(Army 6) I take a luxury cruise to Hawaii.

We were at Camp San Luis Obispo for five months. While there we made many practice combat landings. We started on the side of a simulated troopship in Moro Bay. It was actually a tall wall. We would climb down nets and load into LCVPs. We would sail around Morro Rock and conquer California. (At least Central California) Then we made a trip in a troop ship down to the Southern California coast where we made three practice landings. We got used to climbing down nets, which is kinda tricky when both the troop ship and the LCVP is bobbing.

On April 30, 1944 we boarded a truck convoy. After an overnight stop in Merced we arrived at Camp Beale in Marysville, California. We spent a month packing all our gear. We dipped our rifles and metal gear in cosmoline.  That was a messy job.

June 6, 1944 (a day which will always be known D-Day in Normandy) we boarded a troop train and under secret orders traveled to Fort Lawton in Seattle. This is one beautiful train ride. Mountains, trees, and lakes. I have never forgotten it. There were tight switchbacks where we could almost reach out and touch a part of our train going the other way. I would like to take that ride again.

Fort Lawton was a distinguished looking old military installation. There were good looking buildings and lawns that went down to the Puget Sound. At the gate was a street car stop, where you could catch a streecar that could take you downtown. I have heard that the fights downtown were bigger than the fights with the Marines in Santa Barbara. I did not see any fights on my trips to downtown Seattle. I never have been much into bar room fights.

Entrance to Fort Lawton.

Neat, huh?

This house currently up for sale. Must have been officer housing.

When Jackie and I moved to the Olympic Peninsula in 1989 we drove through the Fort so that I could use my memory muscles. The Fort has been closed for sometime. I recently read an article that said the Fort is being sold for real estate development.

After 12 days we boarded the fine old Matson luxury liner SS Lurline. It had been converted into a troop carrier. We were really packed in. There was a lot of deck to walk around on, however. I got to look into the grand space in the liner that had a huge impressive stairway. I know that the officers were quite comfortable.

Fancy troop ship.

The Waikiki Dining Room on the SS Lurline. The table in the center is the Captain's Table. I never even got to look into this room.

When we were boarding and pulling out there were lots of people waving, cheering, and giving us cookies. etc. A band played music. A jolly time was had by all.

The trip from Seattle to Hawaii was only 7 days. That was the fastest trip that I ever had on a troop ship. It is about 2700 miles from Seattle to Hawaii. That means we sailed at about 16 miles per hour. The next year I took a ride in an LST at 5 miles per hour. It was a six week ride from Hawaii to Leyte. I doubt that my trip on the Lurline qualifies as a luxury cruise. But it was on a ship that had made many luxury cruises. The Lurline used to sail from California to Hawaii in five days.

The moral of this blog post is "join the Army and take a luxury cruise to Hawaii". But do not expect to get a seat at the Captain's Table!