Hamlin (AV 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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THEY THAT OO DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS AND OC- CUPY THEIR BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS, THESE MEN SEE THE WORKS OF THE LORD AND HIS WONDERS OF THE DEEP. ,..x , ,. ,W ,,,, N ........,,..+i-.w..--M.A,.- V

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x A 1 ,I R. sl 1. XA ,QL 'E ,wif fr ,ggzpfbfp if? A PT4'1 ' U. S. S. HAMLIN KAV-152 Tokyo Bay 26 September 1945 From: The C0Ulll1a1'diUg Officer. To z Officers and Men of the U.s.s. H4.h1,.UV. Subject: Excelleit Performance of Duty. ' lf The ending of th its beginning, has Sf on this shi ' V . e war, with the same dramatic Suddeness of forded the first breathing Spell that We have had p since our co ssio , just fifteen months a fhile anchored here in Tolinllfoi B-9,y.E51alJy free .fro crazy Kamikaze, we have been individually changed Situation, and withal t fulness for a sure a t0d . ill the thrift ofagze taking stock of a radically here pervades, a deep feeling of thank- Ili timely return to our homes and lvved on 2. I am also thinking of the War Tacoms to Tolqyo in fifteen months the part of th.is crew signments with base es. cruise of the H in, from of willing and coordinatejmelffort on which has brought us through the toughest of as- flying colors. The Ha-Ihlih proved at Iwo Jima that an air can be established and operated on a mommts notice in practically any sem.i-sheltered Water on the earth' s surface. At Kerema Rnetto in 'fthe most derirg seaplene base operation in history to qu socisted Press, we proved that a seaplane base co enemy territory in support of an amnhib ar::ive.1 of the main assault fo cient operations car seige at W' ote fl-Om As- uld be established , ious operation ev rce. The Uninter rzied out by this -1sel11a.n's Cove was ' the Naval Service you men. in Q1 before the Pupted and 11728111 ship throughout th ln keeping with + and proved the st y effi- e long suicide the highest traditions ot' Grains and unflinching gall-entry of 3. In later years you Will look back on this cruise with a variety of recollections. Few will recall days of ease and comfort, some Elqy remember only the long periods of nervous strain and Burk. Most of us I am sure will remember an epic greenhorns who with the spirit and stuff cans, became dn unbeatable Na war cruise of the H ' lives. You P1196 2 hard story of so cha Vy crew in 8-'Mlm repr my well SY a grou racter' ' a peri esents be pn: p of .zstic of Ameri- Od of three months. The a very worthwhile period in your ud of it as I am of you. - .

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yr E l i I i1 ll 1 I ll 'l i '1 ,1 .z1a,1..:1 E.: f. -:Il1rf:2fanrv- fln2315'?iZ'Jx J? f. it 5 si P! is 1 . rs: if E5 if -5 fd 'll -s L1 r 1 - lic ,w 5 u 'si 1. if r 1 it .-1 J 4 1 it '11 ir F K, Q. r H V ,1 4 i f 1 1 1 r CMDR. WILLIAM G. MCKEEL, USNR Squadron Commander of Patrol Bombing Here is Commander ivicKeeI our Executive Officer. All the internal business of the ship came under him. His office kept rec- ords of every man on board, handled the liberty-if and when, got out the plan of the day and scheduled the drills. These same drills which at first wore us out later made us good Navy men. With us from the beginning, the Commander has done much to make thegship what she is. Squadron 208 during their stay aboard the HAMLIN. Respected and admired by men of bcth plane crews and ship, he has work- ed to make the once untried squadron an efficient, fighting air-group. Through their combined skill, he and his men have shown the Martin Mariner to be a versatile weapon beyond the scope of mere search-recon- naissance. We are proud to have served with such a man. CMDR. ANTON J. SINTIC, USNR Chaplain Samuel Hill Ray who is father LT. CMDR. SAMUEL H. RAY, USNR and confessor, advisor and shipmate, but most of all a friend, wanted every man to be happy, to be comfortable and to be a better man today than he was yesterday. To sailors in trouble, in sin, in doubt, or intemperate, the Navy has an answer: See your Chaplain. IIEAII c11fIIEPiIIi'I'M LT. CMDR. CONNOR LT. BREDEHOFT LT. ROACH Supply Communications Medical LT. STIEFVATER LT. KELSEY LT. figl KENNEDY ist Lieutenant Gunnery Navigation LT. iigi BOOKER LT. CMDR. LEWIS iinsetl Engineering Air This Book was published under the direction of CAPTAIN G. A. McLEAN, usN Commanding Officer '- Editor ENSIGN J. P. LeBLANC, USNR Assisted by R. A. BURKE SF Ifc, USNR W. N. BECK AOM 2fc, USNR 1 E. D. DAVIS S Ifc, usNR ART DEPARTMENT , L. D. HUFFAKER AMM 2fc, USNR H. .I. STAPLETON S Ifc, USNR PHOTOGRAPHERS l J. F. DONOVAN PhoM ifc, USNR W. W. LANIER AMM 3fc, USN F. W. MUNKNER PhoM 2fc, USNR IINTRIIIIUCTIUN This is the story of a ship and the men who sailed her, a history created by their travel across the flak-ceilinged Pacific during the greatest conflict the world has ever seen. Here in is their tale, of far-flung islands, of exotic peoples, of actions engaged in and of vast ocean expanses. It is proper and fitting that this book should' be dedicated to the USS HAMLIN and her fighting crew, for had they not been, neither would this. ' Page 4