LST (530) - Naval Cruise Book

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and had ample opportunity to celebrate with gusto to the roar- ing tune of the ship's orchestra under Blaikie, and to the harmony of Lt. LeVine's and James, excel- lent vocal quartet. At 1700 the Torpedo-.luice Kids QNorman and Kellyj had a rendezvous in the Vvheel House where they drained the Gyrois life blood. At 1900 Liberty,, boats departed for un- known places. At 2300 ALL IN- SECURE! On August 20, 1945, the Navy point system for demobilization was announced and four score dis- gruntled seamen lay up to the ship's ofiice with tokens of sin- cerei, friendship for Yeoman .lim Mahoney, Qflfiicial Point-Com- puterl. On the 23rd of August. 530 started hack for Subic Bay at sun- set and from the Bridge I could hear the chorus of Let's Take The Long Wray Home ably 1ed by Doc Cottschalk. Disney Farinella and Leslie Thomas' harmonica. It was hard for everyone to settle hack down to the business of carry- ing on the ship's routine in the first post-war days, for nearly everyone., including Peso. the ship's Philip- pine-born mascot puppy. was thinking about when he was going to get home and 'out .

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The Okinawa campaign for the 530 proved lucky again, with sub- marine attacks and suicide planes failing to stop her from carrying on as usual. On June 21st a .lap Zero aiming for the 530's LCVP No. 2 twith Mr. Ragle, O'Neill, Pagano and DeLucia aboardl missed and crashed into LST 534 which had come all along the way with us from Europe. A few days later LCT 566 was duly cham- pagne-launched off the starboard side, and Skipper Rusty Langen- feld with his crew bid adieu to Mother 530. At 1635 on the same day Cunner's Mate Bridges went ashore at Okinawa to find a friend, reported back three months later. Next came several forages to the Philippines and hack, with the invasion of the Japanese mainland always in the ofiing and something about which no one could fail to anticipate with apprehensive sweat pouring from the brow. The initial rumors of an end of war being in sight, as a result of the first atom bombing and Russiais entry into the war against Japan, were dis- credited by the constant threat of the suicide bombers which still came in from all quarters until L.. T ON THE BRIDGE L GENERAL QUARTERS ...,-' even. beyond the finale. When the ed did come we were anchored M a cove at the north of Okinawa ' E it? 1 1... 31 eff--ff if 757' K 3 Q R' I x Y , i GX E I . , ..x + ' ' -,, 717? Vx: , if 1 ,X X 52 I t f .Q ,P . . , 4 is 1 ig'33Si'25 ' Qsfvnf t ',?f'fff?' if J, g , T ENTERING TOKYO HARBOR jf LAUNCHING LST 566 1

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The initial trip to Japan with occupation forces. howeyer in stilled new life into 530 and it was a proud bunch that stood on deck as she nosed into Tokyo Bay in September of 1945. Yokohama and Tokyo saw the crew at liberty, and a bit later Northern Japan l.Hokkaidol was overrun with 530 men wearing thickest foul weather gear to keep out the freezing cold. Hurricane and blizzard weather, along with the omnipresent threat of the typhoon kept all hands on their toes and busy. More than once 530 was caught in the worst weather: she went through a corner of the disastrous typhoon that wrecked so much shipping off Okinawa, travelled from the hot, humid, tropic temperatures of the Philippines to the icy fog-bound regions of Northern Japan. She ploughed her way through fair time and foul with a steady and fortunate record of performance and good luck that only now one can dare to brag about. I'm glad I was aboard for so long, and to have known you men who served aboard her with me. When I left in De- cember of 1945, I knew I could never forget the ship, nor any of her crew. T FISHERMAN LILLY 1 SHII S CONTROL P' I el ye' X Q0 syft TT r L5 I flxxf' fix ft, '18 .' l 1, .J ij 5 . T MR. BENSON'S ENGINEERS J, ON THE BRIDGE