Denver (LPD 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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WESTPAC 1970 DENVER ' S WESTPAC deployment of 1970 can be summed up in five words: The schedule has been changed. There is the bright side to this, of course. For one ship, during one WESTPAC cruise, DENVER saw many more ports of call than most ships of the fleet during their cruises. We got to both Sasebo and Yokosuka, which is rare for one cruise. The other side of the coin, however, is amply demonstrated by the sailors who wrote home informing the recipients that he was going to Singapore and then, 15 days later, sent a letter saying that he never made it and that he had been anchored off the coast of Cambodia. The main portion of the cruise was spent in support of our government ' s pro- gram of training the South Viet Namese soldier and then withdrawing the American troops. DENVER made at least 4 trips out of DaNang in support of this effort. We were the first ship carrying men and equipment out of Viet Nam as a part of the President ' s Phase IV withdrawal program. Over three months were spent working with Amphibious Ready Group B . During this period, DENVER carried over 800 combat Marine troops, their supplies and vehicles and 2 helocopters. We conducted several Amphibious training landings in the Philippines. As a part of the Ready Group, DENVER, and the ships accompanying her, embarked the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. This is the same Marine outfit which was instrumental in the capture of Okinawa during World War II. All things taken into account, it was a rewarding and enjoyable cruise. Who could forget Duty Section I; or the track laid out between DaNang, Okinawa, and Subic Bay, Philippines; or the large quanity of stereo and photographic equipment and clothing purchased? But most of all, who could forget our de- parture from DaNang, setting a Easterly course and counting the days until our return to Long Beach? 16

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MONGOLIA CHINA