ac lob an , ▁and ▁emb ark ed ▁home ward - bound ▁naval ▁personnel . ▁The ▁transport ▁called ▁at ▁Ul ith i ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁more ▁sail ors ▁and , ▁as ▁the ▁war ▁ended , ▁anch ored ▁at ▁San ▁Francisco ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁August . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁ 2 5 th , ▁the ▁ship ▁began ▁a ▁voyage ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁with ▁more ▁Army ▁troops ▁and ▁arrived ▁at ▁Man ila ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁September . ▁There , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Operation ▁Magic ▁Car pet ▁duty , ▁returning ▁serv ic emen ▁home ▁from ▁over se as . ▁ ▁Minor ▁post war ▁eng agement ▁Th ur ston ▁was ▁next ▁ordered ▁to ▁the ▁Sol om ons . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁October , ▁while ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Gu adal can al , ▁she ▁sight ed ▁a ▁ 2 8 - foot ▁d ory , ▁which ▁showed ▁no ▁sign ▁of ▁life . ▁However , ▁a ▁blank et ▁in ▁the ▁forward ▁co ck pit ▁ar oused ▁susp icion ▁of ▁the ▁deck ▁officer , ▁who ▁sent ▁a ▁landing ▁craft ▁to ▁see ▁if ▁anyone ▁was ▁on ▁board . ▁The ▁L CV P ▁circ led ▁the ▁d ory ▁at ▁very ▁close ▁range ▁before ▁moving ▁alongside . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁boat ▁officer ▁stepped ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁d ory , ▁three ▁Japanese ▁armed ▁with ▁gr en ades ▁in ▁both ▁hands ▁emer ged ▁from ▁under ▁the ▁blank et ▁and ▁hur led ▁them ▁at ▁the ▁officer ▁and ▁the ▁boat . ▁The ▁boat ▁officer ▁t umbled ▁over board ▁and ▁the ▁boat ▁crew