From Okinawa to the States (July-August 1945)

When the boat dropped me off ashore I asked directions to the Beach Master and reported to him within an hour after I left the ship. There were quite a few sailors loitering around his Quonset hut headquarters apparently with a mission similar to mine - to get back to the States. The Officer of the Day (OOD) was pointed out to me and I presented him with my orders. He read them and asked for my service jacket. He put my service jacket in a large waterproof pouch, with other records, handed it to me and told me I was in charge of a 21-man draft, including myself, and that air travel was authorized to San Francisco. The draft was the guys standing around outside the Beach Master’s office. The final destination of the draft was the Naval Receiving Station, Farragut, Idaho and upon reporting to the OOD at Farragut the draft would be dissolved and my responsibilities terminated. Upon arrival in San Francisco I should report to Treasure Island for transportation arrangements to Farragut.

I, along with my draft, mounted a personnel carrier (Six-By) for transportation to Yontan Air Field and I reported to the Army Air Force Duty Officer with my orders from the Beach Master covering the full draft. I was told the plane we were to fly in was down the tarmac on the right side in easy walking distance. There would be some personnel “servicing” it for the flight out.

He was right - it wasn’t far and it was definitely being “serviced”. The covers were off one of the four engines and about half a dozen guys, under the supervision of a six-stripe sergeant, were working off scaffolding around the engine. We stood at some distance while they pulled the scaffolding back and a guy in the cockpit tried to start the engine several times - then it was back to work on the engine. After about two hours they took a break and I walked over to the sergeant in charge and asked him if that was the plane going back to Guam? He said it was if they ever got that @#&)$(+ engine running. I asked if he had any idea what the problem was. He replied he didn’t know - all he knew, they had been having trouble with this plane ever since he had been on Okinawa.

I had heard enough. No way was I getting on that plane to fly over the vast Pacific Ocean to Guam. I went back over to the trees where my 20-man draft was waiting and repeated what the sergeant had told me and stated that I wasn’t getting on that airplane - no way. I suggested that we go back to the Beach Master and get transportation out by ship. They agreed. The Army Air Force Duty Officer gave us two trucks to carry the draft and their gear back to the beach.

I marched into the Beach Master office and told the OOD that air travel was not available and there was no indication when it might be and since air travel was not mandatory, when was his next ship back to San Francisco. He said the LATIMER (APA-152) was in the anchorage loaded with the First Division, 11th Marines, (what was left of them) scheduled to sail for San Francisco early the next morning and he could get us on her with no problem, but we may not like the accommodations. I told him that was fine and it wasn’t long before we were in a LCVP (Landing Craft Variable Purpose) on our way to the APA-152.

The Beach Master was right-on about the accommodations - bunks below decks were rigged four or five high and there was only two meals a day. This was going to be a long voyage - my draft began to grumble and complain.

The APA-152 was operated by the Maritime Service, but the guns aboard were manned by Navy personnel called Armed Guard. I went to the stateroom of the Lieutenant in charge of the Navy Armed Guard aboard ship and cut a deal for our draft to stand gun watches for three meals a day in their mess and we would bunk in the Armed Guard quarters. It turned out to be a pretty good deal for us and the Armed Guard.

On July 18th the LATIMER (APA-152) weighed anchor and got underway shortly after dawn. After clearing the harbor and putting Okinawa astern the ship set a southeasterly course in an effort to avoid some heavy weather due to a typhoon. This old tub may not ride too well in heavy seas and it will be rough on the 1,100 plus Marines in the hole.

On the second day at sea we began to really feel the effect of the typhoon and I understand that most of the Marines were deathly sick. Bunking up above the main deck with the Armed Guard is looking real good now. Word is that a loaf of bead and a can of spam would feed the entire Marine contingency. They will live, but you may have trouble convincing them of that now. They didn’t look too good to me before the ship sailed, so this is especially tough on them.

There were two days of this rough weather before it began clearing about mid-day on July 20th. Not a bad ride now and we quickly settled down into a routine of four hours on and eight hours off gun watches - we are headed home - that makes it tolerable. I estimate the trip to be approximately 6,800-miles and expect it to take about 18-days if we average 13 or 14-knots. Talking to the Armed Guard, they think this old tub can average 15-knots - I don’t know.

As we move east the seas become smooth and the sun is out. The Marines come up to the main deck and lay around in the sun. They look like the walking dead. I understand some of them have been out here well over two years.

We have an uneventful passage to San Francisco and arrive on a beautiful morning of August 6th. News has just been released that one atomic bomb has been dropped on Hiroshima, Japan killing over 78,000 people. Everyone has begun to celebrate in the streets of San Francisco.

I report with my draft to Treasure Island and we are assigned a billet and given 48-hours Liberty immediately. We were told that transportation arrangements would be ready when we reported back after Liberty. By the time we get back to San Francisco to join in the celebration the city is almost at a stand-still. The streets are full of happy people - ever office building must be empty - it was impossible for cars to move on Market Street. Some young ladies became so enthusiastic in their celebration that they stripped down to their underwear and went bathing in the water fountain in front of the San Francisco Opera House. Now, that got the attention of those of us who had just gotten back from a tour in the Pacific. We got excited about women with their clothes on. We joined in the celebration and the civilians couldn’t have been nicer. Someone always seemed to pay for our food and drink - we couldn’t spend any money, but all good things must come to an end and when we reported back to Treasure Island our tickets were ready for the train trip to Spokane, WA. Surprisingly enough, the entire draft reported back from Liberty on time and we boarded the train for Portland, OR where we would change trains. Maybe we could get some badly needed sleep on the train after celebrating for 48-hours.

By the time we arrived in Portland the second atomic bomb had been dropped on Nagasaki and the war was all but over. The citizens were in the streets celebrating and since we did not have an arrival time at Farragut, we got off the train and joined in the fun again. We could not have arrived in the States at a more opportune time - the timing was perfect. We got the same warm reception in Portland that we had received in San Francisco. We celebrated until the next day and boarded the train for Spokane, WA.

In Spokane we reported to the Military Travel Desk in the railway station and were given bus tickets for the approximately 80-mile trip to Farragut. Upon arrival at Farragut I reported to the OOD, presented my orders along with the orders and service jackets of the draft. Some of the draft were to be assigned to new construction, some to service schools, others would be given leave before new ship assignments, but regardless of the orders some of them may be changed because the war may officially be over very soon. I was the only draft member with orders to the Navy V-12 Program. We were given billets and told to watch the bulletin board in our assigned barracks for orders of the day and further instructions.

Farragut was built on beautiful Lake Pend Oreille (Approx. 90-miles from the Canadian border and 400-miles from the west coast) originally as a Naval Training Center, but later converted to a Receiving Station. The Navy thought they should have a training station far enough inland to be safe from shelling by Jap submarines. At this stage of hostilities, the base housed a large element of German POWs who did all the maintenance and service jobs on the base. They did everything in the galley but cook - maintained the buildings and grounds, manned the automotive garage, ran the printing shop, etc. We were told that none had ever tried to escape - they never had it so good.

It now looked like the Japs were ready to give up and a surrender could occur any day. I guess my assignment may be in abeyance - the last thing the Navy needs now is more Ensigns. So, after a thorough physical and an interview, they gave me a 30-day leave plus 8-days travel time. Guess this will give them time to get official guidance on how to handle my future.
(Written by: Wilbur V. Rogers)

Dawn of the Atomic Age (August 1945)

At 1535 on August 1st Typhoon Plan X-Ray is ordered for all ships in the Okinawa area. The FOOTE was directed to secure from her patrol station at the southern entrance to Kerama Retto at 1543 and proceed to Ie Shima - lashing everything down topside and generally getting the ship ready for a typhoon expected sometime tomorrow.

The FOOTE was directed to report to Commander of Task Unit (CTU-95.5.3), Captain J. M. Kennaday, USN, Commander of Transport Division (ComTranDiv -105) for escort assignment during the typhoon retirement plan. The FOOTE took station at 1820 on the starboard bow of the formation which is composed of one AVP (Seaplane Tender), one AOG (Gasoline Tanker), one LST (Landing Ship Tank) and five cargo-type ships. The screen is composed of USS FARENHOLT (DD-491) (Commander Destroyer Squadron) (CDS-12), USS STRONG (DD-467), USS FOOTE (DD-511), USS SIMS (DD-409) and USS HOPPING (APD-51). The convoy is steaming on various courses in a general southerly direction.

By sundown it is beginning to rain and get pretty rough - winds are picking up - about a Force-4 on the Beaufort Scale. Force-4 is moderately strong winds with waves becoming longer with white caps. It’s going to be a long night.

“Rough” describes it pretty well on the morning of August 2nd - everything and everyone is wet - all topside watches have been secured. The menu is bread and Spam with some other sliced meats, cheese and spreads thrown in for variety. Green water is going over the Bridge - back to the old routine of about two weeks ago. Over one wave and through two - that’s a Destroyer for you. The Typhoon must be around Force-8 now - we are getting some sick sailors - the churned foam is blown in definite streaks by the wind. Wind velocity is well over 100-MPH. The sea is taking on a white appearance. It’s not official, but the pitch must be 55-feet and the roll at least 45-degrees. Another night that will not end. This storm is separating the sailors from the “boat riders”. Everyone is awake - who could sleep in this?

At dawn on August 3rd - conditions are a great deal better - the sea has flattened out considerably and the wind has diminished. At 1615 the Task Unit sets course for Ie Shima averaging about 10-knots speed of advance. On arrival the FOOTE is relieved of screening duty and ordered to proceed to Kerama Retto to resume the patrol duties that were interrupted by the Typhoon Plan. She is on station at the southern entrance at 2042 and commenced patrolling. The Radio Shack news dispatches said 12 more Japanese cities, with a population of approximately 1.5-million people, have been warned they will be destroyed by fire bombs - similar warnings were given to 10 other cities before B-29 bombings last week. Do you think the Japs would warn us?

Nothing but sunrise G.Q. and daily routine - no Bogies reported in the area. At 1616 the FOOTE is directed to vacate their patrol station and fuel underway from USS MILLICOMA (AO-73) - completed fueling at 1845 and took station on the starboard bow of the MILLICOMA en-route to Hagushi Anchorage. Dropped the anchor at 2020.

It has been announced that General Douglas MacArthur has assumed control of the Japan mainland operation. Japanese radio says they expect 800,000 Allied Troops to invade soon, but will repel an invasion with suicide pilots.

Evening G.Q. was routine and presented one of the prettiest sunsets in a very long time.

On August 5th G.Q. sounded at 0215 - apparently a Jap reconnaissance - very high. Firing came pretty close, but the target was too distant for the FOOTE to open fire. Errands are the order of the day - in company with the USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD-754) and the USS McCOY REYNOLDS (DE-440) the group put out with a convoy about 1300 - escorted them well clear of the islands then returned to Buckner Bay at sundown and dropped the hook in Berth L-30 at 1920.

The Radio Shack received word that near the Philippines U.S. Navy personnel have boarded a Japanese Hospital Ship with clear Red Cross markings. Aboard they found 1,500 Japanese soldiers with no wounds under their bandages and huge stores of guns and ammunition. The sneaky devils got caught.

Orders were received on August 6th at 0953 to sortie with the USS LA GRANGE (APA-124) at Chinu Wan and escort her to Buckner Bay. Rendezvous with the LA GRANGE was made at 1246 and she was escorted to Buckner Bay, arriving at 1408.

An incredible announcement has just been made by President Truman from the Cruiser USS AUGUSTA (CA-31) - the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped today on the Japanese city of Hiroshima by a single B-29 Bomber. This bomb is reported to equal over 20,000-tons of TNT - a new age of destruction has been introduced.

An impenetrable cloud of dust over Hiroshima has thus far prevented aerial photos to determine the degree of destruction caused by this bomb estimated to weigh only 400-lbs. President Truman’s solemn announcement said that since the Japanese refused the ultimatum to surrender on July 26th the atomic bomb was used to spare the Japanese population a rain of destruction never before seen.

Overseas Radio is telling the Japanese officials what has been dropped on Hiroshima in hopes they will surrender. Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, says the bomb will be a tremendous help in ending the war.

It was also announced that the first test of this new atom bomb occurred on July 16th near Alamagordo, New Nexico. The test bomb vaporized an immense steel tower and sent a mushroom cloud 40,000-feet high. The two billion dollar atomic project has involved almost 100,000 people in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; 17,000 in Richland, Washington and 7,000 in the new town of Los Alamos in New Mexico.

At first it is hard to conceive what has happened, but after a while everyone believes it. Everywhere you go on the ship the conversation is the same - what will be the outcome of this new atomic bomb? A few - a very few - are concerned with the future threat to civilization, but most just try to convince themselves the war will be over in a matter of days.

All hands are standing by for most of the day, expecting to handle stores, this first day after “the bomb” is dropped. There is a steady flow of information from the Radio Shack. Chief Radioman Charlie Zobi is very good about releasing the news to the crew. In the shortest press conference on record, President Truman announced that Russia has declared war on Japan. Thirty-five nations are now at war with the Japanese.

Reconnaissance photos of yesterday’s atom bomb raid on Hiroshima shows that 60% of the city was wiped out. The pilot of the B-29 Bomber that dropped the bomb was Colonel Paul W. Tibbets and he named his plane the ENOLA GAY, after his 57-year old mother. The Bombardier was Major Thomas Ferebee. The crew was joined by Navy Captain William “Deak” Parsons, Manhattan Project Scientist and ordnance designer of the bomb. Captain Parsons armed the bomb in flight.
General Carl Spaatz, Commander of the Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific, announced that a B-29 Bomber fleet armed with atomic bombs is ready to go when given the order.

Hardly noticed in the news of the day - Alfred P. Sloan, President of General Motors and his Vice President of Research, Dr. Charles F. Kettering, have donated $4-million to start the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research in New York City.

The FOOTE got underway on August 8th at 1332 and took on fuel from the USS NIOBRARA (AO-72) and then it was over to Hagushi Anchorage and report to Commander of Task Unit (CTU-95.5.6). All ships went to G.Q. in the evening when enemy aircraft approached the area - they did not close - turned away or shot down by the CAP (Combat Air Patrol).
On August 9th the United States dropped its second atom bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki and President Truman went on national radio and threatened Japan with atomic obliteration if they don’t surrender.

B-29 Bombers have dropped millions of leaflets over Japan telling about the atomic bomb with a promise of more to come. Things are happening pretty fast now.

On August 10th Japan offered to surrender, via Switzerland, according to the Potsdam surrender ultimatum, with a request for clarification on the status of Emperor Hirohito. The Demei News Service says the Japanese Cabinet was unanimous in its vote to surrender. The Japanese government has filed a protest with the U.S. government on the use of a weapon as inhuman as the atomic bomb. Talk to the survivors of the Bataan Death March if you want to talk “inhumane”.

It seems that the general opinion in the FOOTE crew is “let them keep their Emperor” - farm him out and let’s go home. At first everyone looked at one another in disbelief - is this for real - and, as it soaked in a spontaneous shout here and there could be heard. Suddenly, everyone was running around looking for someone to talk to - too excited to sit still - kidding - shouting - slaps on the back - asking questions, never waiting for an answer - running off again in the middle of a sentence.

A wild, fantastic, incredible celebration was touched off on Okinawa, which from our position in the anchorage, was a sight to behold. Every gun station on the island must be firing - stitching the low clouds with tracers and throwing flack in every direction. “FLASH RED” was called from the island, but no one pays any attention. Captain McElwain sounded G.Q. for the FOOTE - so many shells were bursting overhead there was a mad scramble topside for helmets and cover. Strict orders were given to all ships that no firing would be tolerated, and almost immediately, a P.T. Boat tied up astern of the FOOTE began firing a 50-calibre. The Bridge started screaming and finally that particular burst of exuberance was quieted - but, not so on the beach. Three ships have reported casualties from falling shrapnel - a bunch of guys on the beach were rolling gasoline drums to one point and lighting them off, the flames flaring up 60-feet or more. A flock of “fly-boys” were hollering over the radio for somebody to clear the area around the airstrip, they were running low on gas and needed to land, and more than 50 search lights were spinning around, probing the sky like the world’s biggest premier. Lots of flares were thrown up - and fires of all kinds could be seen all over the island - those along the water’s edge brought the ships in the anchorage into almost daylight prominence.

(Click on Image to view at larger scale)

The horns, sirens, blasting charges, big guns, little guns, laced with the sharp staccato Ack-Ack of the anti-aircraft batteries close by blended into concatenation of sound that rolled across the anchorage as a continual roar, not realizing how loud until it began to die down. If there were any Japs around it would have scared the hell out of them.

It began to rain and there were orders - more orders - repeated orders, but nothing availed for almost an hour and a half when the greatest celebration of all time began to spend itself.

The crew was secured from G.Q. about midnight and word was passed to all hands in the area - pointing out the news report was unofficial - hostilities had not ceased - we were still at war - etc., etc. - the old conservative wet blanket, but hope springs eternal and the end - the blessed end - is in sight. There will be precious little sleep this night.

It is a jolt back to reality when the FOOTE got underway at 0253 in company with the USS CHARLES AUSBURNE (DD-570) (OTC) and the USS JOHN A. BOLE (DD-755) (New Sumner Class Destroyer) to relieve the USS CUNNINGHAM (DD-752), USS EVANS (DD-552) and USS ERWIN (DD-794) on Radar Picket Station #9, the last of the Picket Stations around Okinawa. LCS-76 and LCS-78 are assigned to this station as support craft (Pall Bearers). Boy! What a come down - from celebrating the end of the war to the last Radar Picket Station where one destroyer was just sunk and two destroyers were hit less than two weeks ago.

Reports are that the victory celebration at Okinawa last night resulted in six deaths and thirty injured - what a waste. A news release from Washington, D.C. reports there were 550 Navy, Marine and Army casualties yesterday - guess the war is not over.

Official communications with the Japanese is time consuming and takes nine steps plus coding and decoding through the Swiss Legation in Washington then on to Berne, Switzerland to the Japanese Legation there and then to Tokyo. President Truman is irked at Japanese delays and has threatened them with overwhelming attacks and more atom bombs unless they respond promptly - YES or NO to the Potsdam surrender ultimatum.

That got their attention - YES, YES PLEASE. The Allies have decided to let the Emperor remain, subject to the occupation chief’s implementation, but will insist on free elections. General MacArthur has been designated to accept the surrender.

Just in case - the ships on Radar Picket Station #9 goes to G.Q. for two hours at sunset - those Japs are sneaky devils. Everything is very calm and peaceful - good for lots of day-dreaming. Is it just the calm before the storm - or is it real????

There are repeated warnings of no relaxing of vigilance. Most of the time off watch is spent listening to the radio for more information - any information. Today the Radio Shack posted a copy of the text of our stipulations to Japan. It also reported that Washington estimates up to five million workers may be out of a job when war production ends.

Further, it is expected five million military men will be out of the service looking for work within the year. That sounds great - ten million looking for a job. G.Q. is sounded at 2110 - appears to be a friendly.

At 2300 on August 12th Commander of Task Force (CTF-95) issued secret dispatch #120605 addressed to Commander of Task Group (CTG-95.5) which directs the CTG to discontinue and vacate Radar Picket Station #9 this date. At 2313 Radar Picket Station #9 is secured. The USS FOOTE has the distinction of serving on and securing the last Radar Picket Station in the Okinawa area. The CHARLES AUSBOURNE, JOHN A BOLE and FOOTE set course for Hagushi Anchorage.

(USS FOOTE Deck Log, USS FOOTE War Diary, Gene Schnaubelt’s account)
(Written by: Wilbur V. Rogers)