Point Cruz (CVE 119) - Naval Cruise Book

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x .- H 5 . M... W. - son diego . . . Our stay in San Diego went quick- ly. We got the damage done by the storm fixed up over at the destroyer base and immediately were launched into intensive training. First it was Un- derway Training with General Quarters, drills, and critiques. We simulated at- tacks, casualties and repairs: fired the guns and taught ourselves to run the ship. Then came the carrier qualifica- tions with aircraft: AFS, TBMs, helicop- ters: and finally we began to get the feeling that we were, perhaps, more a carrier than a flat topped tanker. But too so-on it was over. There were the last few days of leave to see the folks, a weekend with the wife and family, a pier full of people to see us off. April had arrived and we departed. It was a long time before the men left the flight deck. Each man had an excuse for loi- tering there-to see the last glimpse of the people on the pier, to see the last chance sight of Point Loma as it fad- ed into the horizon, the last for eight m-onths ....

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l , ' . . . And then, one morning there were sea gulls following us again, and on that morning Diamond Head, a rain- bow arching from its crest, greeted us to Hawaii, the Paradise of the Pacific. And paradise it was: we forgot our impending trip to Japan, forgot our de- sires to be home again, and spent two wonderful days basking in the sun on Waikiki beach. Some of us rented cars and took 'off for a tour of the islands. We circled Diamond Head, climbed along the rugged coast line of the wind- ward side of the island, watched the water spout through the Blow-hole, and found our way back by the Pali and the cliffs to the warm surf of the beach and a sun burn. And in the evenings there was soft music and exotic dishes, and moon enough to make us hate the 0500 revielle we knew would start us on to Guam ....