Pine Island (AV 12) - Naval Cruise Book

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HIS TOR Y 0 THE USS PINE ISLAND The USS PINE ISLAND was built at the Los Angeles Drydock Shipbuilding Corporation, San Pedro, California by the Todd Shipbuilding Company. On 26 February 1944, she slid down the ways, and was commissioned on the twenty-sixth of April 1945. Shortly after commissioning, the PINE ISLAND headed for WESTPAC where she served in the final days of World War II in advance seaplane tender operations. At the end of the war, the PINE ISLAND put into Tokyo Bay and was there during the formal surrender ceremonies. I In April of 1946, the long awaited and unusual cruise home, the trip around the world, began. Enroute to the United States the Ship made calls at Sasebo, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Ceylon, Aden, Alexandria, Egypt, Naples, Italy, Algiers, Praia Terceira and finally Norfolk, Virginia, her new home port. In December of 1946, Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, USNR assumed command of the PINE ISLAND, a unit of Operation ','High Jump. The Ship sailed to the frigid operating area of the Antarctic and remained there for two months conducting extensive experiments with military equipment in the extreme cold. These were the initial operations in preparation of the Antarctic Operations of the International Geophysical Year. The Ship returned to the States via Rio de Janeiro and the Panama Canal to her new home port, San Diego. From 1947 until she was decommissioned in May of 1950, she was deployed to the Far East off the China mainland. After war broke out in Korea, the PINE ISLAND was put back into commission on 7 October 1950. Almost immediately she departed for Yokosuka and Iwakuni for seaplane operations under Commander Fleet Air Wing SIX. Later that year, a change of command switched operational controltto Fleet Air Wing ONE. During this time patrol planes were making valuable reconnaissance patrols over heavily infested enemy waters, obtaining valuable data. After a tour of nine months, the PINE ISLAND returned to the States. In recent cruises, the PINE ISLAND has been flagship for Commander Fleet Air Wing ONE who also commands Patrol Force Seventh Fleet and the Taiwan Patrol Force. The PINE ISLAND servesadualpurpose when deployed to the Far East. She is the flagship for the Admiral and his Staff and is also a seaplane tender. The tender maintains a seadrome, and provides aircraft with such services as sea lanes, communications, fuel, arms, food, jato, repairs, briefing of pilots and the berthing of personnel. 1..- .i

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i Captain Gerald Eg Minor was born in Leoti, Kansas on 19 July 1917, the son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Minor. After entering the Navy in October of 1940, he was commissioned an Ensign on 21 J une 1941 through the Aviation Cadet Program. During World War II he served two years as a flight instructor at Pensacola, Florida and Dallas Texas. The last part of World War II was spent as Assistant Air Officer aboard the USS MARCUS ISLAND QCVE-77-Q in the Pacific. Since World War II he has served as the Executive Officer of Patrol Squadron THREE in Panama, Plane Officer at BUPERS and on A CAPTAIN ' GERALD E. MINOR coMMANo1NG oPFicER uss PINE ISLAND QAV-125 1 the staff of COMNAVAIRP AC, in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations QONIQ, as Com- manding Officer of Patrol Squadron TWENTY- ONE in the Mediterranean, Operations Officer aboard the USS HORNET QCVA-123, in the Enlisted Distribution Divisionat BUPERS, and Officer-in-Charge of Naval Collaboration in Air Intelligence at Washington, D.C.'I'1iS most recent assignment was on the Joint Staff of Headquarters Alaskan Command as AS- sistant Chief of Staff J-2, Intelligence. He is married to the former Marian Eileen Gamble of Garden City, Kansas and has a son and a daughter.