Napa (APA 157) - Naval Cruise Book

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.I JUNE 1945-0936 Underway to shift berths to Ames Terminal Dock. 1007 Moored starboard side to. It's a long taxi ride to town, but we can sleep a few minutes later in the morning. Let the early birds return by P boat if they prefer. 1130 Nine men advanced in rate. Mast reports absentees are in- creasing, but not alarming. 0732 Underway to Port of Embarka- tion. 0907 Moored Pier 37. ll 6JUNE 1945-1430 Commenced loading cargo. .I 7 JUNE 1945-Ens. J. J. Burke, USNR, transferred to U. S.'Nava1 Hospital to be operated on for acute appendicitis after more than a full year on duty with the Napa and its embryo crew. Nearly five months later Honest J ohn is still trying to get transportation to the ship in accordance with his orders, but State-side authorities still tell him the Napa is expected in port any day now and refuse to let him leave San Francisco. 'I9 JUNE 1945 - 1007 Com- menced embarking Army troops. 1755 Completed same. 1859 Underway enroute Honolulu, T. H. Only two men failed to make the ship, and one of them soon re- joined. A few more masts, a few more punishments to be served, and only richly embellished tales, oft retold, will be left of the Napa's return visit to Seattle. N J A 43. 3. n ll rarer' so good Eye Mama I in off to Yfoleolaama HEN the band struck up a most appropriate tune . . .. uSenti- mental J ourneyf' As the strains of this song were wafted over the clear morning air, many a battle-hardened veteran with fa,Good- Conduct Ribbon pinned to his manly bosom? could be heard gulping audibly, and perhaps hiding a tear. For they were off to the wars! lt was indeed a touching moment, and even the forced gaiety of the Red Cross women as they cheerfully,doled out cups of insipid coffee and plaster of paris doughnuts could not dispel the gloom. p One young lad of seventeen who was wearing the chevrons of a Master Sergeant was trying his best to hide a trembling lower lip. 44Wha't's the matter, Sargef' 1 asked, usad at the thought of leaving the States ? uNossir. he replied, uthat S.O.B. leading the band won my address book in a crap-game last night, and heis staying here! Just then a very rugged looking individual came up and took his chevrons away from my seventeen-year-old friend. As the last lines were cast off from the dock, a sudden grimness seemed to permeate 'the atmosphere. Soldiers were to be seen tensely cleaning their rifies, B. A. Rfs, carbines, and stomachs Call internally of coursei , and sailors were to be seen tensely cleaning brass name plates to the tune of 46 . . . put some elbow grease with the bright-work polish, you apes. . The 'trip itself was rather uneventful although on D-Day minus two at approximately 1000, an excited look-out hurriedly awak- ened the Officer of the Deck with the shout, '6Enemy planes, sir. c4Where away? drowsilv queried the OOD. uThataway,', proudly replied the look-out. MAH hands man your battle stations, and the raucous blaring of the general alarm caused men to rush pell- mell fK1ng size, of coursei up and downuladders, and passage- wavs But before all guns were manned, the members of the Meat Ball Express were already joinlngtheir ancestors. An in- tense and deadly barrage from the doggiesv lining the- rail plus voluminous clouds of thick, white smoke prepared by our Chief Smoke Maker now warrant S.M J caused the slant-eyes to crash. Thirty minutes after we d secured from G.Q., a plaintive voice from inside the cavernous depths of a talker -helmet could be heard to say It s a Betty A ' Q The mornlng of D Day dawned as 1S always the casei -bright and clear But what s this '7 No intense pre-invasion bombardment by scores of battleships cruisers, tin cans. and motor whale- boats'7 No pre 1nvas1on bombing of Blue-Beach One by thou- sands of Navy and Mar ne Coips planes? Hell no, Mac, this is Honolulu, and you re dlsembaiking over the gangwayi And with Diamond Head fading away ln the distance, with the strains of Sentimental Journey fsentimentally played by a sentimental Army bandj still r1ng1ng 1n our ears, we take leave of'Hawaii-- Paradise of the Pacific and our doggie passengers, who are even now fighting for the r lives in downtown Honolulu. 5 ac 99 - - Q J ' ' M aj. 5 , 7 , . Q 9 .. - 7 3, -J' c' i I Y . ,n.. 0. c ff digg-I A J cc. - .av . 72 I .. My ff,-1 is-I-ff, rr-.W-2 --H 1m

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