World War II Navy Documents
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 42 Aft: 42 Mag Temp: Fwd: 45 Aft: 46
Wednesday, December 22, 1943 Thursday, December 23, 1943
EWT + 3 Hrs - 0645-0745 - General EWT + 3 Hrs - 0645-0740 - General
Quarters. All guns fully trained Quarters. All guns fully trained and
and elevated. All OK. elevated. All OK.
EWT + 3 Hrs - 1000-1130 - Progress EWT + 3 Hrs - 1000-1100 - Progress
Test #1 in Seaman 1 cl given to Test #1 in Seaman 1cl given to
R.H. Williams and R. Young Sea 1cl. K. Ward, D. Watkins, and R. West,
EWT + 3 Hrs - 1400-1500 - Progress Sea 1cl.
Test #1 in Seaman 1cl given to EWT + 3 Hrs - 1630-1730 - General
E.W. Westbrook, Sea 1cl. Quarters.
Guns #3,5,7,2, and 4 cleaned and
lubricated today.
Time advanced one hour as of 0200,
December 24, 1943. Watches' time of
starting duty advanced 20 minutes
for each of the three watches
starting at 2000 today. Now
observing Greenwich Mean Time.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 49 Aft: 48 Mag Temp: Fwd: 47 Aft: 49
Friday, December 24, 1943 Saturday, December 26, 1943
GMT - 0715-0800 - General Quarters BST - 0800 - Field Day for crews
GMT - 0800 - Flickering light was quarters.
observed ahead, two points on the BST - 1030 - Inspection of crews
port bow. One of the escort went quarters. All satisfactory.
over to investigate and then BST - 1120 - Officially arrived at
continued on. When light came abeam port of Cardiff, Wales. Anchored in
it was seen to be in the water. It stream due to fog.
was probably one attached to a life BST - 1430 - T.R. Bowerman GM 2c and
ring and because of its flickering Lt. Long, U.S. Army Cargo Security
was believed to be probably a Officer on this ship informed Ensign
carbide lamp. Ship let it pass to McCarthy that the after cargo hold
port between columns 12 and 13. of the ship had been rifled and a
Approximate position 55-30N, wooden box broken open from which
09-03W. forty-eight 10-inch commercial
GMT - 1430 - Progress Test #1 in phonograph recordings, 25 radio-
Seaman 1cl was given to J.C. Wright broadcast transcriptions, and
and to F.L. Wilson Sea1cl. several "tonettes" (small musical
GMT - 1730 - General Quarters to instruments) had been taken. This
1815. after hold is adjacent to the ship's
GMT - 2000 - Time advanced one hour after magazine and is entered by way
as of 0200, December 25, 1943. of the same hatch. In this connect-
Watches time of starting duty ion it is noted that several days
advanced 20 minutes for each of the before sailing from New York, Ensign
three watches starting at 2000 McCarthy had noticed that the
today. Now observing Greenwich Mean entrance door to the after hold was
Time plus one hour for British ajar and the cargo exposed and
Summer Time. informed Lt. Long of that fact.
____________________________________ Further inspection several days
Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 48 later showed that nothing had been
Saturday, December 25, 1943 done about it. Captain Olsson was
____________________________________ immediately made cognizant of the
BST 0815 - General Quarters to 0855 loss.
BST - 1430-1630 - A thorough inspec-
5"51 gun cleaned and lubricated tion of the quarters, gear, bags and
today. lockers of the U.S. Navy crew was
made by Ensign McCarthy. This was
done as a result of the incident
noted at 1430. Search was negative.
BST - 1630 - U.S. Navy gun crew was
warned not to accept anything, under
any conditions, or for any reason
from the merchant crew; and were
warned again of the serious conseq-
uences of smuggling articles ashore
for themselves or others.
BST - 2000 - Passed through lock and
anchored at the buoys at Queens
Dock, Cardiff, Wales.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 46 Aft: 47 Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 48
Monday, December 27, 1943 Tuesday, December 28, 1943
BST - 1030 - Supply Officer came BST
aboard and paid Navy crew.
BST - 1330 - Spoke to Lt. Lyons Submitted voyage report to Lt. Lyons
of the U.S. Naval Port Office, of the Cardiff Port Office.
Cardiff, re ship and voyage. Sub-
mitted information and repair list. Stayed anchored at buoys - No cargo
BST - 1430 - Men mustered on the worked.
bridge of the S.S. John Gallup
alongside, with the crew of that
ship, and were addressed by Lt.
Lyons.
BST - 1500 - Signalman 2nd cl.
Progress Tests Nos. 1 and 2 given
to Oliver C. Kirksey, SM 3c.
Stayed anchored all day in the
stream to the buoys. - No cargo
worked.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 48 Mag Temp: Fwd: 47 Aft: 47
Wednesday, December 29, 1943 Thursday, December 30, 1943
BST - 2300 - Kirksey, O.C., SM3c BST
was brought aboard by the shore Stevedores worked 3 1/2 hours
patrol and was charged with speak- moving 102 tons of cargo.
ing and chatting with a girl while
he himself was on shore patrol
duty. The offence allegedly
occurred on St. Mary Street in
Cardiff about 2130. Kirksey
explained to Ensign McCarthy that
he knew the girl and had been out
with her the night before while on
liberty and that she had come up to
him tonight and spoken to him.
Kirksey was given five days
restriction.
Moved today to the quayside. Army
stevedores worked six hours
removing 222 tons of deck cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 49 Aft: 49 Mag Temp: Fwd: 45 Aft: 45
Friday, December 31, 1943 Saturday, January 1, 1944
BST - 1500 - West, R.M., Sea1c, BST
while playing in a game of basket- Stevedores worked 4 hours moving
ball arranged by the U.S. Naval 81 tons of cargo.
Port Office, Cardiff, turned on his
ankle and injured it. Was sent to
the U.S. Army Station Hospital
#348, APO 872, for treatment of a
moderate sprain. He was kept there.
Stevedores worked 8 hours moving
266 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 47 Aft: 50 Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 51
Sunday, January 2, 1944 Monday, January 3, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked 5 1/2 hours Stevedores worked 10 1/2 hours
moving 222 tons cargo. moving 281 tons cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 49 Aft: 48 Mag Temp: Fwd: 51 Aft: 52
Tuesday, January 4, 1944 Wednesday, January 5, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked 10 hours moving 5"51 gun cleaned and lubricated
332 tons of cargo. as was 20 MM # 4.
Stevedores worked 9 1/2 hours
moving 265 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 49 Aft: 49 Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 49
Thursday, January 6, 1944 Friday, January 7, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked 7 1/2 hours Stevedores worked 9 hours moving
moving 146 tons of cargo. 263 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 47 Aft: 47 Mag Temp: Fwd: 51 Aft: 50
Saturday, January 8, 1944 Sunday, January 9, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked 3 hours moving Stevedores worked 5 hours moving
110 tons of cargo. 236 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 50 Aft: 49 Mag Temp: Fwd: 50 Aft: 48
Monday, January 10, 1944 Tuesday, January 11, 1944
BST BST - 1400 - West, R.M., Sea1c,
Stevedores worked 9 1/2 hours returned to ship and to duty from
moving 302 tons of cargo. hospital where he had been
undergoing treatment since
December 31, 1943.
Stevedores worked 2 hours moving
25 tons of deck cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 51 Aft: 48 Mag Temp: Fwd: 48 Aft: 49
Wednesday, January 12, 1944 Thursday, January 13, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked ten hours Stevedores worked 6 hours moving
moving 550 tons of cargo. 163 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 54 Aft: 56 Mag Temp: Fwd: 50 Aft: 52
Friday, January 14, 1944 Saturday, January 15, 1944
BST BST
Stevedores worked 9 hours Stevedores worked ten hours moving
moving 374 tons of cargo. 262 tons of cargo.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 52 Aft: 51 Mag Temp: Fwd: 52 Aft: 49
Sunday, January 16, 1944 Monday, January 17, 1944
BST - 1300 - Smith, R.P.,RM 3c, BST
sent to U.S. Army Dispensary, Stevedores worked 22 1/2 hours
Cardiff, for treatment of infected moving 848 tons.
and swollen right hand. From there
he was sent to and admitted to the
U.S. Army Station Hospital #348,
APO 872, for more extensive
treatment, on authority of U.S.
Naval Port Office, Cardiff.
Stevedores worked 17 hours moving
517 tons.
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