Friday, August 2, 2013

Pickens anchors in San Francisco bay

Almost a year since we  left San Francisco, the USS Pickens returned   before dawn August 2, 1945. I was operating the radar and giving the navigator range and bearing on fixed points on land.  We had lookouts posted but fog made everything all but invisible to the naked eye, giving me the task of telling whether a little blob on the radar screen indicated a buoy or a fishing vessel leaving for the sea.

We were back in the USA to do maintenance on the ship and take on board the Blackhawk Division for the scheduled invasion of  Japan.  All of we crew members were anxious for liberty and possible leaves before heading for Japan and a bloody battle. 

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