Wood County (LST 1178) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXECUTIVE GFFICER LI!clUTkLNAN'1' JOHN D. SORENSELN --J n-l E 'I' X W ll 'rub' 'W 'fu 1

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5 lllc'lLXi' il Illini- 'tri livin im 'K I I i ill , l,' LIEUTENANT COKIN.-XNIlDl2li ll. V, lll1,Nl-IlJSl lflv, .ll-3, Lieutenant Commander Ralph C, Rcardsloo, .ir,, USN, fwygm liig Nami vziiwvi' :is :in en- listed man in March 1941, He first reported zilioarrl miss Nfll1!'I':llill,X'Xl l I'c ix ll' X-3135 :md soon saw action outside Pearl Harbor on 7 llcccceiiilbfwif 'lflfil :mel lzilvi' iii ilu- Xlqirslicill :mil GillJGI'f Islands Raids, in the Battle of Coral Sea, in thc 'Folwo llnifl, :il ilu' I'-qittlv ul' Nliilwzix' :1tS:U1fH Cruz Island, at Cape Esperance until NUR5I'IAiIiAMl 'l'cJN was sunk iluriiiff tho1i'.iii1'tli'Rattle of Savo Islands. After subsequent surface duty in thc- South l':ic-iliv 'xXJll'.2 Ulli', 'Xli', Hczu'dSlG9 transferred to the suhmarific sorvicc z, 5 2 1 lil l cfiriiyli lc fl llirm- w:ii'liimf puilrols !ll5OZ'l1't.lUSS FLYING FISH fSS-2293. Mr, Beardslee received his commission in Sfeptmimilwi' lflfifi :milmiiiigiilifwilmlrs11lJo:1I'd the USS COMPTON fDD-7051 as ASW and Guniiory f1f'l'iq-4-V :mil tlu- l'f1f4 piyiiyzyii QAXGB-El f1S Navigator. After a tour as Officer in Charge oi' tho USS IJIGIAJNG flllf-HQ ii I ll'llilWil.'llll l'ullll1lIll1tl9I' Beardslee Was assigned as Corn1'nanc'linQ Officer of the l l51ggflIl.'igf,N'4Q.XHX V! gl -,play fllSrI'.-533, in 1961 Where he served until July 19653 when ho wwf-' ordc-r-1-fl lu A-' w ' N I . ' r . 1. . b - , 1 M , ,,x:llyi11!i1. lzqilllllyill-f ij! as Military Sea Transportation Scrvico Liziisoii fJlil'iur-r lm-flip gimp, I W, Xa, I vw., His next assignment after returning from thc- I-'ni' lkisel in ,liilw Iwi X- ,., , Wm- Ul'C'llltV3'l1 th lfff'-1 Cf 'A C' ' ' - ' ' e ava J icfr andirlatc School in Nowpoi l,, lllioflv lf.:l,,,,i1 Ligutcnzint Commander Iioardslon assumod coumimml My it 4 ,, ,, , , -, ,I l im, ll ,,l,m1 173, on 26 August ifmrs. I I ii A Q l likigiliiii gi +1 zIi1'Ff'i:glJslllX' FC' A sliouirilili l-i1'llivr-lily, alfa i--iliigifsii-e'ii:iIiCl

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USS WOOD COUNTY HISTORY A igmdiug Ship tank QLST-11785 is specifically designed to transport combat troops,their vehicles and the supplies to the objective arcaof an amphibious assault. ller bow doors and ramp allow her to disgorge this cargo in the area adjacent to the landing site, Her flat bottom and engineering plant add the capability of beaching or marrying to a pontoon causeway and offloading directly onto the beach. , , , I With this end, the WOOD COUNTY was built by the American Shipbuilding Company at Lorraine, Ohio as the largest LST ever launched, By August, 151551, she was olfieially declared an operational unit of the Atlantic Fleet and commissioned in the United States Navy. Her accom- piishmentg yvere quick to equal her size. After scheduled deployments south to the Caribbean and east to the Mediterranean, she was operating as a unit of the Caribbean lieady Squadron when the Cuban Crisis developed in 1962 and she immediately took station with the squadron to insure the effectiveness of the Cuban Quarantine, Once again in April 1965, the WOOD COUNTY was operating in the Caribbean waters when the Dominican Crisis broke and she quickly fulfilled her basic function of landing combat troops and vehicles ashore. During these critical days, the WOOD COUNTY continued to support the Marines ashore while evacuating over 1400 refugees from the revolution-torn island. For their role in this action, the men of the WOOD COUNTY were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Medal by the Secretary of the Navy. The latest chapter of WOOD COUNTY'S history was successfully completed when the ship moored in Little Creek after six months deployment as a part of the Amphibious Striking Forces of the Sixth Fleet. As in the past, the WOOD COUNTY continucdto exhibither versatility and exercise at her basic mission of transport, attack and support in amphibious landings. The effectiveness of an amphibious striking force relics in the ability of each unit to perform multiple functions rapidly and skillfully without prior preparation. The events and experiences of WOOD COUNTY'S most recent deployment have assured all that, as in the past, the potential of the ship, the skill of her crew, and the flexibility of both can meet and fulfill the tasks that lie before these men and their ship in the days to come. l i t. l Ai .,x.t -1