Lanier (APA 125) - Naval Cruise Book

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Beach' party over the side, Maui THE LOG - Continued On 22 March the LANIER returned to Pearl Harbor and the following day moved to Honolulu, where cargo was taken aboard. Four days later the ship went back to Pearl Harbor- and embarking of troops was begun. Seventy officers and 1,415 enlisted men Lservice troops, half negro, half whitel of the U. S. Army boarded for transportation to a forward area. Captain Jesse B. Gay, USN lRet.1, aboard the Dutch merchant vessel, the BLOEMFON- TEIN, led a convoy of 17 ships on 29 March for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. The ships were: AUDUBON, COTTLE, OSKALOOSA, BLOEMFONTEIN, ORMSBY, BROADWATER, BRULE, EXCHANGE, SEAMARLIN, MERMAC- PORT, MORMACKWREN, DORTHEA L. DIX, DAUPHIN, BINGHAM, BERGER, PONDERA and LANIER. Designated as Task Unit 16.8.19, the convoy was accompanied by three de- stroyer escorts. L Cleaning the 5-inch Passing the 180th Meridian on 3 April, the convoy arrived at Eniwetok on 6 April. After refueling and a conference, Task Unit 91.6.12 was formed, comprising the trans- ports BINGHAM LO. T. C.1 and LANIER, with the STEELE as destroyer escort. This group sailed from Eniwetok on 7 April, for Saipan, in the Marianas, arriving on the 10th. Colors and iacks of several hundred ships at anchor at Saipan were lowered to half mast simultaneously as official news was re- ceived on 14 April of the death of the Presi- dent of the United States, Franklin D. Roose- velt. To thousands aboard ships scattered throughout Pacific Ocean areas, the news ei ,4 T M, A Battle of Maui of -the Presi'dent's death was received with amazement, mixed with genuine concern for the Nation's future and sorrow for the mil- lions who were numbered as mourners. On the following day, 15 April, a ioint Army-Navy Memorial service was held aboard the LANIER, conducted by Captain Cloud, assisted by Col. J. C. Wilson, troop commander, and Chaplain L. V. Pick. Every man aboard came topside to pay respects to thelate President of the United States. During the seven-day stay at Saipan, lib- erty was granted for both troops and crew at the huge Saipan recreation area The men played softball went swimming in the crystal 1 if. 3: . 1 I if s ly? 7 . . ' X 1 , - .-

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THE LOG - Continued On 5 February the LANIER proceeded to the San Clemente Island area, where for five days, Together with the APA's AMERICAN LEGION, HUNTER LIGGETT, BROADWATER, PONDERA and CORTLAND, it participated in mock invasion. On 9 February the ship moored in a well-cluttered bay at San Pedro, where, until the 20th, it underwent repairs during its availability period. The next day the LANIER set sail for San Francisco. It was Washington's Birthday, the 22nd of February, when the LANIER loaded 335 rather sober-looking civilians, together with 80 officers and 9 enlisted men, bound for Pearl Harbor. The ship left on 23 February, 1945. A good share of the crew as well as many of the officers got their first glimpse of On the beach at Waikiki Cloud-shrouded Isle of Oahu territory outside the United States when the LANIER, after sailing alone, arrived at Pearl Harbor on 2 March. Commander Rockey, on 3 March, was de- tached for hospitalization at Pearl Harbor. Three days later, on 6 March, Captain Ben- iamin W. Cloud, USN, assumed command, reading his orders before the entire ship's company. With the SAN SABA skipper as O. T. C. lOfficer in Tactical Commandl, the LANIER, CLEBURNE, CORTLAND AND CRENSHAW got underway on 17 March for Maui, Territory of Hawaii, to conduct practice amphibious operations. Five days were spent in T-3 and T-4 exercises, including laying of smoke screen and streaming of paravanes. Embarking at Oahu Oahu ff 7:4 f . 5 'X 5 K

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.qua-6-1-M--4 THE LOG - Continued V clear, coral-bottom salt water and drank ice cold beer or coca cola. The area has 14 as- phalt-covered tennis courts, more than a dozen baseball fields, 20 horseshoe pits, Red Cross facilities, band performances almost daily and plenty of sunshine. Most men agree it is the best liberty spot, with the exception of Manila, west of Pearl Harbor. On 17 April, led by Captain B. W. Cloud on the USS LANIER, the LANIER, MENKAR and ROBERT FULTON, escorted by the DE's DALEY and SPANGLER, got underway for Iwo Jima. On 20 April the convoy passed alongside a mountain destined to live long in history-Mt. Suribachi, where a handful of marines two months previously had plant- ed Old Glory amidst flying bullets and shrap- Yes, if's there - Eniwetok Ships at rest, Saipan nel. Iwo Jima gave the impression, from a distance, of just one, huge rock. lt certainly gave no hint of its importance as a life-saver to hundreds of pilots on runs to and from Tokyo. From the harbor it was a depressing- looking place. Coummencing unloading the same day, the LANIER was empty by 22 April. The LANIER and DE DALEY departed from lwo on 22 April, arriving at Saipan two days later. After refueling and loading cargo, the ship embarked troops on 30 April, complet- ing in one day the embarking of ll officers and 1,431 Army casuals. Heading for Oki- nawa, the convoy on 2 May consisted of the following ships: LANIER LO. T. C.l, GRAN- VILLE, SEA PARTRIDGE, SEA FLYER and two escorts, the BULL and EISELE. While approach- The Tree of Chinieero finiwefokj Saipan Superforts 9 , mw-