Rescuing American POWs
On 4 September, Waterman was assigned to TG 30.6, whose duty it was to evacuate Allied prisoners of war (POW's) from nearby prison camps. That afternoon, the destroyer escort entered the harbor at Yokohama and transported POW's to nearby hospital ships, receiving ships, and Kizarazu airfield. Waterman continued that work of mercy until 10 September, when she departed the Tokyo area with TU 30.6.3—four LSM's and sister ship Weaver (DE-741) — bound for Shiogama, on the eastern coast of Honshū, through which port the POW's from the Sendai camp were being evacuated.
The following morning, Waterman entered Shiogama harbor and joined other units of TG 30.6 who were already in the process of evacuating the Allied POW's there. On 14 September, the destroyer escort sailed for Kamaishi, arriving there the following morning for further evacuation of POW's.
Upon completion of that operation, TG 30.6 returned to Tokyo Bay where it was dissolved; Waterman was assigned to escort duties with TG 16.5 (of Service Squadron 6) for duty. In that role, the destroyer escort remained moored in Yokosuka harbor from 19 to 29 September.
On the afternoon of 29 September, Waterman received homeward-bound orders after 20 months of duty in the Pacific war zone; and she stood out of Tokyo Bay on 2 October.
Read more about this topic: USS Waterman (DE-740)
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