Monrovia (APA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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-MiAttmj USS M ONROVIA rs on Amphibious Attack Tronsport (APA), with the primary mission on enemy-held beoches MONROVIA comes 23 ossoull boots with which to corry out these londmgs She is olso fitted out OS flagship, ond is presently the flogship for Amphibious Squodron EIGHT Her keel wos loid on 26 Morch 1942 ot Bethlehem Steel ' s Sparrows Point Shipyard in Bollimore, Md, She was first intended to be the DELTAR- GENTINA, port of the moritime fleet of Delta Lines, Inc; however, the U S. Novy pur- chosed the hull (or conversion to oltock transport and she was christened USS MONRO- VIA on 19 September 1942 The ship wos named ofter the home of President Jomes Mon- roe, MONROVIA , located neor the Potomoc River not for from Wokefield, Westmore- lond County, Virginia MONROVIA was commissioned on 1 December 1942. After Iro.ning, shokedown and further conversion She received Army troops on 10 Moy 1943 (or tronsport to Oran, Alge- rio, in support of operotions in North Africa. On 30 June 1943 General George S. Potton, Jr , the distinguished hero of World War II, boarded MONROVIA with his staff ond troops to porticipote in the Sicilian londings. MONROVIA received Ker first bottle scors on 19 July 1943 in on ottock off Sicily by a Sluko dive bomber which inflicted minor domoge After repairs, she set sail for the United Stoles with llolian prisoners of wor oboord. She was then tronsferred to Pacific woters ond operoted in the New Zeolond-New Hebrides oreo On 20 November 1943, the bloody TARAWA ossoult found MONROVIA in the force, londmg her troops ond then oct- ing OS cosuolty evocuotion ship On the 15th of June 1944, MONROVIA ogoin flew her battle colors during the Soipon invosion She once ogoin come through oi r ottocks ond shore fire unscrotched In the Guom landings which followed, MONROVIA spent seven doys with ossoult oreo londmg elements of the 77th Infontry Division ond experienced cosuolties. After repairs in Peorl Harbor, MONROVIA porlicipoted in the LEYTE invasion. On the 20th of Octo- ber 1944, she landed elements of the 96th Infantry Division and completed off-looding equipment the next doy, |ust in time to miss the arrival of units of the Joponese Fleet coming op from the Sulo Sco The exit from the tronsport area was mode under cover of heovy smoke screen On New Yeor ' s Eve, 1944, MONROVIA got underwoy to portici- pote in the assault on LUZON, Philippine Islonds She made two trips to LUZON dur- ing the month of Jonuory 1945, carrying troops ond cargo In February and March of 1945, MONROVIA landed her troops in the ossoult on OKINAWA, horrassed by vicious oir ottocks After the wor, MONROVIA served as o shuttle ship between China ond Jo- pon, corrying troops and supplies. She was decommissioned into the Reserve Fleet on 31 January 1947 In November 1950, shortly ofter the oulbreok of the Korean Wor, MONROVIA was re- commissioned She joined the Atlontic Amphibious Force ond in December 1951 made the first of her many post-wor Mediterroneon cruises. On 15 July 1958, MONROVIA serv- ed in onother importont omphibious londing, being the first ship to anchor off Beirut, Lebonon, ond land her londing force when thot country requested ossi stance from Pres- ident Eisenhower ,n resisting Communist pressure. MONROVIA olwoys seems to be close by when trouble onses. On 23 October 1962, she wos the first omphibious ship to arrive at Guontonomo Boy, Cuba, ond offlood her Morines at the outset of the Cuban Quoronline Operotion And ogoin on 9 Jonuory 1964, thd doy of the violent iiots at the borders between the Conol Zone and Ponomo, MON- ROVIA hod arrived in Cristobal, C Z only o few hours before MONROVIA, on this occosion. supported U S Army troops on the embottled front line in sight of the ship A MONROVIA boot ond crew conducted three successful evocuotions of U S citizens ond dependents from Colon water front on the 10th and 11th of January bringing out o lotol of 108 persons, mostly women and children. MONROVIA received the following citation from the Secretory of the Novy m 1949 (or her outstonding record during World Wor II For exceptionolly meritorious service in octlon ogoinst enemy aircraft, shore bat- teries, mines ond submormes Operating in contoct with the enemy and under attock the U S S MONROVIA performed her duties as an attack transport, consistently mointoining o superior degree of efficiency in the performance of her ossigned tosks ond contributing moteriolly to the development of the technique of amphibious worfore. Her courogeous detennination and effort were in keeping with the highest troditions of the United Stotes Naval Service. MONROVIA IS outhorized to wear the iollowing ribbons: Novy Unit Commendation. Europeon-Africon-Middle Eastern Campaign (1 bronre star), Asiotic-Poci fie Campaign (1 silver star). World Wor II Victory, Novy Occupation, China Service (Extended), Phil- ippine and Notionol Defense Service Ribbons

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U. S. S. MONROVIA (APA-31) CARE OF FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 19 November 1964 Commanding Officers Message This cruise book will provide for each of us a permanent memory of a most successful and memorable Mediterranean deployment. U, S. S. Monrovia, in steaming 18, 511 miles, visited 19 ports and training anchorages in 12 different countries and islands. While acting as flagship of the Sixth Fleet ' s Amphibious Force in support of United States and Free World interests in the Mediterranean we achieved many notable professional goals We painted the red E on our stack; we won the Assault Boat Award for the second consecutive year, we were awarded the green Communication ' C and we put E ' s on 5 of our 6 guns. Our fine crew was partcularly successful ashore in a People-to-People program which went all the way from town clock repairs through rebuilding village schools and playing host to the entire American Community of Rhodes on the 4th of July. Where else in the Navy but on MONROVIA could we have seen a Paris fashion show on board ship? The end of our deployment also marks the end of my tour as Commanding Officer. In leaving MONROVIA I extend to all hands a hearty WELL DONE for the rewarding year of service I have shared with you. With best wishes for your future sucess and happiness. Sincere Captain, U. S. N Commanding Officer

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Lv l CAPTAIN D.S. BILL, USN COMMANDER AMPHIBIOUS SQUADRON EIGHT