Fort Fisher (LSD 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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NORTH CAROLINA • The Confederates evacuated the lower Cape Fear defenses after the fall of Fort Fisher and concentrated their troops and guns at Fort Anderson, a large earth fortification at the site of the extinct colonial town of Brunswick, on the west bank of the river, in a last stand to protect Wilmington. The Federal fleet moved into the Cape Fear River, while land units marched up both sides of the river. Fort Anderson fell on February 19, following a combined naval and land assault, and Wilmington, the capital of Confederate block-ade running, was evacuated on February 23, 1862. A movement to develop the site of Fort Fisher as a State or National Park originated with the local citizens of New Hanover County in the early 1930 ' s. The idea fell through completely. In the late 1950 ' s local and State forces joined to revive the idea of restoring Fort Fisher. Final reconstruction ended in 1961 and the site is now open to the public.

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W,; . ■::■■ ;■■ . FORT FISHER Recognition should be given to Colonel William Lamb of Norfolk, Virginia, for his tireless efforts in the planning and construction of Fort Fisher, the protector of blockade-runners and Wilmington, which was the last important southern port to fall. Fort Fisher was the largest earthwork fortification in the Confederacy and was the scene of the two largest land-naval battles of the Civil War. Primarily, Fort Fisher deserves its important position in Civil War history for its protection of the port of Wilmington by means of its control over one of the two Cape Fear River approaches. The Confederate steamers preferred New Inlet as their entrance into Cape Fear River because it was protected by Fort Fisher. By the end of 1864 the fort extended from the Cape Fear River all the way across the Peninsula, half a mile, and then south down the beach one mile. It mounted 47 heavy guns and was called the Malakoff Tower of the South. •sJ

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COMMANDER JOHN FRANK GAMBOA, U.S. NAVY COMMANDER JOHN F. GAMBOA, from Lone Pine, California is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1958. After gradu- ation he served as a sailing instructor for the plebe class at the Academy. In September 1958 he reported aboard to the USS PUTNAM (DD-757) where he served as First Lieutenant and CIC Of- ficer. From October 1960 to June 1962, he served as Communications Officer on the staff of Commander De- stroyer Squadron TWO. He was then ordered to the U.S. Naval Post-graduate School in Monterey, California, graduating in June 1964, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications Engi- neering. In July 1964, he re- ported to the USS COLUM- BUS (CG-12) and served two years as Communications Officer. In August 1966, he was ordered to Commander United States Forces Korea- Commander in Chief United Nation Commander as Chief, Operations Branch J-6 Divi- sion. His next duty was in Washingtion, D.C. , on the staff of the Manager, Na- tional Communications Sys- tem. COMMANDER GAM- BOA also attended the Uni- versity of Maryland night school and earned a Mas- ter ' s Degree in International Relations . In September 1970, he received orders to the commissioning crew of the USS PENSACOLA (LSD- 38) in Quincy, Massachu- setts as Operations Officer. In May 1972-, he assumed duty as Executive Officer, USS LA SALtE (AGF-3), flagship of Commander Mid- dle East Force, homeported in Bahrain, Persian Gulf. Commander GAMBOA then served in the Canal Zone from December 1973 to Sep- tember 1976 as Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Com- munications Station, Balboa, and Secretary Inter-Ameri- can Naval Telecommunica- tions Network. Commander Gamboa assumed command of FORT FISHER on 3 De- cember 1976. He has been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.