Napa (APA 157) - Naval Cruise Book

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8 5 MARCH 1945 - 1510 Bow of ship crossed sill of floating drydock. 1542 Ship in position. 1552 Main en- gines secured. Dock com- menced pumping out water. 1640 Ship resting on keel blocks. 1655 Cast off' all lines to dock. Asthe water level falls, the extent of the col- lision damage is revealed. The gash in the Napa's side extends well below the turn of the bilges and it is clear that only the lucky presence of the king post prevented the intruder's bow from shearing clean into the keel of the Napa, which would have inevitably cut her into two pieces. 6 MARCH 1945 - 1400 Ship's company commenced scraping hull preparatory to painting. Bos'n Chicka grins cheerfully as he sees his Hfeather merchants, now veteran sailors, literally starting at the bottom again. Dock crew, meanwhile, is bracing and shoring, welding and cutting, temporarily patching the wound, so that the Napa can return to sea. .I 2 MARCH 1945 - 1400 Commenced flooding dock. The Napa, partially re- paired, prepares to go along- side dock for final touches. 1540 Napa water borne. 1847 Bow crosses sill leaving dock, all lines clear. 1904 Anchored in Apra Harbor and celebrated by making smoke during red alert. ll MARCH 1945 -- 0620 Commenced making prepar- ations for shifting berth. 0730 Underway from anchor- age, proceeding to new berth. 0828 Docked port side to berth No 1, Inner APRA Harbor Work begun lmmed lately to finish patch. Ball games beside ship on dock MARCH 1945 2030 Whlle supervising repairs to port side of ship Chl s for treatment 9--1 A LITTLE gem in the blue Pacific, uncut, un- polished, and unfortunately-unforgetableI Be- cause of an acute attack of collisionitis, the reeking Napa floundered into this emerald patch and con- sented to Dry Dock surgery. Guam is the only place in the world that meas- ures its rainfall by the mile. When it rains, it pours and when it shines, it's a lie. ln such a perfect cli- mate the crew was debarked for recreation. Upon a beautiful strip of coral amid clusters of rusting tanks and jagged rock, we were granted the august privilege of contracting lock-jaw or too-hot-beer- itis. The palms there resembled broken umbrellas and the sand was half dirt and half beer cans. There was swimming, to be sure, and that bot- tom, which some folks marvel at, holds the true charm of shattered whiskey bottles. Sunburns were easily acquired as were the tons of sand and granu- lated coral. These soothing nature cures cling to your hair, eyes, back and teeth. The over-all sensa- tion of liberty was nauseating. We had little choice --our ice boxes were demolished and beef doesnit have that tempting aroma when exposed to tropical climates as it appears in the ads and on Mom's plat- ters. ln a word the Napa stunk, and for miles. The crowning experience of our stay at Guam was embarking a load of Jap prisoners! They looked delightfully emaciated. It rained . . . still, and we finally took leave of this garden spot of tropical tangle with high hopes for walking the gilded streets of the fabled U.S.A. MARCH 1945-0845 Repair work finished Em- barked Japanese prisoners of war and Marine guards 1100 Embarked ambulatory and stretcher patients for trans fer to Pearl Harbor or the States 1533 Underway en harbor to deballast 1814 An chored ln Bei th No 701 2010 Commenced fueling ship MARCH 1945 0811 Underway from anchorage enroute Pearl Harbor T H w1th prisoners of war and casualties The big question or not 9 Ti -A., . max. ig R it at ,L 1 4 .Q I t 3 1 1 f . . . 1 . 25 ' - 3 ' . . - ' v . . . . i ' ' Q . ' - 26 - 1 - - ca ea 1 - , , 1 , . 9 ' , , injured in a fall. In sick hay . A route to position outside of A 1 iSJ6DO We go to the States p , ' Q , . 99 X

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