USS SLC OFFICIAL DECK LOGS-JULY 1942

Events from the
Official DECK LOG RECORDS of the USS SALT LAKE CITY CA25
July, 1942
Part One...Part Two

List of Information Transcribed from Copies of Originals

Dec. 1941

Jan. 1942

Feb. 1942

Mar. 1942

Apr. 1942

May 1942

Jun. 1942

Jul. 1942

Aug. 1942

Sept. 1942

Oct. 1942

Nov. 1942

Dec. 1942

Jan. 1943

Feb. 1943

Mar. 1943

Apr. 1943

May 1943

Jun. 1943

Jul. 1943

Aug. 1943

Sept. 1943

Oct. 1943

Nov. 1943

Dec. 1943

Jan. 1944

Feb. 1944

Mar. 1944

Apr. 1944

May 1944

Jun. 1944

Jul. 1944

Aug. 1944

Sept. 1944

Oct. 1944

Nov. 1944

Dec. 1944

Jan. 1945

July 1st, 1942
Steaming in darkened condition in company with TASK FORCE 44, H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA, Fleet Guide. Personnel in condition of Readiness II. Clear & bright moonlight, fresh breeze, light swell from the Northwest.

[4-8 Hours]
Steaming as before. Sighted land, distance 42 miles.

Catapulted the following planes as indicated:
CS-14 to starboard, pilot, Ensign E. J. Drodz
CS-13 to starboard, pilot, Lt. W. J. Tate, Jr.
CS-16 to port, pilot, Ensign J. D. Taylor
CS-15 to port, pilot Lt. (jg) R. P. Morse

Sperry, F., F1c, USN made daily inspection of all power boats. Conditions Satisfactory.

[8-12 Hours]
Steaming as before. Commenced maneuvering to conduct high altitude AA target practice, and to enter Northwest Channel, into Moreton Bay.

The Captain relieved the Officer of the Deck, of the Conn. Completed firing AA Target practice. Made daily inspection of magazines and smokeless powder samples; conditions normal. Commenced maneuvering to recover all aircraft and to stand up the Brisbane River to Brisbane, Australia. Received Pilot A. Walsh on board and he took the Conn.

[12-16 Hours]
Commenced maneuvering incident to passage up Brisbane River, Australia. Passed New Pile Light abeam to port.

Moored starboard side to Shell Wharf, Brisbane, Australia. Pilot A. Walsh left the ship. Commenced receiving fresh water from the dock.

The following named men left the ship on temporary shore patrol duty:

Headrick, Hermer H., CWT(PA)
Haigler, Robert G., CFC(AA)
Comorat, Vincent J., BM1c
Moss, Abbie L., MM2c

Kirkpatrick, Leland E., GM2c
Claudmantle, Jr., Arthur, BM2c
Bennett, A. J., GM2c
Toye, Louis E., WT2c

Commenced receiving telephone service from the dock. The USS JARVIS moored alongside to port.

[20-24 Hours]
Moored as before. Commenced receiving fuel oil from the dock. Number Two [2] Motor Whale Boat swamped, caused by incoming Tide catching it under a brace on the dock. Boat cleared and hoisted in.

July 2nd, 1942
[0-4 Hours]
Moored starboard side to Shell Wharf, Brisbane, Australia. Received fresh water, fuel oil [153,930 gals.], and Telephone service from the dock.

[4-8 Hours]
Moored as before. F. Sperry, F1c, made daily inspection of all power boats. Conditions satisfactory with exception of No. 2 Motor Whale Boat undergoing repairs. Lt. W. J. Tate inspected and tested all aircraft; conditions satisfactory with exception of Plane No. 13 out of commission.

[8-12 Hours]
Moored as before.

The above named Men returned to the ship having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

Made regular daily inspections. Received 120 gallons of milk from Metro Milk Supply. Inspected by N. G. Davis, PhM2c & D. L. Bartlett, SC1c.

The following men left the ship on temporary shore patrol duty. Lt. J.F.B. Johnston in charge.

Sandy, J. D., CGM(PA)
Kovanda, R. F., CMM(PA)
Metzler, L. C., FC1c
Penka, R., SF2c

Wells, Jr., W. E., BM2c
Flynn, C. F., GM2c
Yelenich, R. P., EM2c
Lyon, W. M., MM2c

[12-16 Hours]
Moored as before.

Transferred Plahutnik, Frank, EM2c

to 1st Evacuation Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, for treatment, with bag & hammock. Records & accounts to follow via registered mail.

Received the following stores for use in general mess from L. J. McCausland, Brisbane, Australia. Inspected by Davis, R. G, CCStd. & Davis, N. G., PhM2c:
2100 lbs. potatoes; 560 lbs. turnips; 1000 lbs. lettuce; 1260 lbs. cabbage; 560 lbs. carrots; 448 lbs. cauliflower; 448 lbs. beans; 1000 lbs. tomatoes; 672 lbs. peas; 448 lbs. rhubarb; 1250 lbs. apples; 12 crates bananas; 1700 lbs. oranges; 740 lbs. celery; 800 lbs. grapefruit; 672 lbs. beets & 500 lbs. pears.

[16-20 Hours]
Moored as before. Commenced taking on Diesel fuel from the dock. Commenced preparations for getting underway. Pilot Captain J. E. Fawcett came on board. Underway to shift berth. Captain, Exec. Officer, & Navigator on the Bridge. Pilot at the Conn. Moored starboard side to VACUUM OIL DOCK, Brisbane, Australia.

Incident to shifting berth. The current forced the stern of the ship into the piling of the SHELL WHARF causing the following damage: Starboard propeller guard dished? on the ship and wood filler torn; to SHELL WHARF, one fender pile sheared, one 6" x 8" stringer broken, one corner pile split, and the concrete sheathing around this pile broken. In coming alongside the Vacuum Oil Dock, the trig GARLOCK punched a hole 6" x 2" in the shell plating of the ship, at frame 8 1/2 one foot above the second deck.

Received fresh water and telephone service from the dock, with the USS JARVIS moored alongside to port.

July 3rd, 1942
[4-8 Hours]
Moored starboard side to VACUUM OIL DOCK, Brisbane, Australia.

Sperry, F., F1c, made daily inspection of power boats. Conditions satisfactory. All aircraft inspected and tested by Lt. E. H. Katenkamp. Conditions satisfactory except for plane CS-13, out of commission for repairs to gas tank.

Flynn, C. F., GM2c, returned to the ship having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

Received 120 gals. of milk from Metro Milk Supply for general mess use. Inspected by Davis, R. G., CCstd. & Gorohoff, G. J., PhM1c.

[8-12 Hours]
Moored as before.

The above named Men returned aboard ship having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

Smythe, J. H., Cox, made two (2) dives to investigate and examine starboard propellers, found to be satisfactory in all respects.

Hoisted out to starboard, #1 M. L. & #2 M. W. B.

Received aboard ship the following stores for use in the general mess.
1000 lbs. pat butter; 3000 lbs. stewing beef; 2000 lbs. beef & 1000 lbs. pork sides. Inspected by Brown, T. A., Lt. & Davis, G. M., PhM1c.

Captain held commendatory mast in the case of Pace, N. C., S1c, USN, read a letter of commendation from COMCRUDIV 5, for meritorious service on April 18th, 1942. The logs do not mention S1c Pace's name anywhere on that day, but it could be he was the one that spotted the enemy patrol vessel.

[12-16 Hours]
Moored as before.

The following Men left the ship for temporary shore patrol duty.

[16-20 Hours]
Moored as before

The following men left the ship on temporary shore patrol duty. McLachlin, B. M., Lt. (jg) in charge.

Amdahl, O. R., GM2c

Cain, C. E., GM2c
O'Toole, E. G., GM2c
Leach, H. L., FC2c

Holland, M. L., EM2c
Engbrecht, E. R., SF2c

Meeks, J. A., WT2c
Czarnowski, E. J., WT2c

July 4th, 1942
[0-4 Hours]
Moored starboard side to VACUUM OIL DOCK, Brisbane, Australia. USS JARVIS moored alongside to port.

The above listed Men returned aboard, having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

[4-8 Hours]
Moored as before. [totally unreadable]

[8-12 Hours]
Moored as before.

Maxwell, Franklin James, Cox, returned aboard for duty from US Army 1st Evacuation Hosp., Brisbane, Australia.

Received aboard for use in the General Mess, the following fresh stores:
1484 lbs. of assorted steaks; 1852 lbs. of rolled roasts; 30 gals. ice cream; 1400 lbs. of whiting fish; 1400 lbs. bream fish; 2000 lbs. turkey. Inspected by Davis, R. G., CCStd. & Fay, T. F., PhM3c

[12-16 Hours]
Moored as before.

The following men left the ship for temporary shore patrol duty.

Briggs, F. E., SF2c

Flynn, C. F., GM2c
Gray, L. E., MM1c
Kellett, T. A., GM2c

King, H. A., GM2c
Kovanda, R. F., CMM(PA)
Lyon, W. M., MM2c
Metzler, L. C., FC1c

Neufeldt, V. P., EM1c

Newman, Jr., F. E., GM2c
Penka, R., SF2c
Richardson, L., BMkr2c

Rohe, L. V., FC1c
Sandy, J. D. CGM(PA)
Wells, Jr., W. E., BM2c
Yelenich, R. P., EM2c

Received from H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA, twenty (20) high explosive 8" fused projectiles.

July 5th, 1942
[0-4 Hours]
Moored starboard side to Vacuum Oil Dock, Brisbane, Australia.

[8-12 Hours]
Moored as before.

The aboved named Men returned on board, having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

1130: Captain E. H. Showers, R.A.N., made an official call on Captain E. G. Small, USN.

The following men left the ship on temporary shore patrol duty.

Headrick, H. H., CWT(PA)
Haigler, R. G., CFC(AA)
Comorat, V. J., BM1c
Moss, A. L., MM1c

Claudmantel, Jr., A., BM2c
Kirkpatrick, L. M., CM2c
Bennett, A. F., GM2c
Toye, L. E., WT2c

[20-24 Hours]
Moored as before.

COM TASK FORCE 44 ordered recall of all men on Liberty. Commenced making preparations for getting underway on "ONE HOURS NOTICE".

The above named men returned on board having completed temporary shore patrol duty.

July 6th, 1942
[0-4 Hours]
Moored starboard side to Vacuum Wharf, Brisbane, Australia. Ship on one hours notice for getting underway. Personnel on liberty on recall.

[4-8 Hours]
Moored as before. [Records are un-readable in this section]

[8-12 Hours]
Moored as before. Pilot [named not known] at the Conn., Captain, Exec. Officer, & Navigator on the Bridge. Engines in maneuvering combination, maneuvering incident to standing out of Brisbane River and approaching anchorage. Captain mustered crew at Quarters.

[Records un-readable-but appears the SLC was moving from the Wharf to anchor in Brisbane Road, Moreton Bay, Australia]

[16-18 & 18-20 Hours]
Anchored as before. Set Special Anti-Submarine Boat Patrol Security Watch.

July 7th, 1942
[0-4 Hours]
Anchored in Brisbane Road, Moreton Bay, Australia. Ship darkened in Material Condition "Zed" (Modified) and in Special Anti-Submarine Condition of Readiness.

[4-8 Hours]
Anchored as before. Set Special Condition II in the Anti-Aircraft Battery.

[8-12 Hours]
Anchored as before. Made all preparations to get underway. Set Condition of Readiness III. Underway in Company with USS CHICAGO. Commenced maneuvering incident to conforming to channel leaving port.

[12-16 Hours]
Steaming as before, maneuvering incident to conforming to the channel & standing into Northwest Channel. Catapulted the following aircraft as indicated:
CS-13 to starboard, pilot, Lt. W. J. Tate, Jr.
CS-14 to starboard, pilot, Ensign E. H. Drodz
CS-16 to port, pilot, Ensign J. D. Taylor
CS-15 to port, pilot, Lt. (jg) R. P. Morse.

Anchored in Northwest Channel, Moreton Bay, Australia....anchor ready for letting go. Secured main engines, standing by to get underway on 5 minutes notice. Got underway on signal from USS CHICAGO in company with that ship. Captain at the Conn., Exec. Officer, & Navigator on the Bridge. Engines in maneuvering combination, maneuvering incident to conforming to the channel and conducting scheduled exercises.

[16-18 Hours]
Steaming as before, maneuvering incident to anchoring in Northwest Channel, Moreton Bay, Australia. Secured main and steering engines. Anchored in Northwest Channel, Moreton Bay, Australia.

Hoisted in the above listed aircraft & pilots.

Continue to Part Two July, 1942

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