Wasatch (AGC 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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H DIVISION BY D. C. PARIS, PHMBC Commissioning day found the Medical staff complete. Lt. Comdr. M.A. Mitchell, Senior Medical Officer, Lieut. K. F. Sands, Junior Medical Officer, Lieut. B.F. Swain, Dental Officer, and CphM Murden. Our sick bay was complete with fully equipped operating, sterilizing, and dressing rooms, two wards with a capacity of 25, although this number was exceeded many times. A Wsea worthyn pharmacy which supplied complete courses in A.P.C.'s and Wblackzand whitesn... Tomaso, PhMlc, Uthe nosen, haunted the pill joint. The X-ray and darkroom was efficient with our Indiana Ubick Green, PhM2c, in command The Bacteriology Lab, where quite a few had undergone the Wsweating outn process because of carrying a good time to extremes, was Bayonne's contribution of L.H. Wilson, PhM2c, with his face in the microscope. The doctor's office and clerical office were swell hangouts complete with medical library. And what Chief you saw hanging around at all times was responsible for all the book work connected with the Medical Department? Oh, I thought you knew... he was R.E. Hensley from North Carolina! The diet pantry was finally turned into a 'Joe rendezvousn. J.B. De La Rionda, better known as J.B.D., from Brooklyn manned the Joe-detail. He went to gunnery school to learn the art of Nshot givingN, Those four lane passageways gave our strikers a pain... to vouch for that ask Costigan, Molloy, and Allie. There was the UBoudoirU and the WThree HA's, but during the cruise they became the WThree third matesu. The guy with the coal dust around his eyes was L.A. Gavel, PhM3c, from Sugar Notch, Penna... better known as Lenski. The second was USungoon, or to the people around New Castle, Penna., it was A.R. Scarazzo, PhM3c. The rebel with the WBifocalsn was D.C. Paris, PhM3c, from Carrollton, Ga., Nwhere all them peaches grown. Surely you'll remember WDuckU Quick. He was almost too small to see, but you couldn't have missed that ear ring. That dental dilly was Louigi Muller, PhM2c, from Corinth, N.Y., wow, could he buck dance! Dr. Mitchell was relieved by Lt. Comdr. C.B. WHO Landis' Jones. Dr. Jones was relieved by Comdr. O.C. Hendrix. Dr. Hendrix was relieved by Lt. Comdr. J.S. Dunn. Through all the changes in our NGold braidn department, 'PorkyN Sands treated every case of fungoo the crew mustered from New Guinea to Japan. Dr. Swain was relieved by Lt. Comdr. C.E. Loveman, who finished the cruise as our Dental Officer. Other additions to our division were nBob Crichton, PhM2c, 'The Minneapolis Kidn, and B.B. nBlueyW Free, from Bowling Green, Ky., who has the right to beast of duty in Australia. The generosity of the WASATCH to other ships of the fleet did not except the Medical Department. Many times emergencies were brought aboard and cared for even though more complete facilities were close at hand. Under the fine leadership of officers, we met all situations and mastered them. Many occasions were sprinkled with hum r and laughter, but there were also times in which humor did not fit. None of us will forget our days together and remembering them, we will cherish our friends, the Ship's Company of the WaSat0l'1- ' ' ' s -1 - 4 - s- - - H -sf - - 1 , H., .. , ' ' fa---1-- --f -as 1- .lar- '- - ' 1 - i f- ' ft- v 1a-...'.g 1 , ....f,:.,:,:er-4

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i V ---1- -Qv.,..-- 1- ......M. .....-vpwmsmga-H-n-w ., -.---.---------11:-a-1-ge-f.1-v:-eq----:-ef-'. ,-., A i .. .. . Y -r - , .- . aa-.-N...gf-in-J.:z1.1:a1--:ae-.rrp-L-esyx--rn1,:...if1-- -A -- -, , ,, , , From left to right first row Fifield, Scotti, Lt.CjgD Boger, Lt. Cmdr. Alford, CGM Weaver, Petersen, and Ericson.' Second row Wilson, Wickham, Hillmeyer, Sibigtroth, Sloane, Hawkins, Gill, Stansoury, and Laveccia. Third row Wheatley, Zeltner, Le Blanc, Chace, Connors, Charles, Boileau, Robedda, and Quinn. F DIVISION ' . BY J. J. BOILEAU, FC 3C . These were the men who kept the directors aligned and the guns working, Scotti the refugee from a subchaser, with a heart of gold and a frown for every occasion, Peterson, who saw action with the army in world war one, chose the navy this time and liked the change, Ericson, father confessor, former battleship man, whose stock in trade was a worried look and an evasive answer for every Question, Sloane, twice torpedoed in the Atlantic Theatre, Hillmeyer, Wilson, Connors, Gill, Chace and Le ' Blanc, all with valuable experience behind them. Others were Robedda, Lavecchia, Quinn, Hawkins, Charles, and HRecognitionN Wheatley, capable men from boots and service schools. In the beginning, the officers were Mr. Murphy, who always had a clever story to tell, and always when a good story was the one thing most needed, Mr. Wallace and Mr. Boger.' Later Mr. Murphy and Mr. Wallace were replaced by Mr. Alford and Mr. Duda. Mr. Alford was a taut gun boss, and backed up his men with understanding. Mr. Duda supplied the Jive and made certain the magazines were as clean and shiny as his flute. New additions at Leyte were Sibigtroth, fresh from the Aleutians, Zeltner, Stansbury, Wickham and Htradern Boileau from schools. Before Borneo, Domke, Halfacre, Breck and Butler joined us, the latter two having seen months of action on carriers out here ...... Work was never easy for there was a continual fight against time, heat and rain. Many gun watches were stood from Milne Bay to the Yellow Sea, but the strain to keep alert was mercifully broken now and then by the appearance of the Japs. Ur. Alford, Mr, Schirmer and Mr, Wallace kept the watch awake and on the ball, using every conceivable method for exacting such a Boring, yet important task. Mr. Boger, soft-spoken but firm, won the hearts of everyone. Sometimes our Chief Weaver, who was a destroyer man in the early days of the war when the fighting was really uphill, checked the guns carefully and completely, always putting the boys on the right track whenever there was a question about what was wrong with a gun or how to repair it, Did he find brass to polish or painting to do? Could be ....... All was not work. A few characters like fungus Wilson would give out with gags and fun. And even if Eric and Scotti had moments of stomping hats and pulling their hair out Ca pretty tough assignment for Ericj over faults found, the good deeds over-ruled them .... Friends made, favors gladly done, loans of soap, dollars, candv from home shared by all---..If it Were be be done over again, these would be the boys one would choose for shipmates. y s

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.,..v,......,.........,.....,.... -. , R --- . M fxrxai I. .an 11-r. 'F' V' E. l......-il From left to right first row Kulbaka, Brown, Nelson, Ensign Tucker, Albright, Pampani, Radcliffe, Donaldson, and Ekman. Second row Mulrooney, Pennell, V Deaton, Pazera, Sheppard, Adams, Kulikowski, Boring, May, and Qardner. Third row Small, Brewer, Clemente, Reale, Marinaro, Gustin, Miller, Kukla, Schmidt, and Onizuk. Q B M DlvlsloN BY J. R. MULROONEY MM2 C we are going home, fellows. It's hard to believe, isn't it? we can forget all the hard work and sweat of war'and look to our loved ones for complete forget- fulness of all the unpleasant things that crowd our memories. You, Brewer, can go home to help your folks run that store you're so proud of. Sheppard, you can soon hold that little daughter of yours for the first time. So you are staying with the Navy, Albright? That's the boy, the Navy is made of men like you.. Remember that little town in Rhode Island, Boring? You should. You weren't with us long, Baker, but you are one of usg the same applies to you, Savage and Burch, who came late but - stayed until the finish. Shake hands Clemente, your sense of humor gave us a lot E of laughs. There's Divers, the salmon grower. If we ever get to Washington we will hoist a few beers together. Look at Deaton, fellows, that grin betrays his thoughts for we know he is thinking of home. Dickerson and Macky are a nice couple. I wish you.would stop smiling, Gustin, the flash from your teeth hurts my eyes. Are you going back to school, Johnson, or are you going to marry that tan lovely you told us about? Who is the handsomest guy in the Division? Ask Kulbaka, he'1l tell you. If you ever tend bar again, Kulikowski, don't forget to phone me. Kukla, are you going to make up with your girl? You should. Your sister is really a beauty Marinaro. Perhaps Miller, we can deep six that generator nowg how about it? So long, Onizuk, umybe Garnett will be waiting with the preacher when we land, so you can't change your mind. Don't let the girls get you down, Pampani, as if they could. So long Loheide, and please stop growing. Pazera, we will be looking for those winning teams you are going to coach. When Pennell and his girl go sailing again, they will forget us all. We dare you to wear that mustache home, Radcliffe. UBugW Reale, you and Kay will make a good team. Colling, how about fixing up a double date when we get back? That blond looks good in the picture, what is she like in the flesh? Schmidt, you should be a pretty good business man with all the experience you have had. What are you going to do with that fungus under your nose, Small? People won't know you at home. So long, Karty, you better treat Larue nice or she may scalp you. VN K x