Markab (AR 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXEC TI E oFF1cER A. MAsTERsoN JR. coMMANDER USNR S Born 19 June 1923 at San Mateo, California, Commander MASTERSON graduated from H11 . 1 15 Mateo High School in 1939. After several years in the U.S. Merchant Marine, he Yi'3i1SeGii1d ed for the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point Long Island, 111 ' uating in 1943, he was commissioned as a Third Officer in the U S Merchant Marine. i th ' ng e period from 1943 to 1949, Commander Masterson served in various merchant S including ammunition, cargo and passenger ships which sailed in the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean I 1 s. n 949 he was commissioned in the U.S. Navy. He has served in Various Naval Aux'1' ' . CHITI 1 IHFY Shlps as a department head He was Commandin Officer of the USS HIT - g CATF 1031 from 1955 to 1958 and th E f , e xeeuuve Officer of the Uss CHEMUNG KA0 301 rom 1962 to 1965. Commander Masterson served in the office of th Ch' th Conti , . en D e ief of Naval Operations 111 9 n tal Planning Section 11958 to 1960 . 1, as Commanding Officer U.S. Naval Reserve Tfiirggio Center, Jersey City, New Jersey, as Officer-in-Charge Uss LORIKEET uvisc 491 K -f Pro 19551, and as Antisubmarine Warfare!Mine Warfare Pro ram Officer and Direct0I' 0 grams on the taf 8 1968, s f of Commandant Twelfth Naval District fReserve Supplementj 11965 to . , I1 g9JI1'1ghi'Iui.iI1'11,I9ag,Sc?rSon assumed his duties as Executive Officer, USS MARKAB fAR 23' 0

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Gentlemen: This Cruise Book is a pictorial log of what we did and what we saw in the Western Pacific during the summer and fall of 1968. Our mission was to expeditiously skillfully repair the many ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet which are operating in support of the arduous military effort in Vietnam. Our travels took us to the focal points of ship repair: the U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, the bustling seaport of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and the U.S. Naval Base, Yokosuka, Japan. I am sure that in years to come, these pages will recall remembrances of exciting challenges, long hours of frenzied activity to make ship departure deadlines, the exhilaration of making friendships among peoples of the Far East and sharing in their customs, but mostly, a remembrance of assisting other people in their struggle to gain an avenue for self-determination and an escape from armed tyranny. You were all volunteers for the U.S. Navy, and for this assignment. For some it was your first experience in the Western Pacific, for others it was a continuation of many such experiences. In these days we hear of an appar- ent unwillingness among a segment of the youth to go forth and struggle to bolster the unrelenting force for freedom. The young sailors of MARKAB, as well as the young men of your brother services, have dramatically refuted this contention, and have borne rugged testimony that the youth of America stands tall and strong in their determination for freedom against tyranny, for positive excellence, and for commendable achievement. This I have seen many times. Yours has not been a discipline of suppression, but rather a discipline of working together as one crew, of enthusiasm for difficult tasks and of personal accomplishment. I wish that more Americans could witness this. Serving with you has been a source of personal inspiration and pride. WELL DONE. M, Edward M. CUMMINGS, Jr. Captain, U. S. NAVY Commanding Officer

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WESTERN . , ...R PACIFIC CRUISE LCC 2 4 IUNE - 20 DECEMBER 1968