Sanborn (APA 193) - Naval Cruise Book

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Zfiiimlu ,S -we Y' s SW Ni -3 X may if if s 1 r M eritoriozis M asf a few hundred yards of the beach close behind barrages from battleships and attacking rocket-firing planes. The ruse was effective as evidenced by the comparative lack of opposition met by our assault invaders on the west- ern beaches. The Task Group, less cer- tain vessels that were dispatched to Okinawa or Kerama Retto for unload- ing, operated for the next ten days in an area to the southwest of Okinawa, await- ing a call to land the troops carried. April l6 intelligence reported an attack of enemy surface forces imminent, and the group was ordered to retire. There were two alarms that evening occasioned by suspicious radar contacts, but no ac- tion developed. On the afternoon of ll April the group was ordered to return to Saipan and to stand by there for orders. After lying at anchor for 7 weeks at Saipan awaiting developments for further invasions the Sanborn was ordered to Tulagi, Florida Islands. This was the first trip the Sanborn had made. Much to-do was made over the Equator-crossing cere- monies and crew and officers partici- pated in the traditional and hilarious ordeal of initiation into the Solemn Mys- teries of the Ancient Order of the Deep. Many men got their first look at typical South Pacific lslonds and native inhabit- Meritorious Mast

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S Us -0 'O -0 -0 -C -D -I -0 'O 'U 'U 'U 'O I 1 Ill? onts when they reoched the Solomons. These vvor swept islonds were recovering from the effects of conflict ond their polm lined beoches ond verdont moun- toins were o pleosont ond peoceful sight. From Tulogi 0 run even forther south wos mode to New Coledonio. Eleven doys of comporotive leisure vvos spent in this first foreign town of French Noumeo. July l she looded o corgo of miscello- neous wor rnotericil ond heoded north ogoin. ln the Morionos she dischorged her corgo, then hurriedly reodied her- self for her first return trip to the United Stotes. Upon orrivol ot Son Froncisco it wos leorned she would hove less thon 20 doys to moke necessory repoirs ond provision for o quick return to the Pocific, this time corrying the knockout forces to Jopcin itself. Unofficiol V-J Doy wos herolded os o greot doy by those oboord the Sonborn olthough they knew it meont little to them since their new ossign- ment colled for on olmost imrnediote de- porture. On the eighteenth, looded with members of the Eighty-sixth Division Field Artillery vvho hcid only recently returned from Europe she set soil for Eniwetok, first stop on her woy to Leyte, Philippine lslonds. From Eniwetok to Ulithi in the Coroline lslonds-then o chonge of orders just out of Leyte sent her north through the Son Bernordino Stroits to Botcingos on the islond of Luzon. Nine months before o Jop fleet hod steomed through those woters to its defeot off Somor. At Botongos she dis- chorged troops ond corgo ond reported bock o Son Pedro Boy, Leyte for further orders. From Leyte she proceeded to Guiuon, Somor lslond, then to Cebu, Cebu lslcind. This possoge took her through Surigoo Stroits on the bottom of which lie the hulks of the other Jop fleet thot tried to prevent our londings on Leyte. Two doys were spent in wor torn Cebu toking oboord troops of the 77th Divi- sion with equipment for the occupotion of Jopon. With onother APA ond two ottock corgo ships the Sonborn shoved off on the lost leg of her destined jour- ney for Otoru, l-lokkoido in northern Jopon. After two doys of eosy soiling the tosk unit found it necessory to re- verse course, ond for eight doys it mo- neuvered to elude typhoons which were sweeping the woters off the eostern coost of Jopon. The Sonborn's onniver-