Klondike (AR 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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Capt. Campbell Reads Orders Capt- Scapu Reads Orders Benediction by Chaplain Barcus Captain Campbell Bids Farewell

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portion of the HOOPER ISLAND ' S crew was assigned to commence the activation work--a j ob which was monumental. Aside from the normal work involved m activation, KLONDIKE was to complete ship al- terations that had accumulated sinos 1945, plus puri- fying and converting all supply stocks to the new fed- eral stock numbering system. The ship was taken under tow on 1 1 July to Long Beach Naval Shipyard where the remainder of the ac- tivation would be carried out. The morning of 15 July brought the outlook of a busy day for the officers and men of the HOOPER ISLAND. At 0830 in San Diego, the crew attended the ceremonies in which the HOOPER ISLAND was turned over to the Pacific Reserve Fleet. This completed, they boarded wait- ing buses and by 1500 that afternoon were assembled on board the KLONDIKE for her commissioning cer- emony, at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Throughout the exchange of ships command was maintained by CDR. F.F. MULLINS, JR., USNR. After an additional two and one-half months in the shipyard, the KLONDIKE on 29 September 1959 was ready for customer repair work and to become flagship for Commander Service Squadron ONE home- ported in San Diego- On 20 February 1960, previously a destroyer tender (AD), the KLONDIKE was re- designated a repair ship (AR) retaining her orginal hull number. Captain B.L. BIKLE, USN, commanded the KLONDIKE from 10 March 1960 to 10 March 1961; at which time he was relieved by Captain James B. ELUOTT, JR., USN. On 1 May 1961, KLONDIKE was designated by COMSERVPAC to put into effect a new organizational concept for repair type ships. The previously separate Engineering Department and Repair Department were to be combined into a single department, Engineering and Repair, under one officer in an effort to eliminate duplication of activities. The KLONDIKE furnished repair services in San Diego, Long Beach and San Francisco until 15 July 1961. On that Saturda y morning, she sailed for the Western Pacific for duty with the Seventh Fleet as an important unit of Service Squadron THREE . The ship rendered repair services to various units of the Seventh Fleet in Sasebo and Iwakuni, Japan, and Subic Bay, P.I. Also, in the recreation ports of Hong Kong, Kobe and Yo- kosuka, she was never closed for business - On 11 March 1962, she returned to San Diego for amonth of leave and upkeep- After that, she repaired customer ships until June. On June 1, 1962, the KLONDIKE entered Todd Shipyard in San Pedro for phase one of her overhaul where the hull was sandblasted and painted- On 20 June she returned to San Diego for phase two of overhaul at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. During overhaul on 22 September 1962, Captain James M. CAMPBELL, USN was ordered as new Commanding Officer. Overhaul was completed dur- ing the first part of October 1962, and a short trip was made to Long Beach for an inclining experiment in the Naval Shipyard on 1 1 October 1962. KLONDIKE then entered Refresher Training under Commander Fleet Training Group, San Diego. The KLONDIKE was honored in 1962 by the Edward Francis Ney Memorial, awarded for the outstanding general mess for repair ships, Pacific Fleet. The award was presented in recognition of oustanding achieve- ments in food preparation, sanitation, food service and mess management. In December, the KLONDIKE resumed her familiar job of furnishing repair services and serving as flagship for Commander Service Squad- ron ONE in San Diego, California. On 1 June 1963, KLONDIKE was designated by COMSERVPAC to revert to standard organizational con- cept for repair type ships. On the morning of 17 July 1963, KLONDIKE sailed for the West- ern Pacific for a toiu ' of duty to render her services to the SEVENTH FLEET, as an important function of Service Squadron THREE. In 1963, KLONDIKE was honored by receiving the Edward Fran- cis Ney Memorial which is awarded for the outstanding general mess for Service Forces Pacific. The award was presented to Captain James M. Campbell, byRadm. Wm . D. IRVIN, USN, COMSERVPAC, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii-

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JACK SCAPA CAPTAIN, UNITED STATES NAVY JAMES M. CAMPBELL CAPTAIN, UNITED STATES NAVY THE IImanding officers --