The Men on USCG LST 791
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Reed Adams
The War Years
I graduated from Fresno State College in 1940. My first teaching job was in
Tulare County, teaching instrumental music for a half day in each of 10 rural
elementary schools. Each school paid $200.00 for the year. I continued to supplement
my teaching pay by playing in bands. I moved to the San Francisco Bay area and
spent the last two weeks before joining the U.S. Coast Guard playing with the
famous Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band, performing at the Dawn Club in downtown
San Francisco.
On June 16, 1942 I enlisted in the Coast Guard, to join a band being formed
at Government Island in Alameda, California.
The Coast Guard Band had the pick of the crop of musicians from major symphonies
and big bands. I could have remained with the band for the duration, but in
1943 I applied for admission to the USCG Academy at New London, Connecticut.
Four months later, I was commissioned an Ensign in the class of 3/43.
I will never forget the final month at the Academy, training and sailing on
the square-rigged sailing ship, Danmark (you'll read more about the Danmark
later!).
My first assignment in August 1943 was aboard the Arbutus, a buoy tender moored
at Newport, Rhode Island, tending buoys and anti-submarine nets in Narragansett
Bay. This assignment presented a good opportunity to learn the basics of seamanship,
navigation, and work on the deck.
Nearby Boston provided great weekend liberty for Executive Officer Wendell
Holbert and myself. His favorite drink was port wine and ginger ale.
In March 1944, I was transferred to the 165-foot Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk,
headed from Boston for the Greenland Patrol.
After escorting ships as far east as Greenland, the ship proceeded to a point
south of Greenland and gave weather reports in preparation for the invasion
of Normandy.
The storms and seas were awesome, along with ice fields that were always present.
We sometimes retrieved ice from alongside and made ice cream, using an ice
cream freezer someone had brought aboard.
Pacific Area Overseas Orders
In June 1944, after the Normandy landing, Lt. Lester W. Newton, Lt. (jg) David
L. Russell, Ens. George T. Stoudenmire, and I were transferred from the Mohawk
in Greenland to Camp Bradford in Norfolk, Virginia for training as crews to
man LSTs headed for the Pacific. It was here that we first met the boys who
would become the men of LST 791. Most were just out of boot camp, but we were
fortunate that there were enough excellent petty officers with sea duty experience
to develop an outstanding crew in time to carry out our mission.
LST 791 Log Wednesday, 27 September, 1944
Commissioning ceremonies were held this date. LT CDR J. Wildman, the Commandant's
representative, read his directive and caused the National Ensign and the Commission
Pennant to be hoisted. The Commandant's Representative then turned the vessel
over to LT Andrew Duncan Jr., USCGR who then read his orders to assume command
of this vessel. The Commanding Officer ordered the Executive Officer to set
the watch. The officers and enlisted personnel attached to this vessel on date
of commissioning are as follows:
[See Appendix B for the complete list
of personnel.]
LST Training
While in training at Camp Bradford, another student in the First Lieutenants'
class discovered that some army-surplus Indian motorcycles were for sale in
Philadelphia, and we thought it would be a good idea to buy one to have aboard
ship. With Commanding Officer Lt. Andrew Duncan's permission, I purchased one
of the motorcycles, which was delivered to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where we
boarded the 791. BM 1/c Dick Schlernitzauer picked it up, and we were surprised
to discover that it had arrived disassembled-Dick ended up assembling it on
board! I had never owned a motorcycle, so learned to ride it on the tank deck
while we sailed down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Dick used it at times
to pick up the ship's mail. The ship was fortunate to have Dick in charge of
the deck division. He set an example as a leader that all hands admired and
contributed greatly to the success of our mission.
Before departing New Orleans, and anticipating Wendell Holbert's and my paths
might cross in the Pacific Area, I purchased a bottle of port wine (his favorite
drink) and ginger ale for him. Finally caught up with him when LST 791 arrived
in Tokyo in the occupation of Japan. Wendell had been Commanding Officer of
LST 66 and was presently Coast Guard Laison Officer in Tokyo. Imagine his surprise
when I arrived at his office and placed the bottles of port wine and ginger
ale on his desk.
Emergency Leave
We were on shakedown training cruise in Panama City, Florida, when I received
word that my mother, visiting in Eastern Texas, was diagnosed with terminal
cancer. Captain Duncan granted me 10 days leave. Our LST was at anchor, so Chief
Kenneth Chandler, using the ship's crane, loaded my motorcycle into an LCVP,
beached the LCVP, went ashore, and I departed on the motorcycle for New Orleans.
Southern hospitality prevailed and I was able to get enough rationed gasoline
to get to New Orleans, where I also sampled grits with breakfast for the first
time. I parked the motorcycle at a Coast Guard facility and took a bus to Texas.
My brother, Gayle, in the Marine Corps (and recuperating from action on Guadalcanal
at Oak Knoll Hospital in Oakland, California) met me in Texas. Precious last
hours were spent with Mom on the train ride back to California, where I received
a message to return to the ship in New Orleans for an early departure. By the
time we sailed through the Panama Canal and arrived in San Diego, my mother
had died. I will forever be grateful to Captain Andrew Duncan for granting me
emergency leave while on shakedown cruise.
The Philippines, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa
The USCG-manned LST 791 made her first landing in the war zone at Taclobin
in the Philippines on the same beach where MacArthur had waded ashore earlier.
We experienced some general quarters sessions due to suspected Japanese bogies
in the area, but didn't get any gunnery practice.
We sailed 2500 miles to Guadalcanal where we again beached and waited for
the Marines of the Second Battalion, 22nd Regiment to come aboard for practice
landings. One evening while beached, our officers stepped off the ramp onto
the sandy beach and departed for the Officers' Club. I remained aboard as Officer
of the Deck. By the time they returned, the tide had come in, and they had to
wade waist-deep in water to get aboard. Gunnery Officer Ralph Bohrer was the
first aboard the ramp, so he helped Seabee Lt. N. E. McDougal get aboard, then
"accidentally" brushed him back into the water. McDougal made it back
onboard, but he was really soaked.
Upon loading the Marines' equipment, and after some practice landings, the
791 departed for the impending invasion of Okinawa.
We got to know the Marines' commanding officer, Col. Horatio Woodhouse, from
visits in the wardroom. He was a wonderful gentleman and a fine officer. In
spite of his anticipating a tough invasion of Okinawa, he took the time to write
the ship's crew the following letter.
United States Marine Corps
Easter Sunday
1 April, 1945
To the Officers and Men of LST 791:
On behalf of the Marines whom you have safely brought to their target and whom
you have had crowded on your ship these last seven days, I’d like to thank
you all for being such wonderful host to us.
It has been indeed a pleasure to have traveled with you, and to have known you
all. Your cooperation has been outstanding and we wish to thank you for all
you have done to make our stay with you enjoyable.
Best of luck to you all—Happy Easter Bunny.
H. C. Woodhouse, Jr.,
Lt. Col., USMC
Two nights before arriving at Okinawa, we found ourselves in a hurricane type
storm, so rough that the pontoons alongside the ship were breaking loose. We
got permission from the convoy commander to secure the pontoons, practically
welding them to the ship. The acetylene torches were so bright, it was almost
like daytime. We breathed a sigh of relief that we had not been detected, and
proceeded sailing without lights.
Only 13 of the 343 Marines we transported survived Okinawa. We made the trip
with a heavily loaded LST 1800 miles to Ulithe where the Marines came aboard,
and then another 1300 miles to Okinawa, arriving on Easter Sunday, April 1,
1945 along with hundreds of other ships-the second largest invasion in history,
France being the largest. It was so warm and crowded below deck that many of
the Marines slept topside under the LCT. They really appreciated the good, hot
food served aboard ship.
Sugar Loaf Hill, Okinawa
Following is an account that appeared in The Readers Digest in December 1998
that details the activities of the Marines who were put ashore on Okinawa by
the crew of LST 791 on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945 (see box
Readers Digest Story).
LST 791 Log for Sunday, 1 April, 1945
4 – 8
Anchored off Okinawa Island in twenty-eight (28) fathoms of water to six hundred
(600) feet of cable on the stern anchor.
0702— Commenced debarking troops.
8 – 12
Anchored as before.
0828– Debarkation completed. The following Marine officers and men of the
Second Battalion, 22nd Regiment departed, transportation completed.
[See Appendix C for complete list of personnel]
LST 791 Deck Log for Monday, 2 April, 1945
4 – 8
Underway as before. 0530– Went to general quarters. 0726- Anchored off
Okinawa Island in 33 fathoms of water to 325 feet of cable to the stern anchor.
0746- Launched port pontoon causeway.
8 – 12
Anchored as before. 0827– Launched starboard pontoon causeway.
Making preparations to launch LCT.
12 – 16
Anchored as before. 1200– Pontoon causeways towed away from ship.
LT. N. E. MacDougal, CEC, USNR, and the following Seabees departed, transportation
completed.
[See Appendix D for complete list of personnel]
LST-791 Deck Log for Tuesday, 3 April, I945
0 - 4
Anchored off Okinawa Island, White Beach, in thirty-three fathoms of water with
325 feet of cable to stern anchor. 0015- Commenced fueling LCT-828.
0210– Completed fueling LCT-828, 3450 gallons of fuel transferred.
0215– LCT-828 departed with the following officers and men, transportation
completed.
[See Appendix E for complete list of personnel]
Kamikaze!
On April 10, LST 791 departed in a convoy to Saipan to pick up ammunition.
I was Officer of the Deck as we approached Okinawa on our return. We had two
radios on the bridge-one for the Convoy Commander, and another tuned to the
Okinawa Command frequency. Several kamikaze planes were being reported on the
Okinawa Command frequency, and about the time I thought one might be in our
vicinity, the Convoy Commander sent a message: "Bogey bearing 090, 1000
yards." Each ship in the convoy then acknowledged.
I asked for his message to be repeated. His next message was: "Bogey
bearing 270, 1000 yards." The kamikaze had passed right over our convoy,
but a cloud cover luckily prevented his seeing us. Fortunately, someone was
looking over us and we were able to deliver our badly needed cargo of ammunition
to an Okinawa beach pontoon.
Making Smoke
On May 31st, we received orders to depart Okinawa at first light for Ie Shima
and report to the Island Government Command. We reported in upon arrival, but
they didn't know why we were there, and we didn't either. We sat at anchor for
ten days making smoke to screen the other ships present and we were almost constantly
at general quarters-firing frequently at the kamikaze planes. The smoke machine
would constantly catch on fire, so we rigged a fog nozzle right above it. A
Marine airfield was nearby, and we proudly watched the P-38s return, rolling
once for each plane they had shot down. On June 11, we departed for Kerama Rhetto,
with Government Command personnel on board.
Brother Gayle
I am not sure how the letter got past the censors, but I received a letter
from my brother Gayle, a Marine. He was now aboard a "baby carrier,"
the Cowpens, which was headed for Saipan, and was hoping by chance our paths
would cross. On June 21, we received orders to depart for Saipan. There was
a heavy air raid that day, and we were ordered to return to Okinawa. On June
22, our orders were changed to depart for Leyte. On June 27, we arrived in Leyte;
imagine my surprise to find the Cowpens at anchor! The next day, one of our
LCVP crews took me over, and we went aboard. Gayle was a cook, so we found him
sitting in the mess deck. Gayle returned with us to the 791; we spent the night
catching up on things at home, then returned to the Cowpens the next day.
Good News From Australian Radio
The 791 was anchored off the coast of Luzon, Philippines, practicing landings
for the anticipated invasion of Japan. I was Officer of the Deck and the crew
was watching a movie in the tank deck. I was on the ship's bridge trying to
tune in some news on the ship's radio, when I picked up a Reuters News Agency
broadcast from Australia, announcing peace overtures were being forwarded by
Japan to end the war. I'm not sure how other ships in the area got the word,
but a lot of celebrating commenced. We were not aware of the atomic bombs having
been dropped. Our beer supply was short, but I was able to have acquired two
five-gallon cans of 180- proof grain alcohol on a supply trip. It was placed
in the two large vats in the galley and mixed with grapefruit juice. We must
have been lucky to have not lost a single man overboard. We departed the next
morning for Manila, thankful we didn't have to invade Japan.
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