Wasatch (AGC 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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N' JL ' E-: g af' A 5 DEPARTMENT HEADS From left to right first row RAYMOND LOUIS BELLIVEAU, Lt. Cmdr. Cscy, USNR. The officer responsible for the good food we have all enjoyed. Married, three children. JOHN SAMUEL DUNN, Lt. Cmrir. CMCJ, USNR. A newcomer to the ship but one who quickly established himself. Married, two children. WALTER ORMOND LEE, Lt. Cmdr., USNR. Head of the Communications Department. Responsible for all radio and radar eqpipment, a tremendous job. Married, three children. HERBERT CARLTON HESSE, Lt. Cmdr., USNR. Navigator. Always kept us onfcourse and on time. Lots of sea-going experience prior to reporting for active duty. Married. JOHN WILLIAM ALFORD, Lt. Cmdr., USNR. Gunnery Department. Came to Wasatch from BuPers. Responsible for the excellent performance given by our gunners. Bachelor. Second row HAROLD EDGAR SOMMERS, Lt.CjgD, USN. First Lieutenant. In charge of the many repairs and alterations that have kept us all so busy. Many year's sea duty. Bachelor. ERNEST POPE KENDALL, Lieut. CChcD, USNR. Everyone's favorite. Married, two children. ROBERT BECKETT HINSON, Lieut., USNR. Chief Engineer. Kept the engines and generators going despite all difficulties. Bachelor.

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,.,,.... ...,.e,.-..-.....f ,. ., I V ,....i..,.......,....,.,,,,,,....,.........,r , , Y - ..,. .. ..,.,.-. .---- - - 7 . M., -..ne-n...Nvt-,-Yasser-vssfa-sf-rsffef ,. J V- ef - - -- p p ' CAPTAQN GRANUM I WILLIAM BQRNS TUCKER - Capt., USNR. Graduated from the Academy 1922. First ship USS MARYLAND. After 6 years.transferred to the USNR and entered the banking and invest- ment business. Later associated with American Bakers Inc. Active in organized reserve of 6th N.D. Returned to active duty summer of 19Ll. 0. in C. of Officer Candidate Sec., BuPers. Responsible for setting up and organizing V-12 In charge of V-1-5-7-9-12. Instrumental in originating and organizing the WAVES. Married, A children. Lives in Atlanta G J 45. if . dn: .. . V-' . ,A-, 53? ,a b , 1 'R f. . ALI-'ORD M. GRANUM. Capt-, USN' 9. Born, January 2L, 1899. Entered academy 21 3 Q July, 1917, Graduated class of 1921. Firstt rg ship USS WISCONSIN. Prior to being assigned gf as first Captain of USS WASATCH, was with 1 'fa BuShios engaged in the procurement of commu- 'sla 5 nication Material. Active in research andlfperg development of radio and radar. From Wasatch QQ assigned to ComPhilSeaFrontier as Operations QQ Officer. Married, two children. 'A'- A M' ' 1 I 1' we W1 3 Q 5 .W eight. LP! K 3 1 X.ex, xC -f K x X..-in .Qs 1 X a S W xx ts! 1 A COMMANDER TUCKER IIIIIIIII!III!!IIllllll!IllllIIIIIlIIllllllIIIIIllIIllIIlIIlunun--.-..............Ii

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1 w A ...... L.W. -.-. -:-- ,..,...... M 2,-as-,ar I ,-H-germ-N..-g-T f'-rp ,. L. - I T 1 A 2' L 3 P. I 1 i I I 1, w w w r 1 P r I 1 I 1 f T 1 1 1 i i i , v I SHIWS HISTORY LT. JG JAMES CONWELL WELSH EDITED BY LT. JG JACK HOLT BOGER ,,. 'yi' ,- f ' As an Amphibious Force Flagship the purpose of the Wasatch was to provide for coordi-Q nation of land, sea and air forces in an amphibious operation. Among the many thlngs d included were accommodations for the Amphibious Force Commander and the Commander of the Coordinating Forces and their staffs. Facilities for communications, of course, had to be .immense.f The Wasatch has done her job well - and much more. During the last 18 months she has operated as tanker, supply ship, hospital ship, transport and floating hotel for tran- sients. .'f ' ' E. In volume I no. 7 of Wasatch News Notes published 9 May, 19Lh, there is an article A ,which is quoted because of its significance in connection with this publication: , c Light Off . ' T r ' The first entry in one of the ship's log was made Monday: to wit, 01510- lighted fires under number one boiler.Hv Five minutes later, number two boiler. sent its smoke column up the stack. Somehow, it seemed as though the ship had taken her first breath of life and was.signaling her intention to take an ear- ly departure I' V V 1 ' ' . With the boilers lighted off she began to generate electric powerhand a- ,board the Wasatch, electric power is used for so many pieces of gear it staggers -is A ones imagination.' A While work on conversion was going on space at Portsmouth, many of the officers and 1 men were being organized into divisions at the pre-commissioning headquarters at Newport ,R.I. Here, under the direction of the Executive Officer Comdr. Wm. B. Tucker Cnow Ca tid. P Tuckerl, organization began to take place. Division officers were appointed, divisions fo d d rme an men assigned to each. Friendships were made--friendships that have endured t V .A r, T . . hrough those 18 months of sea duty, friendship that will last as long as life itself' ' friendships welded on the forge of each day'e work, of each day's hours of relaxation: and tempered in the heat of battle B th t . W . y e ime the detail was ready to entrain for Norfolk I g much of the frame work had been built. The various divisions reported aboard ready and eager to take up their duties only to find that there was much more to do before the ship would be completed and so little time in which to do it. ' On our first trial run a breakdown occurred making it necessary to be towed back to the dock 'S hy ' ' W . omew at crestfallen but not disheartened, we set about repairing the trouble and soon were off on our formal shakedown in Chesapeake Bay After some da s of stea r - .A n ' Y m' ing, gunnery drills, calibrations, turning circles and whatnot, plus a liberty in Annap- olis, we returned to the yard for final check and adjustment.- It was not long before all hands were loadi t P C ng s ores, last letters were hurriedly posted and we were on our way to the a a d n ma ,anal with two destroyer escorts, the USS STAFFORD and the USS La PRADE I A . None knew just where we were going after the Canal but scuttlebutt had us first in Australia, then the Aleutians and even Pearl Harbor. '