Napa (APA 157) - Naval Cruise Book

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I I I I I I I I I II . I I 1. I I I I II Ii I I. I. III I II 'I :I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 2 I I I I 1 I I I I I I L , DECEMBER 1944 -- I 0726 Underway for training I' maneuvers to practice as- I sault landings on island EI beaches at Maui, T. H. I, DECEMBER 1944- I 1200 Beach Party C3 officers and 38 menj left the ship for I temporary duty under in- struction on an uninhabited island beach. '4Merry Christ- I man Eve. At least the rest of us will be on board our ' own ship, even though len- gaged in maneuvers. Christ- mas Party in the creW's mess hall with presents for all. Midnight Celebration of Holy Communion to usher in I Christmas. DECEMBER 1944- I 0440 Underway approaching objective beach. 0647 Ar- I . rived V i c i ni t y Transport Area and commenced lower- ing boats to simulate de- barking troops. 0924 Made I y smoke. 1012 Ceased making smoke. 1115 Commenced f hoisting boats aboard. 1210 Ip Underway in retirement g p movement. 1400 HHoliday I Routine. Mr. Ballard actu- y ally served everything men- I tioned on the menu to pro- I, I vide one meal the folks at I home could envy us - no I Spam. I Ii X 0 X , 1 X 5,0 X II II v 0 ,- I O O I , 0 0 ff I f :EQ E IYKII A- ' Xxx I ff ZZ? V X- X i 1 . , 5-L ' L ,..... an-:s...wqW. - I, fn- - :Zf5m.........m f ,aw , .' . EEKEE553EEEEEEZEEZKEEEEEEZKEEEEE5 4 -I H , O HO! The spirit of Yuletlde and no one feels , .Y . s- like Christmas this year. In the first place snow, . el-ry Clari tma which is so much of a necessity, is missing. Part of . E the Christmas packages have been received and some ' are cached away in preparation for THE DAY. De- i cember 24th and we are on maneuvers, nothing re- j springs forth with a Christmas Eve party in the mess- , hall. Pharmacist Mate Perry acts as MC, the Napa , , orchestra gets hot with some jive and our two . 1 little Christmas spirits, Yeomen Hopkins and Har- i ris, stand by the Christmas tree and pass out pres- - ents to all. Cake and punch and carols all add in I .f . - giving us something to think about and start remi- - Lf niscences. Next morning, a half-hearted Merry Christmas - rings throughout the ship and then back to work on I J : - maneuvers. At noon, the miracle happens. uSet Holi- I' I I from the shock. Suddenly, the word is passed for di hi f visions to turn in names for a swimming party on f I the beach and everyone ubangs earsw with thepdi ' I vision officer. A mad scramble for the boats and off ' we go to the beach just a little way from Lahina ' ' 66 0 79 day Routine, and three men passed out on deck t Roads, Maui, a beautiful beach, marvelous swim- I ming, baseball and football or just lying in the sun. . When we get back to the ship everyone is dead tired and the showers and clean clothes feel good. Z I V To top it all off is Mr. Ballard's masterpiece. What Q a meal! It almost takes two trays to hold it all but everything is there and the cooks and bakers really ,J 4 I outdid themselves this time. A real feast and almost j like home. ALMOST! I That evening as we sat out on deck and thought I 4 about the day, we could see Christmas trees in the I I I 1' f I I i 2 homes on the beaches of Maui. Many of us remarked Ig I that it wasn't a bad Christmas at all, but, it's not like j aback homef, Ei? 5 I? '- '- ' 'I I- 'I vsfasiaifi 42 ll 1 lf X! . sembling a holiday spirit, and then the Chaplain

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27 DECEMBER 1944- Loaded elements of the 4th Marine Division. Prepared to get underway for maneu- vers with the Marines. The well-trained MN d iv i s i o n will get her first operation work-out. il lbizli ion IS for negat, nuisance or nuts compiled and recorded for the Napa Year Book. If it's sewing that you're after, or a private lit'tle chat with some two mile off cruiser, don't sit there, tape a nap! There's a light- get that signal-Where's that man for No. 4 hatch? Clear the deck of all spectators-Coming writer-Clear the shack. Yes sir Cap- tain-That,s my coffee-Who the hell can fix my pants? Press sheet, Press sheet-Captain's iile board-.loc is ready- QMO! Snoring? What a false assertion, that is merely scrambled code! Who's the originator of this message-Turn that cowboy groaner low! What? You haven't got the scores yet-Get some music down below! 'cComeback'9 dear from San Francisco, pack your silk and hurry home! Quotamahsta, course and distance-Where's the sextant-Man the Wheel! Wheel house, 'Wheel house-Got no readings-What's the weather, ring the bell! Left no right no left full rudder- lighthouse bearing 232-We're just ten miles off position-Make that simply WATEBED joe! Get a radarman to do it-Bogey-Bos'n sound GQ! Negat on that Bogey Mister, thunderstorm at 3321 Bange to guide and where's my Water-OOD wants his lunch at 21 SA needs a little iixing-Man your swabs at each GQ! Yeoman, yeoman who's restricted-Wherels the morning paper you? Will you check my points this morning-Get me form two nine dash two. Duplicates? I want a million-Liberty at noon to- day-Summary at 09 hundred-Type this memo right away. So the eyes, ears, heads and fingers which are called the Napa brains, take a momentary check-up. CHere are heard the clank of chainsl . 7 1-Q-Q-HA---M-fs' mwwmwmnewms::amzmexg:ffmasiwwsxexamsfwsf-ffwwrfswvr:rum