3-25-21
From Frank Studenski’s diary:
Early this morning, I got my first look at the California coast line. We pulled into the Terminal Island Navy Yard flying our Homeward Bound pennant. While the N.O.B. Band played and Ginny Simms 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.
If you’re reading this and don’t understand the context: On March 6, 1945, after 16 months of continuous combat duty all over the Pacific, the USS Boston was ordered back to the states for major repairs: engine, boilers, etc and retrofit/upgrades to radar and communications equipment. The ship, having just left the Iwo Jima campaign, headed east as the Okinawa campaign started. After spending nine days in Pearl Harbor, the Boston made the four day trip to Los Angeles – the Navy shipyard at Terminal Island.
The Boston weighed anchor on June 1 and headed west back into the thick of things.
Steve