LOG:
The USS Blessman [DE 69-APD 48], Destroyer transport, was built and commissioned as a destroyer escort, DE 69, at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Yards in Hingham, Massachusetts at 1500 on 19 September 1943. The ship was placed in commission by Admiral H T Smith, USN, and delivered to Lieutenant Commander Joseph A. Gillis, USNR, the ships first commanding officer, who had as his executive officer, Lt,[jg] Philip Leboutillier, Jr. USNR.
Lieutenant Edward Martin Blessman USN, class of 1931, gave his life to his country and his name to the vessel. Lieutenant Blessman was serving aboard the USS Marblehead as naval aviator when he was killed in action during the battle of the Java Sea in action against Japanese forces. His wife, Helen Malloy Blessman, was the sponsor for the ship which bears his name.
After fitting out at the Boston Navy Yard and successfully completing her acceptance trials in Massachusetts Bay, the BLESSMAN was ready for her shakedown cruise. On 9 October 1943, the BLESSMAN departed Boston for Bermuda and arrived 11 October. Then began the intensive shakedown training which was to whip the ship into fighting shape. Days of gunnery, anti-submarine, engineering and seamanship exercises were necessary to transform the eighty percent green crew into an efficient operating unit. This period ended when the BLESSMAN successfully passed a departure inspection and shoved off for Boston on 5 November.
MY COMMENTS:
The BLESSMAN was still under construction still on her skids when I was assigned to her. In the shipyards she was lined up with several DEs in various stages of completion. I had just completed refrigeration school at Syracuse, New York, and with my new rating of Machinist Mate 1st class, I would be in charge of the refrigeration system on the BLESSMAN after she was commissioned. I was a dry land sailor who had never been on an ocean going boat. My training so far had been boot camp at the Great Lakes Training Station and machinist mate school in Lawrence Kansas. I didn't have any idea if I would be sea sick on a rolling ship at sea.
Boston in the summertime is a beautiful city with many historic sights. I bunked in a building in Boston and reported to the BLESSMAN every morning to stand my watch. There wasn't much to do but stand fire watch for the welders and watch how the craftsmen did their work. I stood by while the refrigeration equipment was installed and the two meat and vegetable rooms were lined with metal sheathing. All the joints of the metal sheathing were soldered to prevent leakage of cold air. The motors and compressors were tested and any problems taken care of. The craftsmen were competent and did their work well. As the time for completion of the work neared, the sense of urgency increased and the ship was crawling with workmen. Finally we were ready for inspection and were slid off the skids into Boston Harbor. Most of the crew, including myself, had never been to sea before. I was in charge of #1 engine room with 4 of 5 men under me. We were all green seamen and had to learn what we were doing by trial and error. We steamed around in the harbor, got used to the rolling decks and gradually learned to keep our balance.