USS PICKING WORLD WAR II LOG

August 29, 1944      Zone Description plus eight and one-half

          Steaming as before.

0800     Position Latitude 27°-50.2’ N. Longitude 145°-43.2’ W.

0915     Commenced scheduled exercises conducting simulated torpedo attack; DesDiv 98 attacking unit, DesDiv 97 target unit.

1010     Completed simulated torpedo attack, formed squadron formation #6,    PICKING guide, fleet course and axis 240° T & G, 228° psc., fleet speed 18 knots.

1200     Position Latitude 27°-15’ N. Longitude 146°-51.5’ W.

1357     Commenced scheduled exercises conducting simulated torpedo attack; DesDiv 97 attacking unit, DesDiv 98 target unit.

1432     Completed simulated torpedo attack, formed squadron formation #6, PICKING guide, fleet course and axis 2400 T & G, 222° psc., fleet speed 16 knots.

1900     Set ship’s clocks to zone description plus nine.

2145     Sustained casualty on underwater sound equipment.

2300     Underwater sound equipment casualty remedied, back in operation.

 

August 30, 1944                      Zone description plus nine:

         Steaming as before.

0800      Position Latitude 24°-2l.5’ N. Longitude l5l°-58' W.

1200     Position Latitude 23°-59.l’ N.  Longitude l53°-03.5’ W.

1417     Changed base course to   246° T & G, 228° psc., changed fleet speed to 14 knots.

1656     Squadron formed column   of divisions, PICKING guide.

1843     Changed base course to   234° T & G, 218° psc., changed fleet speed to 13 knots.

1900     Set ship’s clocks to zone description plus nine and one-half.

2227     Radar contact on Maui Island bearing 195° T., 126 miles distance.

2250     Changed base course to 244° T & G, 228° psc.

2320     Changed base course to 270° T & G, 252° psc.

2336     Changed base course to 2400 T & G, 224° psc.

2345     Changed base course to 2300 T & G, 215° psc.

 

August 31, 1944                      Zone description plus nine and one-half:

Steaming as before.

0650     Commenced anti-aircraft firing exercise.

0945     Completed anti-aircraft firing exercise having expended 229 rounds of 40mm and 176 rounds of 5/38 AA common ammunition.

0947     Changed base course to OOO° T & G, 345° psc. Changed fleet speed to 20 knots.

0955     Changed base course to 009° T & G, 354° psc. Changed fleet speed to 15 knots.

1002     Steaming various courses and speeds proceeding toward harbor entrance channel Pearl Harbor, T.H.

1207     Steaming various courses and speeds conforming to entrance channel Pearl Harbor, T.H.

1334      Moored starboard side to U.S.S. GENESES, Pier H-4, Pearl Harbor, T.H. Ships present: various units of U, S. Fleet. S.O.P.A. is CincPac.

 

September 1,  1944                  (Zone + 9 1/2)

         Moored as before.

1140     Underway in accordance with C.T.U. 33.8.1 mailgram 010900 of 1 September, 1944.

1300     Sortied with Task Group 33.2. Task group proceeded from Pearl Harbor to amphibious training area in vicinity of Maalaea Bay, Maui Island, operating as directed by C.T.G. 33.2 training order ComGrpSixPhibsPac A601-44, conducting tactical maneuvers enroute. PICKING in transport screen.

 

September 2,  1944.

         Steaming as before.

0630     Arrived at training area, spent the day and night screening transport area while exercise landings were carried on by Task Group 33.4.

 

September 3, 1944.  

Underway from transport area at 0830 screening transports for anti­-aircraft firing exercise, (PICKING did not fire due fouled range) remaining at sea that night conducting tactical maneuvers.  

September 4, 1944.

 

Arrived once again at training area, commenced screening transport area for landing exercises. These operations were continued until 1800 September 6, 1944 when we formed with Task Group 33.4 and proceeded back to Pearl Harbor .

 

September 7 , 1944

 

Arrived in Pearl Harbor about noon, and moored in berth D-4, Middle Loch.

 

September 9, 1944                    (Zone+ 9 1/2)

 

At 0700 stood out of Pearl Harbor channel after getting underway at 0630 in accordance with ComDesPac speedletter 080718 of 8 September 1944. Steaming in company with U.S.S. TWIGGS enroute to Kahoolawe Island, T. H., for shore bombardment exercises. From 0800 until 0930 conducted radar calibration firing with U.S.S. ELLIOT towing, then proceeded to shore bombardment exercise area. Arrived at exercise area at 1200 and commenced the various phases of the exercise, operating according to instructions in D.T.B. 3-44 (Destroyer gunfire and support of landing operations).

 

September 10, 1944.

 

About 1300 completed last phase of shore bombardment and set course for Pearl Harbor; conducted anti-aircraft firing before entering harbor at 1730. About 1800 moored alongside U.S.S. YOSEMITE, in berth Xray-20, for a four-day tender upkeep period.

 

September 15, 1944.

 

At 1500 sortied with Task Group 33.2 after getting underway at 1100 in accordance with C.T.U. 33.8.1 secret mailgram 120404 of 12 September 1944. Task Group enroute from Pearl Harbor to Eniwetok Atoll, operating as directed by C.T.G. 33.2 attack plan A303-44. PICKING in station #1 of special disposition 2-CS. Commander Task Group, and O.T.C. is Rear Admiral Royal in U.S.S. ROCKY MOUNT.

Position:

2000:  Latitude: 20°-37.5’ N; Longitude: l58°-39.8’ W.

 

September 16, 1944.                  (Zone + 10)

 

Conducted tactical maneuvers from 1330 to 1500. 

        Positions:

0800: Latitude -  l9°-37.4’ N; Longitude - l60°-56’ W.

1200: Latitude -  l9°-29’ N; Longitude -  l6l°_38 W.

2000: Latitude -  l9°-ll’ N; Longitude -  163°-06’ W.

 

September 17, 1944                   (Zone + 11)

 

Participated in tactical maneuvers from 1330 to 1500. 

        Positions:

         0800: Latitude - 18°-33.3’ N; Longitude - l65°-40.5’ W.

         1200: Latitude - l8°-22.2’ N; Longitude - 166°-38.0’ W.

         2000: Latitude - 18°-02.0’ N; Longitude - 168°-05.0’ W.  

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