June 24, 2016

These were orders given to me by Bill Grogan:
“This is a copy of My Dad’s Orders. He was a Coxwain, Drove a Landing Boat.
The Dade was a troop ship” U.S.S. Dade (APA-99) Prepare For The Occupation 8 September 1945 General Information The Japanese have accepted the surrender terms of the Allied powers and this Squadron had been selected by higher authority to lift troops located in the Manila area and transport them to the Tokyo area as part of the forces that will occupy Japan. Transport Squadron Twenty-four will comprise the third echelon engaged in transporting troops and will be preceded by two other Transport Squadrons. Ships attached to this Squadron will lift the 43rd Division of the 8th Army. These troops will be put ashore over the docks at Yokohama or the Yokosuka Naval Base, in Tokyo Bay. Mines Both enemy and own forces have mined Japanese home waters. While the area in which we will operate will have been swept as early as possible and most of the mines deactivated prior to our entry, all ships should be on the alert for floating objects, properly identify these objects and stay clear of them. Mines should be promptly reported so that they may be properly handled by qualified demolition team. In the event it should become necessary for boat personnel to handle mines, extreme care should be exercised. U. S. mines are of the magnetic and acoustic type and Japanese mines are of the magnetic and controlled types. Alertness and vigilance will prevent any possible losses from this source. Tokyo Bay Area The Tokyo Bay area is roughly shaped as a deep loop, extending northward, located on the East Coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. To the west, or on the port hand entering the bay, lies Salami Wan, a large bay, on whose north shore are some well known bathing beaches. To the east, or the starboard hand going into Tokyo Bay, lies Tateyama Wan, a smaller bay: on whose shores are good landing beaches. Inside Tokyo Bay, on its west side, and extending in order to the northward lie the Yokosuka Naval Base, one of Japan’s principal Navy Yards, the Port of Yokohama and near the top of the bay, Tokyo itself. The Tokyo Bay area is one of the most congested centers of population in the world. The 1940 census show Tokyo to have a population of 6,778,804 and Yokohama to have a population of 896,091. Yokosuka, the town near the naval base, had a population of 193,358. Yokohama Yokohama is on the west side of Tokyo Bay, approximately 22 miles from the entrance to the Bay. Yokohama, Kawasaki and Tokyo form practically a continuous port and city on the upper west side of the body of water: together they have the most important port facilities in Central Japan and they constitute the only major port in the area. Yokohama is the fifth largest city and the second largest port in Japan and handled 25% of the country’s pre-war foreign trade. In 1941 an Imperial Ordinance combined the ports of Tokyo and Yokohama under a single jurisdiction and established a single port district under the name Keihin. The harbor itself is an indentation in the coast and the outer harbor is protected by a breakwater, which is built in seven sections. Entrance to the harbor is from the east and the harbor is rough during easterly winds. The inner harbor is protected by two breakwaters. About 5 square miles of water are enclosed by the other harbor and approximately 2 square miles by the inner harbor breakwaters. There is an additional square mile in the canal section of Tsurumi-cho. There are four 24 miles of these canals, about 15 miles of which are navigable by large lighters.
(To be continued)

Stu’s Notes:
Monday night we noted the beginning of our 16th year of planning and building the Oroville Veterans Memorial Honoring all of Butte County. The request for Bids has gone out and building should begin late summer. We are all looking forward to the overlook and Wall being built very soon.