Renville (APA 227) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

CRISIS Ammunition was loaded. Bombs of various sizes mostly. And gasoline. Then back to the pier at the Naval Station, all through the night and the next day, troops and their cargo. The piers, under the smokey glow of the huge lights of many ships, were crowded with moving lines of Marines, their tanks, jeeps, trucks, and tier upon tier of wooden crates, and bundles, and bags. There was much shouting and swearing and commotion and bewilderment, but somehow the loading was completed in short time and the piers were emptied. It was a huge job of mobilization, and it was done in amazing time, and on the morning of the 27th the Renville was underway. After clearing San Diego Harbor the Renville crew found itself in a convoy of 26 ships, including a destroyer screen, with their bows pointing south. They knew nothing definite. The officers, most of them, knew nothing definite. Would they steam with no destination? Would they go to the Panama Canal and stop? Would they transit the canal and ap- proach Cuba? Would there be a landing? What? In any case they would be busy. Many of them had sailed only with a few ships, never' such a large formation before. The bridge watch, made up mostly of green ensigns and green whitehats, were nervous and taut and busy as hell. This would be the best training, if nothing else. CIC and radio were hopping, as they had never hopped before. The engineroom watch was doubly alert, in a formation like this a breakdown could be suddenly disastrous. And the deck crew kept busy with numerous highline transfers and under- way fuelings. The powerful-looking convoy of amphibious ships steamed south through the changing sea, while the ominous cloud of a major threat to peace hung gloomily over them. First the grey and then mauve seas off Baja, California, then with the hot damp days the deep blues, the transparent aquamarines, and the gay phosphorescent churn- ings at night. Further south the air became damp and clung to the body. One morning a low bank of rain clouds and fresh breeze blew up, and there was a sudden sweet downpour of rain. Crew and troops frisked in the rain, their tensions temporarily broken. I Wx

Page 10 text:

C BAN One bright afternoon last October, President Kennedy announced to the nation that the United States Government had issued that morning an ultimatum of an extremely serious nature to the Soviet Union. A convoy of Russian frelghters believed to be carrying nuclear weapons in their cargo was on its way to Cuba, where a gradual military buildup had been uncovered during the previous weeks. President Kennedy told the nation a message to the Soviet Union stated that all Soviet vessels within a prescribed perimeter around Cuba will be signalled to stop by American Naval vessels and to prepare for a boarding and search party, and that any attempt at resistance would be met with open fire. The Presi- dent said that American forces around the world had been alerted, leaves cancelled, and extensions directed where necessary. At 0200 on the morning following that decisive afternoon on October 22nd, the Renville shifted berths from the Naval Station, San Diego, to the Naval Air Station, North Island. Other ships were busy moving in the harbor, too. There was excitement and nervous laughter. And the elusive feeling of unreality which spreads through awareness whenever some- thing happens which has always been categorically assigned to an unknown and incredible future. The Renville was scheduled to depart for WestPac in another week, and a successful period of amphibious training had been completed only a few days before. Her crew was looking forward to new horizons and preparing for wistful separations. With new feelings backed up on theold so suddenly, they did not know how to respond. Now the rumors spread. They would load troops. They would go to Cuba. There would be world war. They would load troops and wait- In the next few days nothing happened and a lot happened. The Soviet convoy had slowed and one or two ships had turned away. It appeared that Khrushchev would acquiesce, at least for the time being. The Renville crew began to adjust their outlooks to the new possibilities, and to form their personalities, their being around them. Their looks became more direct, their feelings more concrete, whether they be of skepticism, of disbelief, of uncer- tainty, of reluctance or heroism. And the Renville began to assume the appearance of a combatant ship. i

Page 12 text:

. d. S'Qf'H'T .. ,-.gang-X 1, Y . EDICAL DEP RT EN L. to R.: LALLA, J., HMC, MERRILL, J., HM3g MONTMENY, R., SN, CARLES, C., HM3g ROYBAL, E., HM2g HUTCHESON, R., HM2g MOSS, F., HM2, FINGOLD, D., HM3g SIXSMITH, H., HM2g STEERE, D., HM3g DR. J. A. MARCEL, LT MC. MCORPSMANIV7 The word is shouted everytime someone is injured, and soon a capable Hospitalman is on the scene to render assistance and lifesaving treatment. Fortunately the instances for emergency care aboard the Ren- ville have been rare, but never-the-less the corpsmen are always ready, willing, and able to treat any patient, no matter what his trouble. Under the leadership of Dr. Marcel an extensive and persistent training program is fol- lowed to keep the Medical Department up to date with the latest methods of care for the sick and injured, and current sanitation measures. Routine cases are handled at the twice daily sick call, but emergencies are handled any time day or night. Several services are available to aid in determining the cause, extent or best method to employ in treating each case. The laboratory is equipped to handle routine examinations, while almost any type of x-ray can be taken by our x-ray technician. The pharmacy is stocked to fill both commercially prepared or freshly compounded prescriptions. With the aid of the operating room technician, major or minor surgery, of an elective or emergency nature can be performed at any time. Aside from dealing directly with the patient, the department also keeps all the health and dental record up to date, as well as assuring all personnel are immunized and examined on schedule. A corpsman is assigned the task of ordering all departmental supplies of a medical nature, and keeping the records of these expenditures. Food, water, and general sanitation of the ship is just a small part of the Medical Department's crusade against sickness and disease. J. A. MARCEL, M.D. A Doctor Jesse Marcel claims Houma, Louisiana, as his present home, but was born in Houston, Texas, 30 August 1936. For three years he attended- LSU at Baton Rouge, La., as a pre-med major., In September 1957 he entered Louisiana State University Medical School and graduated as an M.D. in 1961. After interning at Charity Hospital in New Orleans he received orders to the Phibase at Coronado and then to the Renville in August 1962, where he has doubled as Ship's Medical Officer, and H Division Officer. st? ' LT. J. A. MARCEL KMC? ' .fs..1.'.-fm-fa.:.f.--.' t -' -- -sf. fs . . 3,1 - - 1 -