Whetstone (LSD 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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.Vi Yu , . M .,, my V .. 5359- , JV , nt' , ' M' , .f '- .. ,'k., X-Wal , . M ...W 4 ff 'ww ?. .aa -f - QW M - :V fr.. ap PM ., ,. I S-.a,ff M-, MW wg, V -A -W W' V 'Y I , A -- new ' W Q ,-can 'T' Q . K... '-f . .. .-A,. 4'- O vi ik ,,,..-fig-,,Mk,fN , ,. I Ly-I-'5 sum, 151101-4, 11 Chu LM, Vue! Num, after the long ride from Okinawa a- board V. helslum-. C ' 5, ji.-fi Q Sum- U! th-f Kiqnrxrw trufks wx haul:-ci roll onto thc- beach from an LCU at Chu i .xx o J L AP 5 1 , p n Q ,,-,Ig :gf ,,.... 7 - Wd LM 54 13:4 , V .uv -as :- o 3 Pl J W . .. N -,' - eil: f- .4 RQ: V -213 I HT: U -' As sf-1.11 as vm olficuded at Chu La1, xt was time to load again and head for Hue .md r hu 21.11. - - D , Q 0 ' 1 2 nv 4- 4

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DOW BUSINESS .... 'B Commodore Rahill, whose flagship goes a little faster than us, came aboard at Okinawa to welcome us to WESTPAC. Our arrival at Okinawa signified the Start of many months of hard work ahead as a unit of the Seventh Flea-t's Amphibious Force. After offloading the equipment we'd carried across the Pacific. we took a short trip to Japan and then returned to Oki for another load. This time we were southward bound, loaded with Marines and their vehicles destined for Chu Lai, Viet Nam. Our later trips to Okinawa were more of the same --- lots of work and no liberty. The California surfers could have made good use of A fe our well deck at Ora Wan. ' ' .4 . .vi , fi' Egg, 1 Q 4' i vs- 'df J I 0 E , - XXxXy. The Marines had added a few touches to make their LVT's look pretty Ierocious. Designed to scare Viet Cong? This l YT must have belonged to some southurners K f Ofc A f 'f' v f ., ' :,?:g7,ff ! lil wr' y' w Marines got wet. ' ' ' it .J , .. , as ' , . -.iw . 1. . . J' V

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BCAT HAVEN A 6 0000 lt was weld, chip, scrape, and paint as we turned to on the boats at Da Nang. Q, . ' r t Q i - K Q 4 'gp . ' 1 wwe '41, lg ji in I CL' snuzcles into our well deck during ballasting Double parking was a common sight .is many of the . . . y . Da Nang Naval personnel came aboard to patronize operations at Da Nang. our ship's store. Our well-stocked store soon gave Us a reputation as a floating Macy's. We dropped anchor at Da Nang. Viet Nam. On 31 March to start a 6 week tour as boat haven for Naval Support Activities the re. Increased security watches, boat repairs. and normal shipboard work combined to keep us all on a busy schedule. While the Scream of jet fighters overhead and the red arc of tracer shells in the hills at night served as constant reminders of the closeness of the war, we continued our , ,.,,,,,,,, quiet joh of behind-the-scenes support. Our join may have been lacking in glory, but not in importance. The landing craft we repaired were the key to keeping open the flow of supplies into the beach from the many merchant ships at anchor. Everyone from the shipfitters with their arc welders to the seamen on watch with their M-1's did their part to earn another Well Done for Xliietstone.