(Army 5) Amphibious Training.

On December 2, 1943 the truck convoy carrying the 154th Engineering Battalion arrived at Camp San Luis Obispo. What a nice camp. It had been a National Guard camp. There were rows of huts that held several troops. No tents. The town of San Luis Obispo was almost just outside the gate. San Luis Obispo turned out to be very important in my life. I completed amphibious training, married Jackie Ireton, and attended Cal Poly for four years after the war. Very important. While we were at Cal Poly Jackie gave birth to the first two of our four children.

 It was about ten miles down the road to Morro Bay. The Bay surrounds Morro Rock.

Our mission at Camp SLO was to become proficient at climbing down rope nets into LCVPs (Landing Craft Vehicular Personnel) and run out the front end when we hit the beach. (not to get married) Of course many others were to be trained, from troop ship crews to the man who ran the LCVP. It takes close cooperation of many disciplines to conduct a combat amphibious landing. At first we lined up on a high platform that held a net like a troop ship. We spent many hours climbing down rope nets.

We would fill many LCVPs and sail out of the bay and around Morro Rock and up the coast. The craft would go round and round in circles, then form lines, then land on the beach. We spent hours bobbing around in the ocean. When we finally landed we would run down the ramp, run inland, and dig foxholes and machine gun nests. Soon we would send some one over to Highway 1 to buy pop and candy. It was about about a mile from the beach to the highway.

These are actual photographs that I found on Google. They were of the training of the 81st Infantry Division. The 154th was attached to the 81st. I do not recognize my self in any of the pictures.

We repeated this operation several times. Then on March 15, 1944 we were loaded into a troop transport for some more realistic training. I can remember sitting at a dock in San Diego during this trip. I do not remember why I was there but I remember being in a mess-hall at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base.  We performed practice landings at Coronado, San Clemente Island, and Aliso Canyon.

The above picture was of a landing on San Clemente Island. You can gain an appreciation of the scope of the operation by looking at all the ships on the horizon. The Military, Army, Navy, and Marines really went all out on training us for combat landings.

We were at Camp SLO for five months. The training became tougher and more realistic. We were getting ready to go over seas. Running long distances in full field pack and marching for 24 hours. After the 24 hour march (in full field pack of course) we fell out after 2 hours sleep for a full day of training. While at Camp SLO I received training in blasting caps and high explosives. I was rated as a demolition man.

Here are three tough troops at Morro Bay. Notice the real tough guy on the left. He has a lot of hair.

Here is a close up of that tough guy.

What did Jackie see in me? We were married 70 years ago this June. Jackie passed away seven years ago February 18. I miss her very much.