Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

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Q15 ' 5 ?5 1 I I v l 1 i i . longest, the most monotonous. But at that time, the horizon was rosy. It was seven days .to Pearl. Seven days of simulated attacks and grand weather. The islands broke from the horizon the morning of 23 Qctober, green and wreathed in clouds. It was nearly every- body's Hrst view of Hawaii, and it made a strong impression. The ship slid into the harbor and tied up. There followed two days of liberty, during which souvenirs were bought and sent homeward. Then CarDiv QQ cast off again and set course for the vast reaches to the west. Eniwetok provided the initial view of a battle Held with its denuded palm trees. It was a short look and was quickly replaced by the end- less horizon of the sea as the ship and her im- patient crew sped on. Ulithi, but a few weeks an American base, provided the next anchor- age. Here the Squadron first realized the grimness of war, as mines, torn from their moorings by heavy weather, began exploding on protecting reefs and were found drifting be- tween the ships, necessitating a machine gun and searchlight watch. Kossol Passage in the Palau Islands was where the ship and VC 85 were given their first assignment, providing air coverage for convoys approaching and depart- ing Leyte Gulf. In the light of later develop- ments this was a tame job, but it looked big then. The convoys were guarded with the Fighter races down deck on fly-away. zeal of a hen protecting her young. Cn the rare occasions when one of the patrols caught a glimpse of Jap-held Mindanao, it was re-told in the ready room as a major occurrence. These days, though they were dull and un- eventful, broke the Squadron in gradually to the complications of combat flying and sharp- ened carrier operations to the point -where few faults could be found. The days crept slowly past and on 23 November CarDiv 29 was re- lieved and set course for the Admiralty Islands. What happened next is a chapter many would prefer to forget. It was painful. Be- Avenger ready for catapulting into the sunrise.

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Fox Flag two-blocked for recovering planes. t X tht N VH li M0111 to August was barely a week old when the order came to embark OD the USS. .lI11lt'f1.s1w11' .S'l1'111'f.s CCVE gil for carrier qualifications. With pounding hearts the ofliecrs and men thutnped up the gangway and watched the planes hoisted aboard, one by one. This was it! For the next eight days the ship ehased weather and qualifications were run ofl' when the eeiling lifted. Learning the ways of a ship. the men began to talk like veterans and spoke easually of Hthe bcachfi although that word had never before been associated with shore life. Onee back at Brown Field they walked with a new lift and looked haughtily at green pilots who had yet to qualify. The Squadron then left Brown Field and settled at the Naval Air Station, San Diego, on North Island. For nine days the pilots en- gaged in maneuvers and praetieed bounee drill. On the tenth day they climbed into the planes and taxied in a long, winding queue to Pier 'CFOXM to join forces with the USS. Lunga Pain! CCVE Qzll, their ship and their new home. It was an auspicious occasion that night when Captain Washburn strode into the ready room and welcomed them aboard. If there was ever a feeling of strangeness it was dissipated then. They belonged. That cruise lasted ten days. It was followed by two others as the ship and the Squadron practiced teamwork, strove for precision. lie- tween disembarking and embarking, the men made the most of their waning moments in the States. The Squadron received new planes, shiny with paint and throbbing with power. Good-byes were said and re-said until finally the word came to shove off for duty with the Pacific Fleet.

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it t 2 t ,t A .mae-mr, 2.1.2.1-ssszawt 5,...,W.,a. A tween the l'hilippines and the .Xduiiralties lay an hypothetical line. lt was, to be sure. at mere technicality. yet it could not be avoided. lt was the lfquator. Nor were iuinds assuagcd bythe sight olicanyas billies that all Shellbaclts were industriously liashioning. Still. the Squad- ron reasoned, NN'hat price surrenderE ' So they talked it over and evolved a plan ol' action. The basic theine of this operational routine was this: If one nteinber becatne oyerwlielined he had but to yell HEY RUBEN and help would be fortheoining. 'llo further confuse the Shellbaeks two ol' the more slippery pilots filehed King Neptune's beard and crown at the eleventh hour. This put a definite criinp in the scheduled arrival of the Ruler ol' the Deep. and by way of punishment all Pollywogs were made to run around the llight deck until such time as the sacred vestments were returned. It was during' this lXfIarathon that a billy Iell too heavily and the ery ol' HEY R UBRH was heard. It was a signal for organized chaos as an-lI the Squadron broke lree and inade overwhelm- iug gains against weak delenses. VVhile the Scluatlrou was prone to classify this as 3 major upset, the leading Shellbaclis took a dim View and ordered the initiation to proceed in 3 mme uiilitary iuanuer, zelmlz Il flffl. 'illhq hapless ollicers and iueu were led one by one to the hangar deck and there taught their lesson of never trying to rexolt against the Loyal Shell- baclts. l.ilte tlaclarabbits, they pelted down between the double line ol' waiting Shellbaeks only to be urged to greater efliorts en route, Once ou the liantail the Pollywogs were made to pay obeisance to the Royal Court. After losing the greater part of their hair and being duulted. they. too, becanie Shellbaeks, although it scarcely sniaclted ol' being' an honor then. XN'ith the pounding still smgii-ting, the Squad- ron was launched the morning of Q7 November lor landing' at the sinall island of Ponam in the Adiniralty group. As they eireled the tiny bit ol' coral and sand awaiting' their turn to land, wr Awww sn- M X 0 llama, 'ah . 4 ,nw 'lille lli 'ltlf ls ltclt is alwave H lmu l,l,u.1, V , ' t r H1 tit S tt s , t :fl it , Nl, 1 F A sit , g i 'f , 1 t 2, E w e W s 4 t fi li 'L tl ei M s Po H tt 4 fx s 1 A an P 4 3 ,A