Deck Logs from National Archives

Significant events:
January, 1945

1 Jan Steaming toward Lingayen Gulf
8 Jan USS Kitkun Bay, CVE-71 hit by suicide bomber. Fired on Jap plane over formation.
9 Jan Anchored in Lingayen Gulf. Debarked elements of USA 37th Division to Yellow beaches. Discharged cargo to beaches.
   HMAS Australia hit by suicide bomber. All troops and cargo unloaded at 1600. Survivors (104) of USS Ommaney Bay brought aboard.
   Departed Lingayen Gulf under heavy smokescreen.
12 Jan Anchored in Leyte Gulf.
13 Jan Debarked survivors.
20 Jan Began embarking troops of 38th Division USA.
21-24 Jan Loaded cargo and troops of 38th Division.
25 Jan Practiced full scale amphibious assault operation.
26 Jan Underway enroute Zambales Province, Luzon.
29 Jan Landed troops and cargo, completed by 1700. Underway for Leyte.

February, 1945

1-9 Feb At anchor in San Pedro Bay, Leyte. Ship moving at times for exercises, fueling, etc.
10 Feb Moved to anchorage off Tarraguna, Leyte to serve as tender and quarters for unloading crews.
13 Feb Relieved by USS Custer on Returned to San Pedro.
17 Feb Commendations awarded to 26 crewmen.
28 Feb Remaining at anchor, Leyte Gulf

March, 1945

1-12 Mar At anchor, Leyte, P.I. Loading cargo, troop supplies
14 Mar Completed embarking troops.
15-26 Mar Debarkation drills and landing exercises. Underway daily for various exercises.
27 Mar Underway with Task Group 51.13.11 Objective Okinawa.

April, 1945

1 Apr Assault on western beaches of Okinawa Island. Landed troops and beach party, rcvd casualties.
2 Apr Anchored off the Orange beaches. Discharged cargo and rcvd casualties. Night retirement.
3 Apr Returned to Orange beaches, completed unloading. Rcvd casualties.
5 Apr Underway enroute Guam in convoy Guam Pearl 3.
9 Apr Arrived Apra Harbor, Guam. Debarked casualties.
10 Apr Underway enroute Pearl Harbor.
14 Apr Half-masted colors per SecNav dispatch, in memory of President Roosevelt.
16 Apr Passed dateline eastbound.
22 Apr Arr. Pearl Harbor; some medical personnel detached
23 Apr Underway independently for San Francisco.
29 Apr Moored at Naval Ammunition Depot, Mare Island.
30 Apr Unloaded ammunition. First leave party left ship.

May, 1945

1 May At anchor in San Francisco Bay.
4 May Moved to Pier #20, San Francisco for overhaul. Period of leave and training for crew members.
19 May Narcotics locker found broken open and rifled. FBI investigating.

June, 1945

1-14 Jun Moored at Pier #20 south, San Francisco for overhaul. Crew members at various training.
15 Jun Moved to Drydock #4, Hunters Point, California.
19 Jun Moved to Pier #20 north
26 Jun Underway to Dock #1, Hunters Point, then to anchorage. Rcvd 2 LCMs and 2 LCVPs.
27 Jun Underway for degaussing, reanchored.
28 Jun Underway for compass calibration, speed trials.
29 Jun Loaded ammunition. Underway for test firing and full power run. Returned to anchorage.

July, 1945

1 July Underway from anchorage in San Francisco Bay, enroute San Diego. Re-anchored (temp) in thick fog.
2 July Moored to buoy in San Diego.
3 July Rcvd. 16 landing craft and parts from Depot.
4-9 July Training, drills, exercises in & around San Diego
10 July Underway to San Francisco
12 July Anchored in San Francisco, took on fuel & ammo
14-15 Moved to dock, embarked 1801 Naval passengers. Underway enroute Eniwetok.
26 July passed international dateline, westbound.
28 July Anchored at Eniwetok Lagoon.
29 July Refueled, underway enroute Ulithi.

August, 1945

1 Aug Underway enroute Ulithi. Anchored 2 Aug, then underway again enroute Leyte.
3 Aug Extinguished fire in 2nd and L Div. compartment.
5 Aug Passed through Surigao Straits to Leyte Gulf. Anchored San Pedro, debarked 86 (pass.)officers. Moved to Samar.
6 Aug Debarked 1706 passengers.
14,15 Aug Moved to Zamboanga, embarked troops.
16,17 Aug Moved to San Pedro Bay, Leyte.
18 Aug Debarked troops; took on fuel and ammunition
19 Aug Underway for Batangas, Luzon. Arrived 20 Aug. Loaded troops and cargo.
25 Aug Underway enroute Tokyo, via Subic Bay.
28 Aug Emergency breakdown while fueling DD-442.

September, 1945

2 Sep Entered Tokyo Bay, anchored off Yokohama.
3 Sep Moved to anchorage off Tateyama Naval Air Sta. Landed troops and unloaded cargo to LCMs.
4 Sep Underway, enroute Okinawa.
7 Sep Anchored at Buckner Bay, Okinawa.
9&12 Sep Moved to Hagushi, then to Nago Wan, Okinawa. Embarked troops, loaded cargo.
16 Sep Underway on Typhoon Retirement Plan. Typhoon passed over Buckner Bay – major damage.
18 Sep Returned to Nago Wan Harbor, anchored.
20 Sep Embarked Marines, Seventh Service Regiment.
23 Sep Moved to Hagushi, took on stores, returned to Nago Wan.
24 Sep Embarked more troops, total 40 off., 994 enlisted.
26 Sep Underway for Taku Bar, China (near Tientsin).
30 Sep Anchored in Gulf of Pohai, Taku Bar, China.

October, 1945

1-5 Oct Debarked troops and discharged cargo at Taku, China. 45 crewmembers transferred for transport by USS Attala to USA for discharge.
6 Oct underway for Manila, with 167 Naval passengers.
9 Oct reversed course due to severe typhoon south of Okinawa. Ship rolling heavily.
13 Oct anchored in Manila Bay, debarking passengers. Several crew members transferred to U.S.
18 Oct underway for Zamboanga, arriving 19 Oct. Loaded cargo at dock.
24 Oct moved to anchorage
29-30 Oct embarked troops of Marine Air Group 12
31 Oct underway

November, 1945

1 Nov arrived Samar – anchored (Typhoon condition II)
2 Nov departed for Okinawa via Manila Bay
8 Nov arrived Buckner Bay, Okinawa – refueled.
9 Nov moved to Hagushi, Okinawa.
10 Nov underway for Taku, China
14 Nov anchored in Gulf of Pohai off Taku, China.
19-23 Nov debarkation of troops, unloaded cargo.
28 Nov underway for Sasebo, Japan.

December, 1945