Sailing from Sydney

With its own repairs complete, and a new paint job, my dad's ship, Vestal, sailed on this date in 1943, from Sydney, Australia, to return to work at Espiritu Santo. It will arrive at that harbor on June 7. It sailed with a convoy accompanied by destroyers O'Bannon and Radford, which formed an anti-submarine screen en route. For the next 6 days the convoy will zigzag its way across the ocean. Vestal will go to general quarters several times, but no incidents were reported.

Almost immediately upon arriving at Espiritu Santo, Vestal will begin work on ships of the fleet waiting there for repairs.

Source: USS Vestal War Diary, June 1943