Harry Lee (APA 10) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

l 1 I 1 l r l 4 4, Introduction.: OT so long ago the Public Information Section of the Bureau of Naval Personnel sent out a request for all ships and shore based activities to forward histories which would accurately depict the part they had played in the winning of the war. These histories were to be used for public relations purposes and were to find wide spread distribution throughout hometown newspapers the country over. Proud of her record, the HARRY LEE complied with this request. The Skipper was pleased with the results and expressed his thought that all hands who had helped in the making of the HARRY LEE'S history would deeply appreciate a personal copy. The idea grew, as shipboard ideas have a tendency to do, and the final result is this little booklet which the Skipper and all hands now aboard take pleasure in forwarding to you. Between these pages, you will find a chronological sketch of events that concerned the HARRY LEE from the date of her commission into the Navy through this date of publication. It is sincerely recognized that this sketch does not tell the whole story. As you read it you can fill in between the lines the things that were important to you, the incidents you will find clinging to your memory for many years to come,-things like: the day you first came aboard and how you wondered if you would ever learn where everything was and if you would lit into the crew, the night you were lowered away in a VP to head for a distant enemy beach and you wondered if you would be around the next day, wondered if you would hit the right beach, if the soldiers would be alright, if you could find your way back to the ship and if she would be there if you did get back, the time you and all the rest of the gang turned-to to scrape the bottom at Espiritu Santo, the liberty in strange places and the liberty in the States, recreation parties and holiday routines, mid-watches and sweating-out the lines, general quarters morning and night, the vastness of the oceans, the beautiful sunset and the starry skies, crossing the equator ceremony, the good, always so good, letters from home and from her , the dear john letters, the dreams and the big talk, the snafu and the tarfu , the sea-bat joke, the Marines at Tarawa, the ships and the planes and the big guns, inspection on Saturday and Divine Service on Sunday, Christmas at Sea, movies in No. 6 hold, soldiers going to battle, casualties in the sick bay, gripes and bull ses- sions , the signal bridge and the after steering station, uslushing down , blowing tubes , card games, pin-up girls , the library, V-E Day, the Golden Gate Bridge, V-J Day, seeing the sights in Tokyo . . . all those things, those many, many things that were part and parcel of your experience in the service during the war. Perhaps this outline will serve as a guide when you recount your experience with others. ,.4.Q4r.ad5

Page 6 text:

REE Y-fl L 945 . S S BAR 1 veumer 2, 1 1y?1.,v'Keierw 13. . . 1 1110 1s I-cy V ,f-.,-- ie. .,,,,,..,. 6 'CMD Officer , 1090 Wwe served. about using, 6 Vu WY' 'Ebb Conv' Oiiioo-ra an 9331 11-SB. Lkme-A 'Ln -hymn Troma 'Yo 1 'hw YS . 8 . S . 1 ah1'Q 15 wr 1-A reoa111ng your 1lb11e ' 'Ibis Yhsfborwj of on 111 Yxe19 you 'Ln 'ebb gears 'oo comb and wore gud:-'xou101'1NJ 'f-was Ju M-. -a iw! . xx-'G11D 6 'CMD in kms X9 . test o ence s 55331 45119 199 e-I-9er1 6 the on'1-'J each 0 S you ser'I1ng Scout Oi ueoeesuag vo can 'oe M 111th M219 irewafotl 'nd 016 experiences-0 H6 the rg , 'su 1103 l 'VG163 0 aYm1p's Memo 11 016 sYx1'Qum ences 'Ln 'Os of 'CMO o tees eigeti TB, be ebxe 'Q 4296111195 T6 and eB'00 11111 eou1- amos 1 pr O'Q0 B6 -tense , 'Q ones he-X35 , as tim , 1eesen 'Of vb B wear more Q u ah1QgMaes G011a1'-15 Grei . 11g U . 'Yo x11 oi gb -'10 s C0110-nk. S1119 and 301' e moasm , :I Since 0 fx few , 9. 11. 56 , aphsin, 'G .S . in-ri 5

Page 8 text:

The interesting and expertly drawn chart in the center of the booklet will sum up for you in a glance the travels and ad- ventures of the HARRY LEE. Captain Bernard C. McKay, USMC, who you will remember as the troop quartermaster aboard the ship for overetwenty-five months, is responsible for this excellent piece of work. S It is unfortunate that there were not more photographs available to bring additional interest to these pages. It would have been desirable, for example, to picture the personnel that made up the various divisions of the ship and, too, an added source of interest wouldhave resulted from shots of the places where the HARRY LEE has been and the action in which she took part. However, it is hoped that those pictures you do find will help refresh your memory of incidents and scenes that concerned the ship and her crew. n A The final pages of the booklet are devoted to a graphic display of a few selected adventures of a certain character known to one and all who have-served aboard the HARRY LEE as Horrible Harry . Horrible Harry , much like his brothers in the service, Private Breger , Sad Sack , Sloppy Gus , and Alfred , represents the serious-minded military misfit who, though try his damndest, can't keep out of trouble. He is always the last man in the chow line and invariably the first man on the list for a work detail. He embellishes all of the very human and yet pathetic little guy who is a victim of the service-and of him- self-and at the same time is the hero of the war. The young artist Paul fliritzj Remmele who created Horrible Harry and thus brought a thousand laughs to his shipmates displays a keen sense of humor, a definite ability and a deep understanding of the land loving sailor who will always be a boot , Remmele plans to take advantage of the GI Bill 'of Rights and continue his study of art after the war. It is a good bet that you'll be seeing more of his work. Here then is your souvenir, HISTORY OF THE U. S. S. HARRY LEE. It is hopedtthat it will serve its purpose in bring- ing you a source of pleasurexand a lasting mementoof your experience aboard the LEE and in the Naval Service. To all of those who have contributed to the production of this booklet whether 'here named or in a more subtle way, a very sincere word of thanks, and to all of you a wish from the U. S. S. HARRY LEE for the best of luck and success wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing. ' ' R. H. MERENESS, A Lim., U. s. N. R. 22 November 1945