Ship Ahoy for USAAF Flight Crews

 On November 17, 1945, I received the special orders that were directed to many of us airmen stationed at Kiangwan Airfield. We were relieved of duty with the 513 Troop Carrier Group, APO 290 and assigned to Headquarters 512 Troop Carrier Group, Airways Godown, Wayside and Dalney Streets, Shanghai, China. We knew that this was our ticket to head back to the USA. The orders made the point that “Atabrine suppressive treatment will be continued as previously directed”. The intent of this directive was to prevent any incipient cases of malaria from breaking out and sending us to the hospital before we boarded our transportation home.

 On November 25, we were directed to fill out in triplicate, for each piece of baggage “Officer’s Inventory with Certificates, Affidavits, and Customs Declarations.” I had three pieces- a B4 Flight Bag, and Indian made leather handbag and a regulation footlocker. The B4 bag and handbag would stay in my possession while the footlocker would be shipped to my home in Denville, NJ.

 In my B4 bag, among other items, were gifts from China for my family- a silk baby ensemble, two silk tablecloths, a red silk bedspread, a silk negligee, silk panties, silk brassiere, a pair of silk pajamas, a silk housecoat, 8 yards of silk and a box of curios. Needless to say, silk was readily available and reasonable in Shanghai. In the footlocker, besides more prosaic items, was a packet of personal letters, two Chinese dolls, a pair of Chinese shoes and a Japanese fan. I thought that by sharing this inventory list with my readers, they might have a better idea of what this twenty one-year-old officer considered apropos gifts to bring home from the orient.

 On November 27, my “Flying Status Certificate” was prepared and sent to me; the Commanding Officer of my first station of duty in the Zone of the Interior; and the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25 DC Attn: The Air Surgeon. It stated that I was “on flying status…..” and “suffered no consequential illness or injury as a result of aviation accident which affected his flying status while in this theater.”

Escort Carrier USS Kadashan Bay ENLARGE IMAGE

I never had a need for this document because I had already piloted my last military flight on Armistice Day (now Veterans Day) November 11, 1945.

 On December 4, several hundred of us boarded the USS Kadashan Bay. For Navy readers or ship buffs, this ship was the CVE-76, an Escort Carrier. It was launched 11 December 1943 by the Kaiser Company, Inc. in Vancouver, WA and was commissioned 18 January 1944. It displaced 7,800 tons; was 512 feet long; 65 feet at the Beam; had an extreme width of 108 feet; a draft of 22.5 feet; and a speed of 19 knots. It carried a complement of 860 men. Its armaments were a 5 Inch Gun, sixteen 40 mm guns and twenty 20mm guns. It carried 28 airplanes (12 TBM, 16 FM-2). Two Skinner Uniflow Engines with two screws propelled it.

 This ship’s aircraft engaged the central force of the Japanese Fleet off Samar on 21 October 1944. The Japanese suffered a sound defeat in this battle. In another area, on 8 January 1945, a kamikaze aimed his death dive at the Kadashan Bay and plunged amidships directly below the bridge. After an hour and a half of feverish damage control effort, fires and flooding were checked and it returned to Leyte, PI for temporary repairs before returning to San Francisco for a complete overhaul. On 14 April 1945, she commenced ferrying aircraft and passengers among Pacific islands. After the surrender of the Japanese in September, The Kadashan Bay joined the “Magic-Carpet” fleet. For three months she made runs returning battle weary Americans to the USA. We were aboard the Kadashan Bay for the last one of its trips (landing at San Pedro, CA on 22 December 1945). She departed San Diego for Boston 10 January 1946, and was decommissioned and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, 14 June 1946. She was scrapped 13 August 1959.

 We departed Shanghai on December 4, 1945. When we reached the Yellow Sea, I am sure the Skipper ordered full speed ahead, but even 19 knots seemed very slow for a group of Airmen who wanted to be home yesterday.

A2 Flight jackets ward off the cool December air as Kadashan Bay departs for "Uncle Sugar Able" ENLARGE IMAGE

We spent a lot of time on the rails watching the flying fish, which seemed to be pacing us. Reading, sunning on the deck and playing cards took up more time. Chow time was always looked forward to with anticipation. After Burma and China, this was really "Dining." We had heard how well the Navy ate and now we knew for sure. We encountered no heavy weather on this voyage. Most of the time, the blue Pacific was pacific.

 Around 15 days out of Shanghai, we docked in Honolulu and were given a few hours “shore leave”. After arriving at Trader Vics and having a few very tasty tropical beverages, our intentions of going shopping and seeing the town went “down the tube”. Our few hours in Hawaii were soon over and we continued our sea voyage the mainland. Eighteen days out of Shanghai, on December 22, 1945, our ship docked at San Pedro, CA. Knowing that Southern California was noted for always being sunny and warm, we were utterly shocked when our teeth began to chatter and goose bumps liberally dotted our skin. We were still in suntan uniforms and A2 Flight Jackets as our “greens and pinks” were well tucked away in our baggage still aboard the ship. We did not realize that 70 degrees F is cold to a person whose blood has been thinned by tropical heat. Our visit to San Diego was spent searching for a warm place.

 My trip across the country leaves a blank in my memory. I vaguely remember being on a plane and a train but the itinerary escapes me. I do know that I arrived at Fort Dix, NJ for processing. My orders dated 24 December 1945 specifies "Travel by Com-Air Project (commercial airlines) directed to destination airport and then by rail or bus as necessary”.