| . USS.Taluga.AO-62 History: from Ships' Log  .  .  |
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| OCTOBER
- 1944 Week
TWO |
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Sunday 8 October - 1944
0105
Steaming
in convoy with task unit 29.6.7 in #11 position 800 yds. off
beam of USS
Aucilla AO-56,
the guide position#22 with USS K.C. Campbell DE-443 and USS U.M. Moore DE-442 as escorts on zig zag plan #10 speed 18 knots. 0808 Change standard speed to 18.5 knots. 1430 Commenced maneuvering to form column for scheduled gunnery exercise; order of column, Campbell, Aucilla, Moore, Taluga. 1421 Commenced practice. 1445 Ceased. 1516 Resumed convoy formation. 1820 Set degaussing coils. 2000 Sighted Cape Engano Light (Far east point of Dominican Republic) bearing 282°, distance about 20 miles in Caribbean Sea. Monday 9 October - 1944
0105
Steaming
in convoy with task unit 29.6.7 in #11 position 800 yds. off
beam of USS Aucilla AO-56,
the guide position
#22 with USS K.C. Campbell and USS U.M. Moore DE-442 as escorts on zig zag plan #10 speed 18.5 knots. in 1030 While cleaning #2 gasoline tank, crew member received injuries. He was at the bottom of the tank and had started up the ladder to secure a light when a piece of angle iron fell from a bucket which was being drawn up. He was turned into sick Bay for treatment. 1635 Sighted Aruba Island, distant 18 miles. 1648 Sighted California Lighthouse. 1743 Left convoy formation on order to proceed independently to enter St. Nicolaas Bay. 1804 Pilot Stark came aboard. 1850 Tug "Oneka" came alongside. 1858 Moored to Main Dock, St. Nicolaas Bay, Aruba Island, port side to with 6 manilla lines. 1859 Tug shoved off. Pilot left the ship. 1928 USS K.C. Campbell moored alongside to starboard. 2320 Commenced receiving aviation gas. 2340 Commenced receiving diesel oil. Tuesday 10 October - 1944
0105 Moored to Main Dock, St. Nicolaas Bay,
Aruba Island, port side to with 6 manilla lines. USS K.C.
Campbell moored
alongside to starboard, portside to USS UW Moore DE-442. Receiving diesal and aviation gasoline cargo. Steam on #1 and #2 Boilers in use for auxiliary purposes. 0155 Completed loading 8997 bar. aviation gasoline. 0215 Completed loading 8748 bar. diesel cargo. 0740 Completed discharging ballast in preparation for receiving cargo oil. 1054 Tug "Oneka came along side, Pilot P. Neuman came aboard. 1127 Got underway to shift berth, Capt. at conn. 1130 Tug "Delaplaine" came alongside to starboard. 1210 Moored in Berth #2 Main Dock, St. Nicolaas Bay, Aruba Island, 9 manilla lines. Tugs shoved off. Pilot left ship. 1230 Secured boilers 1,2,3, boiler #4 in use for auxiliary purposes. 1325 USS Aucilla AO-56, shifted and moored in berth #1 1340 Commenced receiving Navy Special Fuel from the dock. 1730 Set Ships clocks to + 4.5 time zone. Romanus, F.J. GM2c transferred to USS YMS-400 w/ bag, hammock, & records. 1750 Crysbiak, J. GM2c reported aboard w/ bag, hammock, & records. from USS YMS-400. 2100 Completed receiving 223,018 gallons bunker fuel oil from Lago Oil and Transport Co. 2235 Stopped loading cargo fuel oil on orders from the oil company laboratory. Wednesday 11 October - 1944
0105
Moored
to Berth #2, St. Nicolaas Bay,
Aruba Island, port side to with 9 manilla lines. All boilers cut in.
0420 Commenced discharging cargo from tank #8. 0630 Secured from discharging cargo. 0745 Resumed loading fuel oil. 1145 Completed loading cargo fuel oil, received 103815 barrels. 1246 Made preparations for getting underway. 1248 USS Aucilla AO-56 got underway. 1250 Pilot W.L. Daveon came aboard. 1350 got underway pilot at the conn. Standing down channel at 15 knots. 1310 Pilot left the ship, Tug shoved off. 1312 Set standard speed 12 knots. 1336 changed speed to 18 knots. 1415 Formed convoy as before. 1925 Secured from shifting cargo. Thursday 12 October - 1944
0105
Steaming
in convoy with task unit 29.6.7 in #11 position 800 yds. off
beam of USS Aucilla AO-56,
the guide position
#21 with USS K.C. Campbell and USS U.M. Moore DE-442 as escorts on zig zag plan #10 speed 18.5 knots. 0900 Changed speed to 15 knots. 1430 Changed course gunnery practice - same as previous practice. 1518 Completed practice. 1600 Set clocks to plus 5 time zone. Friday 13 October - 1944
0105
Steaming
in convoy with task unit 29.6.7 in #11 position 800 yds. off
beam of USS Aucilla AO-56,
the guide position
#22 with USS K.C. Campbell and USS U.M. Moore DE-442 as escorts on zig zag convoy speed 14 knots. 0459 Sighted Isle Grande Light about 23 miles. 0725 Formed column, Taluga 1000 yards astern Aucilla steering to enter Panama Canal. 0858 Passed West Breakwater Light abeam starboard. 0905 Pilots H.W. Smithies and R.W. Rubelli came aboard. 1100 Entered Gatun Locks. 1157 Left Gatun Locks. 1210 Commenced shifting cargo to trim ship. 1245 Completed trimming. 1625 Entered Pedro Miguel Locks. 1640 Left locks. See: Panama Canal Locks 66 yrs. 10 mo. 5 days later: Taluga returned through locks on her way to Texas to be recycled. 1718 Entered Miraflores Locks. 1838 left locks. 1915 Tugs "Empire" and "Gorgona" along side for mooring to Buoys "A" and "B', Balboa Harbor Canal Zone in 39 feet of water with 2 manila and 2 wire lines to each buoy. 1940 Pilots left ship, Tugs shoved off. 20 to 24 hours is missing from log. Saturday 14 October - 1944
0105
Moored to Buoys in Balboa Harbor, Canal Zone in 39 feet of water with 8
lines out. Boiler #3 in use for auxiliarypurposes. 0800 Mustered for Captain's inspection of crew and upper decks, conducted by Executive officer. 1008 Tug "LaBoca" came along side, received fresh water. 1030 Webb, T.G. S2c; Hunter, B.L. F2c; Avery, J.D. F1c; Mulholland, M.G. S2c; were transported for shipment to Naval supply Depot, Norfolk, VA with baggage, hammocks and records. 1215 Secured from receiving fresh water, received 140 tons. 1332 Pilot R. Kilcourse came aboard, Made preparations for getting underway. 1358 Got underway, Pilot at conn. Standing out at 15 knots. 1427 Pilot left the ship. 1506 took departure from buoy off Taboguilla Island. An Island once owned by John Wayne. 2125 Passed Cape Mala Light 13.5 miles. 2318 Passed Morro Puercos Light 9.5 miles. |
