TASK FORCE 58 CARRIERS, BATTLESHIPS AND DESTROYERS AT REST AT MAJURO ATOLL AFTER RAIDS THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL PACIFIC IN FEBRUARY 1944
- A MAP OF MAJURO ATOLL FROM A MAP COLLECTION TITLED: “PACIFIC ISLANDS 1943-1945”
- AN AERIAL VIEW OF MAJURO ATOLL DURING THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC
- MAJURO ATOLL’S LOCATION WITHIN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
By JOHN R. BAKER
CHAPTER SEVEN: REST CAMP AT MAJURO ATOLL
Majuro provided a great three weeks of rest. Our island was what we all had visualized a South Seas island would be. We stayed in Quonset huts, ate very good food, had beer garden every afternoon and just enjoyed the brilliant white sand beaches and the tropical palm trees. What a place it would make for a luxury resort!
The water was so clear a person could easily see 50 feet down to the bottom which was crowded with brilliant fish of all kinds. All the while we “rested” the repair crews on the USS Bushnell (AS-15) were overhauling our ailing engine and fixing everything that needed to be put back in first class fighting trim. It was also our good fortune to be at Majuro for Christmas. The Red Cross had some fellows there who put on a welcome Christmas program and even handed out gifts to everyone.
Coming in to a rest camp area was a very special occasion for submarines after patrols. First of all, for the obvious reason — we had made it back safely — but also because of the warm welcome we received. Immediately upon securing our lines we would become the recipients of boxes of fresh fruit — oranges and apples (some of the latter being from my state of Washington, in boxes marked “Chelan” or “Wenatchee”). We had been out so long that we had used up every bit of “fresh” food we had taken to sea! Most important of all, we were given all of our accumulated mail. The whole crew would be spread out topside, sitting everywhere, eating fresh fruit and reading all the precious mail from home — always in chronological order so we could keep events in proper perspective.
We had heard that earlier boats also used to get big cans of ice cream delivered to them, but we on Atule had our own machine, so we were never short. Incidentally, our cooks always made vanilla, so when I pleaded for chocolate, guess what, I became the “Captain of the Flavors.” At least I could mix up my choice.
After this happy greeting, we all got careful physicals. Here we were examined and set up for dental work, etc., on the sub tender. We all even got a private chat with the psychiatrist. “Do you want to stay on the submarine?” We had men who suffered from chronic sea-sickness and lost a lot of weight while we were at sea. They could have bagged it, but so far as I know they all plead their case and were able to fatten up in rest camp and stay with the crew. I thought that to be real dedication on their part.
Standing watch with a bucket between your knees is a bit of a chore. I know at least two of my shipmates had to do just that almost as soon as our lines were cast off. Luckily, I wasn’t bothered, at least back in those days, so that was a blessing I appreciated, at least when I saw how miserable seasickness was.
At last our days of swimming in the warm tropical waters and gathering exotic shells came to an end. We would soon be “off to war” but first O’Toole had to be tested to make sure everything was ready for action. We conducted our training exercises from 28 December 1944 to 3 January 1945 including wolfpack exercises with USS Spadefish, USS Pompon and USS Jallao. We finally left Majuro, “good-by forever” and headed for Saipan to refuel. The group’s escort left us and we all started through the Total Bombing Restricted Lane, i.e., American planes are not to bomb anything traveling in this restricted area. About 1600 we observed the Spadefish dive and receive two aerial bombs from low-flying TDBs. Pompon, next in line, also dove. We managed to identify ourselves when the range had closed to a half mile. Spadefish surfaced and informed the rest of us that only his spirit had been damaged. Situations like this were not unusual. Our submarines were leery of everything they saw in order to preserve their health. 14 January. Moored alongside USS Fulton in Tanapag Harbor, Saipan. Refueling.
Photo and Map Credits:
Marshall Islands map (Lonely Planet Publications)
Aerial photo of Majuro Atoll (US Navy Photo from the Collection of Ken Butterfield)
Map of Majuro Atoll (Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin)
Task Force 58 warships (US Navy Photo from the Collection of Ken Butterfield)
MY STORY: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE US NAVY 