U.S.S. WICHITA
ORDERS FOR THE DAY: Tuesday, 11 Sept. 1945
SEA ROUTINE modified as follows:
Uniform - Dungarees and White Hats.
0530 Reveille.
0545 Mess Gear.
0600 Breakfast.
0603 Sunrise.
0700 Be prepared to launch one aircraft when ordered.
0730 General Quarters.
0800 (about) Receive pilot on board. Lt. Allendorfer will meet and
escort pilot to bridge.
1000 Secure messmen, Ships cooks and Stewards Mates.
1030 Dinner
1100 (about) Station the Special Sea Detail; rig out the boats and
gangway
1130 (about) Moor to buoy in Nagasaki Bay.
Four ECPR's from U.S.S. Weber to come alongside and load
Marines, Beach Guard and 10 hand line-handling party to be
landed at Dejima Quay.
Recover Aircraft.
(when ordered) Secure from General Quarters, set condition III
watches.
1200 Pipe Sweepers.
Turn to on Ship's Work.
1600 Pip Sweepers.
1615 Mess Gear.
1630 Supper.
1833 Sunset; turn on "flood lights" about the ship.
1900 Movies for Crew on Fantail.
1930 Movies for Officers on Forecastle.
2130 Taps, Maintain silence about the deck.
NOTES:
(1) No U.S. Currency will be carried ashore at Nagasaki.
(2) FROM: COMTASKGROUP 55.7
TO: TASKGROUP 55.7
All working parties landing at Nagasaki will be accompanied by an
order signed by the Executive Officer listing working party by name
and rate and stating the purpose of same. A copy of this order will
be delivered to beachmaster who will use same for checking working
party upon return to the ship.
No personnel will be allowed to go ashore except in duty status. At
such times officers will be armed with pistols.
(3) FROM: COMTASKGROUP 55.7
TO: TASKGROUP 55.7
We are entering on an experience that we have looked forward to for
many months and that we will always remember with pride. Govern
your conduct toward the Japanese so that no action of yours will
reflect anything but credit on your country and the U.S. Naval
service. Relations with the conquered populace must be dignified
and impersonal. The Japanese are still the same people who launched
a treacherous attack upon us and have freely employed torture murder
and bestiality towards our captured comrades. Therefore be alert for
treachery and take necessary steps for your own security. However,
their past brutality does not justify unbecoming conduct on our part.
Rather we must govern our actions to accord with those principles of
decency which the United States has always espoused. I expect
officers and men to maintain a smart military appearance with complete
uniform of the day. All parties ashore will be engaged on official
business only and will have an officer in charge. All officers ashore
will wear sidearms. Do not forget that our mission is one of rescue.
To that end we must devote every effort.
(4)
O.O.D. ORDER NO. 18:
Subject: Military Etiquette with Japanese Military and
Naval Officers.
1. The following rules of military etiquette with
regard to Japanese military and naval officers will be carried out:
(a) No side honors or ceremonies will be rendered upon
arrival or departure
(b) Hand salutes will be returned but will not be given
first, regardless of relative rank.
(c) Handshaking is absolutely taboo. If Japanese offer
to shake hands, avoid it as gracefully as possible,
BUT AVOID IT. A short bow will suffice to acknowledge
an introduction.
2. Officers of the Deck will insure that the above
rules are carried out by all members of their watch squads.
(5) Personnel of this ship, who have come in contact with
Prisoners of War or their belongings prior to being "processed"
(de-loused, clothes burned, given a bath and new clothes, and
treated for infectious diseases) will have to be "processed"
themselves before returning to the ship.
(6) Looting and the collection of souvenirs in this port is
strictly forbidden.
/s/
A.G. BECKMANN,
Commander U.S. Navy
Executive Officer.
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