Sandoval (APA 194) - Naval Cruise Book

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The bustling city of Brindisi. ltaly, was a pleas- ant but short stop before our return home. The club at the Air Force Base offered welcome facilities and the sailors' memorial was much photographed. The crowds that gathered pierside for our departure gave us 'T a warm Farewell as we departed for Rota. Spain and the U.S.A. I fl lr O 'Qld' O : '1il 11 ' 1 Y ' T f . 2 rl ' JZ. ,, li A ' tr f?'g.,lg r 'T I .. ,I . M -far -Q M--. I , Qs , Q Q X5 I l V s ' . 8 X ' , 1 v ,iw . ' I 5 . I 'f r 9 ll ., I 1 :Ri N rlhl -1 - gfvihx' I X! ,V u . pfvvwrm -t-at -Mar, ff' W 5 ' i 4 ,Q iiiiifllziww X 5 5 ! in aei'L'4'1Fek'xxw-Q-.N.,-,.1 A T 1 ' 5, 13? 1 il ' nv? -.., ff., ......., vrzfm- a -AXP 5-.

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Iflalrtta, Hlalra 3. -f K 'lxlu' lnmllrvss cllx' ul Valclla famlliariZed us all W . . , Qi pounds, slnllmgs .xml lmll crowns. Again the bead bcckom-d us all. 'llmv Hum boats did some beckoniil. ll 3 . if 5 nxS idx ifwil A Q iwovg i PVT' Ili- , L.. fsiviip to gm our moncy, lm: solved the problem of crowded noisy. libcrly boats. 'llw lricndly people made our shorl stay a successful om. '4 X mw'7rw--- ' lf' 1 . W . Q1 . xy ' o 1 ooooo 1 M 'fs' of-f' , .iirf-.vt--'-1.-. A J A 7 Xl . .NMX . N. V .- - A-W N X, ,,,, .f .w,f,..f , . , Q ,. -wwggiakzg, X - fff N ' '- ,fe .HSV m..,:H-fp .. do 4-:gg X ' 'f X ' .l ff, I . new NNN: an o:t:'o.x.mM 5 .. - 1 ' 1 , ,. -I X. Y rf'-1.1 A l x -5. 9- , Il . - +-ww 'J . ., . - N I . 1 grim... K ss o S wk' L V 7 , l X Q g if f qi fa J I I 4 ' J S . W .1 . x .X - , z , .NM-X M!-rw. - ,.fQ.'..- A ffz. . M, ,- . ,. -f i wj -fF,,,-,nga-:mg-X,..,.U7 . A K 4, -yr ' i. ' l L wx x..A,f

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SANDOVAL departed Norfolk on I8 March wut. yotuig nd Agpnd' Group eager for action and ably reinforced by a few, but talented, veterans from pas, deployments. This combination proved a large success as, landing after landing, SAND! OVAL boat crews exhibited a skill, a knowledge and a finesse in handling our 12 LCVP's, 2 LCM-6's and 2 LCPL's the C'aptain's Gig that brought credit and notice to the ship. Phiblex 10-69 was held at Timbakion, Crete on 7 April and despite a different ap- proach to the beach by SANDOVAI.'s ten boat wave, this first landing went well, Later the same month SANDOVAL was to participate in Dawn Patrol, a combined NATO landing exercise utilizing Italian, British and Greek Naval forces. However, high winds and rough seas at Porta Scuda, Sardinia caused cancellation of the proposed exercise, After a month of relative inactivity SANDOVAL took part in another NATO exercise -Olympic Express-held on 5 June at Strimon River, Greece, Here units of British Commandos assaulted the beach by helicopter while American and Italian units went ashore by landing craft. By this time our crews were coming into their own through experience and a great improvement was noted. Crew discipline and skill was now at its highest level for the conducting of landing exercises for squadron competition. Competitive exercises for fiscal year '69 and '70 were held at Malta in late June and at Navplion, Greece in early July respectively. Dis- playing amazing knowledge of their duties, all crews performed well and earned SANDOVAL her fourth and fifth consecutive annual Amphibious Assault Award and the right to wear the gold Amphibious Assault Award. Throughout the cruise our Boat Group improved significantly. In addition to then fine landing record, they also put in long hours and hard work in getting men ashore for liberty and beach parties in many areas where we could not go pierside. ,,f 7, ,t