We would like to express our thanks & gratitude to William G. Earl, Coxswain 2nd Division, USS TORTUGA, 1945---1946 for sharing his personal diary with us.
I sincerely hope all who read it will enjoy it as much as I have. I think Bill would enjoy hearing from you, so please send him a thank you note for letting us post the diary for everyone to see. His e-mail address...

Click here to E-mail Bill Earl...
wgeokee@earthlink.net

If you notice, some of Bill’s entrees are similar to the entrees made by the late Walter Emann. Both of these gentleman served in about the same time period. Both documents can be considered an important piece of the Tortuga’s history. Both are historical documents!

Thanks for your time,
Chuck Westbrook.

Took boot training Sampson, N.Y. Co. 555 Bks G-6-U. March 13, 1945. They give us 7 days leave. Returned to Sampson OGU March 20 1945

Left Sampson Mar.23 for Newport, R. I. Arrived Mar. 24. Left Newport R.I. June 8 for Boston,Mass, to commission our Ship { U.S.S. Tortuga LSD 26]

June 9 Took on supplies, began preparing ship for sea. June 14 Went into dry dock at South Charleston navy yard. Unloaded three freight cars 40 mm, 2O mm and 5 Inch Ammo.

June 25 left Boston to Norfolk, VA. June 29, Arrived through hurricane to Norfolk. Took our shakedown at Hampton roads. Put 3 5 inch projectiles on beach.

July 23, Left Norfolk bound for New Orleans. Sailed up gulf, then 90 miles up miss. to New Orleans.

Arrived July 28 Loaded dredge. August 11 left New Orleans bound for Colon, Panama.

August 15 Arrived Colon Panama, Celebrated end of war with Japan.

August 22, Left Colon passing through Panama canal, heading for Pearl Habor. Sept. 8 arrived Pearl Harbor.

Sept. 11 Left Pearl Harbor for Okinawa, Ryyukas Islands southern tip of Japan. Passed , Enewotok, Saipan, Tinian.

Sept. 26 Arrived Buckner Bay, Okinawa. Sept. 28, Left for other side Okinawa, Hugushi Bay. Oct 2. Hugushi Bay, We were named the flag ship of a 23 ship convoy. Steamed into China sea to ride out Typhoon. Convoy was broken up by the storm, everyone went there own way.

Oct. 8 Steaming through home islands of Japan to ride out typhoon. Took 37degree roll, limit 50 degrees. lost temporary stern gate. Wind 80 to 120 knots.

Oct. 11 Returned to Buckner Bay. 138 ships beached by typhoon. unloaded dredge. Oct. 16 left Okinawa for Saipan, arrived Oct.20. Oct.30 left Saipan for Okinawa, cargo, 20 LCM 20 LCVP. Nov. 3 arrived Buckner Bay unloaded cargo.

Nov. 10 left Hagushi Bay, steamed through heavy mined waters off coast of Japan with 3 other ships.

Nov. 14 arrived Chin Wang Tao, China. Tied up to a coal dock. Nov. 29 Left Chin Wang Tao for Taku Bar, Tientsin, China. Arrived Taku Bar Nov,30

Dec. 28 Left Taku Bar for Jinsen, Korea. Cargo 3 LCTs. Arrived Jinsen Dec.31. unloaded LCT January 1 1946 we swong on the anchor at Jinsen, Korea more than 3 months.

April 7 1946 left Jinsen for Tsingtao, China. Cargo 3 LCT, April 12 left Tsingtao to Jinsen, no cargo We made 5 more trips between Jinsen and Tsingtao April 24. From May 4 to May 13 we made 5 trips between Tsingtao and Taku Bar with LCT for Tsingtao.

May 18 Pulled out of Tsingtao, heading for Subic Bay, P.I. No cargo. May 22 arrived Subic Bay May 23 Left Subic Bay for Samar, P.I. May 25 Arrive Samar. May 28 took on eight YTL, getting prepared to get underway. May 29 Got underway for Subic Bay. May31 Arrived in Subic Bay

June 1 unloaded YTL. June 2 Holiday routine, and also cleaned out well deck in afternoon. June 3 Ballest down, took on 8 YTL, and eleven LCM. Got underway for Shanghai, China.

June 6 Anchored mouth of the Yangtze river. June 7 Went up Wang pu river to Shanghai.

June 13 1946 Shanghai China, My last day aboard the U.S.S. Tortuga LSD 26

This was from the diary of [ William G. Earl Coxswain 2nd Division] From the time I entered the navy till I left the ship in Shanghai China…

Bill Earl...