Whetstone (LSD 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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25 April 3-4 May 24 May 26 May 28 May 4 June 6June i0 June 27 June - 6 July l0 July - i9 July i0 July 20 July 23 July 7 August i0 August 31 August l September 4September 7 - W September 20 September pepurgiued sa., Diego ment await Arrived DQNQUQ, RVN, relieved uss TORTUGA iLSD-26ig iained Amphibious Ready Group ALFA Departed DaNang Arrived Subic Bay, RPI Departed Subic Bay Arrived DaNang, participated in Gallant Leader ll Available for special Ready Group Alto operations Operation Bold Pursuit Operation Mighty Play Avoid Typhoon Tess Departed DaNang Arrived Subic Bay Departed Subic Bay Arrived DaNang CNO, Admiral Moorer, visits WHETSTONE Avoid Typhoon Dorie Assistant Secretary of the Novy, Honorable JON!! Hrttlr, visits WHETSTONE Operation Defiant Stand Hong Kong visit cancelled 2l - 27 September Enroute Nha Be iSaigonl in support lrlt operation 'Breezy 27 September 30 September 30 September l October 2Octobcr 5October 8 October 9 October 30 October 3l October Cove Enroute DaNang Arrived DaNang Departed DaNang Arrived Cuo Viet to load Marines and equtemeei for operation Keystone Cardinal Enroute Okinawa Avoid Typhoon Flossie Arrived Buckner Bay, OlKiI10'0e FWS' ltl-7'9 Y 55 5575 Depart Buckner Bay enroute to Delhtor. Colt' Arrived Deltriar, offloaded Marines Arrived San Diego, Calif.

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C , ,,u,ef,...,f....-..-r-..4.,...a-I ' 4 NaraPresidentialUfHYCiYUYl0f1- tri February. im, wriersrane was deployed 'O Chfisfmcs lslund lo' UPP'0,XlmU'e'Y,0 e mom' 'O ggrt,q,,are in Joint Task Farce Eight operations in that area. Upon completion of this deployment aria un irtterior: orerhaal, the ship took part in refresher training off San Diego and was the first erm to ae awarded the COMPHIBTRAPAC Excellence Award for outstanding achievement while ,ntierr59,rrg refresher training, From October until December of that year WHETSTONE was deployed tg the Caribbean as a unit of both Task Force l28 and Task Force 53 during the Cuban Crisis. Daring the Vret Navi Crisis, WHETSTONE mode three WESTPAC Cruises in U 0 'e'YeU' Period Und earner! the Viet Nom Service Medal. On another deployment between May and August, l965, WHET- STONE tree-,ported the Third Marine Battalion to Okinawa as a part of Amphibious Squadron FIVE and landed Marines at DaNang. Following extensive overhauls in T967, WHETSTONE wus Ggoin rn Vietnamese waters rn l968 as a part of Assault Ready Group Bravo. The ship participated in two arnphibrous operations, Badger Tooth and Badger Catch, in support of Marines on the beach ln early 196-9WHETSTONE again distinguished herself by once more winning the COMPHIBTRAPAC Award of Excellence during refresher training along with the Green E Award for operational excellence Between May and October of i969 WHETSTONE was again off the shares of Vietnam, this time as an element of Amphibious Ready Group Alfa. In perhaps her grandest hour, WHET- STONE participated in the following operations: Bold Pursuit, Mighty Plgyf' DefinQf Slondrn HBYNIY COVE, Und Keystone Cardinal. Returning to the United States in late Oc- taber af 1969, WHETSTONE prepared for her last cruise - a trip into de-activation ance again, in San Diego after twenty-four years of service.

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FROM: commanding officer, uss VHETSTONE ILSD-277 TO: rut Hands, uss irnetsrorre ZLSD-Z7l l, The VHETSTONE cruise book as it is presented here is the, history of our cruise in VESTPAC in I969. It is also the story 0 STONE, 1969, a very eventful and gratifying year. The Year 1969 commenced with Administrative lftspecllonsr Fleel Re' fresher training, A.'rtphrbioi..rs Refresher Training, and o compacted schedule of ship'5 work to be accomplished prior 10 d'-'Pl0Ymen'- These evenls may be expressed with few words but the significance of their meaning cannot be em- phasized enough, which l an- sure all will agree. Because of the hurried schedules andthe evertl5 lllet' bfougllli il m0Y be said that our cruise began with ine coming of the New Year, for it wars then that VHETSTONE really came alive as a dynamic team. Our inSPeCl'0 ' re' sults, the -orii CCCOr'?rpltSfH'.'f, the A-ard of Excellence earned during Amphi- bious Training and the corfwnrents of visiting authority all refl8Clll19 qU0lllY of encellence that our team-ati. produced It began in January and has yet ta reach a cli'-nal The commencement gf Dar deployment in April was more like a continua- tion of our training Once an element of Amphibious Ready Group ALFA, W9 fell into place as a cog would in a precision machine. SuCl1 names GS Gallant Leader l and ll, Bold Pursuit, Defiant Stand, Breezy Cove, Mighty Play, Gnd Keystone Cardinal are only synany-r-s for hard work, devotion to duty, and a ,pb WELL DONE While they represent motor operations, we cannot forget the long, hard hours at -orli, on watch, replenishments and the like which were so necessary for us to have accomplished our mission so well. The term 'QVELL DONE is not to be remembered in the singular. As you may recall, we had -nany high ranking visitors on board whose comments toward the ship on the occasion of each visit were those for a iob WELL DONE. We cannot forget the unfortunate circumstances which sacrificed the time allotted for our up-keep periods and our sacrificed trip to Hong Kong. Now, as we reflect, we can always be proud, that despite such disappointments and hardships, we carried Out our com-nittments in an exemplary manner. The fact that WHETSTONE set new records for continued steaming time without up- lceeps illustrates the CAN DO spirit that is her chief characteristic. It is a fact that we can lool: back on with a great sense of pride and something to be talked about for some time in the future. So now it is over. As the year 1969 closes the cruise draws to an end, But more than that closes. With the close of the year, so also Closes fl-,e career of o proud old ship. Her 1969 cruise is perhaps her last and finest She passes with a supreme sense of accomplishment. She has left her marie on the free world. So naw to the grand old lady and the finest of crews I say once again, THANK YOU-WELL DONE! f- ' -6, 5 Q-'Tb Cllllllllallllillg offical' Floyd K. Rabun, CDR, USN