March

3-26-17

March, 1946   –   A skeleton crew remains aboard the Boston, docked in the Navy Yard at Bremerton, WA.   They are in the process of salvaging and mothballing the ship.   The entire war-time crew, with a few exceptions, have headed home.

March 25, 1945:   Early this morning, I got my first look at the California coastline.   We pulled into the Terminal Island navy Yard flying our homeward-bound pennant.   While the N.O.B.Band played and Ginny Sims sang, “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,”   with a lot of brass and civilians on the pier.   Just about all of the crew were on the port side.   The first leave party left the ship this afternoon.   We also got paid this morning and I got $630.00.   I will buy my ticket tomorrow.   *

March 25, 1944:     This morning we joined up with the rest of the task force.   We are heading northwest for a raid on Palau Island – a large island in the Western Carolines.   This is the furthest west a task force has ever gone. *

March 26, 1944:   Today everyone is tense and excited, we are getting closer to the islands.   There were no bogies in the area.   We were on Condition Three Watch except for sunset general quarters.   This was a short operation, but exciting because we had a chance to shoot at some Jap planes.         *Frank Studenski

March, 1943 –   Each week throughout late February, March and April, hundreds of new sailors reported to the Fargo Building in Boston.   They were in training and light duty, waiting for their brand-new Heavy Cruiser, CA-69 to be finished.   She was just south of Boston, in the Quincy MA, Fore River Shipyard (Bethlehem Steel), being worked on round-the-clock.   She had a war to join.

Steve

(proud owner of a titanium right knee)