LST (491) - Naval Cruise Book

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GOING HOME ningham, Theodore Dusak, john Faries, Thomas J. Galvin, Vernon Harvey, Eugene Hayden, Elroy Hefner, Alfred Howard, john Judkins, James Jensen, Murdock Kennedy, Ray Kogut, john Marko, joseph Mertens, Vin- cent Mungovan, Martin Rogoff, Warren Runnals, Sam Scott, Robert Tucker, Ray Setzer, Charlie Vail, and Willie Young, also the following officers: Ensign Walter J. Dugan and Ensign james Edwards. Mr. Dugan later became the Engineering oflicer and Mr. Edwards the Communications officer. We departed for New York the following day and arrived on December 14, thence on to Boston by way of the inland channel where we stayed for a 45-day availability. On December 17th two-thirds of the origi- nal crew were granted a leave of 30 days -the other third remaining aboard along with the new ofhcers and men who reported aboard at Norfolk. Before sailing from Boston on January 31, 1945, thirty enlisted men and three officers QLt. C. E. Stoker, Lt. Qjgj R. M. Dick- inson and Lt. L. Silversteinj were granted a thirty day leave at the expiration of which they were assigned new duties. While at Boston we were designated flagship for Commander LST Group 107, Flotilla 36, and were quite pleased when Commander L. F. Teuscher USN reported aboard with his staff and hoisted his pennant at the mainmast. The Staff included the following officers: Lt. Herbert B. March, Cperationsg Dr. Donald H. Walk- er, Medical, Lt. Richard H. Loring, Engineer, Lt. B 39

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THE OL DOUBLE TROUBLE we seemed to be relieved. The pressure was now off... the war and all the misery and suffering that goes with war and which we all had seen was now left behind. The future for each of us was uncertain but we could now look forward to seeing our country, our homes, and our loved ones once again. The voyage home was uneventful except one after- noon about midway across the Atlantic, we received aboard a sailor from the LST 284 who had a ruptured appendix. Our Doctors proceeded to operate immedi- ately as the patient was in serious condition. They worked carefully and diligently, but, about an hour after the operation, complications set in and the patient died. Paul Hadley, our signalman, and his gang were busy making a home coming pennant which we would fly from the mainmast when we reached the United States. We were hoping for good weather on arrival, but December ll, 1944 was a rainy, foggy day. We had difficulty entering port because of poor visibility. Re- gardless of the weather, America looked good to us.. It was home to all aboard and we knew it. After what we had experienced and seen abroad, we knew that America really was God's Country. On December 12, 1944, we received the following personnel aboard from the Amphibious Training Base at Camp Bradford: W. Armstrong, James L. Bunton, Howard Burchfield, Robert N. Bursey, Joseph H. Cun- 38

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THE OL DOUBLE TROUBLE Albert W. Barney, jr., Paymasters Lt. Qjgb 'John W, North, Communications, and Chief Pharmacist Mate Robert Towner. 4 The enlisted men included the following: George W. Anderson, jr., I-Iarlie E. Cooley, Jr., Vito Culicchia, joseph Fasciana, Joseph R. Fay, William Foley, Ern- est G. Galvan, Lucius Green, Donald Hayes, Abra H. Hurtt, Claude Kirk, John Kraentler, Louis Lombardo, Albert L. Mane, George C. Moore, John T. Riley, Tay- lor G. Seal, John H. See, Weldon E. Smith, Karl Solo- mon, Jack Tretheway, Warren Weller, and Raymond E. Wilson. 4 . We arrived at Davisville, Rhode Island on February 4, 1945, after a stormy voyage off Nantucket. We re- quired minor repair work and were loaded with vehicles and general cargo for the Pacific. We also received four pontoons, two being side-loaded, port and star- board. We departed Davisville, Rhode Island, on February 28, 1945, arriving at New York City on March l. L One LCT was loaded on the main deck, and Lt. Dulany Foster reported aboard with 12 enlisted men. - We were delayed in New York live days, awaiting arrival of one new pontoon as one of ours had been damaged in a minor collision in Long Island Sound. We enjoyed our stay in New York City and soon were on our way to Nor- folk, our last stop before leaving the country, arriving on March 6, 1945. The two days we spent at the Navy 40