From Panama to New York (October 1945)

The FOOTE got underway at 1100 on October 8th in accordance with orders of ComPanSeaFron (Commander Panama Sea Frontier) and entered Miraflores Locks at 1251 - departed Miraflores Locks at 1330. We dropped the anchor at 1650 in the anchorage basin waiting for the Gatun Locks to be cleared by the ships ahead. The Foote weighed anchor and entered Gatun Locks at 1920 - cleared Gatun Locks at 2017 and proceeded to Berth 1-B, Coco Solito and moored port side to USS CONVERSE (DD-509) at 2117.



The Panama Canal Zone cuts across the narrowest section of the Central American Isthmus. The Zone was created in 1903 by a treaty signed between Panama and the United States. According to this treaty, the Zone remains Panamanian soil, but the United States holds, in perpetuity, the use of and the right to act as sovereign within the 10-mile wide and 50-mile long strip of land. The original price paid to Panama was $10-million plus a yearly rental. Thirty-six thousand United States citizens live in the Zone, which has a population of 45,000. The Canal Zone is administered by a Governor who is appointed by the Secretary of the Army. The Governor is directly responsible for Zone affairs to the U.S. President. The Governor is traditionally an officer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - the Corps originally supervised the digging of the Canal.



The FOOTE crew has one more hurdle before returning to the States safely - that is liberty in Panama. We received on board an additional 27 passengers from the 15th Naval District for transportation to New York.



On October 10th there was a news report that an incredible 110-year old edition of the New York Daily Mirror newspaper of 1835 has been found with an anonymous editorial predicting that gunpowder eventually will become obsolete and a powerful new destructive force will be developed capable of killing a million people in an hour. Other predictions include stratosphere flying in pressurized cabins, a huge bridge will be built across the Hudson River and New York City’s population will be over 10-million, all by the year 2000. CBS announced today they had achieved a television miracle. They told the FCC that they sent a color television signal from the Chrysler Building across town to the CBS Building. They said the color was bright and the picture clear. CBS expects to publicly demonstrate color television next year.



Men’s wool and camel-hair top coats are selling for $48.25 at Macy and men’s Oxford shirts at Franklin Simon’s are $2.50.



In accordance with CinClant (Commander in Chief Atlantic) Dispatch 022039 Task Force and Task Group designations of this force are changed to Task Force 62 and Task Group 62.1 at midnight of October 11, 1945. Forget all the paper work, let’s go home.



The FOOTE got underway at 0528 on October 12th in accordance with CTF-62 Dispatch 110432, as a unit of Task Group 62.1 in company with Task Force 62 en route from Coco Solo, Canal Zone to New York City, via the Windward Passage - the last leg of a voyage that started a half world away. At 1445 the USS RANGER (CV-4) and USS MISSISSIPPI (BB-41) left the formation to proceed to New Orleans, Louisiana for Navy Day celebration.



The Task Force is steaming across the Gulf of Mexico on a course that will generously clear the Florida Keys and put us in the Atlantic Ocean. The first night underway in the Gulf of Mexico the Task Force sailed under low patches of clouds, a moderate sea and after about 2000, a bright moon diffusing its light through the clouds.



The crew’s feelings and actions covered the full range of emotions - they were trying to adjust to the thoughts and dreams of the future. First, they must adjust to the fact that they really have a future and it’s not just a dream, but reality - a life to live in peace, with wives, families and friends. There is a lot to think about and the thoughts are all beautiful and deeply satisfying.
With the moonlight, we could see the other ships in the formation slashing along - the water passing between us like a 16-knot river and to know our course was taking us home was nothing short of pure joy.



On October 13th the morning light and evening twilight are perfect, with the first magnitude stars bright points of light, each by itself very clear, blue-gray dusk, the horizon a clean, ruled line between sea and sky - during the night, as we pass the Florida keys, we find the Atlantic is calm and pleasant. We are able to pick up many stateside radio stations now without any difficulty.



We are steaming north with Grand Bahama abeam to starboard. At 1735 on October 14th the USS McKEE (DD-575), USS GRAYSON (DD-435), USS KENDRICK (DD-612) and USS MULLANY (DD-528) were detached from this Task Force and are proceeding to Charleston, South Carolina for Navy day.



Washington, D.C. announces that 4.75-million men will be out of the service by year’s end. It has been announced that secret railroad car, #140, that was used by President Roosevelt and then by President Truman, contained equipment for telephone calls anywhere in the United States and radio-teletype with unbreakable code transmission at 100 words per minute. Those transmissions could be sent around the world and they also had the capability to send and receive messages from ships at sea.



Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey was standing on the bridge of the Battleship USS SOUTH DAKOTA (BB-57), as his Third Fleet steamed into San Francisco Bay today while over 100,000 people looked on and cheered. I hope San Francisco can survive the onslaught of sailors on their first Liberty in months - in some cases, years.



With the lifting of all priorities on airlines, all flights are booked solid. Delivery on surplus C-54’s by the Army will increase capacity from the DC-3’s 21-passengers to 44-passengers. When the Douglas DC-6 is delivered the capacity will be 52-passengers.



The incredible Byron Nelson continues his domination of golf by winning the $10,000 Seattle Open.



On October 15th the Task Force is steaming north at 16-knots and at 1346 Task Unit 62.1.4, composed of the USS IDAHO (BB-42), USS RICHMOND (CL-9), USS CHARLES AUSBURNE (DD-570), USS CLAXTON (DD-571), USS DYSON (DD-572) and USS CONVERSE (DD-509) left the formation en route to Norfolk, Virginia for Navy Day. At 1348, Task Unit 62.1.2, composed of USS NEW MEXICO (BB-40), USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55), USS CONCORD (CL-10), USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-574) and USS HARRISON (DD-573) left the formation en route to Boston, Massachusetts to observe Navy Day.



Task Force 62 is now composed of USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), USS BATAAN (CVL-29), USS WASHINGTON (BB-56), USS PORTLAND (CA-33), USS ZELLARS (DD-777), USS YOUNG (DD-580), USS DOUGLAS H. FOX (DD-779), USS AULICK (DD-569), USS STERETT (DD-407), USS MURRAY (DD-576) and USS FOOTE (DD-511).



At 1610 on October 16th the USS WASHINGTON (BB-56) and USS MURRAY (DD-576) left the formation and proceeded to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for Navy Day observance. The remainder of Task Force 62 passed Barnegat Inlet Light at 0200 - bearing 267-Degrees True, distance approximately 22-miles. The FOOTE is steering various courses and speeds to take position in special column to enter port at New York. At 0315, execute signal to enter port - on station 500-yards astern of AULICK. Passed Navesink Light abeam to port at 0447, distance 10-miles. Passing between Buoys #17 and #18 at 0543 - Captain took the conn. Set the Anchor Detail at 0549. At 0628 the FOOTE anchored in New York Harbor off Tompkins in 9-fathoms of water with 25-fathoms of chain to the port anchor - awaiting orders to proceed. Weigh anchor and got underway at 0731 in accordance with verbal orders. Captain has the conn - Navigator on the bridge - using various courses and speeds through the channel. Passed Robin Light abeam to port - distance 1250-yards. Passed the STATUE of LIBERTY abeam to port - distance approximately 150-yards.

At 0841 the tug W. F. DAIZELL came alongside to starboard with the pilot. Pilot J. B. Doran came aboard and took the conn. At 0918 the FOOTE moored port side to Pier #42 New York City, New York. THE FOOTE IS HOME.



All enlisted passengers and ship’s company eligible for discharge were transferred ashore pursuant to ALNAV 252-45 (All Navy) directive. One hundred seventy-one enlisted personnel were transferred to the Receiving Station at Pier-92, New York City for further transfer to various Personnel Centers for discharge from the Naval Service. The process of making civilians out of these warriors began as former comrades scattered to all corners of the United States where they would change the fabric of society for generations to come. Some of the FOOTE’s officers, officer passengers and special rates left the ship with their individual orders.



The ship remained tied up to Pier #42, North River, New York City for the next week. Captain W. B. Moore, USN, relieved Captain H. H. McIlhenny, USN, as Commander of Destroyer Division 46 (DesDiv-46) on 20 October 1945. CONVERSE remains the flag ship.



The FOOTE cast off all lines and got underway at 1408 on October 26th in accordance with ComTHREE letter Serial DHQ-5, A71(45) of 15 October 1945 and proceeded to Anchorage #17, North River for Navy Day ceremonies.



Anchored in the North River, New York City on October 27th the FOOTE rendered a 21-gun salute to the President of the United States to celebrate Navy Day. President Truman was reviewing the fleet from the decks of the USS RENSHAW (DD-499). This would be the last time the guns of the USS FOOTE (DD-511) would be fired.



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