Herald of the Morning (AP 173) - Naval Cruise Book

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it ... C Ulithnl Fleet Anchorage A replacements to the Pacific are-as and evacu- ating Army and Navy personnel from the for- ward areas to the West coast -of the United States. ' The first peace-time run was to Pearl Har- bor carrying N-avy replacements and returning to San Pedro on 9 October with a mixed load of civilian evacuees and Army and Navy passengers. ' On the HERALD'S first trip to Japan she carried a full load of Navy boots and Sea- bees, made a one-day stop at Pearl Harbor and arrived in Yokosuka Bay on 3 November, they passengers and crew grateful for the peaceful scene of Fujiyama ,and the bay, realizing that but for the unexpected early surrender, the AP-l73 would have been a part of the planned invasion fleet. After a week's sight-seeing and souvenir hunting in Yoko- hama and Tokyo, the Americal Division was embarked and transported to Tacoma, Wash- ington, a smooth l3-day crossing. ,Leaving Seattle on l3 December with about l,OOO young Tokyo-bound soldiers fresh from basic training, the HERALD encountered the worst storms of her career, bravely battling 60-foot waves, pitching deeply and rolling 30 degrees for days. Yokohama was a wel- come sight after the rough 23-day trip, yet we were on our way back three days later, 9 Janu- ary, with l,5OO Army personnel, mostly of the Slst Division, and arrived in Seattle 24 Janu- ary after a pleasant, calm voyage across 280 N. latitude. Our third and last trip to Japan was an empty run. lt was begun on l2 March after a long period spent having armament removed l 4.1

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aboard the Marines in small units as they finished mopping up the enemy. On 27 March she sailed for the Hawaiian Islands, arriving there on l3 April, l945. This time there was no change in orders and the ship sailed from the Hawaiian Islands for San Francisco on l6 April, arriving there a week later. Yard overhaul and availability of 60 days were granted to the ship. Many jobs not completed in the initial conversion work were done. After being away from the States for a whole year, all the men and officers en- joyed Zl -day leaves at home, many returning to the HERALD as happy bridegrooms. V-E day, 8 May, was celebrated by most of our crew in their home towns. ' Apparently no longer an amphibious trans- port, the HERALD OF THE MORNING was assigned t-o run to Manila, carrying approxi- mately 2,000 tons of cargo and l,500 Army casual passengers. Departing from San Fran- cisco on 29 June, the ship arrived in Manila on Z9 July, having made stops enroute at Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok and Ulithi. V-J day lAugust l5 for us West of i800 Iongitudel found us enroute from Manila to Pearl Harbor where we loaded a mixed group of civilians and troops, disembarking them at San Francisco on ll September. After that the HERALD was assigned to the Magic Carpet and later to Naval Transportation Services, engaged in transporting occupational Ready-Made at Saipan for Tinian

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Shell Canopy Over' Lnzon Invasion Fleet and repairs made, first 20 days at Everett lplannedl and then I6 more days at Todd's Shipyard, Seattle lthe result of a galley fire just as we sailed from Pier 9I, Seattle, on 22 Februaryl. Arriving at Yokohama on 2 April, we were boarded by I,500 eager Navy men and Seabees from the broken-down SEA BASS out of Okinawa and were under steam again in 27 hours. On I7 April we docked at Seattle, completing a record 33-day round trip. After a brief stay at Bremerton for voyage repairs, the HERALD pulled out on 6 May, I946, on her last trip as a Navy auxiliary transport, headed for Subic Bay, P. I., carrying about 85 casual Navy passengers, arriving 25 May. A full load of Navy personnel was em- barked and carried direct to San Francisco where the HERALD finally received her de- commissioning orders to the l3th Nav-al Dist- rict, after 26 months of Navy service. VITAL STATISTICS - I. Brief description ofthe U.S.S. HERALD OF THE MORNING IAP-I73l. lai Hull Type: MC-CZ, Length 460 feet, Breadth 63 feet, Height of main mast l09 feet. lbl P a s s e n g e r Accommodations: I ,500 troops, 65 officers. 1 lcl Ship's Complement IAveragel: 350 enlisted men, Z8 officers. ldl Cargo Capacity: I4I,479 Cubic Feet lBale Capacityl. lel Load Displacement: l3,860 Tons. lfl Speed: I6 knots maximum, I5 knots cruising. 2. Date of commissionng: 22 April, IQ44. 3. Commanding Officer: H. A. DUNN, Captain, U. S. Navy. ,...4v I'bP