VIII. MOVING ON UP - ULITHI
After a stay of about nine months on Bougainville the American and Allied forces had cut the Jap's supply lines to a point where they were of little trouble or danger to us. So it was time for us to move on up again. On 10-1-44, we went aboard an LST to take us out in the harbor to a Navy troop transport. About half way out the ship signaled us to stand by as they were not quite ready for us.
The bottom of the LST was just as flat as a pancake and the bay there rolled continuously. After about half an hour nearly every man in headquarter company was "sick as a mule," and emptying their stomachs over the rail as they had not been on water for nine months. Members of C and D Company were accustomed to being on water almost every day. We went aboard the transport a short while later and left along with a flotilla for parts unknown, again.
On 10-10-44, we made a stop at the Admiralty Islands, 200 miles N.E. of New Guinea, leaving there the same day with more ships and escorts, and crossing the equator during the night while heading northwest. Looking at a map of that area you can see that we were surrounded by the enemy's fortified islands, Rabaul, New Guinea, Palau, Yap, Turk and Guam. We had a number of alerts of enemy planes and submarines, but had no encounter with the enemy. During these alerts we had to go below deck to an assigned area. It was hot down there at night and most unbearable in the day time.
After another nine more days (10-19-44) we pulled into Ulithi Atoll harbor. We unloaded our gear and set up camp on the island of Asor, which was
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