As I Remember USS San Clemente

"The USS Hospital Ship Repose" Upon arriving back from Peking, my shipmates and I took another rest and recreation leave to Nanking, China. I remember how strange it was to order tea and tea leaves would still be in the drinking glass/cup. I had to learn to drink around the leaves. I never did learn how to eat with chop sticks. I became sick in Nanking. The whole left side of my face was swollen. My left eye was swollen shut. I had a fever and was very sick. I was put on a chinese train going to Shanghai with two shipmates. The train was very crowded. I traveled one hundred plus miles on the train with curious chinese natives gathered around me. If you have ever seen in the movies how crowded the trains where in China at the time, I can assure you that those movie scenes were not exaggerations. I finally arrived in Shanghai. January 29, 1946, I was placed aboard the hospital ship USS Repose. All my records and belongings were transfered to the hospital ship. I would never see the LSM 462 or my shipmates again. A pretty nurse gave me the new wonder drug penicillum in the rear daily. I do not know if it was the drug or the nurse, but I soon became well enough to leave the hospital ship. I was transfered to a Transient Barrack Barge in the middle of the Whangpoo river. I spent approximately one week on the Barrack Barge. I received orders to report to the Wright (AV-1) / USS San Clemente (AG-79) This Information Taken From http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/az1.htm The USS San Clemente was the Flagship for Service Division 101-Commodore E. E. Duval, commanding-on 5 February. San Clemente remained at Shanghai in support of the Navy occupation forces there until 7 April, when she was relieved by Holland (ARG-18) as flagship of ServRon 101. With hundreds of veterans embarked as passengers, San Clemente departed Chinese waters on 8 April bound-via Yokosuka, Japan, and Pearl Harbor-for home. Reaching San Francisco on 2 May, San Clemente got underway again eight days later and headed for the east coast of the United States. Reaching the New York Naval Shipyard (the old New York Navy Yard) on 29 May, she commenced inactivation proceedings and was decommissioned on 21 June 1946. Struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1946, the illustrious tender was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal on 21 September 1946. She was sold for scrap on 19 August 1948. I packed my belongings and hopped a ride on a LCVP (landing craft vehicle/personnel) to report to my new ship, the USS San Clemente. The USS San Clemente was anchored in the center of the Whangpoo river. The Officer of the Deck would not allow the LCVP to dock up with the ship's gangplank. This was a Flag ship and the Commodore would not allow a boat the size of the LCVP to dock at the ship's gangplank. The LCVP's Coxswain (boat's driver) repeatedly yelled, that he had a sailor aboard, who had orders to report for duty aboard the USS San Clemente. The LCVP circled the ship several times. Finally, the Coxswain was told, that I would have to come aboard on a cargo net located on the stern of the ship. I can still remember, the indignation I felt. I was, an American sailor, trying to report for duty; and there was the Commodore with his Flag ship and his petty rules of prestige. The Coxswain brought his LCVP along side the ship stern and cargo net. I grabbed the cargo net and climbed aboard the ship. The sailors aboard the San Clemente gave me a rope. I lowered the rope for my sea bag. The sailors in the LCVP tied my sea bag to the rope. I was pulling my sea bag up the side of the ship, when the rope's knot failed and my sea bag fell into the river. I can still see my sea bag floating down the Whangpoo river. The Coxswain took off after it in his LCVP. He finally retrieved my sea bag and brought the LCVP along the side of the ship and told me to drop a line for my sea bag. I finally blew up. I told the Coxswain to take the damn sea bag and jam it up the Navy's ass. I sat down on the deck crying. I was crying from rage. The sailors on the San Clemente gathered around me, wondering if I was mad. Finally, two sailors aboard the San Clemente lowered the rope and brought my sea bag aboard. One of the sailors, an Italian American, (a native son of Brooklyn, New York) brought the sea bag to me. He talked to me until I became rational again. He noticed the Japanese Officer's sword in my sea bag. He asked where had I got the sword? I told him, "I bought it from an old chinese man. You can have the sword if you want it." I was tired of the U.S. Navy, and I did not need a souvenir to remind me of it. He took the sword and said, "If you ever want it back, let me know." I never asked for it back. His grandchildren are probably wondering where his sword came from. His last name was Garbarino (I hope I spelled it right). He became one of my few friends. He is in the photo below. Update In the year 1999, I received an Email from Gary Garbarino, he had seen this webpage on the Internet and was surprised to see his father's face on the above photo. His father, Frank Garbarino, deceased, had never told him much about his World War II experiences. He, Gary, had no knowledge of the Sword..... So where the sword ended up is a Mystery to me. His Son used my story in a Veteran Day study exercise concerning his Grandfather Frank Garbarino's World War II experience. I reported in to the Executive officer. He restricted me to the ship for two weeks. I did not have an ID (indentification) card. I went on Two liberties and did some SP (Shore Patrol) duty for the Ship; before the ship sailed to the United States. I was assigned to the Electrician crew. The ship was built in 1920/1921. The electrical circuits were all DC (direct current) and the control circuits of the generators were obsolete. New York City I enjoyed my stay in New York. I met Gabarino's parents, (they lived in Brooklyn) they invited me to their home for dinner. They were happy to see their son and his friends. I visited the Empire State building and Central Park. I visited Times Square, the Latin Quarter's club, and Coney Island. I walked across the Brooklyn bridge. I rode the subway and met some pretty New York girls. Frank Sinatra New York New York The Party & The Jeep The USS San Clemente was to be decommissioned. The ship had two decommissioning parties. A Navy ship can only give half the crew liberty. There is always one crew on duty aboard ship. The crew is broken up into the Port crew and Starboard crew. The first night was for the Port crew and the second night was for the starboard crew. I attended the ship's party the first night. The second night I was on SP (Shore Patrol) duty at the ship's party. The ship's Bosun Mate was in charge of the Shore Patrol. The party was wild: drinking, dancing, and girls galore. The party was finally over and the Navy personnel and their guest had left. The Bosun Mate decided the Shore Patrol could drink the whiskey that was left over from the party. He did not think it would be proper to waste the extra whiskey. The Bosun Mate, the other SPs, and I were drunk when we left the party site. We got into the jeep and the Bosun Mate declared himself as the designated driver. The (Bosun Mate) driver and two sailors were in the front seat. Three sailors and I were in the back seat. One sailor was passed out on the floor, and I was hanging out the left rear side of the jeep. Off we went singing and laughing. The Bosun Mate was driving the jeep on the left and then on the right side of the street. He was swinging the jeep left and then right to the beat of our song. He turned the jeep to far to right and hit the rear of a parked car. The jeep bounced backwards off the car. I went sailing through air. I can still remember the flight. The thought went through my mind, that I was going to die when I hit the street. The jeep started forward as I hit the paved street. I was laying on the street, when I saw the jeep hit a car on the left side of the street. The jeep then came to a stop. I suddenly realized that I was still alive and ran to the jeep. The sailors in the back seat had survived the crash with no injuries. The Bosun Mate and the two sailors in the front seat had gone through the front windshield. They had severe injuries to their face and neck. Lucky for them, the accident happened one block from a hospital. We were able to get the injured Bosun Mate and sailors to the Emergency room. Sailors from the San Clemente removed the jeep from the scene of the accident. The owners of the cars would never know who damaged their vehicles. I would never know what happened to the injured Bosun Mate and sailors. Unknown to me at the time, I was destined to leave the ship forever. June 1946 (Sad, But Free At Last) One day in early June of 1946, my name was called over the ship's loud speaker. I was to report to the Officer of the deck. He informed me that my brother, Junior, had died. I went to my warrant officer and requested emergency leave. He went to the ships executive officer with my request. My emergency leave request was denied. His excuse was that I had a critical specialist rating and could not leave the ship. I became very angry and was going to confront the executive officer. The warrant officer finally interceded on my behalf. I was finally granted the priviledge of getting a discharge. I would be assigned to a Transient base awaiting my disharge from the U.S. Navy. I telephoned home, my sister Pat answered the telephone call. My parents were in Durango, Colorado. I told Pat, that I would not be home for Junior's funeral. I was in the Transient barracks for approximately one week, before I received my discharge orders. I was to report to Norman, Oklahoma, Naval Station to be discharged. My travel orders placed me in charge of two sailors, who were to receive their discharges. We boarded a Pullman car at the Grand Central Train Station in New York City. The train traveled to Chicago, Illinois. We took a Pullman out of Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri. Jukebox Wilbert Harrison Kansas City Here I Come Youthful Lust I was sitting in the train's lounge with my two shipmates, when two pretty young girls entered. One looked at me and said. "I want that one." Well one thing led to another and I was almost kicked off the train by the Conductor in the Pullman car. The girl wanted me to stay in Kansas City and I was sure tempted to do so, but my sailor buddies informed me that I had their orders for Discharge. The two sailors, after some argument, convinced me that I could come back to Kansas City after my discharge. Common Sense prevailed and we continued on to Norman, Oklahoma. Jukebox Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain Floyd Cramer I received my Honorable discharge June 21, 1946. I received $100.00 mustering out pay, $37.28 final pay, and $4.40 travel pay. I telephoned my parents, that I was coming home. I took a bus from Oklahoma City to Muskogee. My parents were waiting at the bus station. They appeared happy to see me. They took me home to their house on 120 North F St. I went into the house and I removed my U.S. Navy uniform; I threw it on the floor and I proceeded to stomp it. My parents were pained and astonished by my actions. I did not explain, I said, "I am glad to be home." I would never wear my Navy uniform again.

1928
"The Fragile Fiber Of Youth"

The Navy Story Is Dedicated To My Brother, Junior, He Had Blue Eyes.

"Memories Of A SandScraper"

Blue Eyes - Midi Song Make The World Go Away Floyd Cramer