Taconic (AGC 17) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 13 text:

Although there were a few patches of clear water, once the convoy started to follow the icebreakers there was a great deal of ice. . Before meeting the icebreakers, the ice had been for the most part bergs. Each bit of ice was separated from the next. On entering the pack ice, how- ever, it seemed that at times a person could climb over the side and walk for miles on the ice field. A The icebreaker ahead was breaking up the ice ahead of us, but sometimes it seemed that they needn't have bothered, we were breaking plenty of ice our- selves. The convoy's progress was quite steady, thanks to the use of the helicopt- ers. The TACONIC was fortunate in having a pointed bow. When the icebreaker broke the ice, the TACONIC could make her own path. Some of the LST'S, how- ever, were not so fortunate. After the icebreaker had carefully broken the ice for them, they with their flat bows would push the ice back together and in some cases would get iced in. The convoy, however, proceeded along without other incident, arriving in North Star Bay, our destination, on the last day of june. of wwif ?

Page 12 text:

In order to conduct the convoy safely through the ice, the ice- breaker EASTWIND took the lead. The rest of the convoy fell in behind the EASTWIND in one long column. The TACONIC was the second ship behind the icebreaker. A Each of the three icebreakers had about one third of the ships for which they would break ice. Immedi- ately following each icebreaker was an LSD. I In this column formation, each ship followed the one ahead as clos- ely as possible. In,spite of that, as the column moved northward, twis- ting and turning, the last of the ShiP8 in column, some LST'S, were l 8 most below the horizon. To the officers and men on the bridge it 0PPeared as though the icebreaker '33 tryin! to spell out the name of her CHPtain in the ice field as she turned and twisted northward.

Page 14 text:

s I The TACONIC dropped her anchor in North Star Bay in the shadow of Mount Dundas. This strange looking mountain with the flat top and bare rocky sides soon became an old friend.f , 'Our whole reason for coming up to North Star Bay was to provide stores and r V f ,equipment' or the Air Base at Thule. The Admiral, with his staff embarked in the TACONIC, was in command of the whole operation. The LST's beached and quickly unloaded their c argo. The LSD's unloaded the small craft they carried.' These smaller craft began the task of unloading the Victory ships which were carrying cargo for the Air Base. E 'As the Victory ship's 1 were unloaded and ordered homeward, other Victory ships arrived, maintaining a steady stream of suppl- ies to the activities ash- ore. 'i The never setting sun allowed unloading operat- ions to continue ' d roun the clock: gmqll craft like thousands of ants: neve round trip fro . m ship to pier. ,+ I r ceased the endless'