01

Moored to Buoy 18, San Diego CA, in nest with DORTCH, CK BRONSON, COTTEN and HEALY.

0000-0400

Moored in the Harbor of San Diego Bay

At Buoy eighteen on New Year's Day;

With a few scope of chain on the forecastle doubled

As the Joe in the pot in the galley bubbled.

Now in our nest were some good ships, really,

The BRONSON, The DORTCH, The COTTEN, and HEALY.

And all around were the ships of the fleet

Who sailed the Pacific the Japs to beat;

With number four boiler steaming on line

The Captain ashore and the Exec snoring fine;

Baker was set, of that I can boast

S-O-P-A was ComFairWestCoast;

And that, I guess, makes the record complete

On the grand old GATLING, best ship in the fleet.

                  Paul L B Gesner, ENS, USNR.

1330 Transferred 5 men for separation

02

Fueled from YO-223 1425-1550. Transferred 1 at 1545 and 1 at 1700 for discharge.

03

0940 Transferred 1 for discharge. 1505 CK BRONSON underway, 1509 COTTEN underway, 1530 HEALY underway, 1546 DORTCH underway, 1553 Underway, enroute to Balboa CZ in company with DesRon 14 (DesDiv 141) as TU 15.1.15. (DesDiv 142) KNAPP, COGSWELL, INGERSOLL, CAPERTON.

08

Conducted 5"/38 gunnery exercise, expended 106 rounds during 1310-1432 GQ. Conducted searchlight and 5"/38 illumination exercises, expended 10 star shells and 10 flashless during 1826-1939 GQ.

09

1529-1600 GQ. 1905 DesDiv 142 commenced illuminating this division with star shells. 1916 DesDiv 141 commenced star shell illumination of DesDiv 142. This ship commenced firing 1917-1919, expended 10 star shells and 10 flashless during 1845-1925 GQ.

10

1300-1315 GQ. Exchanged mail with CK BRONSON 1656-1711.

11

0609 Proceeding into Balboa Basin. 0751 Secured lines to mules and entered Miraflores Locks. 0930 Secured lines to mules and entered Pedro Miguel Locks. 1040 Entered Gatun Lake and at 1157 anchored in Gatun Lake. 1240 Underway and 1251 secured lines to mules and entered Gatun Locks. 1440 Moored to Pier 1, Coco Solo, NOB, Canal Zone. 1530 COTTEN moored alongside. KNAPP moored to COTTEN. Fueled ship 1845-2215, received 108,934 gals.

12

0922 Transfer 1 man FFT to RecSta Boston. 1508 Underway. Enroute with DesDiv 141 COTTEN, DORTCH, CK BRONSON and HEALY to New York, NY. DesDiv not mentioned.

14

Full power run 31.8 knots 0800-1315. Receive mail from CK BRONSON 1406-1419. Transferred mail to INGERSOLL 1440-1443. Transferred mail to COTTEN 1454-1455

15

1630 BRONSON transferred Division doctor to COTTON.

17

0648 Passed Ambrose Lightship. 0958 Moored to LANSDOWNE DD-486, 33rd St Pier, Brooklyn NY. 1100 HEALY moored alongside. 1225 Transfer 6 for discharge. 1400 Transfer 10 for discharge. 1515 LANSDOWNE underway. 1545 Moored to Pier. 1608 CK BRONSON moored to HEALY.

19

0757 Underway. Anchored 0928-1042. 1145 Moored to Leonaide Ammunition Depot Pier, Sandy Hook Bay, NJ. Conducted ammo off load 1200-1840. 1919 Underway. 2108 Moored to HEALY in nest with CK BRONSON on 33rd St Pier, Naval Supply Annex, Brooklyn, NY.

23

Fueled 1430-1525, 69,905 gals. 1920 One man reported aboard for duty.

24

Conducted fire drill during 1307-1315 GQ.

25

1056 Underway. 1215 Moored to Pier 26, North River, Manhatten Island, NY. 1235 CK BRONSON moored alongside. 1313 DORTCH moored to CK BRONSON. 1400 Eight men reported aboard for duty.

26

0930 Held Captain's inspection of personnel and above deck spaces. 1030 Two men reported aboard for duty.

02

0930 Held quarters for Captain's inspection.

08

0900 Conducted Annual Material Inspection of the HEALY.

09

0930 Captain's inspection of personnel and living spaces.

28

0730 Underway. 0844 Moored to HEALY, in nest with AUGUSTA at Berth 5 in Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn NY. 1041 Underway to Dry Dock #2. 1111 Moored in Dry Dock #2. Hull Board conducted inspection of ship.

01

Hull Board findings:

ENGINEERING:

The port screw has a large portion of the periphery chewed away. On #3 blade two radial cracks, one 1 1/2" long the other 2 1/2" long. #1 blade, 3" deep cut and saw tooth cuts near hub. #2 blade has eight bad nicks and seven radial cracks ranging from 1" to 2." The rope guard is missing from the starboard strut bearing.

There is local pitting along both shafts, approximately 1/8" deep.

HULL:

All zinc plates approximately 50% deteriorated. Heavy grease and slim along boat tapping area. Large corrosion spots throughout the ship. Corrosion, barnacles, white worms on sound dome and adjacent hull area, and on holidays covered by hull support blocks during last dry docking. Holidays are covered by hull support blocks this dry docking, rendering them inaccessible. Scattered heavy corrosion and pitting throughout all surfaces of all hangers, shaft bearing boxes, fairwaters, and along hull areas adjacent to hangers. Port intermediate hanger cracked outboard and inboard along junction with hull. Scattered heavy corrosion and pitting of rudder and rudder post. Two holes in port side of rudder, crack in starboard side.

08

1348 Commenced flooding drydock. 1537 Left under tow of yard tugs. 1619 Moored to WILLIAM R. RUSH DD-714 in nest with HEALY in Berth C-2 in Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY.

12

RUSH departs nest. 0728 This ship moored to HEALY.

02

0947 Underway. 1035 Moored to Pier 8, Tompkinsville, Staten Island, New York.

03

0855 CK BRONSON moored alongside. 1000 Commenced taking stem and power from BRONSON.

06

1000 Captain’s Inspection. 1100 Commenced supplying steam and power to CK BRONSON.

08

Fueled from YO-21 between 1550-1815.

09

0918 DORTCH alongside CK BRONSON.

10

1045 DORTCH underway. 1100 CK BRONSON underway. 1108 Underway for Charleston SC

11

Tactical maneuvers 0830-1138. Conducted fire drill during 1300-1425 GQ. STODDARD DD-566 joined formation, date and time unknown.

12

0839 Passed Fort Moultrie, SC. 0901 Anchored. 1120 Wayne Craft injured hand when caught in boat fall. 1132 Underway. 1206 Moored to Deperming Pier, Naval Shipyard, Charleston, SC. HEALY moored alongside. 1240 COTTON moored to HEALY. 1420 Furnished steam and power to HEALY and COTTEN.

13

1430 Commenced receiving power and steam from COTTON.

14

Furnishing steam and power to HEALY and COTTON. 1300 Receiving power and steam from COTTON.

15

1505 COTTON underway. 1500 DORTCH underway.

16

Received water from YW-110 between 1327-1350. 1530 Underway. 1555 Moored to PHILIP DD-498 in Berth F-5 Naval Shipyard, Charleston, SC in nest with SCOGGINS DE-799 and EATON DD-150. 1630 Commenced supplying steam and power to PHILIP and SCROGGINS.

17

SCROGGINS underway.

19

1100 PHILIP underway. 1125 Moored to EATON. 1220 MEADE DD-602 and GRAYSON DD-435 moored along side. 1800 Commenced receiving power from GRAYSON.

20

Receiving steam and water from dock. Power from GRAYSON. 1000 Held quarters for Captain’s Inspection. 1045 Articles for the Government of the US Navy was read to the crew.

24

Power from GRAYSON secured. 1305 GRAYSON underway. 1325 MEADE underway. 1345 Under tow. 1430 Moored to GRAYSON in Pier G-2. 1435 Receiving electrical power from GRAYSON. 1448 Steam from dock. 1457 Water from the dock.

25

0945 WALLER DD-466 moored in nest. 1002 LINDSAY DM-32 moored in nest.

26

1305 WALLER underway. 1320 LINDSAY moored alongside.

27

1000 Held Captain's inspection of personnel and living spaces.

02

At 1445 GWIN DM-33 moored alongside.

17

0815 Electrical fire in Ice Machine room. 0830 Fire extinguished, #2 compressor motor burned out.

29

1830 Secured receiving power from GRAYSON, receiving power from ship's emergency diesel generator.

30

0147 Secured diesel generator; commenced receiving power from GRAYSON.

01

1630 Secured electrical power from GRAYSON, switch to dock.

05

1300 Commenced receiving power from GRAYSON.

07

1500 Commenced receiving power from dock.

17

1043 Underway with assistance from yard tug for Dry Dock #2. 1056 Crossed sill of dry dock. 1400 Ship settled on keel blocks. FRAZER DM-24 also in dry dock.

21

0830 Commenced flooding, 1100 Ship afloat from keel blocks. 1214 Assisted by tug, towed to Berth G-3. 1240 Moored to ROWE DD-564 in nest with COTTEN and PORTER DD-800.

24

1120 Underway assisted by tugs. PORTER underway. 1150 Moored to ROWE in Berth 3, in nest with COTTEN. 1155 All services from dock.

27

0925 D.W .Shipp S1c fell overboard while engaged in ship's work, 0930 transferred to hospital.

28

0830 LCDR Frederick Lee Edwards relieved CDR Frank L Fullaway as CO of this vessel.

16

1405 Commenced decommissioning ceremony. 1415 Hauled down commission pennant and national ensign. CO USS CK BRONSON DD-668 assumed custody of this vessel for Commander, Charleston Group, 16th Fleet (Reserve Fleet).

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