Sarasota (APA 204) - Naval Cruise Book

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in Uur Corpsmen were readily absorbed into shipboard routine. The Medical Battal- ion Corpsmen helped carry the load in the Ship,s Hospital. Company Aide Men stayed wth th . . . . . xi e1r units, Sick Call daily, found the Marine and the Navy Corpsmen working side by side. A lot of us worked with the Navy. When our Mess Hall moved to sea d so id our Mess Duty. We helped with the cookinff baking and servin a d h O, , g. . . n t en we cleaned up afterwards. We found jobs in the soda fountain, the laundry, and the Ship's Store . . . anywhere there was shipboard work to do, we helped do it. OTHE JOB...A D AT BAE Under the watchful eye ot D'r 'Co eland N ' . p , oe gives two Medical Corpsmen a lesson in Minor Surgery which could b ' ' e done under actual battle conditions. Wxltff -

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FRANCES E. BLAKE Major USMC Commanding Officer Troops KENNETH R. PORTER Captain USMC Executive Officer Troops tl 'N ll .9 X ttf 5 A t Klux' 5. l05lAfJctoher l. 1954. The First Battal- ion Sixth Nluriiics and attached units embarked on this 05.5. Sarasota and other vessels for the NELM ffruisc. lift days at sea. in which the routine of the harracks adapted itself to the confines of a sea going vessel. 13 days to Algiers. literally a shake- down cruise for most of us. It looked like an im- possibility for us to live off the deck, up to five tiers ahove it. find breathing room, or places to stoit our gear, Hard to do? Yes, but possible, and less and less difficult as one port followed another. Out of confusion came,a pattern-reveille at 0700, chow lines for breakfastg then came the weapons to clean. the training schedules to carry out, and in fact most of the routine of the barracks. On a ship space is scarce. When we found no room be- low, we moved topside for work and recreation. From calisthenics in the morning until the movies at night we found the main deck a welcome addi- tion to our compartment space. Some found the cool deck a good place to sleep during the hottest days of the Mediterranean summer.

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QT , ' I 'X ,v ' +1 sell Shining shoes was one of fhe liiile ihings ihai we could do during our spare hours, which helped +o pass ihe lime. Wil 1-Q-if 1 , PN , . P ' 'Q' R vi' 4 Abou? ready 'ro go over +he side, one of our men checks 3 '4' -1 v -TNG. his gear fo see if if is clean and worlrihg properly. W vw.. M'-,..--f' Y ,,, W ' Q K 4 N lu, --1-A- '52 rf ii M i Q K 1 ff' ' 1 ' , ' Y There were few smiles lhe fire? fume down fhe nel, bul wlfh g W5 each landing 'rhe clesceni seemed less hazardous. 'li X y, f ,V 3' 'i , 'yi , fff .yuh ,he crowded Condifion of our compar+men+s, if was ff Always eager fo learn more, Sergeani Jones and fwo of his lo meef fhe s x NX if JI g ,FR 1 H J gh l