George Clymer (APA 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE SEVENTH FLEET The GEORGE CLYMER was under the operational control of the Commander Amphibious Force, United States SEVENTH Fleet from mid-July until early December. The U.S. SEVENTH Fleet, which is the world ' s largest task fleet, maintains surveillance throughout nearly one sixth of the earth ' s surface or thirty million square miles, from the Siberian coastal waters in the North to Antarctica, and from the Indian Ocean in the West to 160 degrees east longitude, a point about 1,200 miles east of the U.S. territory of Guam. Comprised of some 125 ships, 650 aircraft and 64,000 highly trained Navy and Marine Corps personnel, the SEVENTH Fleet is dispersed throughout this vast ocean area, acting as a deterrent force against enemy aggression in the Western Pacific and insuring that the sea lanes are kept open for free world trade. The Tonkin Gulf incident in early August put CLYMER in an advanced state of readiness and she was assigned special operations as a member of the ready Amphibious Group in the South China Sea as a unit of Task Force 7b. With part of Regimental Landing Team Nine (U.S. Marines) embarked she was ready to strike over the beach or go up the River to Saigon. The fact of our " presence " and our " military " capability was well known to both Vietnamese and Chinese Communists. For this operation, the ship, officers, crew and embarked Marines were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (VIETNAM). READY POWER FOR PEACE 1

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U. S. S. GEORGE CLYMER (APA-27) SHIP HISTORY The U.S.S. GEORGE CLYMER bears the name of an outstanding American patriot — a mem- ber of the original Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A close friend of President Washington and a firm and fair arbitrator, George Clymer was appointed by Washington to settle the dispute between the Cherokees and the Creek Indians in Georgia. The U.S.S. GEORGE CLYMER was first commissioned on 15 June 1942. Shu is the largest and oldest of the venerable Attack Transports. She was the first American Attack Transport to participate in both Major Theaters during W. W. II — the Mediterranean and the Pacific. The first landing of American Troops in North Africa on 7 November 1942 marked the beginning of her combat career. In all she took part in six major combat operations: French Morocco, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Leyte, and Okinawa. During her World War II career the CLYMER steamed 163,000 miles, carried 4o,000 troops and cared for 2,600 sick and wounded. The CLYMER was again ready at the outbreak of the Korean conflict and participated in the amphibious operations at Inchon and Hangnam. Tlie role of being able to land our combat ready marines on any beaches in the world increases in importance daily in the " Cold " and " Brush Fire " war period and is a major deterrent to Communist Aggressors. The CLYMER, whose home port is San Diego, serves as the Flagship of Amphibious Squadron THREE which consists of four APA ' s, two AKA ' s (Attack Cargo), four LSD ' s (Landing Ship Dock), and one APD (High Speed Transport). The CLYMER is capable of carrying 12(10 combat loaded Marines and their associated equipment -- a Battalion Lauding Team — and of landing them on a hostile shore in a sea assault. That is her role: she plays it; as a vital member of the Amphibious Task Force Team.

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