Plymouth Rock (LSD 29) - Naval Cruise Book

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It isn't every day that recons land in downtown Villafranche. UDT 21 More UDT 21 J ohnney Walker Inside a conex box 5 Marines engaged in mortal combat. W

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ia WW 65 The USS PLYMOUTH ROCK welcomes all embarked per- sonnel. We hope that our cruise will be mutually educational and interesting. Our mission is to get you there. We will strive to complete our mission as pleasantly as possible. WEL- COME ABGARD. POD 25 September 1974

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.A ' .,LN gg f q,rg - 'Q .-. - .G ,, -1 M L-,QLUTL1 -:' -J! Guam ff ' , ' SPHRTHNBMRG 141,-.jH fig-i-if '. I f QOMN7-Y - if-,f ., , , ,-C',q.,:f1 ',.'Z PONC'-E' I I 1 1 infiflxl- ' - i ' if'T': . . zwfif' g X V99 -2 lf.--P ,. t t 4 . P- FQ'-'rf N X 90? e Xxx? HM PHIBIOUS C X X- osxecvivfs 'X 0 X 4 nrzen N X N X Q ' ,Q O X D , , 0 , i LYr'7ouTH Rock ' x ' PCS ,Ii 'N'---'Iss c D K ' CHHRLESTOIV X N The diagram above illustrates the general layout of an amphibious landing. The day of the landing is referred to as D-Day. Prior to D-Day the Amphibious Task Force steams toward the Objective Area under strict electronic silence, to prevent the enemy from monitoring its move- ment. On the evening of D-Day minus one, PLYMOUTH ROCK is detached from the Task Force and proceeds at maximum speed to the Objective Area. Under the cover of darkness PLYMOUTH ROCK anchors and conducts ad- vance force operations, designed to provide intelligence and make the beach ready for landing. Advance force oper- ations include a bottom survey of the surf area, demolition operations to clear a path for landing craft, and the place- ment of buoys to mark the 'fboat lanes. Boat lanes are those imaginary boundaries within which the waterborne assault craft are guided to the beach. Early on the morning of D-Day the remaining ships of the Task Force arrive and anchor in the Objective Area. The Task Force Commander then orders land the land- ing force and the TF 61 ships begin debarking landing craft and making helicopters ready for fiight. Simulta- neously destroyers in the area are softening up the beach with naval gunfire support. Aircraft carriers, twenty miles to seaward, send their planes to bomb the beach and con- trol the skies in the objective area. Approximately 15 minutes prior to H-Hour fthe land- ing time ofthe first waterborne wavej, SPARTANBURG COUNTY conducts an underway launch of LVTs just seaward of the LOD flj. LVTs are armoured tractors, loaded with combat troops, which compose the first wave of landing craft to hit the beach. The LOD Cline of depar- turej is the point from which landing craft are dispatched to the beach. Once the LVTs cross the LOD, they are controlled by PLYMOUTH ROCK, the primary control ship CPCSJ. Through visual and radio signals, PCS guides the landing craft so that they land at beach center at exact- ly the specified time. Behind the LVTs come the remaining assault waves CZJ, consisting of landing boats from PL Y- MOUTH ROCK, CHARLESTON and PONCE. These boats, loaded with more troops, jeeps, and tanks, are also controlled by PCS. At the same time that the waterborne waves are enr- oute to the beach,helicopters from GUAM and PONCE are launched C35 with troops and equipment to land in the specified landing zone CLZJ. The exact time that the first helicopters touchdown is referred to as L-Hour. Seconds before H-Hour and L-Hour the cover of bombs and naval gunfire is lifted. When all the assault boats waves and helicopters have landed and the landing force has control of the beach, the general off-load begins. Equipment such as bulldozers, fuel, food, and medical sup- plies must be located, loaded and delivered to the beach with a minimum of delay. The Commander of the Marine Amphibious Unit then moves ashore with his staff to take full control of the Objective Area, and the mission of the Amphibious Task Force is successfully completed.