Being Lost Twice in Fog in San Francisco

When the USS Pickens arrived back in San Francisco August 3 after a year in the South Pacific, it could use some repairs and maintenance before taking part in the invasion of Japan.  One=half of the crew was on liberty when the ship moved from its anchorage in the bay to a berth at Moore's Dry Dock.  I was given the duty of 
standing at the end of Market Street to meet those returning from liberty and instruct them on how best to go to the dry dock and locate the ship.  Although it was August and I was wearing a peacoat, I nearly froze.  San Francisco can be very cold in the summer.

Later, when we were making regular trips to bring troops home, I was on liberty when the ship was moved and had to find my way to the new location of the ship.  I got lost in a heavy fog and was near panic when I saw a blurry light that was just able to penetrate the fog.  It was a small cafe and I, who never drank coffee, had a cup that tasted better than any I have  had since, and got new directions to the dry dock.

 The next time I was caught and lost in a dense fog I was not alone but in a boat with other members of the ship's crew.  We utilized our LCVP's to travel from the ship to the pier at the foot of Market street and back.  I was in a group of sailors going back to the ship after an evening of liberty who boarded a boat and headed towards the ship anchored in the bay.  The fog was so heavy the sea and the sky disappeared from view and we failed to reach the ship.  Every half hour or so we would see some hazy light signifying we we were near a ship.  An officer in the group would board that vessel and get new bearings on the location of the Pickens. This went on all night until, shortly after dawn, the ship we reached was ours.  I feared that we would travel our of the bay and give out of gas with no way to contact any one or any ship.