Randolph (CV 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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C3151- Irv, '15 .X ug. , s, ,M M ian- s ellgsigiv, ,Z +o +he airfield, we eslablished sleeping quarlers for our ourlir, Co. C-B , in a nearby adminislralion building. Afler suffering numerous flea biles, and sharing OUI' uarlers wi'l'h olher visi+ors such as huge spiders and land q crabs, we finally gol' 'rhe building cleaned oul' and fumi- + well known card board box. marked K ralions, unlil we gol 'lo 'lhe poin'I' of seH'ing UP ' fo roduce our own galley and range, which was lafer p h 'lhe ingenuiiy of Joe galed. Chow came in 'lha some preH'y good meals 'rhroug Sfasack and Bill Hunler. h n ed The 'lhird day in Japan our guard pos+s were c a 9 n and af- and sel up in and aboul 'lhe neighboring low . forded us an oppor+uni+y +o see how 'l'he civilians lived. Mos? of The small shops were closed bul' The Pe0Ple seemed indilzlerenl' 'lo our presence and wenl' aboul' ihell' laslzs as usual. Mos? of 'lhe homes were small, flimsilY

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159, , M ' as ? 'x.21Nng ' 'Y A . fa Quzf-Lxu. V 1 ' ie- ,ht .!J is nl .iq :E l X II time in long chow lines, washing cloihes, receiving final briefing and learning a few words of Japanese. Carrying full field equipmen'l', we disembarlced in'ro 30 d headed Higgins boais on 'I'he morning of Augusi' , an for Yolxosulca Naval Air S+a'l'ion, which could be seen on rhe disfani shoreline. We soon passed close by 'lhe Jap bafleship Naga'ro , which plainly showed 'l'he damage inflicied by our planes, and a few minu'l'es laier we landed on The concreie runways facing 'l'he warerfroni. We moved info fhe area assigned +o us, in baiialion forma- HOU. and if wasn'1' long un1'il we had fhe si'rua'rion well in hand. There was evidence on every side of +he ef- iecfs of recenl' bombings and ihe numerous planes on fhe 0 0 d-1 landing fields and in 'rhe hangars appeared dllapldaie H01 nearly as ominous as fhey looked in 'lhe sky. A'i+er seHin9 up BaH'alion Headquarfers in a garage adiacenf is

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-Y builf affairs and ihe people appeared somewhaf ema- ciafed. The Air Base was surrounded by hills, all honey- combed wilh caves and l'unnels, which we explored, pick- ing up various souvenirs. Among olher poin+s of in+eres+ were hangars in which fhe suicide Balxa bombs were sforecl. Some of fhem were fully loaded wilh explosives. All l'his lime no word from lhe Randy or no sign of lhe familiar L on 'l'he rail or wing 'rip of planes passing overhead. Bul' much 'lo our surprise and joy, a plane landed one day loaded wi+h mail, chow and lbelieve I+ Or nofll beer. Some of fhe old Jap fire exfinguishers Came lo good advanlage as we used fhem +o cool 'Phe brew. Noi many days had gone by un+il we had +he area well Secured, and as fhe novelly was beginning 'io wear off, we Were ready fo go home. Everyone was wondering where fi