The USS Rainier POD for 12 May 1953, contributed
by Lois (Mrs.Dick) Hemingway- Thanks, Lois.
USS RAINIER AE-5
c/o Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California

TUESDAY, 12 May 1953
PLAN OF THE DAY

Follow the normal at-sea plan of the day with the following exceptions:
0415: Reveille
0430: Breakfast for the Crew. (08 to 12 watch at head of mess line.)
0515: 08 to 12 watch relieve watch for breakfast.
0545: Set the Replenishment at Sea Detail
0600: Standby to Receive the USS VALLEY FORGE

Note 1: General and Departmental Drills will be conducted this afternoon, operations permitting.

Note 2: All division Petty Officers Heads submit lists of the men in thier starboard or port sections for Yokusuka RR to the ship's office by 13 May,

Note 3: REST HOTELS FOR REST AND RECREATION LEAVE

FUJI NEW GRAND is located on Lake Yamanaka and approximately 30 minutes from Fuji- Yoshida station by automobile. Situated on the north-east slope of Mount Fuji, this resort affords the tourist hiking, swimming(average temperature in August 68.3 F.)and beautiful views of Mount Fuji. Western style with 41 rooms.

FUJI VIEW HOTEL is located on the shore of Lake Kawaguchi. This lake is noted for the fine view of Mount Fuji as an iverted image on the surface of the placid water. Fuji View is easily reached in approximately three hours and twenty minutes from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. Hiking boating and swimming are also enjoyed by visitors to Lake Kawagachi. There are 54 western style rooms including 25 with bath and 8 Japanese style rooms.

NIKKO KANKO HOTEL- Located on the north shore of Lake Chuseenji this hotel ass 49 western-style rooms, including 8 with bath, Nikko Kanko is situated on one of Japan's most beautiful recreational forests, Nikko National Forest. Yachting, boating and fishing are the favorite amusements. For fishing it is necessary to have a license which can be obtained at the Trout Hatchery on the lake for a small sum. The hotel is easily reached by express train on the Nikko Line from Tokyo in about two and a half hours.

T.R. CALDWELL, LCDR
Executive Officer

Personally, the Nikko Kanko sounds best to me.- Webmaster

A BIT OF HISTORY:



Here's a pic of the Valley Forge as it appeared as an LPH in the early 60's.

In October 1952, Valley Forge was reclassified an attack carrier and redesignated CVA-45. On 2 January 1953, she began the new year with strikes against Communist supply dumps and troop billeting areas behind the stalemated front lines. While the propeller-driven Skyraiders and Corsairs delivered tons of bombs on their targets, the jet Panthers conducted flak-suppression missions using a combination of cannon fire and rockets to knock out troublesome enemy gun sites. This close teamwork between old and new style planes made possible regular strikes against Korea's eastern coastlines and close-support missions to aid embattled Marine Corps or Army forces on the often bitterly contested battle lines.
Valley Forge air groups dropped some 3,700 tons of bombs on the enemy before the ship left the Korean coast and returned to San Diego on 25 June 1953." (Looks like Valley Forge was due for a little R&R about that time, too.)

SOME PICS OF THE R & R HOTELS OF THE FUJI LAKE DISTRICT
(top two)The Nikko Kanko hotel.

Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi

Fuji View Hotel, Lake Kawaguchi-1957.

Fuji View Hotel today-

The New Grand Hotel, Lake Yamanaka.