It marked the beginning of a peaceful invasion of the Japanese homeland, which would have meant the loss of unknown thousands of lives if it had been a forceful invasion because of opposition. This fact was brought home to us very impressively as we steamed up Sagami Bay and into Tokyo Bay this morning. On both shores rugged hills merged into the background of still more rugged mountains. Their natural beauty, enhanced by green cultivated terraces and tiny valleys, between held also a sinister fascination as one could see the mouths of tunnels that were emplacements for retractable guns in the cliffs along the shores. Then there were the unseen fortifications and the hidden minefields under the water and on land. We were conscious of the underwater mines as we threaded our way through.

We were impressed with the mountainous, rugged topography of the country about these shores which one understands is characteristic of the Japanese homeland. It is ideal for the underground tactics of the Japanese, well known from Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. From the hearts of many of theirs welled up a prayer of thanksgiving that we were spared the ordeal of what ever role we were scheduled to play in that bloody drama.

From a distance there did not appear to be much destruction from our bombing raids, not even in Yokohama, but when we dropped anchor not far off the Yokohama waterfront one could see that, though most buildings were still standing, the were skeletons destroyed partly by demolition but mostly by fire bombs. The great industrial and commercial heart of the Japanese Empire was cold and dead with only here and there a plume of smoke rising from a chimney; a faint promise of the fulfillment of the Japanese hopes of national resurgence. The impressible spirit of American youth was displayed by the legend, painted in large white letters near the top of one building. "3 CHEERS FOR THE U.S. NAVY- - - Army," it must have been a Marine who painted it there.

Tokyo Bay is a large and wonderful harbor that could probably hold most of the peacetime shipping of the world. There are reported to be numerous and well constructed docks and harbor facilities which have been spared the wholesale destruction which has visited the industrial section. We would like very much to go and see for ourselves but no one is permitted ashore except for military necessity.

General MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Occupation Forces, put on a colorful and impressive show as a fitting stage setting for the formal surender ceremonies. It was enough to give the Japs an eyeful of what they were up against in sea, land and air power. I think they much have been impressed though it is possible that they had already been well impressed by the raiding superforts, and the rampaging navy units.

As we steamed into the mouth of Sagami Bay at daybreak our convoy was in a single column that extended for a distance of about fifteen miles and it took several hours for the whole column to pass a given point at our reduced speed. Vice Admiral Wilkinson led on the Mount Olympus (AGC 8). Behind him was the Hamsford (APA 108) with Rear Admiral Hall and five more ships. Then came the Cecil of our own regular squadron with Commodore McGovern, with the Deuel the third ship in line. Our surface screen of destroyers, destroyer escorts and patrol craft either preceded or followed the transports as we entered the narrow channel through the minefields.

At about 0945 the Deuel passed the mighty U.S.S. Missouri static a mile or more off our starboard with the U.S.S. Iowa, U.S.S. South Dakota, H.H.S. Duke of York, H.H.S. King George V, a carrier and other elements of Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet. We could see the officers and men of the Missouri in whites lined up for inspection parade awaiting the surrender ceremonies. Numerous boats clustered about the mighty dreadnought evidently having ferried the dignitaries of the participating nations to the ship. The Missouri was dressed for the occasion with her huge guns pointing skyward and the flag that flew over the Capital in Washington on Pearl Harbor Day and the flag of Commodore Perry rippling splendidly in the breeze. All our ships were dressed in battle flags.

During all this time, numerous planes patrolled the waters and shores of the bay. We were at battle stations alert for any eventuality that the Jap might have prepared for us out of their bag of tricks. But everything was orderly and as planned. At the point of our passing the Missouri a large formation of superforts flew over her soon followed by hundreds of fighter planes, mostly carrier borne, that made the sky almost black.

It was a most impressive sight. In the middle of the bay the Missouri and her fleet were stationed. Away northward toward the head off the bay and Tokyo was another fleet. Ahead steamed the ships of our transport convoy, the first of which were already dropping anchor in the harbor of Yokohama. Behind us our line of ships snaked its course through the narrow mine clear channel as far as the eye could see. And overhead was the great overcast of air power almost blacking out the higher overcast of clouds which hung low over the bay all day, the sun breaking through occasionally.

We could hear the broadcast of the surrender proceedings over the ships radio. Promptly at 1030 the ceremonies began with a brief address by General MacArthur followed by the signing of the surrender terms. Most of the program could not be heard distinctly but we could get portions of it from the short-wave broadcast. It was a very interesting situation. We could look across the waters from the Deuel and see the Missouri where it was all happening but the description of it and the words of the dignitaries travelled all the way across the Pacific to San Francisco and back again before they reached our ears.

After the conclusion of the ceremonies other flights of planes passed over but not on an impressive scale like we had already seen. Before and during the ceremonies our boats were lowered and our troops were debarking. Right after the conclusion of the surrender the first wave streamed towards shore and the formal occupation of Japan had begun. We carried Headquarters and other leading troops of the Seventh Cavalry. They spearheaded the occupation landings and were in the first boats to land.

All in all it was a day never to be forgotten. There are thousands of potential grandfathers aboard ship in Tokyo Bay today who will hold their saucer-eyed canyon-mouthed progeny on their rickety knees and proudly, and with excusable exaggeration, will tell them of the momentous events of this day and of the heroic parts they played in this grand finale in the drama of the greatest of all wars.