Hamlin (AV 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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3. .. sf, .gi Sift 42 , 5 f 353' ifitilii 1-. 4, cp -v sg -are 'E ,-1-. ' LU -'i' 1 . ,.. A, I ,4 ., , , IIIIII III LEFT TO RIGHT, FIRST ROW: Brown, Cabello, Didonqfo, Arm, Dunklin, Expmq, Robin- Cooks and bukeffhpfepm' fofflwf NQVY Chow son, Abila, Gingrich, Bensen, Brown, Rennich, Beckwith, Casto. SECOND ROW: Sissimi, so f m'l'a lo men of Sec' Renberger, Nolen, Nieman, Harris, Haward, Musielak, Alstott, Arnold, Harrigan, Godwin, Woodard, McCall, Acorne, Wells. Y WW X wax N t ggx wx ., NXXXXSNLQ . 'Iii W ' .. .,r. .. Kg X . Rwiii-X351 I A ' L b:x5N'i-'W4wfA4,xu. -ax Nm. , C X- Vi I 5 emma fs ill- In 4 g LEFT TO RIGHT, FIRST ROW: McDonald, Wood, Michelson, Watka, Taylor, Zurlinden, Cohoon, Smith. SECOND ROW: Pettit, Stogiera, Rose, Bergman, Supernaw, Yaronon, -- Webb, Romaro, Waggner, Scott, Pomeroy. Spqrq parts to keep the P-boats flying. For hours of reading enjoyment--the ship's library. Q. i LEFT TO RIGHT, FIRST ROW: Malveaux, Nevils, Thompson, Keys, Pittard Blume, Borden, Phillips. SECOND ROW: Johnson, Pinkney, Mercer Clean clothes to make Q fiffer Crew, Crew cuts a specialty, and no Wildroot Thomas, Brown, Mitchell Burton. Page II I 1

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illllllllllllli illllllllllli Cb I D 1 1-P if Day or night has no meaning to men vvho strive constantly either to improve or to maintain the most vvondertul mechanism upon this earth- the Human Body. At sea, in surroundings tar different from those to which most Americans are exposed, common ailments are aggravated and nevv ills are discovered. lt is ot extreme importance to the Navy that as tevv working hours as possible are lost because ot iniury or dis- ease sustained by personnel. To this end the Medical Department is everlastingly working. Page I0 ABOVE Corpman on duty in sick bay throughout the night DIVI I0 LEFT TO RIGHT, FIRST ROW: McKeever, Brown, Hamilton, Gillis Jackson. SECOND ROW: Hanson, Newberry, McGriff, Policlm Biurling.

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It was with mixed emotions that the crew watched the coastline of California slowly receding into the distance On each face could be read thoughts of home or of the adventures ahead For the older Navy men it was lust another cruise and like most would unfold many days of depressing monotony patient waiting or fearful anxiety Here was the opportunity to prove the worth of each man for the biggest factor in the success of any operation is the fighting spirit of the individual sailor Our early sea duty was of extreme importance in con ditioning all hands for the inclemencies of sea weather and naval routine before us General Quarters became the by word of the day for we were preparing to defend ourselves against the enemy whether he came in the form of aircraft surface vessel or torpedo Deck watch officers learned the necessity of prompt course changes to avoid submarine encounters and to offer as small a target as possible to latent torpedoes In constant use was the radar gear to spot ships or planes beyond the limits of the human eye In the weeks that followed the stops at Pearl Harbor and Emwetok were preludes to our entry into the forward aviation supplies and ammunition as well as the hoisting aboard of a Martin MARINER for the first time under actual wartime circumstances At Eniwetok we unloaded both passengers and cargo then started on the last leg of our tourney into a combat theatre It was in the first week of September in i944 that the HAMLIN dropped anchor in the outer harbor of Saipan in the Marianas Islands Shortly after Patrol Bombing Squadron I7 our first came aboard and seaplane activi ties began with a rush Rcugh water made such work 38440 I exceedingly difficult but gave our plane handling details needed experience At Saipan the HAMLIN became the flagship of Fleet Air Wing One with Commodore Dixwell Ketcham USN and staff directing operations On October II we left Saipan and headed south for the Caroline Islands dropping anchor a day and a half later in Ulithi Atoll which was to be our home for almost three months Normal routine was resumed with the squadron flying anti submarine patrol to protect the Fleet and our supply line Hunter killer missions were carried out successfully in which our planes spotted submarines and stayed with them until destroyers were able to reach that location and dispose of the plgboat Always there were flights ready for Dumbos to rescue downed pilots or and vessels in distress Planes of the Wing were operat ing south and north and west in the Philippines It was in this harbor that the war was brought close to us We had arrived at the tail end of the Saipan invasion which had begun in June Evidence of the bitter struggle which had taken place was everywhere visible It became commonplace yet no less appalling to see bodies of Japanese soldiers floating out with the tide To make the at night these water borne corpses became targets for our sentries Liberties ashore were made unpleasant by the muck into which tropical rain had converted most of the island and the unburned dead which littered the beaches were sickening to men unaccustomed to wholesale slaughter During our stay the islands which formed the atoll furnished shore recreation for our ship as well as for other units of the Third Fleet At times we found the weather to be unendurably hot and heat rash afflicted everyone Page I2 I ' I F . I I ' . . I 1 I ' I L I I - I - I . .s . . V U I - - - - ll ll - I I u I ' , . I area. Those days saw the unloading of more stores, situation worse, we were alerted for suicide swimmers and . . . I .. I . . . I - I I . y . I s V . . 1 I . . 1 ' I I I , X . r.. , '-. 1.4 I ' , . A ,M It fi, ,