LATE NOVEMBER ON THE BOSTON
1943: After transiting the Panama Canal on Tuesday, Nov. 23, the Boston anchored at Balboa Harbor. The men were given afternoon liberty in Balboa City. They departed Balboa and headed north on the 24th. The men feasted on Thanksgiving Day off the coast of California on Thursday, the 25th. The ship entered San Francisco Bay on the 28th. The men had liberty in San Francisco through Dec 1.
1944: The Boston, a capital ship of Task Group 38.1 (under the command of William Halsey) spent most of November in constant combat off the Philippines. By then the ships were experiencing their first encounters with the Japanese “Special Attack Corps” — also known as “Devil Divers” or kamikazes (“Divine Wind”) — that would extract a murderous toll on the men and ships of the US Navy by war’s end. On Nov, 21 the Boston was ordered south to the Admiralty Islands into drydock for a quick overhaul of her boilers. She detached from her Task Group and headed south on the 22nd. The ship remained there for two weeks. Thanksgiving was celebrated in Seeadler Harbor, off Manus Island, at the naval-base in the Admiralty Islands. Manus Island is south of the Equator between New Guinea and the Caroline Islands.
1945: After the Surrender of Japan, a Demilitarization Task Group was formed, with the Boston in command. The men spent the month of November ranging up and down the coasts of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. They were tasked with seizing weapons and destroying suicide subs and boats. Thanksgiving was spent off the coast of Japan.
