Plymouth Rock (LSD 29) - Naval Cruise Book

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i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 . 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 i 1 1 1 Jmfy, .K W' R. 2 Wyfffffjnfkwuf 7 As an indication of the excellence of her crew as well as the variety of their accompiishments, PLYMOUTH ROCK proudly wears the symbols of excellence - 14 consecutive Amphibious Assault Awards, 9 consecutive Operations Excellence Awards, 9 consecutive Communications Excellence Awards, and 3 Battle Efliciency Awards. I USS PLYMOUTH ROCK CLSD-295, is the oldest ship in the Amphibious Force of the Atlantic Fleet. Since the earliest days of her commissioning, the dock and landing ship has been constantly engaged in a variety of tasks. In 1955 and 1957, she sailed into Artic waters to resupply an early warning radar station with men and material. Early in 1958, PLYMOUTH ROCK made a record haul for a ship of this type while transporting a 6000-ton minelayer from the United States to Turkey. Later that same year, the ship took part in the landing of U.S. Marines in Lebanon at the request of the Lebanese Government, and the implementation of the vertical envelopment technique of amphibious assault, which first combined co-ordinated helicopter and assault boat landings. In 1961, PLYMOUTH ROCK participated in the operational development of ASROC, an anti-submarine rocket system. Later that year, the ship operated with tracking and recovery forces assigned to space project Mercury. In 1962, the ship conducted an evaluation of a new type of sonar equipment and in 1964 participated in Operation 4 STEELPIKE I, the largest amphibious landing of men and equip- ment since World War II. Early in 1966, PLYMOUTH ROCK played a vital role in the recovery operations off Palomares, Spain, by delivering on the scene two deep-diving submarines, the USS AL VIN and USS AL UMINA U71 following a high speed trans-Atlantic crossing. Later that year, in the wake of hurricane Inez, the ship participated in relief operations for the people of Haiti. In 1969, the ship arrived at St. John Island, Virgin Islands to pick up for transport to Philadelphia the underwater sea laboratory TEKTITE I. Again, early in 1970, PLYMOUTH ROCK received the call, this time to pick up TEKTITE II at Philadelphia and deliver this undersea habitat to its Virgin Island research home. PLYMOUTH ROCK participated in exercise Snowy Beach, a cold weather amphibious exercise off the coast of Maine in January 1972 and a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean beginning in February 1972. Following this deployment, USS PLYMOUTH ROCK CLSD-291 made two four-month deployments to the Caribbean. After these operations, the ship was converted to burn distillate fuel. PLYMOUTH ROCK participated in operation SOLID SHIELD in May of 1974, and that fall, departed for the MED on a six month deployment as a part of the Mediterranean amphibious ready group.

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COMMANDING OFFICER Commander J. J. LARSON, U. S. Navy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 24 June 1935. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in March 1953, while attending high school in Marshfield, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school in 1954, he entered the U. S. Naval Academy. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1958 and was commissioned an Ensign, U. S. Navy. Through subsequent promotions he at- tained the rank of Commander, effective 1 November 1971. Commander LARSON was First Lieutenant, Gunnery Ofiicer and Operations Ofiicer in USS HUGH PUR VIS CDD-709J, Operations Officer on the staff of COMDESDIV 601, Executive Ofiicer and Navigator in USS CHARLESBERRYCDE-10351, Ex- ecutive Ofiicer in USS MACDONOUGH CDLG-81, and commanded USS GRANT COUNTY QLST-1 1745 from 18 April 1970 to 30 October 1971. His assign- ments ashore included the Bureau of Naval Personnel and the Naval Advisory Group, Vietnam. He received a Master of Science Degree in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in June 1974. He assumed command of USS PLYMOUTH ROCK QLSD-29D on 5 September. Commander LARSON wears the Bronze Star Medal, Navy Commendation Ribbon, National De- fense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation fGallantry Cross Medal Color with Palmj, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation CCivil Actions Medal, First Class Color with Palmb, Republic of' Vietnam Campaign Medal, Expert Pistol Medal and the Sharpshooter Rifle Rib- bon. Commander LARSON is married to the former Marilyn TINKHAM of Marshfield, Wisconsin, and they have three children: JJ, John and Ann. f . , VW . e COMMANDER J. J. LARSON UNITED STATES NAVY JY '74, ll vt Ai COM-MAN DING OFF IGER ' L The Captain must be both the officern and the gentleman