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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

"Magic Carpet" Press Release

UNITED STATES
PACIFIC FLEET and
PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS
(For Immediate Release to
Press and Radio, Thursday,
29 November 1945.)

(PHOTOGRAPHS AVAILABLE WITH RELEASE)

Press Release No. 919.

The Navy's veteran aircraft carrier Saratoga, queen of the "Magic Carpet" transport fleet, left Pearl Harbor today on her sixth trip to San Francisco since V-J Day with her 20,000th returnee aboard.

He is George H. Zegalia, 21, Pharmacist Mate First Class, of 763 South Dumfries Street, Detroit, Michigan, a veteran of more than three years. A graduate of Cass Technical High School, he enlisted in October, 1942, and saw duty aboard the USS PC-1178 in Atlantic convoy duty and in the Pacific during the invasion of Ulithi and subsequent convoy operations in the Marshalls and Gilberts.

The identity of the 20,000th returnee was determined by Lieutenant (junior grade) R.J. Ross, Officer of the Deck as the passengers came aboard. Records of the vessel's five other trips showed that she had carried 13,543 men to San Francisco, Zegalia was the 20,000th returnee "logged" by Ross.

The Saratoga, one of the first vessels assigned to Rear Admiral Henry S. Kendall's "Magic Carpet" command of 352 ships, has carried more veterans to the mainland than any other vessel engaged in the task of transporting servicemen from, the Pacific. She gained that distinction principally because of her long service, ample passenger capacity, and the relatively short run between Hawaii and the West Coast as compared with other "Magic Carpet" ships operating to and from the forward areas. The Magic Carpet as a whole has already returned well over a million men from the Pacific since V-J Day, more than a third of all the men in the area.

The Saratoga's 20,000th passenger is returning home for his first extended leave in three years, but after 60 days at home he's coming back to the Navy. In spite of the fact that he has the points required for a discharge, he decided to re-enlist and did so on November 8.

"Of course, it's great to be going home for Christmas," he said, "but I guess I still haven't had enough of the Navy or of travel to suit me. That's why I decided to stay in for two more years."

At home, awaiting his return, are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George C. Zegalia, Sr.; two sisters, Marian 20, and Ruth, 16, and a brother, John, 14.


28 Nov 2006