Elsewhere in my story I reported the dates I embarked on the USS LaSalle and disembarked therefrom. In this installment it is my purpose to share with you my experiences while on board and tell you something about her and W.W.II history. She was originally named "SS Hotspur" . Her keel was laid 29 April 1942, launched 2 August 1942, acquired by the Navy 18 March 43, commissioned "USS Hotspur" on 31 March 43. US Navy Commander Fred C. Fluegel was her skipper. On 6 April 43 she was renamed "USS LaSalle" (AP- 102). She was named LaSalle in recognition of a town and a county in the state of Illinois, who were named after Rene Robert Chevalier de La Salle, a most celebrated 17th century explorer and builder.

Her displacement was 5,933 tons, she was 459'2" in length, had a 63' beam, draft 23', max speed of 16.5 knots. She was designed to carry 1,310 troops manned by a crew of 316 men. LaSalle's armaments consisted of one 5 inch gun, four 3 inch and twelve 20 mm antiaircraft guns.

In addition to delivering C company and other elements of the 4th Marine Division from the States to the Marshalls and returning us to Hawaii, the history of her service during WWII shows she participated in nearly all operations in the Pacific theater. She carried Seabees and others to Guadalcanal, took part in attacks on Tarawa, where she was shelled by shore batteries with little damage; Saipan and Guam in the Mariannas, feinted attack on Pelelieu, delivered troops for invasions of Leyte, Luzon, and Lingayen Gulf. At Luzon her gunners helped down a Japanese "Jake". She participated in the landings in Okinawa, where she fought off heavy suicide attacks over 5 days. This ship earned eight battle flags for W.W.II service and was returned to the Maritime Commission on 25 July 1946.

At embarkation at San Diego, we were directed to the troop compartment below deck within the hatch that would be our home while at sea. Many rows of bunks lined the compartment with walking isles between each double row of bunks. And the bunks were 5 high with about 22 inches of head room, not nearly enough for sitting upright under any upper bunk. When sitting in one's assigned bunk the head and legs had to be over the walk area between bunks. Blackout curtains covered the companionway at night so light from the compartment was not visible on the top side. Ventilation was provided but unfortunately it was not adequate. With a couple hundred men to each compartment the body odor and heat became quite undesirable causing many to seek refuge on deck to sleep. If the weather wasn't good outside then we had to sleep in our bunk. When the evening weather was nice I often would seek out a spot on deck. So many Marines were on deck during the night it was difficult to find a place to even sit but in the dark when one is tired he'll make do with what is available. In the morning there might be hundreds of cigarette butts where you had been lying, butts that had accumulated during the previous day before the smoking lamp was extinguished. The cigarette butts were the worst part of sleeping under the stars.

After morning chow in the ship's galley, we were required to participate in boat drills, calisthenics, schools and lectures on the Articles of War. This was no cruise. We were to do any and everything necessary to keep us trim and ready for whatever action might befall us. Our equipment and weapons had to be clean and oiled, ready for inspection at any time called for by our NCOs and Officers. Our weapons had to be disassembled and reassembled while blindfolded. The schedules were not identical but were similar each day. We were kept quite busy every day but there was some time off also during which we could write letters or lounge on the deck. Many of us had an emery stone with which we sharpened our knives that were already razor sharp. Our destination though known by the ship's Captain and possibly our Marine Officers, news of our destination was denied us until the time was right that we should know.

After a few nights I learned the galley was open for listening to Tokyo Rose on the ship's radio and initially there were but 5 to 7 Marines interested in hearing her propaganda. She reported our division had left the States and that while we were to meet our death before the hands of the superior Japanese forces, our loved ones at home would find our replacements among the steel workers who stayed behind.

Bread was baked every night in the kitchen next to the galley. The smell of that bread was as much of a reason for spending time in the galley as listening to the songs and baloney dished out by Tokyo Rose. Usually the bakers paid no attention to the Marines listening to the radio but on a couple evenings the bakers handed out a loaf of bread for those of us who had begged for it. We should have been satisfied with having received the bread without bragging about it for then the number of Marines using the galley at night jumped dramatically. There was no more free bread. I can still remember how wonderful it smelled and tasted.

There were many card players among us and nightly the cards came out as well as dice. I lost my bankroll the first time I sat in on a game. After that I didn't get involved with cards. Others continued to play and the few accumulated the riches of the many.

Editor's Note: Our documented history indicates the next five paragraphs cover events which took place in May 1944 when we were enroute to Saipan.

The day came when we arrived at the Hawaiian Islands. We pulled in to a dock for what I had no idea. Having roamed about the ship - where we were allowed to roam, I knew where the garbage was thrown out and upon docking the garbage door was open and Marines were talking to a policeman standing on the dock near the door. I heard him ask if there were any Marines on board from Minnesota and I responded that I was from St. Paul. He was from Duluth and had been a policeman in Duluth before coming to Hawaii. He said if I might get a few hours leave he'd like me to meet his wife and grade school age daughters. At first there had not been a liberty roster but then one appeared. My name appeared on the roster so I informed him that many of us would be coming off the ship. He said I should see if any buddy would like to visit his family and see a bit of this beautiful State. A friend joined me but I can't recall who it was that went on liberty with me that day. Before we got off the ship, Sergeant Leonard handed out our leave slips for the members of the first platoon and at the same time gave us each a 5 dollar bill to spend on our holiday in Hawaii. This was from his winnings at poker.(He also must have felt this might be the very last liberty some of us might ever have.) As we stepped unto the dock the policeman met us and in his old car, a 1933 or 1934 model, drove us to his Ranch on which he and his wife raised pineapples, same as many others. We met his wife, who also was from Minnesota and their young daughters. They expressed how nice it was to meet someone from where they had come from. We were treated to a nice lunch and a tour of their small pineapple ranch.

Since our leave was for only the afternoon we took our leave thanking his wife for her hospitality and that we were so pleased to meet their beautiful children. Then he brought us back into Honolulu and let us out downtown where we thanked him again for the nice afternoon.

We still had some time before going aboard the ship so we went to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel that we had seen in movies. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was a sorry disappointment. There were no movie stars to be seen for that matter there were very few people in the lobby. We walked on through the lobby to the garden restaurant and unto the beach. There were no people in the garden or on the beach and barbed wire was strung along the beach as far as one could see. And the beach was littered with trash. The place was sure run down at that point.

Walking back to the dock and the USS LaSalle we saw a large group of Marines and other Service men congregated by a corner building on the other side of the street. When we reached the corner we saw the line of men on the steps on the side of the building going up to the second floor. This was one of the reasons we were subjected to movies and posters on the effects of venereal disease. We found a sidewalk vender selling orange and pineapple juice and decided to spend some of the gift we had received from Leonard.

It's my understanding that while our ship was docked there was an explosion among the ships. Since I don't remember hearing the explosion it might have occurred while I visited at the police officer's pineapple ranch.

Upon pulling out from Honolulu it was safe to inform us troops that we were headed for the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. That didn't make any impression on me personally because I had no idea where that was anyway. Then our school sessions included studying a map and 3 dimensional model of the Islands of Roi and Namur. I thought the outline of the two islands was very picturesque and would make a nice tatoo should I ever have an opportunity to get a tatoo. With a future tatoo in mind I made a pencil sketch of the two islands joined by land strip at the south end. That sketch is still in my possession after 55 years. It has never been put to the use it had been intended for. Not yet but if I ever do get a tatoo this design will be considered. We were briefed on the various items shown on the map to understand what we would find upon landing. However we were told to keep no diary, take no pictures and leave the maps aboard ship when we disembark. I have always thought it was wrong to not have a map. Surely the powers to be had to have maps to direct the actions of the troops.

Two days before D day or D day minus 2, I developed a rash on the left side of my chest and it itched terribly so at sick call I reported to Sick Bay. The diagnosis by the ship's doctor was "shingles", an infection of the nerves of the chest, usually on one side only. Calamine lotion was applied and I was given some APC oills to reduce the irritation of the itch and sent on my way. Generally, shingles take a long time, weeks and sometimes months to heal but in this case it seemed to be cleared up in just a day or two. By the way, APC pills were said to be All Purpose Capsules.