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A large stockade was erected and on 7 September 1945, Lieutenant General Gyosaku Morozumi, the Japanese commander of Mindanao formally surrendered to the 155th Infantry Regiment and his troops became the occupants of the stockade.
Our task now was to guard and control the prisoners and ensure that none escaped. First, we had to separate the officers from the enlisted men to preclude the enemy officers abusing the enlisted troops. Next, the noncommissioned officers mistreated the enlisted men to the extent that we had to separate them. Finally, we noticed the most junior enlisted were forced to serve the more senior troops. We didn't try to correct this last abuse however. Other enemy prisoners would, occasionally, climb onto the stockade fence inviting us to shoot them. Our guards would, instead, knock them off the fences with rifle butts. The Philippine people, at the first opportunity, would throw stones, rocks, or anything available at the prisoners. Their hate for the Japanese was deeply rooted.
Finally, on 26 November 1945, our 155th Infantry Regiment, consisting of a total of 3786 passengers drawn from the 31st and 96th Divisions, loaded onto the SS Marine Serpent at Augusan Mindanao and headed for the United States.
Since the ship was carrying troops beyond her capacity, it was necessary for large numbers of the troops to find room for sleeping outside of the regular troop compartments. While in warm weather, this was no problem, and the decks offered welcome relief, not only for those without "bunks" below, but also for many who found compartments too hot. After reaching colder weather, every nook and corner inside the ship, including the officer's lounge, furnished a night haven.
The route of the Marine Serpent took her through the Gulf of Leyte, through the Marianas and then northeast to the great circle route leading to San Francisco, California.
We crossed the International Date Line at 1145 hours on 5 December 1945, at 34 degrees 10? north latitude. This made 5 December a double date.
The ship's sun deck furnished the principal location for entertainment. About 1200 personnel could view the nightly showing of movies there. A translucent screen was utilized, and personnel were seated on both sides. The sun deck was used daily for recordings, quizzes, lectures, and contests. On the evening of 2 December, the largest of the variety shows played from the high aft gun-tubs to passengers assembled both on the sun deck and boat deck.
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