Magoffin (APA 199) - Naval Cruise Book

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U. S. S. MAGOFFIN PA-199 SHIP ' S HISTORY The USS MAGOFFIN (APA-199), named for Magoffin County, Kentucky, was built for theMaritime Commission by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington. On 25 October 1944 she was transferred to and commissioned in the United States Navy. She RECEIVED her BAPTISM UNDER FIRE IN APRIL OF 1945 DURING THE VIOLENT LAND AND NAVAL ACTION PRECEEDING THE CAPITULATION OF OKINAWA. SHE WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN MARCH 1946 AND RE- MA INED I N RESERVE UNTIL THE OUT-BREAK OF THE KOREAN WAR. RE-COMMISSIONED IN 1950 SHE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE Pacific Amphibious Force for eleven years . Highlights of her VARIED career INCLUDE OPERATIONS OFF KOREA IN 1952-53, THE 1957 ATOM TESTS AT ENIWETOK, and THE RECENT SOUTHEAST ASIA CRISIS. MAGOFFIN IS PRESENTLY A MEMBER OF AMPHIBIOUS SQUADRON FIVE AND IS HOME PORTED AT SAN DIEGO. RATED AT 10,000 TON DISPLACEMENT, MAGOFFIN IS A H EAVY ATTACK TRANS PORT DES IGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TASK OF AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE. WiTHIN HER 450 FEET LENGTH AND 62 FEET BEAM ARE LOCATED BERTHING, MESSING, AN D STOWAG E FAC I LI T I ES TH AT ENABLE H ER TO S EA L I FT 1470 COMPLETELY EQUIPPED COMBAT TROOPS WITH 500 SHORT TONS OF THEIR FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. As PART OF A WELL BALANCED AMPHIBIOUS STRIKING FORCE SHE CAN DELIVER HER EMBARKED ELEMENTS TOTHEHIGHWATER LINEOFAN ENEMY HELD OBJECTIVE AREA . THROUGH TWENTY FOUR ORGANIC LANDING CRAFT SHE CAN EXPEL HER ASSAULT TROOPS ON THE ENEMY ' S SHORE IN TACTICAL UNITS, IN AN EFFI- CIENT, TIMELY MANNER. AS THE GROUND FORCES PICK UP THE FIGHT AND EXPAND RAPIDLY INTO THE LODGEMENT AREA, SHE ASSISTS IN ASSURING THEY HAVE COME TO STAY BY BACKING THEM UP WITH THE TOOLS OF WAR STOWED IN HER HOLDS.

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JAMES M. ROBERTSON CAPT. USN Captain James McIntosh Robertson was born in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. He attended THE Naval Academy and graduated in the class of 1939. His first assignment as a naval officer was Fire Control Officer aboard the cruiser USS Louisville (CA-28) . After THREE years ABOARD THE LOUISVILLE HE WAS ASSIGNED AS GUNNERY INSTRUCTOR AT THE SUB Chaser Training School in Maryland. In August of 1944, Captain Robertson went to SEA duty on the USS Campbell (DE-70) as Executive Officer and then six months later he became the SHIP ' S Commanding Officer. In 1945 he served as the Gunnery Officer aboard the USS DULUTH (CL-87). After the war he returned to the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland as an Elec- trical Engineering instructor . From annapolis he went to Brazil to serve as Assistant Naval Attache. In 1949 he returned to the States and joined the 10th Naval District Staff as assistant District Intelligence Officer. After his PROM OTioNTO commander he received his orders to sea duty again. This time as Commanding Officer of the USS J. R. CRAIG (ddssbI. From 1954 to 1957 he was assignedto THE Naval Amphibious Training Unit, Coronado as Officer-in-Charge Intelli- gence SchoolandTraining Officer . In 1958 Captain Robertson was District Intelligence Officer, 1 7th Naval District and he held that post until receiving orders to command the USS MAGOFFIN CAPA-199) in June of i960.