Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

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l I ' Jap Red Cross assists with P.O.W. litter cases. CD11 Platt and Chief Callicoattc to left in picturcj on this particular visit. Those of us who went ashore at Wakanoura on oflicial business were among the first to occupy this particular part of Honshug however, we experienced no dith- culties whatsoever. The Lunga Point had a prominent part in the evacuation of approxi- mately 3,ooo POW's from this area, we having officers and men on duty in the Mampa RO 4' 4 ' . x , wx .' H . A FIISIC group of allied P.O.W. s to icach Wakayaina station. P.O.W.'s at emergency Hrsl, aid station, VVakanoura, awaiting boats to hlampa Ro Hotel for processing. 222

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T as those of our escorts. Even at this writing we get quite a thrill out of the sight of them. JAP PILOT Coimss ABOARD On II September at o8o5 a japanese Pilot. S, Hosono, Master in the japanese lvfaritime Service, came aboard to help us through the mine fields as we entered W'akanoura l'Van. It was only reasonable to expect that when Lieut. Comdr. Tippett met the pilot at the No. 3 Sponson to show him to the bridge there was a large crowd on hand to see him, however, they were somewhat surprised to find him a slender little man, who, except for his charts under his arm, looked everything but a harbor pilot. The cruise from there on into XVakanoura was not without excitement, because we were going through waters that were literally in- fested with mines. The pilot knew where the Jap mines were, but, unfortunately, he and we had only to guess where the B-29's had been dropping their mines. It was some comfort to us to know that we had a large group of mine- sweepers sweeping a channel ahead of us. but even that does not always guarantee a safe pas- sage. In any event, we got through safely and dropped our hook in VVakanoura Wan at 1833 that day. It was too late for the -lap pilot to leave the ship, so we assigned him a room for the night, under guard, of course. and he left. us early the next morning. . Q ' Y y l fy 5 ' F 1 f Jap pilot salutes as he reaches flight dCCk With his Charts- KI.-XP.-XN Rlost of us had never been to japan before and were. frankly. quite appreciative of the opportunity to visit the land of the Rising Sun. even though it did delay our return home a little. All of us enjoyed the view of this moun- tainous eoastal region from the ship: however. only oflieers a nd men in 21 duty status got ashore c 2 . Zi-iv 'Taffy The man in the middle is our pilot into YVakanOuF2i Wian' cwzlwfs Street car station--Ywakanoural bff l1f'-' Waka' noura police and Red Cross workers.

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Rwhf, mp: P.O.W.'s on beach at Mampa Ro Hutcl awaiting' tlivii' Lturn in lincg nexl In lop: First P.O.XN'. train arrive-s at XYak:t- vamag nex! to bollnm: Devastation at XN'akayari1a. 1 XII ot' tliv Qlamagc at Wfakayama is said to liavv lat-fin flour- by um' raid of loo B-2g's, and this is just a small part ol' it. iz hfifwm: Rviimins of VVakama railroad station. Ltjl, lnfz: Sccnc at YVakayama station: rfu!'r.- l,oatliwg l'U XX' litter cases into ambulances at XVakayama station: if-I f.: ' Klum pa Ro Hotel. ' , -, 5 1 fal--lP',',3Y -15'4 , - , . Y- 1 L .. 1- . --'1 ?.,L-.. .. ,kk R - H, HV - -H A .,- , Iwi.--25. ,J:x:::,-V , it L I f--.-.--u---,,.. - 4- ' - ' .. ., :,..- ' ' 4,--A 'N ' 4753 if 1:-I - .P--44 L - NM, W -V. v1p. ,- ,K H I A..?,,3,.. 'gif A w in-,' W. 1 -an-. r-Mtg'-.g,-,Laila . - -' -Aiming.. ---. -4' - -V ' 22 YT Jfff s J . v ,, Wt 0 mils . J' .y 5-s s-. UE' , , 4 1'-lv is wr-