USS Stoddard - 1965 Deployment Log

June 1965

Underway

Got underway for WESTPAC. Left San Diego @ 09:00. Following great circle Route to Subic Bay, PI. WX: Calm sea, overcast day.

Seas a little rougher. Was deathly sea sick. Wanted to die. Got pills from sickbay, but couldn't keep them down.. Started ECM watches. Carried barf bucket around. WX:Cloudy and cool.

Unreped at 08:00. Worked on SSB Converters, then Holiday Routine. Slept in the afternoon. More ECM watches. Seasick pills working. Felt great all day WX: cloudy and cool.

Took sensitivity checks on URR-11s. Sig Gen not working properly. WX changed to rough. Must use 01 level due to rough seas. Sea getting very rough. Cannot see any other ships. In fog and rain. Feeling woozie at times. Fresh water secured all day due to evap problems. Now at 43deg lat, 143deg long. Throat is dry, need fresh water. WX: in morning mostly cloudy and cool

Not much going on. Had a lecture on electrical shock in Shop after quarters. GQ after lunch. Planned to shoot 5" guns, but didn't. Sea pretty rough. On mess decks, sometimes when ship pitches my eyeballs feel like they will pop out. Still on water hours. Sure could use a shower. Tomorrow we are 1/3 of the way to Subic Bay. Spent morning installing audio amp in Radio 1. Set clocks back. WX: clouds broke and sun shining nice. Sea pretty rough

Braine, Stoddard, Mullany

Checked receiver sensitivity on a couple of URR-11s. Unreped in nice storm. Got soaked by greenies. In evening fresh water on for shower which made the crew happy. Clean again, except laundry hasn't returned dungarees. ECM was down and helped Weigel work on it. Set back clock again. WX: Nicer this morning, but rough in the afternoon.

What a day! Terrible WX later. Ship pitched and rolled all day. Some greenies on the bridge. Sprang a leak in the GC room and spent afternoon patching. Didn't change clocks. Just off the Aleutian Chain and headed south again. About south of Kodiak. Had to use 01 level all day, and got wet anyway. WX: Terrible later in the day.

Refueling from Caliente

UNREP this Morning. On last load had an emergency break-a-way. Galveston moved away in hurry from other side of the USS Caliente. Afternoon WX now sunny and warmer at 13:00. Finally got UNREP completed. Set clocks back 1 hour. WX: foggy and cold, temp 49 deg..

Steaming as before. Spent day working on gear. GQ drill in afternoon. Had 16-20 watch. WX: nice all day, sea really calm..

Holiday Routine

Yesterday was Friday, today is Sunday. Crossed the International Date Line. Holiday routine at 09:00. Worked on SPA-8 all morning. Laid in rack , wrote letters and read "Von Ryan Express". WX: Clear and sunny, cooler.

3" 50 guns

Sea calm all day. Had a slow day with all of the gear OK. Had a gunnery, (drone shoot) exercise at 15:30. Showers were on again. Maybe we get off of water hours. WX: warm, high overcast.

Put up an antenna for shop radio in morning. Worked on TEDs in afternoon. Lost another hour tonight. Off ECM watch until Condition III starts. Duty Division tonight, so went to the movie. With no clouds, moon was beautiful over the water. Two Russian planes flew over in the night. WX: warmer today, partly cloudy.

Started Condition III. P&S on ECM. 12:00-18:00 and 00:00-06:00. Now in WESTPAC under 7th Fleet. Today is Payday. WX: Beautiful day, sea calm.

Dave Wiegel ET2

Had the 00:00-06:00 CIC watch. Was dead tired. Hit the rack at 07:30. Found out I was off watch bill. Chief Gradey was good! Worked on ECM with Dave Wiegel. Beautiful afternoon. Sunny and warm with slight haze. Had GQ in the afternoon. Going to play Bingo and watch the movie tonight. Un-identified aircraft overhead today. WX: warm and cloudy.

Burlie Streets ET2

Got up at 02:30 with Streets to work on a GRC-27. Hit the rack about 09:30. Up about 15:30 when there was an UNREP. Played Bingo again. Movie was Elvis Presley's "Kiss-in Cousins." WX: morning overcast and 78deg at 06:30.

Worked on GRC-27 again. Took shower tonight. Were about 100 miles from the southern tip of Japan. GRC went down again about 19:00. WX: morning overcast and 78deg at 06:30

Worked on GRC until 04:00 and slept until 11:00. Went back to work on it again until about 11:30. WX: Overcast and warm.

Change of schedule due to repairs needed. Puts us in about 23:00 tonight. First land sighted this morning. It sure looks good, but temp is getting hotter than Hell. Worked on GRC all day. No luck. 100 miles to Subic. WX: Temp at 06:00 was 84 deg, partly cloudy.

What a day. Here we are at Cubi Point Naval Air Station near Olonapoh, Subic Bay, PI. There are several aircraft carriers, 8 or 9 destroyers and every other kind of ship. I saw Galveston tied around the bend. I can see it from here. Had the 12:00-16:00 watch. Wow was it hot. Rained too. Got 6 letters and 2 bills at mail call. WX: Sunny and warm.

Worked on GRC-27 in the morning. Went to see Don Koehl (high school buddy) on the Galveston. He was on a work party so I couldn't see him. USS Estes (previous duty) was on the same pier. Saw the old gang on her. Went to the Navy Exchange Restaurant with Charlie Baker.

Early liberty at 12:00. Went to the Navy Exchange. Bought a camera and lenses. Went into town and looked around. Stopped at gym on the way back and watched a basketball game.

On duty, had the 08:00-12:00 watch. Afternoon worked on the GRC-27 again. Wrote some letters and watched the movie.

Grande Island

Went on Section 1 ships party to Grande Island. Had a great time. Full of hamburgers. Beautiful swimming and very comfortable weather. Very beautiful trees on the island. WX: was hot and cloudy.

Up about 08:00. Holiday routine. Went to Grande Island again. More sunburn. Only 244 days

Slow and Hot day. XO was unhappy with the ships readiness, so no liberty until 19:00. Took sensitivity checks on RED receivers. WX: Sunny and hot.

Got new ID card. Another slow day. Too hot to work. Liberty call went at 19:00 again. Showered and hit the rack at 21:00. WX: Temp is 115Deg.

Another Hot day. Got all the gear up and running. Mounted antenna patch panel in Radio 3.Had shore patrol from 17:00-01:30 on the drunk bus which returned offenders to their ships.

Slept in until about 09:00 Ship got underway for gunnery ops. Checked out all gear before getting underway. Spent all day about 7 miles from Subic. Had shore bombardment from 13:00 until 22:00 with time off for evening chow. URC-32 went down at 22:00 worked on it until 24:00. WX: Rained in afternoon, but warm.

Anti-Aircraft shoot in the morning. Shore bombardment in the afternoon. WX: Warm and sunny in morning.

Was in OPS most of the day. Returned observers to Subic then went back out. WX: Warm morning and later Hot..

Holiday Routine

Still on OPS in the morning. Have a gun computer down so went and anchored in Subic Bay and got help. Holiday routine most of the day. Had a steak fry supper. Had to install a AM-215 on the bridge for a PRC-10.

Holiday Routine in morning. Had a surface shoot and hedgehogs in the afternoon. Beautiful day with rain in the evening.

Reveille at sea about 07:00. Got anchored about 17:00. After chow loaded ammunition, then liberty call. Stood by for Streets and watched the movie.

50 cal shoot

08:00 got underway for Hong Kong. Worked on SLA-2. Had a .50 cal machine gun shoot. Another slow day. Went to evening flick. WX: warm and cloudy.

Miss Olongopoh

Had a lecture in the morning. Got a haircut. Aligned GRC-27 in afternoon. Had a steak fry on the fantail tonight. French Fries and Cool-aid. Miss Olongapo was there. Hong Kong tomorrow and I have the duty. WX: Clear and hot in the morning.

Kids diving for coins tossed

Arrived Hong Kong about 09:00. Liberty call went about 10:00. Had the duty so was busy bumming parts for a SPA-4. (radar repeater, not hot tub).

The Hong Kong Hilton Hotel

Went to the China First Club and looked over the items. Went to the tailors for a suit fitting. Walked around town with Dave.

Me at Hong Kong

Went in for a suit fitting. Went up to peak on tram and looked all over. Came back early.

Quaterdeck Watch

Had the duty. Sat around and roasted. The temp is very hot.

Cardboard Shacks on the hillside

Went to town and picked up the suit. Back at noon.

Big wake, steaming hard

Underway 08:00 for patrol. Left Hong Kong running from a typhoon. Have been steaming 25-30kts all day. Sea is rough. Got sick once out of the harbor. Barfed once and felt good all day. The Captain is trying to stay ahead of the storm, but we are now on the front edge of it. Temp is still 81deg. Seemed like all of the gear had troubles today. Especially radar repeaters. Hit the rack early to relieve the boys on the repeater later. WX: windy and rainy.

Arrived at DaNang Harbor in the morning. Several ships present. Much air traffic into DaNang Airstrip. All intense fighting is in 40mi. radius of harbor. We can see jets on air strikes and shelling from field artillery. There seemed to be a lot of confusion as to what we are to be doing. Left harbor and spent night on coastal patrol.

Returned into harbor for additional orders. We could see more land shelling and air strikes. Brought aboard 3 Collins KWM-2 radio transceivers and tried setting up one without any results. SWR too high. Tonight we are patrolling the harbor mouth.

Fishing Boat

Saturday. Another hot day. went into the harbor and spent the day. Worked on the KWM-2 again. Cannot get it to load. Search crew boarded a junk at 04:30. Underway at 18:00

Checking their documentation

Another hot day. Spent the day underway on harbor patrol to "Prevent Aggression on McNamara who is looking over the Viet Nam situation."

Patrolled all day, then went about 5mi south and shore bombarded all night. Shot in many star shells, as well as 112 high explosive salvos 5 1/2 mile inland. ETs were in rack by 21:00.

Policing the brass.

Stopped firing about 04:30. Had Holiday routine all day. Sat in the harbor all day and went out in the evening. Came back in about 21:00 and had light shore bombardment, then back to harbor patrol.

Cooler than usual. In and out of harbor today. Shore bombardment tonight with illumination and destruction. WX: was cloudy all day. 06:00 temp 89deg.

Sat in harbor all morning. Out in the afternoon. Heavy shore bombardment at night. Payday, most allocated for stereo. Up and at it, did nothing all day.

In port all day. Had a swim call at South DaNang Beach. The water was great. Had 4 guys standing by with machine guns.

Signal Flags.

Underway looking for USS Paricutin, AE-18. Found in the evening. Operated in Darken Ship ammunition UNREP. Flew the blue and red flag with a big dog on it that says, "This Hound Never Stops."

Refueled and Replenished with food. Parcel Post arrived. Most of the chocolate chip cookies made it. Shore bombardment all night. WX: hot and rainy.

Holiday routine. Shore bombardment again tonight at 13 targets. WX: hot and sunny..

Shaving cream fight.

Holiday routine. GQ called at 00:30. Listened to President Johnson's speech about the Vietnam situation on the 1MC. Shot high explosive salvos all night. I slept through it.

At the 2018 REUNION at the annual Banquet (September 29 in San Pedro, CA) we had a guest speaker that shared the history of that night at the "The Battle for the Ca De River Bridge." The presenter, then Corporal Karl Lippard laid out the actions that took place that night over 50+ years earlier. Watch the YouTube video at the above link

WX: hot as usual.

Steak Fry on deck.

In harbor all morning. Underway in afternoon. Had a steak fry on the fantail. Had a very heavy shore bombardment with over 100 rounds fired. WX: was rain off and on all day.

Just sat around all day as usual. Underway to south for more shore bombardment. Didn't set GQ. The duty Mount did the firing. I finished reading the "Caine Mutiney" today. WX: at 06:00 was cloudy and temp a cool 83deg.

In port at DaNang all day. Had a field day in spaces and XO inspected. Gave illumination support to the USS Craig. She was putting out the high explosive rounds. WX: hot again.

Set GQ at 04:30 for more Shore bombardment. Went to Church call at 10:00. Holiday routine all day. Underway on patrol, then got emergency message to provide gunfire support to Marines under fire by Viet Cong. It was a real fireworks. We didn't fire because of no communications with spotter. Two hours later back on patrol.

Came into port in morning, I worked on the ships entertainment system. Messed with tape recorders all day. Transmitted taped music throughout the ship with a modulated Signal Generator.

Looking for plane.

Came in port in the morning. Got an emergency call to pick up a jet pilot at sea 15 miles from DaNang. Steamed at 25kts and found nothing. A small plane was circling the area. A USCG Cutter joined the search. Re-armed from the USS Rainer. In port for an hour, then on patrol again.

Esso Fuel Storage burning.

Sat in Monkey Cove all day in support of Marines. No firing. Got message to proceed to Danang Harbor. Vietcong blew up the ESSO fuel depot tanks and we fired 408 rounds at them.

In harbor all day. Steamed on patrol all night.

In harbor all morning and took on more food. Payday today. Steamed all night.

Field Day in morning. Worked on ECM receiver. Holiday routine in afternoon. Refueled from USS Taluga in the evening.

Phantom coming home.

Plane Guard.

Refueled again from Taluga in the morning. Re-armed from USS Vesuvius in the afternoon. Refueled again from the USS Hasewampa at 20:00. Joined with the USS Independence, CVA-62.

Port View.

Air ops in the morning, then broke off and steamed for Subic Bay at 13:00 at 25kts.

Polishing shoes for Liberty Call..

Arrived Subic Bay, PI at 17:00

Dental exam on USS Jason. Had 12 cavities and 3 wisdom teeth to be pulled.

Had one big cavity filled. Had the Department Party at the Bayview Club.

Had the 12:00-16:00 watch. WX: was cool with rain.

Had 2 more teeth filled. Went scrounging for parts in the evening.

Underway for Hong Kong at 07:00. Had an anti-aircraft firing at noon. On water hours due to evaporator problems, again.

Signal Bridge, Forward Stack.

Still underway

Stoddard - Joseph Strauss.

Arrived at Hong Kong 09:00. Had the 08:00-12:00 POW. Wrote letters most of the day. A guy came aboard today selling cars. I can get a 66 Chevelle Malibu Super Sport for $2400 and have it delivered for $70. [I didn't get one]

Hong Kong Harbor.

Went to Hong Kong, Ordered another suit and shirts, then to Kowloon. Had a massage. Went to a silk shop and got some shirts and a robe.

Tiger Balm Gardens.

Walked around town. Got fitted for the suit. Visited the Tiger Balm Gardens. Back to ship by 19:00. Cleaned out my locker.

Subic Bay

Had the duty and worked on the ships entertainment system again.

Hong Kong Harbor.

Went to Kowloon and picked up shirts and robe. Ate supper and looked around.

Underway at sun-up. TED transmitter blower motor bearings went out. Worked on that all day. Evaporators down again, so water hours in effect. SPS-6C radar down. Everyone worked on it all night.

Worked on radar again. Still on water hours. Re-fueled from the USS Cimmeron. Acting as plane guard with Independence.

Worked on radar some more. Got another ET from the USS Braine. Signal Generator crapped out but OPS wouldn't let us get another. Planes left for air strikes about midnight. This E-mail received from a USS Braine sailor.

Phantoms on Independence.

Worked on the Radar again. Plane guard with Independence. Jets returned from strikes about noon. WX: Hot again.

CASREP the SPS-6. Worked on the GRC-27 in the evening.

Worked on the URC-32 #1 in the morning. Holiday routine. Worked on the TBL transmitter in the afternoon. Steak fry on the fantail tonight.

Refueled from the USS Caliente and resupplied from the USS Pollux, AKS-4 at 1900.

Plane guard and steaming as usual. WX: cloudy but hot.

The sea was rough but tolerable. Received word to steam independently to south of Saigon for NGFS (night gunfire support). WX: rainy all day.

Steamed all day for the Saigon River. Arrived in evening and after dark started shooting. Secured about 23:00.

Up at 05:00. Got underway to North to refuel. Refueled from Taluga, then steamed south for NGFS again. Secured about 20:30.

Subic Bay

Up early shooting again. Then steaming North to join the carrier again. In Typhoon Polly. Even some of the "old salts" are seasick.

Had plane guard today. Refueled from Taluga. Got all kinds of mail. Helo lost one bag of Stoddard mail yesterday. Underway in evening for 30 hrs of NGFS.

Arrived at Delta of river and held NGFS on Viet Cong training center, other buildings, junks and sampans. In afternoon more firing on infiltration areas.

Fired from 09:00-12:00 then headed back for carrier. In last two days firing we destroyed 52 structures and 6 junks. Refueled and Replenished with food.

Palm Springs

Rearmed in the morning and worked on GRC-27. Ropeyard Sunday in PM. Flying fish washed up on the deck today.

Steamed with the big "I" on plane guard.

Steamed independently to join the USS Oriskany, CVA-31.

Joined the big "O". Took on 27 Airdales & 2800# of cargo to be transferred to the USS Midway. Refueled from the carrier. Joined the Midway in the afternoon and transferred the personnel and cargo.

Joined the "I"( USS Independence). Worked on a RED receiver. "CNO" was on the carrier today. All of the lifers were "sweating it". Everyone had to have on a clean white tee shirt and a blue ball cap or not come topside. Refueled from the USS Ashtabula, AO-51. The COG plane crashed and sunk today from the carrier. We picked up wreckage. Tonight's Bingo is $132 in 52 numbers at $1 per card. Just had a frosty Shasta "Imitation Black Cherry" soda. It hit the spot. Only 395 days until discharge.

Steamed with carrier on plane guard. No mail

Worked on R-390 receivers. Still with carrier. Mail call today. WX: Hot.

Mail call today. Worked on R-390s again. Movies tonight was "Cleopatra" Refueled about 18:30 today from Cimeron. Detached from the carrier to proceed North to join Galveston on S&SS (Surface and Sub Surface) patrol. Finally a variety in something to drink. For weeks, nothing but lemon aid for lunch and dinner. Now we are getting iced tea. We have resorted to mixing chocolate syrup with sterilized milk, making it quite drinkable. WX: cool and rainy. 06:00 temp was 72deg.

Still steaming north. Cold morning again. Worked on R-390s today. Joined the USS Braine to transfer Guard Mail. Had a good steak supper.

Still on S&SS patrol. WX: Warm day

Worked on R-390s in morning. Holiday routine in afternoon. WX:

Refueled with the USS Navasota in the morning. Started ECM watches in CIC. ECM down, but stood it anyway. Mail call today.

Had 2 ECM watches in CIC. Steaming on S&SS station. Have been operating between N. Vietnam and Hai Non Island, investigating un-identified contacts that enter the Gulf area. Saw a bunch of Nationalist Chinese fishing boats. Also a Russian trawler which has been operating in the area without re-plentishing or refueling or even stopping for 90 days .They are apparently being refueled and re-supplied undetected by submarine.

Slept in this morning. Had a midwatch. Refueling in afternoon from USS Navasota. Mail call today. Left Yankee Station at 19:00 for Yokuska, Japan.

Steaming to Japan. Having engineering drills. Steamed to a position where a jet crashed and sunk. A seaplane came to rescue crew but couldn't take off. We took the crew aboard.

Transferred jet crew to carrier by helicopter. More drills in the afternoon. Got up at 23:30 to work on the SPA-8 Master.

Went to bed at 06:30. Up for chow. Had drills in afternoon. 84 days to San Diego. Scheduled arrival on Dec. 16th.

Up early for refueling. Had a sleeve shoot in afternoon. Loran down. Passed Bataan Island off of Taiwan Island.

Sunday. More drills. Worked on loran during the night.

On the 1st leg to Yokosuka. Laid off the coast all night.

Came in port and tied in stream with Ingersol, Braine, Orlick, Wilson to the Piedmont. Worked on a patch panel in Radio 1.

Sailing into the Sunset

Took GRC-27 to MOTU-7 and worked on that. Had duty and the 20:00-24:00 POW.

Worked on the GRC-27 again. Aligning R-390s.

Went to A-33 and ordered china dishware for Mom. Another day of working on gear.

Petersen and Withers

Went on Tokyo tour. Went to Tokyo Tower, Japanese Tea House for Dinner, Olympic Grounds and Shrine to the Dead. Then to the Kokusue Theater where I saw the most beautiful music-dance show. The Theater was HUGE.

Worked on the teletype system and took R-390 receiver sensitivity tests. Had a working party in the evening hauling stores.

Finished receiver tests. WX: Warm day.

Worked all day. Had the 04:00-08:00 watch.

Went on another tour to adjacent cities and up in the hills.

Tried to get underway. Had engineering problems and was towed back to port. PDF file

Tried to get underway again, but couldn't.

Still not underway. Had Shore patrol again.

Finally underway. Headed to Okinawa to refuel.

Happy Birthday to Me. Almost got seasick. WX: Very rough seas.

Naha, Okinawa

Pulled into Naha, Okinawa to refuel. Underway again about 14:30. The SPS-10 radar went down at 21:15. The Ships main power panel blew up and burned up. Steam everywhere. We are sitting dead in the water.

Steaming as usual. Passed the Battan Islands. Holiday Routine. WX: fair.

Holiday routine in morning and GQ and drills in the afternoon. Now in radio contact with the carrier. WX: sunny and partly cloudy.

Joined the carrier. Refueled from AO-46 and boy were there lots of greenies. I read in today's paper from the carrier that there are a lot of demonstrations concerning getting troops out of Viet Nam back home. WX: rainy and seas rough.

Had anti submarine ops all day with USS Cusk. Rolled heavy all day. WX: partly cloudy and sea very rough.

Back with the carrier and plane guard all day. Refueled from USS Haseampa, AO-104. On water hours again. The crew is only allowed 6000 gallons per day. WX:very nice.

Independent steaming exercises (ISE). Worked on a R-390 and URC-32. WX: sunny and sea choppy.

Anti submarine ops with USS Cusk, SS-388. Lots of heavy rolls.

Saturday. Plane guard all day. WX - hot and sunny, sea calm. In evening took on 30 bags of mail and such for transfer.

Steamed alone up to the Tonkin Gulf and rendezvoused with the USS Safeguard, a sub salvage ship. Gave them their first mail in 3 months. Also some flour. Saw a Russian trawler nearby. Later joined the USS Gridley, DLG-21 and transferred mail and 2 officers. Had a steak fry on the fantail. Caught back up with the carrier.

Spent day I.S.E. Started working on R-390 with VFO problems. WX: hot and calm.

Plane guard today. Worked on the R-390 all day. WX: very hot and no wind.

ASW operations with the USS Cusk, two helos and one ASW aircraft.

ISE (independent steaming exercises) today. WX: Hot and calm.

Plane guard today. Showed the movie "The Train". Beautiful sight after dark with the stars reflecting on the water. WX: hot and water smooth as glass.

Refueled this morning. Worked on an ECM antenna all afternoon. Hit the rack early.

Reveille at 04:30. Refueled at 06:00. Replentished from USS Pollux later. Worked on ECM antenna part of the day. Hit the rack early.

Operated on plane guard. Worked on ECM antenna. Just ask if I have 349 days left, or 300 with a college cut...! WX: hot all day.

ISE today. Worked on ECM antenna. Got ECM up. Evening movie was "55Days to Peking." WX: hot with calm sea.

Revelie at 03:30 to set the replenishments detail and take supplies and 3rd class mail from the USS MT. Kotmai.

Up at 01:00 to refuel. Received a schedule change. Headed for Sasebo, Japan. Detached from Carrier.

Steaming independently to Sasebo. WX: fair.

Holiday routine in PM. Hit rack and slept. GRC-27 down about 21:30, worked until 24:00. Servo working wrong. Seas calmed down later in the night. WX: terrible, seas terrible.

No signs of sickness yet. About 70 miles East of Formosa, heading North. Sky cleared in afternoon. Riding the trough so plenty of rolling. WX: stormy and seas rough.

Held a field day on ship. No one knows where we are supposed to be due to 4 different schedule changes. WX: partly cloudy and warm, seas calm.

Ingersoll DD-652

Arrived Sasebo in the morning. Had on base liberty. Went to Navy Exchange. Ship refueled and took on stores. Left port with USS Ingersole and USS Cimmeron in evening for home.

Steaming in circles this morning, trying to decide where to go. Finally left to join the USS Midway.

DeHaven DD-727

Joined with the USS DeHaven DD-727. Last night for movies. It was "Days of Wine and Roses." Wearing a dungaree shirt during the day and using a blanket at night. Ship rolling 20-30degs and junk keeps rolling around. Met the Midway in the night. 13 days to go. WX: cool and much more comfortable.

05:30 reveille to refuel at 09:00. Holiday routine in the afternoon. Steaming faster now that the oiler is gone.

Steaming as usual North of the Marshall Islands. WX: fair.

Only spent a few hours. Steaming as usual. Refueled from carrier at 19:00. Crossed the IDL this morning. WX: very windy and rough.

Ship is rolling very heavy. Waves 20-25'. Trays and cups jumped around on the tables on mess deck. Forward gun mount damaged from water. Now North of the Hawaiian Islands. Getting stateside AM broadcast stations tonight. One of the loudest was KEX in Portland, OR. Didn't sleep very good. WX: getting worse.

Greenies over the bridge and 01 level. Too rough to go forward. Had a rough weather refueling with the USS Chipola. It took 3 hours to rig. Used winch to pull rigging. WX: roughest yet.

Mail Call

Finished refueling at first light. Seas still rough, but not rolling so bad. Midway flew a jet into Pearl Harbor to pick up the mail. Had a big mail call in the evening. WX:broken clouds and sunny.

Worked on URA-8 all day. At midnight only 1550 miles to go. Got channel fever. Notified of approval on 30 day leave from 3 Dec to 3 Jan. WX: rough again and partly cloudy.

Sunday Refueled at first light from Midway. At 11:00 detached from carrier. Stoddard, Ingersol, DeHaven and Wilson steaming to San Diego at 23 kts. At 2300 we were 1200 miles from San Diego. Ate midrats.