| |
|
Portions
of-History of the U.S.S. Algol (AKA-54)
Prepared by the crewmen of the Algol (condensed) |
 |
"On
December 9 we got underway for Guadalcanal.
It was here that we participated in the
scheduled landing exercises in preparation
for the Lingayan operation. We continued
the training program until Christmas Day,
and that night all hands set to work on the
very pleasant task of consuming a Christmas
dinner with all the trimmings. Four days
later we arrived in Hanus which now harbored
hundreds of the ships that would soon take
part in the coming invasion."
"The
second day of 1945 saw us on our way to our
first operation. Twice on our way the screen
reported submarines. The first time contact
was soon lost, and the second contact was
again lost, but after depth charges had been
dropped. All the way up there were various
unidentified air targets, but no attacks.
Several torpedo tracks were also seen, but
early on the morning of January 11 all the
ships in the Gulf showed damage caused by
Japanese suicide planes. That day our boats
were used to unload the U.S.S. PRESIDENT
MONROE, and the next day we commenced unloading.
Suicide boats and swimmers were a constant
menace to the transport area. A dead pilot
floating by was the first Japanese we saw.
We completed discharging our cargo without
injury to material or personnel, and we picked
up about 60 men from a badly damaged APD
for transportation to  Leyte. Just before
getting underway we received orders to take
the U.S.S. PRESIDENT MONROE in tow. She had
engine trouble and was not able to return
to Leyte under her own power. We did not
relish the thought of towing a ship at 9
knots within 40 or 50 miles of Manila and
Clark Field (then Japanese held), but the
assignment was carried out without a hitch,
and we arrived in San Pedro Bay on the 20th
of January 1945."
"Later
that year, our Christmas present from the
Navy was orders to Seattle for voyage repairs.
We picked up over a hundred passengers returning
to the States for discharge and got underway
on November 21, 1945. On the voyage home,
the ship went through several days of rough
weather, but the thought of Christmas in
the States was more than enough to compensate
for our slight discomfort. We arrived in
Seattle on the fourth anniversary of Pearl
Harbor, December 7, 1945."
"On
March 2, 1946, Algol got underway for Eniwetok,
Kwajalein, Guam and Saipan. The trip was normal
and uneventful except for 47 Japanese prisoners
that we transported from Kwajalein to Guam
and a tidal wave and typhoon scare in Saipan.
Thirteen of the above prisoners had been tried
and sentenced, seven of which were to be hung.
After discharging debarking all cargo and passengers
at the above mentioned islands we received
a capacity load of passengers and cargo for
the States. On May 2, 1946, just two months
after leaving San Francisco the Algol again headed
back to the States arriving under the Golden
Gate Bridge at 0550, on May 17th. After remaining
at anchor in the harbor for 6 days we got underway
for the Naval Supply Annex, Stockton, California,
where all cargo loaded at Guam was discharged.
This was completed on June 6 and the Algol returned
to the San Francisco area and went to the Moore
Dry Dock Shipyard at Oakland for a 21 day availability.
During this period orders were received for the
Algol to participate in the Petroleum IV Expedition
to Point Barrow, Alaska."
"In
late August of 1949, the ship embarked elements
of the 7th Marine Division at Moorehead City,
North Carolina and reported to Commander 6th
Task Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea in September.
During this European cruise the Algol visited
such ports as Marseille, and Golfe Juan, France;
Naples, Italy; Oran, Tunisia; Tangier, Morocco;
Athens, Greece; Augusta, Sicily; Rhodes and Crete.
By August of 1950, the ship had received orders
to report to Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific
Fleet and sailed for San Diego, California via
the Panama Canal. At San Diego, the Engineering
Detachment of the First Marine Division and equipment
were embarked and the Algol set sail for Kobe,
Japan on August 31, 1950, arriving at Kobe on
September 16 and departing the next day to take
part in the invasion of on Inchon, Korea on September
21. Leaving Inchon on September 27, the Algol
sailed for Japanese ports but returned to Inchon
on October 8 to embark Headquarters, First Ordinance
Battalion, First Marine Division to take part
in the Wonsan invasion, October 25, 1950. The
Algol participated in the evacuation of Chinnampo,
December 4-5, 1950."
"Leaving Honk Kong after a second 2 week
visit, on August 9, 1954 the Algol was ordered
to proceed via Subic Bay, to Tourane and Haiphong,
Indo China to commence what later became known
as "Operation Passage to Freedom." The
Algol was the first AKA and one of the first
3 ships in the operation during which she made
3 trips from Haiphong to Saigon, carrying 2200
refugees per trip. 7 births and 6 deaths, all
refugees, were recorded on board during the operation.
The Algol sailed for the United States and arrived
in San Francisco on October 7, 1954." |
|
