Montrose (APA 212) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 52 of the 1962 volume:

2ia yi :3£i; ' ■ ' fv ' ■ T St n4 o a Ttatco . . . ! flrt ?f ' 4 S icfi. . . . cutd U. T tc icoH 7 H ita t . . . 7 S So then to every man his chance — To every man regardless of his birth. His shininj;. golden opportunity — To every man the right to live. To work, to be himself, and to become Whatever thing his manhood And his vision can combine to make him This seeker, Is the promise of America —THOMAS WOLFE . , . TiSS 7 U ttfto4e ( P i-SrS) The U. S. S. MONTKOSK. n amplul.ious assault ship with a cii ' w and a iiii i )n . . . W lu n the ship (leplovoil to WcstPac for tliis cniiso tliorr was little thought of gaiety or of a glamorous tour of exotic places among die officers and ci ' ew, because to a inati. all knew we would he part of The Ready Grouii. A simple ouuding tciin which iic crthclcss tncans a great deal to our couutn ' s aim and determination to stem tlie tide of (Communism, as it does to the men who must man the ships to cany out that aim. In reality the ready group is a task force of ships with a completely self-sufficient Marine unit and all their requisite gear embarked, ready to steam to any area ot tiie Western Pacific within a few hours ' notice; we would be part of it. We would be part of a force that would engage and quell any Communist inspired hostilities or could lend assistance, in a powerful and mobile fashion, to any friendly nation wliich might be seriously threatened by the Red Banner. Inspiring? Dramatic? Hardly, in this era of endless Cold War crises, but instead a typification of Theodore Roosevelt ' s famous admonition to: Speak softly and carry a big stick! Our very presence in this area of the world, in strength, demonstrates to friend and foe alike that we really are serious and determined that freedom shall not be lost by default, anwhere. While having this tremendous responsibility we are also plagued with the price of such responsibility. We of the task force become inseparable. We must stay onlv witliin geograjihical limit- to enable u- to lill effectively reach any iwtentiai lroul)le spots (piiikly and we silently envy other ships which can and do reach so many of the ports of call we will not even see on this trip. We practice, drill, perfect and then prac- tice some more, only to be ready if the call should come. It is tedious, boring, lonely and monotonous; but despite llie inevitable grumi)ling, we know why it must be done and we believe in ourselves and our coun- tiy enough to do it well. We have been accused of manv tilings iiv manv na- tions and among these is selfishness. This may be tnie for the men who nuist spend these vigils separated from their accustomed ways of life, their families and loved ones and their homes. A selfish interest in the laughter of children; a selfish interest in being free to go to one ' s own church to worship as we please; a selfishness in wanting to retain a government which does the bid- ding of the electorate and not vice versa and a selfish- ness in the belief that each man lia human dignity and worth and a right to live according to that precept. In this wav we are selfish but magnificently so and each member of the crew can hold his head a little higher in the knowledge that hi- work and sacrifice on this cruise helped to maintain those ideals and i)eliefs which make our nation so great. 7 ' THc ca . . . The troops come aboard — . . . Sometimes 1500. sometimes less but always the wait and anxietv of the mission ahead . . . The Wait— . . . There are books to read, radios to be played, rifles to be cleaned, and stories to be told . . . but always, always, the wait . . . The Objective — . . . the sliipbiiaid trainini:. the uail ami the uurk all |inint tci arcl ihc final cii)jective . . . hitting the beach. . . . 4w iA 6uM an ine Till ' lii]) |ii(_-paiL ' s for IJi-Larkatii ' ii — ■ The complicated process of debarking troops requires a knowledge of boat team composition, available boats, troop cargo and priority, time schedules, and capabilities. ' . HlUJ BMii lfHS . vMr y ' Teamwork — Each man aboard ship has a key position in the .Am- phibious Operation. He must be trained with his shipmates at hi assigncfl statinn --ii llial nti D-dav. ihe (ipfratiiJii uili run smoothly. Boating — All 2 ' bi)al iiiu-1 hr c lircki ' d fcir anv small discrepancy so that when |iut in tin- water cadi i reaily to fulfill its task. One boat out of commission while in llie water could mean ■ )() troops or ina l)e even a lailin jeep will not lia e a wav ashore. Safety- Each davit, hook, sling, and winch must he inspected before D-day to ensure that no defect is present. The fail- ure of a boom brake or a boat sling would mean the loss of lives. - acf. , , . An Si -o ton LCVP hangs in space waiting for the word Awav All Boats. BOATS TO THE RAIL! With the passing of this word: the whir of deck winches, the grinding of the davits, and the cry Hold that from a Boatswain ' s Mate somewhere on deck commence to- gether, and the actual operation has begun. With the word to Land the Troops begins the long and dangerous climb down the debark not into the boat wait- ing alongside. . . . - acct -v, J iimN |iiih ' cccI I( iimkIczxous area Boats circle in rendezvous area awaiting; time to go to lieacli il- litiir Im hit till ' Ixaili. a f Commander forms liis wave in line abreast for run to the beach. 1000 yards to go. Time for battle speed. SotHCco iene oh t 6ecic , Mteci t fie uc t c a to iicC %oo aoie 6€e t C(XKdecC , . . 7( eU T ute i 4e at Sen j ( wMO tcCcH O ccen. . . P ( cw m Captain James P. Coleman. USN, was horn in Whitiniip. South Carolina, on 7 July 1915. He at- tended tlie University of South Carolina. George Washington University and was graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy on 1 June 1939. Captain Coleman ' s background in the Navy is both extensive and varied. He has sen ' ed aboard the USS OKLAHOMA (BB-37). USS McCORMICK (DD-223), USS NICHOLAS (DD-449) and has commanded the USS HOBSON (DMS-26). the USS BAGLEY (DD-386) and the USS PURDY (DD-734) as well as Destroyer Division 152. He has seiTed on the staff of the San Diego Shakedown Group; as CIC Readiness and Training Officer on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations; as Ex- ecutive Officer of Seamanship and Navigation De- partment of the US Naval Academy and on the staff of the Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Fleet. He was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal with combat V and the Presidential Unit Citation while aboard the USS NICHOLAS ( DD-449 ) when the ship sunk an enemy cniiser in the Kula Gulf action of World War II. and rescued survivors of USS HELENA. Later he was also awarded the Bronze Star with combat V and the Gold Star in lieu of the second Bronze Star, with combat V. Captain Coleman ' s campaign and senice medals include the American Defence Service Medal with Bronze A ; American Campaign Medal; Euro- Addressing the ship ' s company. Captain ( ' ulcinan explains fulurc ship intentions and prepares to present awards Id nicniliers of the crew for outstandinj; achievements. pean- African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Pacific Campaign Medal with one Silver Star; World War II Victory Medal; National Defence Service Medal; China Senice Medal; Korean Sen- ice Medal with two Bronze Stars; United Nations Sei-vice Medal and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. Before assuming command of the L SS MONT- ROSE on 28 March 1962. he was in command of tlie U. S. Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center and the Fleet Computer Progrannning Center. San Dieso. Ca])tain Coleman caiefulK takes after conipletidn cd Subic Bay. insider- suecesses and mis- 1 Anipliiliious Exercise in S ccc€ta e O ccen. . Farewell . . . . . Welcome Aboard n. G. MELLIN, W. D. niETRICHSON, ( ' oniniandf ' r. I .S. . Coniniandrr. r.5.;V. Conimanclcr McIliiiV lour as Kxnutive Ofl ' iier of tlir Montrose came to a close in Au jiist while the ship was in Subic Bay. He till did tml -et iiack to his beloved choppers hut nevertheless will jnohahlv have close association witli their logistic potential in his new job at die Bureau of Weapons in Washing- ton. D. C. Bom and raised in Boston. Conunander Mellin earned his wings via tlie Naval Aviation Cadet program at Pensacola. Florida. Prior to his assignment to the Montrose, the Conunandei sened as a landing signal officer, a meinlier of the iiiirht fighters, and as conunandiiig officer of a helicopter squadron. Our present ' exec. (ioinniander Warren I). Diet- rich (m. a lioiii in llolli-. New York, in 1922. He graduated from lh ' L. S. Naval Academy in 1945. The following year, lie was assigned to the a al Sul ?narine School at New London. Connecticut, and ujion completion of tiie course tlieie was assigned to the submarine. U. S. S. Sea Cat. Conunander Dietrichson has seiTed in the Bureau of -Ships as head of the Sonar Design Section and was a I?at- lalion Oflicer at the U. S. Naval Academy ]iriiir to i)eing assigned to the loulrn-e. r ha had com- mand of the submarines, U. S. S. Marlin and U. S. S. Chivo. S ccutcfAc ccen. T efrcintme t eacC i.tm; v. w. LSI I.I ' SIIII ' S no ITSII ll LTJ(;. .1. H. TH()MPSO A ; K, IT OR 12 O ien itcoH e ' BALI.EW HI)] SHADRICK ETl va(. i:r Rl)2 movM ki:r 1,1 l)T AT.; ? T C AOlC Ut Zap! A beam of electronic energy streak acrn-- the -kx . -tiikc- .in unknown object, and rebounds back to tlie hip in lc than a .-ccond. At tliis instant a bluny-eyed radarman sitting in a rather dark room behind tlie wlieelhouse rubs his eyes and leans forward on his stool so as to get a better look at die face of his radarscope. He now calndy presses down the button on his sound-powered phone and reports. Con- tact — bearing 210 T. 7 miles. The officer of tlie deck liegins work- ing closely with the now l)riglit-( ' ved radarman and logetluM set off a series of events that enables tlie MONTROSE to ])crhaps avoid a col- lision or gain pertinent information in regards to a contact steaming near the ship. Tliis is the 01 Division at work, ll is composed of two different breeds of men — one, tlie radarman. who has the job of inter- preting what he sees on the scope, evaluating what he hears on tlic radio, and di scniinatin : tlii information to tliox ' who need to know : ENSJ.C. HKATH CIC Ojjicer 01 Division Ojjicer and second, the electronic technician, wlio i responsible for the main- tenance and smootli operation of all liic complicated electronic c{|iiip- nient on board ship including radars, fathometer, countless radio equipment, and a hundred other items. The 01 di ision enjoved a higii- ly successful tour in WestPac in regards to training and efficient per- tormance under rather difficult conditions. Electronic gear operated properly at all necessaiy times and the radar gang was always on the alert and prepared for anything. On two different occasions men were recognized as the Montrose Man of the Month in the six month ]ieriod. Deakle, RD2, pitched the Montrose softball team to over 20 victories in the team ' s cliampionsliip tour in otl ' ac. Zap! Another contact, it ' s back to work. FREDRICK KD3 F POPOFF ET3 TICKER RIJS. . IA.SSEY ETRS EBY Rm DEAKLE RDJ ■lfe - . xAMO.s EL TU. RM3 RM2 HAl I Li; RMl G1RZ co ' c tM The radiomen aboard tJie MONTROSE have many duties and responsibilities to tlie command. They must insure that all radio equipment is kept at peak operating perfonnance, that all required circuits are maintained, and they must effect delivery of all messages either originated by or sent to the ship. Our radiomen are commonly referred to as the Voice of Cominand. While in WeslPac the Radio Gang had many hard tasks to perform. Port and Starljoai ' d watches were the order of the day and a number of tedious hours were spent in Radio Central. They also had a few enjoyable moments, one of whicli, was a tour of the Naval Commmiications Station in San Miguel, P. I. All the many hours coupled with the good use of training programs made it possible for four men to be advanced in rate while in WestPac. These men also qualified as Naval Speed Key Operators. All in all, one can say we have a top notch radio gang comparable with any in the Amphibious Navy. V LTJG J. G. WEAVER Communications Officer • ' • ' •• — i i f- ' =„V ENS R. A. SEITZ. Asst. Communications Officer 14 Vr ' H OS ' Dco c Uc t The responsibilities of tlie siuiialiiicn are luatu and arit (l. They range from hoisting NPPI ' ( sliipV call iun I iiiinn ticllint; uiidenvay. to answering a signal liglil un a nearliv shi]). Since their primary function is visual communications (including flaghoist. semaphore, and flashing light), the signal bridge must be manned at all times. Whether the shi]i is steaming in fomiation. indepentl(Mitl . or i- in port, there is a signalman on dut) ' . Often there are other tasks which niu t be ix ' riornied besides visual communications. These include rigging dress ship flags (when tlie occasion arises), identifying passing ships, and rendering honors. An addilidiial la k was perfonncil b ibe division while the squadron was enroute to ' e tl ' ac; lliat being the use of special maneuvering lights and wliistle signals to maneuver the fomiation. iy, c:()i, l. .si .; Cli;(.(). L .M Li . li. Hoi I.I.I II OS Division Officer 15 : . .ill K V V K ' ' y yS •■ S- l ¥ SANDOVAL THOMAS REITER SMITH ZIRBES BAXTER lUTZELER SCOTT BM3 SN PCSN BM2 PN2 YNSN SN YNC 1ST LT. R. E. ARMSTRO.NG Legal Officer Combat Cargo Officer O a c coH ' Although XO Division is, as the name would imply, primarily tlie staff of the Executive Officer, it also supplies Yeomen to most other department offices on the ship. Its yeomen are responsible for the smooth flow of administrative work. While XO Division may he divided into three main sections: its yeomen and personnelmen, its postal clerks, and its Masters at Anns; it is unified by the fact that these sections all perfonn their sei-vices as aids to the Executive Officer, working toward a com- mon goal — the smooth administration of tlie ship. Its jobs are unusually diversified — including the admin- istration of officers and enlisted personnel, operation- al and administrative reports, legal reports ( both en- forcing the regulations and the paper work involved when they are l)roken), and postal sei-vices including selling stamps and money orders. ENS. R. T. YOUNG Ship ' s Secretary r- y. ' - )6 S t teenM efrt. TT W A KATSCHKE .U.V.3 BORDEAUX MKIEK I ' AKKS MOORE KO(K ()OI) STAMEV DEWm - 11 Mil ' .U,l .3 MKi MMJ MM3 1 1 V MMFX M n I , ' ' ■ VlIT I 7 f Z CC CdC Uf im |P ' |f •H ENS D. B. LAW A Division Ojjiccr This is the division that kl ' 0|)s the -liip moving through tli( water and furnishes power to play radios, phonographs, etc.. while in port. The snipes are continually faced with extreme noise and heat in ihc Pit. ' as it is affeetionatelv called, hut maintain propulsion macliiiierv in top operating condition at all time. -- ino t of the time anyAvay. In addition to keeping the main rngines spiiniing hv .-team, the men of M division kerp the refrigeration units for meat, vegetables, daily ])rodu(ts. and ice cubes in run- ning condition. Under the adverse temperatures of the Subic Bay area, thr iiicii did an outstanding job of keeping thing-; enol . . . well the it c eiibc maker in the wardidom liiially (lid tar t wniking a lew days before we Icit tor home. The water necessaiy for the boilers and the Marines i- a product of the MONTROSE Water Works. oi)erated and maintained by the M types — also llie water that the re.-t of us drink and bathe in comes from these evaporator units. To the men ol M divi-ion. these jobs are their duties. To till- rest of the ship, a triji to the engiiierooni means extra diit at hard labor. (Top row, left to right) WAGNER, JONES, PEDEN. STANTON (Bottom row- left to right) LTJG SMITH, CRITTENDEN, BYZEWSKI, LOPEZ. BURNETT DEAHL Located at a point lialf way from the stem to the stem of the Montrose and between the main deck and the keel is located, as possiljly some of you know. 2 square shaped objects called boilers or. sometimes referred to as Tea Kettles. In charge of the maintenance, upkeep, repairs, painting, operating, cleaning, fixing, and patching of these steam producing objects is the Boiler Division. This division, headed by the Division Officer, a chief, and two first class, has been successful in keeping our power plant from any serious casualties as some of you remember happening on our last excursion to WestPac. The oil spills have l)een eliminated, our T.S.D. (time spent drifting) has been cut to zero, and, all in all, the boilers have been kept in pretty good shape. We can be thankful to this group of men for saving enough steam to get us back to the States. LTJG R. C. SMITH B Division Officer Main Propulsion Assistant y 1i f ' f V - :! V 7 •i J ' ■• k. ' V ■ ' rf _ . COLVI.N JOHNSON KS3 WII I I M V ih;i,i:n ki ST. I ' IKRRE SNVUER x C( CdC t 1 1 . ' ■im A Division can he considered an effective and highly diversified group of men on whom tlie Montrose depends greatly for the effective running of tlie sliip ' s mechanical devices. Their responsibilities include 26 boat engines. 1-1 deck winches, two emergency fire pumps, the emergency diesel generator, steam heat and ventilation system, and assorted otlier necessary items. Wliile deployed in estPac, they also maintained 29 temporary air conditioners which con- tributed to a higher morale while in the tropics. Actually these men make up an elite group because of the diversified work each man is recjuired to perform. onnalIy a num in Division stands watches in the emer- gency fire pump rounir. after steering, emergency gener- ator, and, in amphibious exercises, boats as engineers. All in all, the A Gang is a hard working divi ion which does not know the real meaning of the word that ' s passed each day at 1600. Knock off Ship ' s work. ENS. L. L. MITCHF.LL A Division Officer BUN. EN2 BUCKNER F REX FORD f.V F M.MIUN f.V TL UNEU EM 9 . 1 ■ ; t : % 1 - ' m ( KIGC EM.1 VIJA.M, EM.! S CO ' C4 C04t The Electrical Division of the USS MONTROSE consists of 12 men. Electrician ' s Mates and I. C. Electricians compose the two rating groups in the division. These men played an im- portant role in maintaining the ship ' s readv status in WestPac. It was almost a ne er ending task to keep the small lioats start- er motors, generators, and batteries in an operational status. T hese small boats determine just how ready we are. Neither does the electricians jol) end here. There are the ship ' s genera- tors, lighting circuits, galley and laundry equipment, deck winches, ventilation, and steering motors that must l)e main- tained. Tlie electrical gang keeps an ever constant vigil on every electrical piece of equipment on board. These men work as a team — for a team — to keep our ship Aliie and reach. E Division Ojjicer DR£S3 SHIP LIGHTS ? 20 ,r l t  K() (.:h SFP:i PAl --i w wc SIRRENCY FN n v. F ir( nr, SFI ' .l CHAIN SFP3 KM «0 1R c( c lauc The peoi)lc who keep things working al)oaiil ship, or artiliLers as they ' re offici- ally known hy the hook, are the Damage Controhnen and Shipfitteis who make nj) Repair Division. These men form the nu- clens of all the Damage Control Re])air Parties which would he the difference he- tween sinking or staying afloat in the event of comhat damage or any catastro|)he which might occur in peacetime. Their daily rou- tine jobs are many and varied. They are responsible for the ship ' s piping sysicm . sanitan,- facilities, hull structures, hull equipment, assault boats, damage control ef|uipmcnt. lire fighting ecpiipment. water- tight integrity of the sliip. all types of weld- ing and the guys you send for when the plumbing goes bad. The shipfitter do all tin- hi out. faiirica- tion and installation of all pipe and metal work. They also do all the welding anil ol- dering jobs and assist all other division- with u t- that rerpiire a shipfilter ' s skills. In other word . R tlivi«ion contain- llir MONTR().sK handv men. cwow. I. i,(,(_,i:i{ R Division Officer Z ec Vcfrt. ' i ' GUIDO HAM.M PETERSON NE.WILLE SIMMS HOBOCIENSKI SA .S.V S V 5A ' S.V RM2 ENS H. L. HAEFER First Division Officer ' pct lf aAc4 co t First Division is responsilile for the maintenance and upkeep of the forward areas of the ship which inckide the quarterdecks, forecastle, four troop com- partments, and the Chief Petty Officer ' s quarters. In several ship ' s evolutions, the fahulous first division provides the key link. In the complex task of anchoring or mooring to a buoy, a t rained team is ]novided to perform all functions safely and correctly. In ' ESTPAC. MONT- ROSE conducted several pre-dawn anchorings which required precision timing and additional skill due to darkness. During high-line transfer. First Division handles transfer of cargo and personnel via the tripod rig on No. 1 hatch. Other duties include manning the 40nun mount fonvard. unloading 4 LC P ' s at One- Alpha, and general maintenance of weatlierdeck spaces in the fonvard part of the ship. Many days in WESTPAC were filled widi the normal routine, this got a little old. However, when the call came for expert seamanship, and tliis is an amazing sight to see. the guy with the paint brush in his hand suddenly replaced the brush with a winch control in his hand and he now had a large responsiliility and a job requiring the highest knowledge of seamanship. MORVANT JOHN SON DENTON LATHOWER I, MONTAGNE S,V SN SN ?1 .} .■1 .3 I r _ ' f , •- ' 1 ll(l()K n iir. ( | ' i;ki r.i n nii I ' KCK ,s irr( iiKi 1 Seco uC c( ic4to t Di i atilt ' and far-ian :intr group of nun ol tlu ' MOXTROSI ]. Tlu ' v inaiiitaiu more deck surface and carjjo space than any other division — while their spaces extend over all lliree sections of tlu . 1 he 2 hatch area, town square for eniharked troojis. turn- roulinc luaiii- tenance into a real challenge. The division ' s skilled hatch crews handle cargo smartly and are experts in lowering boats for amphibious landings and libcrtv run-. Tlicv al-i) supply the special seaniaii hiii talcnl- Inr iindcrwav refueling and replenishment li the Imrtoning method. hile steaming, men of the division per- form on the bridge as lookouts, helmsmen. iii(i messengers. General (,)iiarti ' i-. IIikN ihc-c -amc men manning the ship ' s battle stations. hen the time came for casting off for the states, the Secotnl Division responded by hauling in no. 1 line with extra enthusiasm and we were homeward bounii. ENSS. R. CI.MJkK Second Division Ojjicer LOPEZ IM.WT P.M LSON .-STEPHENS CIFFORD OEDEWALDT . NDERSON i .sv ir sv SA ' SV BU.{ JJ GLAZE SA ENS J. G. EBBS Third Division Officer vul COtC CO The work of the third division of the MONTROSE deals mostly with the handling of the multi-ton LCM ' s. They do the handling of the ' big ones during one alfa. when coming into port: and everyday uses, such as stores and the handling of liberty rush hour. When the lifting gets heavy they call on the Third Division. We lift all of tlie heavy Marine amphibious equipment that is brought aboard and off load. We enjoy our work as boatswains mates and would not trade our rate for any other. We bring up the stern of the ship with pride to be in MOXTROSE ' s Third Divi- sion. ENSJ. S. TURNBLLL Asst . Third Division Off. . •A.NDKK BMI Willi b K.NSJUIIN K. JAMISON Boat Group Commander ••i |:3 ' i WF.r.ll TF.!.I, ( US hahukrt STEWART r SHANDLE 2 wt noufr The men of Boat Group Division are assigned tlie ciiliial ta k of getting the cnihaiked troops from the MONTROSE to the Ijeach in an amphil)ious opera- tion. The men who proudly wear the assault l)oat coxwain insignia liave gone through a vigorous training schedule and know tlieir joli- to the mo t minute detail. The real test of their skill comes when the word way All Uoats screeches over the 1-MC system. It is at thi time, ■ ' when llic chips are down that . G. division ' show their stuff. h ' thodically the boats assemble, wailing to be called alongside to receive their boat teams and cargo. Once the boats are loaded the cox-wains are re- |)on.-ible for the safe, expeditious transfer of the troops to the beach. After the troops have been offloaded, the skill of the coxswain in getting his boat off the beach can determine the success or failure of an operation. During wartime, it could be a matter of life or death. The coxswain ' s job is a tough one and his constant training and j)ractice for that job is ne er done. ENS DAVID R.STOKY Asst. [ioat (rrouj) (.iimmcmdcr SCHF{AM AI.LE.N WHITE . ' CEin RA GANNAWAY SWANSON BI .S.V .SV .SV BM3 •SV SV   t •1 ' -• ? 41 ■? 25 V 9 k COWER GRANDE RICH COMEZ .S.V SN S SN Mc.MILLIAN 5A- FARRA LLRICH SN yt cc e €4A ENS. J. A. ROACH BG Division Officer SMITH BM2 BEELER . ■u WATTS BM3 F.NS.I. I), PKNCF. G linn IT) Ojfirrr ount ' Du c tott If you look closely at the MONTROSE ' s profile, you amihing hut hoats, hut on hoth extremities lurk a sinis Although there has been growing belief in recent vears ll the Na 7 has seen fit to commit the talents of a team of i dispassionately knowii as Fourtli Division. Fourth Division is represented bv two ratings: ing), and two, the Fire Control Technician. Their i ilirectors in good working order. Also they maintain the Of course, the talents of such a squared away divis During Condition One Alfa. Fourth Division helps out Also, during sea detail they man 3 line. Underway tl There ' s just no end to what they can do. (inc. )rim can see, after an initial impression that there cannot be ter and deadly sting, tlie ship ' s five 40MM gun mounts, lat the enemy has become effectively immune to her venom. highly skilled technicians to the MONTROSE crew, a grouj) the traditional Gumier ' s Mate (the second oldest Na ' y Rat- u joli is to keep tliese 40MM gun mounts and associated ainininiition magazines and the ship ' s annoiy. ion are not limited to what has already been mentioned. by manning debarkation station White 4, and 2 Davit. ic inrni li after steering with an experienced helni tnan. VIA HOPKINS M.I.KROV BLAND GM3 FTGSN FTC I GMG3 CRAIN CMG2 VENROY FTGSN VILLA NUEVA GMG2 . 1 Hf. 27 SAN AUGUSTIN SIMMONS PALMER LOPEZ BANDFIELD KIRK LLOYD SDC.S SH3 DK2 SH2 SKI CS2 DK3 LTJG. L. V. MANZO Stores Ojjicer LTJG. A. C. KIKS The crew ' s daily needs depend lieavily on tlie men of our Montrose ' s Supply De- partment. They are a vital cog in a machine that keeps our ship operating from day to day. The Supply Department is always a scene of brisk activity, which, to the outsider, may seem to be a mass of confusion. It is the home of more than half the ship ' s records. Disbursing clerks are constantly searching through manuals and in- structions which allow shipping over, commuted rations, shore patrol, per diem, and travel allowance pay. The DK ' s are also responsible for registering allotments, and. of course, holding pay day twice a month. The Ships Servicemen are primarilv concerned with the keeping of the tradition- ally high Montrose morale. Services performed by the SH ' s include operation of the laundn, barber shop, clothing and small stores, and the various vending machines. Storekeepers are non technical expeils, who when called upon (usually after taps) may issue anything from the well-stocked storerooms. an}lhing from magna- trons to tablet paper. The SK ' s are responsible for all die storerooms, as well as receiving, sorting, stowing, checking, and distributing stores. The Stewards are mainly concerned with keeping the vast wardroom country in a neat and pleasant manner. The Commissarymen have the busy task of preparing three meals a day for over 300 men. This is a job that never gets any better but. at times, will get much worse. When the call goes out for the Montrose to cany a com- plement of Marines, the CS men are faced with 1500 additional mouths to feed — and we mean hungry mouths — three times a day. ,CKER ECKENRODE HENRY MANGALINDAN L RSH TAGLLNAO SELZER S V SK3 7- A ' sm S S.V C.S2 S.V r Itl 1 Stna 4 ien ( I..].. I in 11 llio-i. lJ-. ltK. (.HKl rK. K. . FULLMER, BOONE (Lwr, 1 to r) FRENCH, BRADSHAW. MONIZ, .SHARPE, LOUDON, WEITZEL, CHERRY iTu,,. 1 In 11 FERTIG. CALDWELL, GEIST, CAMPBELL, U N A , CARLTON (Lwr 1 to r) LADWIG, SILVERTON, BAKEMAN, WEAVER. DOWNS, HANSEN (Top, 1 to n MlCANN. VOTE, MARTINEZ, McGLFFLN, POWELL, RUSSELL (Lwr 1 to r) JORDAN, WAGNER, BLACKBURN, WIL LIAMS, LA FLEX (Tup, I lu n WOODCOCK. McCABE, HALN, slMMONb i Lwr 1 to r) FINE, LINNERTZ, STEADHAM, MOORE V y a K «- 1 Top. 1 to X) AY.SON, DITONA, PILAPIL, DENINA, BAILEY, COR. TADO (Lwr) RAINS, MORRLS, LONZO, VILLALOBO.S, BROIS, ; 2 DAVIS 1 1. In n W 1 niKK, HI KIN, Rri! R, SLEEP l ea ldc, l C zce , a at iS 33 June 11. 1962 — A sad farewell to loved ones in San Diego as families and friends spend their last moments together for six months. i The sendoff is bolstered by the music of a band. The trip across wa.s loiiji. liot and liard. The MONTROSE reached its ultiniato destination, Siihic Bay. P. I., on 13 Jnly. 33 days after de- IKirtiiii; San Diciio. Oiiiinu this time much |)re|)arati()n and tiid had Ic he nuuh tor the new a iunment and av ot li inu. lioonis. hatclu ' . and riiiuinu were inspected ioi ' re- liahiliu. ENS Young (lower Icfl I mutes incoming official mail to insure rajiid (lili ( ' i to those who need to know. tfo The MONTROSE steamed in formation over 500 hours enroiitc from San Diego to Snbic Bay. P. I., providing; ex- cellent training for 00D . JOOD s. and CIC personnel in station keeping and tactic-; ' 1 maneuvering. With over 100 hours of actual tactical maneuvering for the entire deployment, MONTROSE officers gained valuable experience in ship control and tactics procedures. ( Upper right) The MONTROSE passes the USS CALVERT 1 APA-321 close aboard the starboard in a steam by tribute to Capt. R. B. ERLY. Commander Amphibious Squadron ! ' I E. i lower left I Ships of Amphibious Squadmn FIVE are in the |)rocess of forming a column. (Lower Right I ENS TLIiNBLLL and ENS BOULETTE review action to be taken on a tactical signal which is ready for execution. • ' ::;: mMm 1 GODDING VS. .SI Kin The F.iinth of July the MONTROSE took time out to pay triliute to a great day in American history. This day was of special importance to the men. To preserve the independence we gained on this liistoric day, was the veiy reason we were steaming 7.000 miles away from home. The officers and men celebrated hy having a smoker on 2 hatch. It consisted of four l)oxing matches in tlic allciiKHiu. a liai ' liccuc dinner at 1600, and a lah ' ut show from 1700 until sunset. The l)oxing matches were all thrillers and the divisions supported their favorites up to the very end. Several of the participating boxers later defended their ciowns against opponents from other bi|i in Subic ]i . The barbecue consisted of delicious charcoal broiled steaks and all the trimmings excellently prepared by onr own chefs from the galley. After everybody had dc ( urcd their tantalizing steaks an amateur hour was i)rcscnt( ' d with Uosenstein YN.3 filling in as emcee. Ml the acts were well received by the audience. It ' s too l)ad Ted Mack doesn ' t know how much fine amateur talent is aboard the MONTROSK. JLT K.i u PALL vs. HE. R 36 ROSKN.STF.IN VN3 dors urn- ,.| liU i;..l. N, l.,ut impressions wlnlr PANCZVK w.irms uji. Divine Services are held weekly in port and at sea. At these times, men of all races, colors, and walks of life gather together to give thanks for blessings and a k guid- ance and safetv for those at home. Freedom is God ' s gift to yoii. ' here the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ' ' 9r v- -rC ' K ' K :j| Despite the continuous work necessaiy to maintain our ready status, there were some very pleasant respites during our ciaiise, and our visits to Hong Kong were particularly no- table. For many Hong Kong meant only one thing — shopping. Here were some of the greatest displays of the world ' s merchandise at the world ' s lowest prices. Regardless of liow much or how little we each liought. everyone liad the same feeling of frustration for the many tilings we would have liked to have bought l ut couldn ' t for lack of one commodity — money. Most of us took our own sightseeing tours in this fantastic city which combines the most modern architectiue and urban development with evidence of the most extreme poverty. The blending of Western ]ifc with fra-imenls of ihc ?8 aiicirni li.i(liliiin ol China ao togcllicr to pro- duce a citN wliiili i- iinr(|iKilcil in i| niviiads ot tiiiniis lo sec and lliinu- lo do. Ik ' ic v( ' r( the downlown streets -tvidcal of any large Wcvlcrn cily uidi liank-. airlines, travel ajiencies. and large l)U iness offices. Here also v(M ' ' tlie literal I V tlion ands of .-mail -liojis selling e ( ' r tliing iroin dried ii-li to diamonds and not iininmiiionK liglit next dooi- to each other. rile Peak Tiainway ride is an experience that von t soon he forgotten liy anyone sho was so daring as to tiy it. particularly the memory of houses at crazv angles while we dangled up the steep clilt- htdd li what seemed to lie Ncrv thin teei calile-. The view from ictoria Peak was well worth llie idlort liowe cr. in slial i- truK a magniiicenl ie v of a harhor and city. The Tiger I5alni Oarden with its weird stucco decorations and figures: Aherdt ' cn and the nn- lielie alile sam])an cit in t adjaicnt to an ex- pensive series of floating restaurant-: !{epulse Ha ' : Kowloon and its re-taurant-. luglit eluhs and shops: The New Territories with a truer pictinc of the -imple life and customs of the Cluncse farmer — all the-e will remain with u- as indelilile mem iries of a wondertui city and some truK cnjoyahle times for each of us despite the great iliver-ity of interests among 39 Anotlier of tlie more ])leasaiU aspects of our deployment in Westpac on this cruise was our visit to Manila. Here we en- joyed to tlie utmost simply go- ing on liberty ' to do the town as well as to see the numerous mementos of still another struggle for freedom which are evident in this city. Lilierty here meant visits to the San Miguel brewery to see for ourselves where the stufi was actually made. It also meant a not unpleasant inspec- tion tour of some veiy modern nightclul)s whicli compare la- vorablv to anv in tlie states or for that matter, any in tlie world. On a more serious note, Manila showed us her scars, as well. The concentration camp memorials as well as die Jose Rizal Shrine all demonstrated aptly what sometimes must be endured in order to attain and preseiTe liberty- final reminder of the necessitv and worth of our mission here in Westpac was found in tlie beautifully kept Ameri- can Cemetery of Manila. Here the endless rows of crosses and stars silently attested to the last full measure of devotion to duty of a great num])er of Americans. Here. then, with so many before us who had fallen fighting for a belief in our ideals and our wav of life was all the reason we need to continue the eternal vigilance which is the price of freedom. 7 70 ttc Unlike most orciiivition wliirli ic(|iiir( ' i to 10 Ikuhs of an individual ' s talents during the day. the Navy is a 21 hour-a- day oeeupation. At sea the ships are eonstantly niovinp; and thus nuist be watehed. regulated, and handled: in port, the requirements lessen, but ai-e ba-iralU llu ' -anie. lor tiic 21 hour proteetion of the shi|i. Tlin- the ie(|uirements are Icxied on eaeh man to be his most alert. {)rofieient self during the night and in had weather just as during tlie day. In VestPae. requirements for watchstanders were even greater. The officers and crew at times were doubled up on watches to ensure added security and alertness of the ship. The responsibility of tlie watehstanders varies in scope and decision but there is always someone on duty or watch for eveiT assigned task or problem which might arise. Although watches seem countless and tiring, each man accepts his responsibility with the realization of the importance and necessity of his job both for the shiji and the country. r © ' itt; 9 41 7 Vf Ifot o c on ottcft i, :f -il7 As we look Ijack on any of life ' s experiences, there are alwavs certain aspects that seem to remain lirightest in our memories. Menioiy always embellishes fact, but how much would this really change some of the truly unforgettable experiences of this cruise? Who can improve on the story of 17 inches of rain in one day in Subic Bay? A stoiy that would include waterlogged paint peeling from ship ' s sides; Shoes that turned green from mildew overnight; Wading in ankle deep mud in Olongapo and the feeling of being damp constantly; Or in contrast: A dip in the largest swimming pool in the world; A tough mama-san — Mary Sue who bossed a motley but highly efficient group tliat washed and painted the ship so deftly each time we visited Hong Kong. 42 r ,r ■v - ■T iVlt il ' . I . J In addition, [ eio is a personal set of memories for eacli of us: A l)roken nose suffered in an accident ; Il ip In Itauilio: That di ision lilast on Grande Island: Havinii a tooth repaired in 20 degree rolls from ground swells while at sea; The vigorous bargaining of Hong Kong: The (liilian Alert ' ; The championship winning MONTROSf, H AinERS:, Bowling in the ship ' s league: es. thi cruise provided all of u- wilh incinoric- that will never be forgotten. 43 Every ciiiise has its share of work, loneliness, anger, fatigue, responsibility, pride, as well as laughter. Sometimes the laughter comes later, in retrospect, from the pure joy of sharing experience with odiers. It is this connadeship which helps to bring men closer together in times of stress and through the monotony of repetitious tasks which are necessaiy Init dull. Sometimes this closeness will highlight even the most routine tasks in our memories and sei e as reminders of the cniise. Wlui ' ll (|uiikly forget the endless shots lor flu, yellow fever, cholera or some other weii d sounding disease which the medics used as an excuse to pimcture us periodically. How many chickens were dissected, cooked, eaten and griped about by both the cooks and the crew. Or how nuich higher would the thennometers have registered in the engine room at Subic Bay if they had been calilirated higher? Lastly, who can forget the individual huddled over a microsco})e in the tiny lab in sick bay whose pronouncements meant eveiything from how much chlorine we could taste in our water to whether we were going on liberty that night. Work, loneliness, anger, fatigue, laughter, responsibility and pride — the emotions of a cruise. . ( Cruises mean (lilfcrcnt lliitius lo dil ' IcnMit |)0()|)1( Still llicro are siinilarities of life ;il«)anl -l:i|i wliiili air ot identical nieaniiip; to eaeli of iis. Regardless of rate or rank. tiid is the one r( ' i|iii-ile to advaiiceiiient and while tlie eoiulitions at Suliir liay imr the tremendous amount of work tieeessary to m;.intain our status as readx -lii|) were eondueive to studv. we actually nianajied to crack the i)ooks oe- casionalK. nd it jiaid off. evidenced y the 52 acKancenient- in rate which were i;ained i)y our slii]i s com|ian while deployed. A hroken leg i no laughing matter hut the sick hay ward had its luighter moments, too. Where cUe could ( ii lind two hroken legs, a pncniiionia case, a skin infection. 2 cases of tlir run- and a | oor gu w ilh hi- hemorrhoids just r ' moyed? Besides, the girly magazines of the coi])smen were interesting, if not new. While no-on( liked to -tand ( ither in the |)ouring rain or the Imiling -un for in-pections while at Suhie l ' a . there were moiuents when it was all worth it. Moments when you got a good conihiet medal Irom the (!a]itain. or were named Mf ) ri!( )SK Man of th( Month or were presented with your new rate | ;iper-. All in all it was rpiite a cruise. 45 jMm, m Steamed 71 davs or 1701 liouis in loiinatidii. Steamed 97 days while deployed in W estPae. Sui i lie(l enoiitili eleetrieity each da lo su|)]ilv a eitv of 15.000 |)eo|)Ie. Spent over 75 hours in aeliial taetical maneuvering. Participated in ten actual ampliihioiir. landings — eiglit olWhich were pre-dawn landings. Boats hit the beach a total of 763 different times. Was approached or went alongside another ship 27 times in either actual or practice underway replenishments. Changed time on 24 different occasions due to changing lime zones. Softball team had a record of 27-1 while in W estPac claiming the champio nship of tlie entire Seventh Fleet. Used 1,338,116 gallons of fuel, enough to provide a Volkswagen with enough fuel to drive one-half way to the sun or 1612 times around the earth. Witnessed 78 inches of rain in the II dav jicriod from 15 .lulv-20 July- 1 7 inches in an eight-hour jieiiod. Went to Sea and .Anchor Detail 61 times while dcjiloved. Participated in the Rescue and Assistance of Hong Kong victinr- of Typhoon Wanda. Dental Officer filled 750 teeth in the ix-monlh tour ami pulled 100. Either sent or received a total of 3,749 messages. Participated in a Search and Rescue mission off the coa t of the Philipjunes when a jilane earning 13 passen- gers was reported as jnissing in the area. 47 Celehiated her 18tli birthday on 2 November 1962. Steamed 21.600 miles from 11 June to 15 Deceml)er or approximately 879 ' r of the earth ' s circumference. Medical Department gave over 3000 inoculations to ship ' s company personnel. Donated $730 to the United Fund. Donated $250 to the Kochi Orphanage. Donated $130 to a Hong Kong Relief Fund. Carried 200 measured tons of HANDCLASP material for distribution overseas. LEAF. the ship ' s newspaper, published when the ship was at sea, used 48,000 pieces of mimeograph paper in ])rinting 60 issues. Commanding Officer. Captain J. P. COLEMAN, was commander of the Amphibious Ready Group for a period in WestPac. Has these dates to remember ; 20 June — 23 June 2 Sept.— 8 Sejn. 21 Sept.— 24 Sept. 13 Oct. —20 Oct. 20 Oct. —23 Oct. 30 Oct. — 6 Nov. 15 Dec. Operation Flying Disk Visit to Hong Kong Visit to Manila Operation Lone Eagle Visit to Okinawa Visit to Hong Kong Arrival in San Diego Respectfully submitted: The EDITORS: Ltjg. J. C. Heath Dr. J. R. Judge Dr. T. G. Stenger 7a ARMED FORCES PUBLICATIONS TAYLOK PUBLISHING COMPANT DALLAS • US