Item text: "U.S.S. MONITOR (LSV-5) FPO, San Francisco, Calif. 1 November 1945 War History ------------ The U.S.S. MONITOR, one of the large fighting transports that have been the backbone of our war in the Pacific, has had a brief, but eventful history which reflects our victorious march from the Philippines to Tokyo. Commissioned in New York on June 14, 1944, this 10,000-ton vessel, after a brief shakedown in the Atlantic, sailed by the way of the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, arriving on August 10th. Loaded to capacity with assault troops, cargo and amphibious DUKWS, which she is especially designed to carry, the MONITOR proceeded with the Third Fleet to make the initial landing on the Philippines at Leyte, October 20, 1944. There followed in quick succession a run to New Guinea and Morotai for reinforcements for Leyte, the bold strike through the Japanese held Philippine Islands to Lingayen Gulf, and the landings at San Felipe, Zambales Province, and Subic Bay. With the Spring came a brief respite down in Guadalcanal where Marines were loaded for Okinawa, which was hit on April 1, 1945. After almost a year of fighting throughout the broad expanses of the Pacific, participating in Five D-Day invasions, and streaming enough miles to more than go around the world twice, the MONITOR returned to the United States on May 10, 1945. The capitulation of Japan on august 15th found the Monitor at Saipan in the Marinas from where she joined the Third Fleet sailing to Tokyo. A thousand Navy Bluejackets from the battleships, Missouri, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Alabama and Indiana, were taken aboard at sea by breeches buoy for the first landing on the Japanese homeland, which was made on august 30th, a fitting close to a wartime chapter in a ship's history which had opened on D-Day in the Philippines. The MONITOR was then selected to act as a hospital ship to assist in the removal of Allied prisoners of war. Over 8,000 repatriates were received aboard and helped on their way before this vessel departed Japan on September 19th. All that remained to round out an interesting tour of duty was the MONITOR'S present assignment of bringing home the men of our Armed Forces who's job is completed. A. L. Main, Commander, U.S. Navy Commanding".
Place Name coordinates. (May be approximate.)
Place Name coordinates. (May be approximate.)
