother, that's alll Talks fo Koreara Seoul Posfofjqoe l i l