Evening star., 1943-11-15

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reached what he thought was the
bottom Of the net, there still was
long space to the boat-too far to
jump. The net seemed to end
What do I do now?" he ventured.
No one said anything. Then he saw
that the net merely curved inward
with the ship and continued on. So
he did likewise, with few fumbles.
He landed without mishap, and with
marked sense of gratitude, in the
bosom of the LCP Qanding craft
personneD. AS soon as her COM
plement was aboard of she dashed.
The YAG receded in the distance
as we reached what they call the
rendezvous area. Something of
wind was blowing, and now and
then wave would leap over the
craft, catching us neatly about the
neck and ears. Our craft began
circling, awaiting the arrival of the
rest of the fiotilla. Aboard our LCP
were Capt. Macklin, 1t. Lowry and
several other officers, in addition to
half a dozen correspondents and
the crew.
Rendezvous Area.
At the rendezvous area, some
stated distance from the mother
ship, the landing boats meet and
start zigzagging their way toward
shore. They spread out at marked
intervals, so that they will not be
easy targets. They pause again,
much nearer the shore, at an esti-
mated spot called the line of depar-
ture. From this point they rush
for the beach in successive waves.
Each craft has been assigned to
wave and knows what to do and
where to 60. The whole shoreward
move might look to an uninitiated
observer like tumble of mad rushes
and confusion, but it's far from
that-everything is planned as COM
pletely as it can be.
We were No. 2 boat in the first
wave. A scout craft up ahead
dropped smoke screen across our
bow to screen us from the enemy.
We couldn't see the shore, but soon
red flare rose above the smoke
to show us our objective We
ploughed through the smoke, un-
able to see the lead craft in our
wave. When we got through it, the
shore was close.
Approaching in formation, our
wave opened out into a line just
before reaching the beach, so that
the whole wave hit the shore simul-
taneously. The versatile little craft
jammed into the sand, their ramps
at the bow opened and every one
ran up the beach. If we had been
invading soldiers, we would have
jumped over the sand dunes-if we
couid-and pushed as far inland as
possible before digging in. We'd
have known that successive waves
from the transports would bring
reinforcements, ammunition and
supplies.
Primary instruction.
We had taken part in primary in
struction for the crews of the smaller
craft. What we were to see later
described yesterday in the opening
chapter of this series-was a COM
plete ship-to- shore invasion re-
hearsal in the Solomons area of
Chesapeake Bay. But here on
Hampton Roads the green crews,
often with veterans of combat op-
erations to guide them, were learn
ing how to handle their boats. Later
they'd go to the Solomons for the
big maneuver.
Little Creek is entirely a naval
school in the Army-Navy amphibi-
Gus training center directed from
the Amphibious Training Command
of the Atlantic Fleet, commanded by
Commodore Lee P. johnson. The
Little Greek base trains both Off
GERS and enlisted men in using the
smaller Landing craft While they
specialize on the smaller craft. they
learn to know all the many types
of landing vessels, which range from
the little LCPs to ships which can
cross the ocean, like the LISTS and
the LCIs. They are taught the
whole theory and practical applica-
tion of amphibious operations-so
vital in this war.
Picked for Fitness.
The enlisted men must be above
average physically-not necessarily
in size, but in fitness and stamina,
for theirs is the gruelling task-and
the officers, as Capt. Macklin ex-
planned, are picked for special quail