Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

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beer that go with it. Due to the large number of Naval vessels in port, however, it was quite a problem for the local Service Squadron to furnish each ship sufheient boats to handle its liberty parties Our problem was somewhat solved though through the kindness of the AK-35, which loaned us two boats and crews, AA an--I1IZ'e 7 7 1--... -. ,Q :K t J J ? TT My -gy .',',1----- 1 -:,--ililif , 13: -:11 Q1 A - if ,W - .,.......-.Sf I --T f X ,Q l rv-Image ... fxfvl H!! I Xl 34 Q' l 1TT, thus, we were able to send a Section ashore each day We were 1n the Southern Anchorage however, and it was too long a boat trip to attempt to take our liberty parties to Mog Mog Island where there were organized recre ational facilities as at Pityilu Consequently we and all the other ships in the Southern An chorage decided to use F eitabul Island, which was uninhabited and just about 6ooo yards from our berth While there were absolutely no recreational facilities on this mile long island we managed to get our per capita allotment of beer each day, and it was really a treat to go to F eitabul, because it was the one island we had seen that had been absolutely untouched by the ravages of war With its many beauti ful coconut palms and its very dense under growth, It was everything we had expected to find in a typical South Pacific island. Tropi cal flowers were numerous, and you couldn't step on a spot in the Jungle without stepping on coconuts, the ground being literally covered with them. There was a beautiful white beach on the lagoon side, and the ocean side X..g-f-I-:.'k:,:1 . I f ' l I N ' J ' 3 7 s presented a very pretty sight, with the clear, blue-green waters breaking over the coral reefs iooo yards olf shore. Since so many ships were in the same Hx we were in, there was al ways a crowd on the island. Many parties open fires in the shade of the palms. In one sense it was like Main Street back home be- cause one was constantly running into old friends there from other ships present. Even when in port, however, itls not all play with us by a long shot. We are all kept very busy attending to our part in the preparations for the next operation. Then, too, there is no little cleaning of bright work, and there is, of course, the ever present painting to be done We don't believe there is ever a minute in the day that somebody on board isnlt painting somewhere, trying to keep one jump ahead of the rust and corrosion caused by the salt air. We do, as often as possible, have Happy Hours, which are put on by officer and enlisted personnel from the ship and squadron, and we had one of our best while at Ulithi on this visit. It was highlighted by a boxing match with the team from the Bismarck Sea CCVE 955, though we are forced to admit that they licked us in that department, but not without our men put- ting up a good scrap. As a matter of fact, it was a great fight, and we lost by only one bout. Our spirits were undaunted, though, and we pro- ceeded to put on a good show for them, any- way, with our orchestra, our string quartet, our soloists and our piano-accordionist. We had many guests from the Bismarck Sea as well as other ships, not the least of whom constituted the 'fbiggest cargo of gold braidv we've ever had aboard at any one time before. The ship was literally listing to port under the weight of the head gear worn by the Old Manls dinner guests, Captain Whaley of the Makz'n Island CCVE 933, Captain Pratt of the Bismarck Sea CCVE 95D, and Captain Frank T. Ward, Jr. of the Shamrock Bay CCVE 841 After nearly three weeks of work and play, mostly work, and guessing when we were get- ting underway and where we were going, we had every reason to feel that we had success- fully completed another leg in the travels of the Lunga Porn! and were about to embark on another. brought rations along and cooked supper over

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PA RT I V 1wo ,UMA Then earne the hardest fought battle QF them att, Iwo jima just ah'a'n t want to fall, But our jfghting Nlarines haa' a awferent idea, They knew the HLunga P0int's ,blanes were near, S0 thgf forged aheaa' with grim a'eterrninatz'0n To win another znetogr 0'er the japanese Nation. Saturday, IO February 1945: I2-I6 Anchored as before. 1239 Underway on various courses and speeds from Ulithi Atoll, Western Caroline Islands. Captain at the conn. Executive Ofhcer and Navigator on the bridge? In one of his customary Hfiresidew chats that night, the skipper told us over the general announcing system that we were underway for the invasion of Iwo Jima. We already knew that Iwo Jima was way up in the Volcano Islands, and right in the Jap's front yard. The Captain didnat mince any words in telling us that it was destined to be a tough scrap, because the Japs would undoubtedly fight to the last man in attempting to hold this air base so near their front door. He told us, however, that he knew we had what it took to carry out our part of the invasion successfully. The importance of Iwo Jima as an air base in our Pacific strategy could easily be seen by the mighty force of warships of all classes that were sent to insure the success of the operation, and it was really an inspiration to be a part of the powerful Task Force that set its course for Iwo Jima. First wave approaching southwest beach at Iwo Jima just before HU hour Co83ol on DU day C19 Fcbruaryj, Sinokc from naval gunfire and aerial bombardment almost obscures the island. Mt. Suribachi is sccn at upper left.