Pine Island (AV 12) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

Tc' we, v ww ii f WS gl A YW .NX f QM, f Ah f 9 ,A . 'rf .M sg Z

Page 7 text:

HI ORY 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, she was commissioned on the 26th of April 1945. Shortly after commissioning, PINE ISLAND was headed for WESTPAC where she was destined to serve most of the rest of World War II in advance base seaplane tender operations. She was 'assigned to a Task Group engaged in Air-Sea Rescue Operations. At the end of the war, PINE ISLAND put in at Tokyo Bay until occupation of Japan was completed. In April of 1946, the long awaited and Lmusual cruise home began, a trip around the world. Enroute to the U, S, East Coast, the ship made calls at Sasebo, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Ceylon, Aden, Alexandria, Egypt, Naples, Italy, Algiers, through the Straits of Gibraltar, thence to Praia Terceira, in the Azores, finally arriving at Norfolk, Virginia. In December of 1946, Rear Admiral Richard E, BYRD assumed command of 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 initial opera- tions in preparation for 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 hostilities broke out in Korea, PINE ISLAND was put back into commission on 7 October 1950 and manned almost entirely by a reserve crew. 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 control to Commander Fleet Air Wing ONE. During this time, patrol planes were making reconnaissance patrols over enemy waters, obtaining valuable data. After a tour of nine months, PINE ISLAND returned to the States. In recent cruises, PINE ISLAND has been the flagship of Commander Patrol Force, SEVENTH Fleet, who also commands the Taiwan Patrol Force made up of the seaplane tender, the deployed patrol squadrons and the assigned destroyers.

Page 9 text:

UUR STORY The men of the USS PINE ISLAND traveled more than 30,000 miles during their nine month deployment in the Far East this cruise. For many of them, it was their first visit to the ports of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, Okinawa, Iwakuni and Kobe, Japan, the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong, Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Pago Pago Tutuila in the Samoan Islands. ' When the PINE ISLAND departed San Diego on 13 September 1965, she became the flagship for Rear Admiral R, M, ISAMAN, Commander Patrol Force, SEVENTH Fleet, and Commander Fleet Air Wing ONE, As flagship, the PINE ISLAND provided lodging and communications facilities for the Admiral and his staff for the conduct of daily business. After arriving in Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, the PINE ISLAND operated around the clock in support of SP5-B seaplanes. While under operational control of the PINE ISLAND, these seaplanes conducted shipping, antisubmarine and junk surveillance in the South Vietnam area. Our medical staff was busy too, giving medical and dental care to the Vietnamese in several of the villages in the Cam Ranh Bay area. While she was operating at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, PINE ISLAND provided fuel, arms, and engine repairs for long-range reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare seaplanes patrolling the Taiwan Straits in support of Market Time Operations. Late in our cruise, we were nominated to participate in the 1966 Coral Sea Celebration in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand. General visiting and special group tours were held aboard ship to celebrate the joint American- Australian victory of World War II, Special parties, dinners and dances were spon- sored by the Australian-American Association. The Coral Sea Celebration proved to be a much enjoyed break for the men from the routine of Western Pacific Operations while it promoted America's good will among the Australians and New Zealanders. During our return trip to San Diego, the PINE ISLAND was directed to Niue Island to pick up a small boy afflicted with a serious paralytic disease. Because of heavy seas, the child could not be rescued from the island by seaplane. There- fore, the PINE ISLAND delivered the child 300 miles northwest to Pago Pago Tutuila in the Samoan Islands for further care. Enroute to Pago Pago, the boy developed problems breathing, and our doctor saved his life by performing a trache- otomy. To you, the sweethearts and families of the men of PINE ISLAND, who made mail call mean what it does, we tell our story. Here are the deeds we did, and the places we visited. Wiw1i,--T1 - .. ..-..v....,-,,..,,---.,.- --...-. , --vn-