and all Navy Crew except one gunners mate was removed at Saipan. There we stayed for about 2 1/2 months until they found a place for us on a troop ship heading to San Francisco. Being old salts we were assigned to the crew. And our job was to manage the chow lines and to keep the returning troops from falling overboard. The ship
was loaded with battle scarred solders. And we had solders constantly hanging over the rails seasick. When we saw S. F. and under the bridge a
loud roar went up from the troops and ships crew that hurt your ears. I don't remember anybody meeting the ship except all military. But by this
time the war being over was old. I and my A.G. crew ended up back on Treasure Island for further
assignment or discharge. I had more time to serve
and signed on to Tadcen at Treasure Island until I was discharged in March of 1946 at Shoemaker,Ca.
By contact with a M.M. crewmate ( thanks to Tom )we were removed from the ship at Saipan because it did not return to the states until months after the end of the war. My navy records show I was still assigned to this ship until my return to Treasure Island. And the irony of this while on Saipan waiting for transportation back to the
states. Being A.G. gun crew we were assigned cleaning up battle sites with Marine guards. With
the war over we were not to happy about this. As they were still Japs in the surrounding area that
didn't believe the war was over. And once in a while they would snipe at us. I don't remember the name of the troop ship we returned on and their is nothing in my records of being on this ship or being on Saipan. So I guess in the mass confusion of wars end these kind of records had a
short circuit. And another thing about being in the A.G.. I never received any medals or awards that I had earned until I got on this site. Since then I have talked to Navy vets that were on Navy ships and they received most of theirs without asking for them. This is some of what I recall and I have no gripes. I have made a good living in Ca. and have a wonderful family and many friends here in Ca. I still call Maine my home state. I have many friends and relatives back there. But I am the only one remaining now of my brothers and sister. Maine people have a hospitality and sense of humor that is hard to describe. In the inland where I come from they have a lingo that even takes me a few days to understand. Records and poems have been recorded
and written on this. Sorry this got so long.
Al
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