Conversion to APA and Commissioning

In 1943 at the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Key Highway Yard, Baltimore Maryland, a C-3 hulled cargo ship was undergoing conversion to an APA (Amphibious Attack Transport).  The ship was built at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, Pascagoula, Mississippi as a merchant ship for the U.S. Maritime Commission.  She was to be named the S.S. Sea Corsair.  In May 1943 the Navy, acquired the ship planning to convert it to a straight auxiliary transport to be named USS FREMONT AP 89.  Upon arrival at Baltimore the plans were changed to convert it to an APA with the name USS FREMONT APA 44 (named after various counties in the country named Fremont).  The ship weighed 16,500 tons, had a single screw capable of a top flank speed of 23 knots.  She would carry a crew, now assembling, of almost 50 officers and about 400 men.  But the FREMONT was destined to be the Flag Command Ship with flag quarters for famous Admirals and Generals and was to play a big part in the Pacific War against Japan.

Lieutenant Commander Clarence V. Conlan USN was the pre-commissioning captain and commanding officer of the ship and the reporting officers and men.

In a small office on the shipyard grounds Captain Conlan was interviewing the officers who had been assigned to the ship.  Among the officers who had reported or were reporting aboard were:

Lieutenant Commander Harry C. Howe

Lieutenant Commander John V. Fitzgerald

Lieutenant Commander Gordon Burwell Ross

Lieutenant John Samuel Toothill

Lieutenant (jg) John R.M. Torrey

Lieutenant (jg) Harry Edgar McCullough

Lieutenant (jg) Joseph Pierre Kolisch

Lieutenant (jg) Jay Humphrey Thompson

Lieutenant (jg) Phillip James Daniel

Lieutenant (jg) James Robert Brandon

Ensign Samuel S. Campbell

Ensign John Louis Ramey

Ensign Granville G. Valentine

Ensign Gordon A. Anderson

Ensign David Wilder

Ensign William R. Maybry

Ensign Joseph John Carter '

Ensign Charles G. Greene

Ensign Herman Mischner

Ensign Jerome P. Coakley

Ensign John Joseph Dugan

Ensign Chalmers R. Bryan

Ensign Philip Glen Martin

Ensign Arthur H. Neyendorf

Ensign John Pierce Ellis

Ensign Reese F. Luket

Bos'n William John Gore .

Chief Electrician Frederick O'Neil

Another officer reporting in the commissioning crew was Lieutenant (jg) Emile L. Bonnot.  A resident of New Jersey, who had been commissioned and sworn in at the Third Naval District Headquarters in New York City on February 27, 1943.  He had been sent to Dartmouth College Naval Training School for Indoctrination, then to the Naval Service School at Princeton University for general training.  From there, because of the large number of friendly planes being shot down in error and allied ships being fired on in Europe, Bonnot was sent to the second class at Ohio State University for specialty training in Ship and Plane Identification.  After graduation he attended classes at the Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut for a special naval course for ‘lookouts’ and training in night vision so vital for lookouts on submarines.

When Bonnot reported aboard the FREMONT and Captain Conlan read his qualifications, he grunted and said “Don't they ever send me anybody who knows anything about a ship?”

But indoctrination, training and familiarization with the ship commenced immediately.  All officers took turns in tracking down all of the electrical wiring, water lines, watertight bulkheads, studying the holds, living spaces, the bridge, the engine room, the guns, the boats, the winches and booms, the anchors etc.  Because of the rare opportunity while in dry dock, all of the officers had to go down into the bottom of the dry dock to inspect the hull and the side plates of the ship.  While in the drydock and inspecting the hull, Lt. (jg) Bonnot in company with Ensign Granville G. Valentine, were looking up at the side of the ship when a scupper from one of the heads let go and doused Valentine from head to toe.  He turned green and returned to the ship to change his clothes and remove the mess.  While awaiting completion of the conversion of the ship which was a cold' ship while in drydock, all officers lived ashore in modest hotels and rooming houses.  Bonnot had his car to get back and forth from his small hotel.  At one point Captain Conlan ordered Bonnot and three other officers to report to the U.S.S. CUSTER, a sister ship, completed one month earlier.  She was engaged in amphibious training exercises in the Chesapeake Bay.  In her they were to get a preview of the officer's and the crew's duties while observing several days of amphibious landings.  In that exercise troops were put ashore under ‘mock’ battle conditions at Solomons Island, Maryland.  Bonnot volunteered the use of his car.  However when they arrived at the designated beach area it was dark and all of the ships off shore were ‘blacked out’.  How were they to tell which one was the CUSTER and how were they to get out to the ship?  They spotted a Coast Guard Station down the beach and the four approached the Station keepers and explained their problem.  The Coast Guardsmen agreed to help and attempted to raise the CUSTER by blinker (flashing light).  Not watching the beach it was two hours before the ship finally spotted the signal and responded.  A half hour later a small boat beached to pick them up.  Bonnot parked his car among some trees down the beach and then all four got in the boat and boarded the CUSTER.  It was a valuable three days for them in observing all of the action in lowering the boats, watching the debarking of the troops in battle gear down the nets and following the ‘mock’ battle progressing on the beach.

When the exercise was completed the four FREMONT officers were returned to the beach.  But when they went to get the car they found that it had been parked in the battle area and the paint was completely pock marked from the explosive charges and pyrotechnics used in the simulated battle.

Returning to the FREMONT the day came when the conversion was completed.  In consultation with the Captain Lieutenant Commander Conlan, the Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Harry C. Howe had assigned the officers and men of the crew to their various duties aboard the ship such as Lieutenant Commander John V. Fitzgerald, Chief Engineer, Lieutenant (jg) John R.M. Torrey First Lieutenant, Lieutenant John Samuel Toothill Senior Watch Officer, Lieutenant (jg) Joseph Pierre Kolisch Gunnery Officer, Ensign John Joseph Dugan First Division Officer, Ensign Jerome P. Coakley 2nd Division Officer, Ensign Joseph John Carter 3rd Division Officer, William John Gore Chief Bos'n, Lieutenant (jg) Emile L. Bonnot Lookout Officer and to gain experience was assigned to assist the First Division Officer.  When the crew was fully assigned the ship was ready to be commissioned.

U.S.S. FREMONT

COMMISSIONING PROCEDURE

20 November 1943

"

UNIFORM:     Officers and CPO's                  -           Service dress blue "Baker". .

Topcoats if weather demands.

Enlisted men,less                       -          

CPO's and Cks, Sts.                -           Dress Blue, white hats,

peacoats if weather demands.

Attention (by voice)                              Lt. Comdr. H. C. Howe                       All Hands.

Executive Officer FREMONT

"The Ship's Company               Executive Officer                                  Capt. Clarence

is at quarters Sir"                                  (Salutes)                                               V. Conlan

PCO FREMONT

(returns salute)

“Captain we are ready

to proceed with the

commissioning of the                             PCO FREMONT                                Captain Ward

FREMONT"                                                                                                    (Navy Dept)

Invocation                                            Chaplain                                               All hands.

Commissioning orders are read by Captain

Ward. When he finishes he orders

“Hoist the Colors”.                               Captain Ward                                       All hands.

"Hoist the colors and                             Executive Officer                                  QM's standing

commission Pennant"                            FREMONT                                         by colors.

"Hand salute" (while the colors are going

up). Two" (when colors are two

blocked). Bugler sound off                    Executive Officer

sound off if available                             FREMONT.                                        All Hands.

"The USS FREMONT is

in commission and I

transfer her to you"                               Captain Ward                                       Capt. Conlan

Reads orders ordering

him to Command.                                 Captain Conlan                                     All hands.

"I assume command of

the USS FREMONT"

(Salutes Capt. Ward)                            Captain Conlan                                     Capt. Ward.

"Commander Howe, set

the watch"                                            Capt. Conlan                                        Executive Officer

"Set the Watch"                                    Comdr. Howe                                      Ch. Bosn. Mate Pope

"Aye, Aye, Sir. Set

the Watch first

section" (Pipes)                                     CBM Pope                                          All hands.

"Lt. Toothill, you

will take the watch

as Officer of the

Deck"                                                   Comdr. Howe                                      Lt. Toothill

"Aye, Aye, Sir"

(Salutes and goes to

the quarter deck)                                  Lt. Toothill                                            Comdr. Howe.

"Pipe Down"                                         Capt. Conlan                                        Comdr. Howe.

"Pipe Down"                                         Comdr. Howe                                      CBM Pope

"Pipe Down" (Pipes)                             CBM Pope                                          All hands.

"Division Officers

take charge. Dismiss

your divisions."                                     Comdr. Howe.                                     Div. Officers

"Division, Dismissed"                Division Officer                                     Division

H.C. Howe,

Lieutenant Commander, USNR,

Executive Officer.

After the commissioning, on 23 November 1943, there was a lively commissioning party with a band and dancing at a hotel in Baltimore for all of the .plank owners’ officers and men and their families and friends.

Preparation for War

Four days later the FREMONT departed Baltimore and arrived at the Norfolk Navy Yard Portsmouth, Virginia 28 November.  Here the ship and the crew went through many tests and exercises including speed runs, firing all of the guns both at star shells fired by the 5 inch guns and at targets towed by planes.  The instruments were calibrated, the ship was degaussed and all instruments tested.  Training continued until 9 December when she conducted a further Shakedown Cruise in the Chesapeake Bay.  On 17 December the ship returned to Portsmouth for post shakedown repairs.  Soon after the shakedown repairs were finished in company with the U.S.S. Bayfield and the U.S.S. Henrico the Fremont, flying the flag of Commander Transport Division 11, commencing 27 December 1943, conducted similar ‘mock’ battles off Cove Point Maryland as those observed on the CUSTER off Solomons Island Maryland.

24 December 1943

ANNEX B TO CTG 20-1

OPERATION TRAINING ORDER NO. 11-43

SCHEDULE OF EXERCISES

23 Dec.            -           Ships available at location designated.  Advance loading details and TQM's

move to pier. Prepare to load supplies and equipment.  Hold conference with

ship commanders.  Start loading supplies.

24 Dec.            -           Continue loading supplies.  Vehicles start arriving at piers.  Serialize and

prepare for landing.

25 Dec.            -           Holiday routine as practicable.

26 Dec.            -           Complete loading supplies and vehicles.

27 Dec.            -           Troops embark.  Ships and landing craft sail.  Conduct necessary drills and

conferences aboard ship.  Stress forming of troop units below decks and

prompt and orderly movement to debarkation and abandon ship stations.  

Boat teams and boat crews study models of landing area.  Troop officers

instruct men in preparation for landing.

28 Dec.            -           Arrive Solomons, Md., Amphibious Maneuver Area.  Prepare for Exercise

No.1.  Conference at Cove Point at 1000.  Practice boat loading rail and net.

29 Dec.            -           Exercise No. 1. - Unopposed daylight landing.  This exercise is for

practice and coordination of Navy and Army elements in landing.  Unload

only vehicles and initial beach reserve supplies.  Shore unit does not

organize beach beyond initial practice needs.  Stop unloading on order by

CTG 20.1.  Reload, restore beaches, and reembark.  Critique at 1400 at Cove

Point.  Prepare for Exercise No.2.

H-hour: 1000

BAYFIELD land BLT-l on BLUE Beach at H-hour by organized attack boat

waves.

HENRICO land BLT-2 on RED Beach at H-hour by organized attack boat

waves.

FREMONT land BLT-3 on YELLOW Beach by organized attack boat waves

as soon as boats are available.  Land RCT Command Staff on RED 2 Beach

at time specified by CTU 20.1.2.

LST 262 and 265 land on RED 2 Beach at H plus 120.  Unload 1/2 tank

deck.  LCI(L) 356 and 353 land on RED 2 Beach at H plus 120.  Disembark

all troops.

LST 210 remain at anchorage.  LCTs operate as prescribed in Annex F,

Master Boat Employment Plan.

30 Dec.            -           Exercise No. 2 .- Dawn landing unopposed.  Unload to the extent that all

vehicles and supplies can be completely reloaded in strict original priority by

noon of following day.  Stop unloading on order by CTG 20.1.  Keep dumps

segregated by ships and priorities in order to facilitate reloading.  Emphasize

beach organization, efficiency handling of vehicles and supplies to and

across beaches, rapid rail loading, coordination of assault waves, and proper

functioning of shore fire control and air liaison communications.  Start

reloading on order by CTG 20.1

H-hour: 0730

BAYFIELD land BL T-l on GREEN Beach at H-hour by organized attack

boat waves.

HENRICO land BL T-2 on YELLOW Beach at H-hour by organized attack

boat waves.

FREMONT land BL T-3 on RED 2 Beach by organized attack boat wave as

soon as boats are available.  Land RCT Command Staff on YELLOW Beach

at time specified by CTU 20.1.2.

LST 262 and 265 land on GREEN Beach at H plus 120.  Unload 50 percent.

LCI(L) 356 and 353 land on GREEN Beach at H plus 120.  Disembark all

troops.

LST 210 land on GREEN Beach at H plus 240.  Unload 50 percent.

LCTs operate as prescribed in Annex F.

31 Dec.            -           Complete reloading and preparations for Exercise No.3 by 1200.  Troop

officers and TQMs make careful check to assure that supplies and vehicles

have been reloaded according to original priorities.  Critique at 1400 at Cove

Point.

1944

1 Jan.               -           Exercise No.3. - Dawn landing opposed (see Annex D to this order).  Stress

rail loading, air employment, and control of simulated naval gunfire support. 

Organize Shore Unit for division beach, unloading in shifts.  Unload 100

percent.  Utilize actual demolitions of shore and beach obstacles.  Defense

force make active defense with maximum of emplaced explosive charges and

pyrotechnics to add realism to action.  Action ashore to be umpire controlled. 

Play full evacuation of casualties.  Combat bivouac.

2 Jan.               -           Continue exercise.  Test beach defense against air.  Continue tactical

problem for combat elements.  Check organization and issue of supply.  

Conclude tactical problem and commence reloading supplies in afternoon. 

Troops bivouac.  Critique as announced by CTG 20.1.

3 Jan.               -           Continue reloading.  Troops assist Shore Unit as required.  Police and restore

beach and adjacent area.  Vehicles proceed overland to Camp Pickett.  Finish

reload1ng.  Reembark personnel.  Ships sail.

4 Jan.               -           Arrive Norfolk.  Berth and disembark as directed.  Unload supplies.

The exercise which included two unopposed landings and one opposed landing gave the necessary training to both the FREMONT crew and the troops aboard who stormed the beach.

When the Watch, Quarter and Station Bill was set in Baltimore before the trip down to Norfolk, the training of the green members of the crew stepped up.  Uniform regulations were strict.  When reaching Norfolk, one officer thought he could wear the gray shirt from the then used gray uniform instead of the white shirt with detachable white collar in going to the Officer's Club.  Conlan who was in the club spotted him in the crowd but said nothing at the time.  But when the officer returned to the ship, he found he was penalized for being out of uniform as was the Officer of the Deck who permitted him to go ashore.  Another officer who had the mid watch on the Watch List, thought he could go ashore in the early afternoon.  He was also penalized as he found out that if you were on the Watch List, even if it was the mid watch several hours later, you had to be on the ship for the entire length of that watch.

Conlan had strict training to becoming Officer of the Deck.  The officer had to stand the watch as Junior Officer of the Deck until it was believed that officer could be Officer of the Deck with the ship tied up to the dock.  If the officer mastered that, then he was qualified to stand Officer of the Deck with the ship moored to a buoy.  And after months of standing J.O.O.D. on the bridge with the ship underway, he finally might be qualified as Officer of the Deck underway.  Bonnot found when he stood his first Officer of the Deck with the ship tied up to the pier, it was a more responsible job than just adjusting the lines to the rise and fall of the tide and supervising the Quarter Deck.

It was a mid watch and Captain Conlan was ashore.  The preceding Officer of the Deck when he was being relieved by Bonnot passed the word that officers had been working on the winch but had stopped work to be resumed the next day.  The Captain returned at 0230 with all of the officers and crew asleep and obviously had been imbibing.  He stumbled on the gangway and after returning salutes, he made an inspection of the deck and the winch.  He returned and with Bonnot, the Bosnmate of the watch and the messenger standing at attention, stood a foot before Bonnot and staring with bloodshot eyes said "I want to see the Executive Officer, the Chief Engineer, the First Lieutenant, the Carpenter, and the Chief Ship Fitter.  Now, who do I want to see?"  The Boatswain mate of the watch stepped forward and said: "I know who the Captain wants. I'll get them."  The Captain said "Stand back" and repeated to Bonnot "Who do I want to see?"  With the Captain staring right into his eyes, Bonnot said: "You want to see the Executive Officer, the Chief Engineer, the First Lieutenant, the Carpenter and getting more nervous he said "the Cheap Shit Fitter."  This passed and Bonnot ordered the messenger and the Bosnmate to rouse those the Captain wanted to see.  All of them arrived in various states of dress and lined up at attention on the Quarter deck.  The Captain berated them for the condition of the gangway, the condition of the deck, the tools left around, the bearings on the winch left exposed to the damp salt air and a few other things.  After a half hour of harsh words, he finally dismissed them.

The upshot was that Bonnot was demoted to J.O.O.D. again because he was representing the Captain and should have seen that these officers had done their job correctly in covering the exposed bearings, picking up the tools, clearing the deck and fixing the gangway.  It was another month before Bonnot was again promoted to Officer of the Deck with the ship tied to the dock.

The Captain also assigned Lt. (jg) officers with no sea experience as assistant to Ensigns who had some sea experience.  Bonnot was assigned as Assistant First Division Officer under Ensign John J. Dugan who had been a petty officer during the North African Landings.  These Ensigns were not immune however to criticism.  John Dugan was very energetic and if his petty officers were not handling the manila lines properly, would jump in and do it himself.  The Captain watching from the bridge, called Dugan and told him he was not to do the job himself but see that his petty officers and men did the job properly by themselves .

Set Course for Hawaii

After being satisfied with the post shakedown repairs, the ship loaded food, supplies and cargo and then embarked the 117th Construction Battalion (C.B.) and made ready to sail.  Orders were received to sail but sailing was delayed for three days because rumor had it that a wolf pack of German submarines had been operating off Norfolk.  Orders were finally received to get underway on 26 February 1944 and the Fremont headed for the Panama Canal acting as guide for transport group 29.81 which included USS FUNSTON, USS O'HARA, and USS CAVALIER escorted by destroyer (DD) USS EVANS and destroyer escort (DE) USS THOMPSON.  A storm and heavy seas made rough going at Hatteras.

Because of the submarine threat, Bonnot and the lookouts were stationed around the bow scanning the waters ahead and to the side.  But the water became more and more turbulent.  The waves rose high and higher.  The ship plowed through, the bow rose high in the air and then plunged down, the spray dousing everyone on deck.  The lookouts and the talkers on the sound powered phones were secured but no word for Bonnot to leave.  He looked back at the bridge, saw the Captain and knew that he could see him getting drenched as he stood out like a sore thumb.  Bonnot realized the 'old man' was putting him to the test.  He continued to scan the water through his binoculars, wiping them after each wave broke over the bow and waited until the watch was changed.  Seeing no relief coming, he picked up the sound powered phone and asked the bridge "Am I supposed to stay there?"  The bridge talker replied "I'll check."  Ten minutes later the word was received "Secure."  The Captain was satisfied that Bonnot had been given his experience in heavy seas and had not suffered from ‘mal de mer’ as many had.

Leaving the Hatteras behind, with the FREMONT as guide, and using the Zig Zag Plan 6, in case a submarine was trying to track them, the transport group made it safely to Cristobal and the Canal.

The Panama Canal Pilot proved a problem for the green crew of the FREMONT.  The pilot required that the ship be steered within a one half degree change of course in entering and leaving the locks.  None of the 2nd and 1st class quartermasters could fine tune their steering to do this.  The Chief Quartermaster was the only one who could steer with that delicate touch.  He took the wheel.  Also the pilot would not operate from the bridge but only from the open Fire Control deck above the Bridge where the view was unobstructed and he could move rapidly from the port side to the starboard side as required.  His commands for speed and course had to be relayed to the wheel and the bridge.  This required the use of the voice tube which was located amidship directly over the wheel.  The Panamanian pilot was a little difficult to hear and to understand as he called his orders from the rail of the port or starboard side.  These orders had to be relayed immediately and to stand at the voice tube and try to relay his orders.  When this combination at the wheel and the tube proved successful neither was relieved through the whole transit of the Canal, through the lake and the locks and the docking of the ship at Balboa.  .This took a whole day with most of the crew and CB's on deck enjoying the scenery and the action.  Bonnot always said jokingly that he took the ship through the Canal as it was his relaying orders over the voice tube that navigated the ship.

The trip to Pearl Harbor was uneventful.  Only one ship was sighted though when she appeared hull down on the horizon she was reported as an atoll even though no islands were within 1,000 miles.  The confusion occurred when only the masts were visible over the horizon and she had paravanes and torpedo nets attached to the raised booms and they looked like palm trees with palm fronds.  An exchange of signals showed she was a British merchant ship traveling east and alone.

Arriving at Pearl Harbor and clearing the narrow entrance and lowered submarine nets without incident, and while heading for the dock, all could see in the distance the hulks of the Battleship ARIZONA and the other ships still on the bottom that had been destroyed by the Japanese attack on 7 December, 1941.

At this very time, planning and rehearsals for the great Marianas campaign was already in high gear; its objective was the invasion and capture of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam.  The pacific Fleet was short of Amphibious Command Ships.  Some were being built but none would be ready for months and time wasn't waiting.  FREMONT was a lucky ship.  When she reached Pearl Harbor, Captain Conlan (now Commander) was told the FREMONT had been selected for an Amphibious Command Ship.  She would be carrying commanding Admirals and Generals and their staffs and be in the forefront of the invasions.  A superstructure had to be added for the Flag Quarters.  Sophisticated electronic communication equipment, Loran Navigational instruments had to be installed.  One 5-inch gun had to be removed and replaced with 3 quads of 40mm guns for better anti-aircraft protection.

Their new responsibilities and new additions required additional training for most of the ship's officers. Lieutenant (j.g.) Bonnot was sent off to naval schools in Hawaii for additional 40mm gunnery training, fire fighting, damage control and refresher courses in ‘Ship and Plane Identification’ and for ‘Lookouts’.

Because of attendance at off base schools few had much leave or liberty. When aboard the FREMONT all had two 24 hour days in which they stood watch and attended to departmental duties.  As a new Assistant First Lieutenant, Bonnot stood watch, worked with the C.& R. (Construction and Repair) Department and conducted classes for the officers, gunners and lookouts on ship and plane identification and on day and night vision.  During daytime with light a lookout or gunner could sight an object at sea by looking straight ahead through the pupil of the eye.  At night peripheral vision was used.  By raising the eyes to 10 degrees above the horizon and moving the eyes from right to left a submarine, small boat or periscope could appear to move across the eye and could be detected.  The third day was a part day with afternoon liberty granted to spend time strictly on the Base.  After muster on the fourth day liberty was granted to leave the Base and visit Honolulu, Waikiki or other places on Oahu.  However with the Territory of Hawaii under martial law and a strict curfew, it made things difficult.  Under the curfew, everyone, military and civilian, had to be off the streets by 6 PM or be subject to arrest or even death.  Because of the large number of military personnel and the lack of transportation, the Navy had a staggered system for return to Pearl Harbor and the Base.  Enlisted men had to be back on Base by 4 PM, petty officers by 5, chiefs by 5:30 and officers by 6.  As an example of the difficulty, Bonnot at one time found himself trying to get back from Waikiki Beach.  All transportation that was moving in the direction of the Base was jammed.