Lanier (APA 125) - Naval Cruise Book

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f .X ,Q-,wggq Chests, hair and helmets Ensign Tuttle's Twenty ' 'Ready, load! ' ' Target practice Off to the beach

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owzmhazbazm LTHOUGH a pouring rain continued throughout the day when the USS LANIER was commissioned, the spirit of the officers and crew which permeated the ship s atmosphere from the first day was not dampened in the slightest l ,was a green crew that took over on that 22nd of December l944 Many of the officers themselves had never been to sea and had little more than book-knowledge of what the Navy was all about lt was the primary concern of the LANIER S first Skip- per and 'Executive Officer to whip up a crew that would be ready to sail within a matter of days ' I The whipping up task was admirably accomplished by Commander Walter W Rockey USN Captain and Lt Commander HubertW Fisher USN Executive Officer Commissioning ceremonies conducted aboard the LANIER were wltnessedyby sev- eral hundred officials friends and families of the officers and crew. The ship was spon- sored by Mrs Earl English whose husband IS vice president of the Industrial Engineer- ing Company Oakland The LANIER was built by the California Shipbuilding Corpora- tion San Pedro Calif and outfitted by Moore Drydock Company Oakland. Calif , MRS EARL ENGLISH . . ' 1 . . 4 L I , . . . . . , . . . . . . . n f v 11 - . . . I I I ' . . . . , , . . . . . .. . . . . . , ., . . . ' I . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . I I 'I . I I ' . l a

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Lieutenant Commander and Mrs. Hubert W. Fisher, first executive officer, and Commander and Mrs. Walter W. Rockey, first skipper of The LANIER shiny MMEDIATELY after commissioning ceremo- nies, the LANIER proceeded tothe Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, where everything from potatoes to light bulbs, enough supplies to last for weeks, were taken aboard. A three-day delay at the request of the Central Commissioning Detail, West Coast, was effected beginning 28 December, due to faulty engine room valves. After this brief overhaul at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, San Francisco, the ship moved out to anchor almost beneath the 7-mile-long Oakland Bay Bridge. At this time the ship's allowance of 26 assault boats was taken aboard, and preparations were made for shakedown training. The new year of i945 was inaugurated for the LANIER by its participation in a month s period of withstanding trials and tribulations such as only a shakedown detail can sponsor Boats were lowered and hoisted booms rigged, winches operated, compasses com- pensated, radar gear tested, paravanes streamed, speed trials run, turning circle es- tablished, as well as drills conducted for abandon ship, fire, fire and rescue, general quarters, signals and collision. Simple tactical maneuvers were conducted, accompanied by the APA's AUDUBON, CORT- LAND and BRAXTON, from 18 to 20 January. Four days later a personnel and material in- spection was held by the San Pedro Shake- down Group. Later, word was receivedthat our ship was quite satisfactory. Anchored off the Coronado Strand, San Diego, from l February through 4 February, the LANIER S boats and personnel were exer cised in the rough surf Numerous T 3 and T 4 practice landings were made debarka tion and net handling drills conducted and communications procedure was tested A gate to heaven . . , U ll I I C 0 , . . - . I I I I I C 'I . ' T I ' I 9 O O . . V . . , I ' .