Ajax (AR 6) - Naval Cruise Book

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5 of I in-. mf' -.,....l..t..'.M f gf I .Y-..., , M , 2 J f BENNINGTON had suffered severe damage to the forward section of her flight deck. 'With the assistance of ship repair units from USS BASILAN, USS BAHAM and USS JASON, AJAX's repair unit cut away and rebuilt the entire wrecked section of BENNING TON's flight deck. Upon cessation of hostilities with Japan 15 August 1945, scores of amphibious craft were assigned to AJAX to be made ready for use in transporting the occupation forces to japan. In addition to performing her primary function as a repair ship, AJAX rendered many other services to ships of the fleet. Her sickbay was an emergency hospital to which men from smaller ships without medical officers were transferred for emergency or other treatment. Men from other ships in need of dental attention had dental work done by AJAX's staff of three dentists. Her communications department rendered much assistance to other ships having less complete facilities. AJAX sailed from San Diego 13 March 1954, f01' japan, her third tour of duty in the Orient since the out- break of hostilities in Korea. Arriving at Sasebo, Japan, 4 April 1954, AJAX operated from naval bases of the major Japanese Islands, in addition, provided logistic support for The Passage to Freedom in Tourane, Indo-China. Between 1954 and 1958, AJAX spent two tours in the Orient. In july 1958 during her trip from Pearl Har- bor to Sasebo, Japan, she was diverted to Guam for ser- vice to a task force deploying to the Formosa area. While at Guam, AJAX worked with naval repair facilities in the repair of one aircraft carrier, one cruiser and seven destroyers. When AJAX deployed to Okinawa, she was always busy, having as many as 11 ships alongside at one time. In November 1958 AJAX returned to Sasebo and resumed her work there. One month later she made a three-day good will tour to Nagasaki where she was host to 12,000 japanese visitors in two afternoons. During her sixth tour of duty in Japan, AJAX received orders from the Chief of Naval Operations to be homeported in Sasebo. AJAX thus became the per- manent Flagship of COMSERVRON THREE in the Far East. AJAX paid a good will visit at the port of Kure, Japan, 31 January 1961. She played host to hundreds of Japanese during an open house day. On 23 August, AJAX stopped at Hong Kong while on a southern tour. While in Hong Kong, AJAX delivered over 7,000 pounds of food, clothing and toys to several local welfare organizations for distribution to the needy. Wh , M. . , . 9 , f, AMX particil from ll October thr OWU 10 the public 1 visited the ship, Ap AMX donated bloo Ullapan, Kobe Bra Returning to S thecrew 0fAjAXh gl! Children of 1 fllhanage In Saseh hl,The Ship also oiday season, On residents toured t domonstrations of visitor received a Eh. and rl . , ss: to flllerations iihlvemb Sion t0 reoortmembl th far . V I I ' ' V .4 4 .i M. ng K S., 1 g u ummm- mmmm

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If 'l . the task ol .on equipmlnt au craft being he also made 51 Cfuiseis and km u - 1 After completing her Pearl Harbor assignments, AJAX departed on 26 january for Funafuti, Ellice Islands. She crossed the equator enroute on 29 January and the International Date Line on 31 January. with the traditional ceremonies on both occasions. Over 1000 men were initiated into the Domain of Neptunus Rex and into the Realm of the Golden Dragon by the small In October 1944, at Ulithi, an island in the West Carolines. she undertook her first major job-repairing battle damage. During a torpedo attack by enemy planes off Formosa, USS CANBERRA ICA-702 had 5 number of their shipmates who had previously crossed the two lines. At Funafuti, Ellice Islands, AJAX was assigned to duty at Makin Island. During her three-week stay, AJAX accomplished repairs on a number of destroyers and small vessels which were preparing for the occupa- tion of Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Upon comple- tion of her mission, AJAX returned to Funafuti on 26 February 1944. L W. On 13 june 1944, AJAX sailed for Eniwetok with other units of SERVRON TEN to set up an advance repair base. She worked on battleships, cruisers and auxiliary ships through August. At one time during this period, AJAX was assigned extensive jobs on 19 a been hit by one or more torpedoes, resulting in the flooding of both her engine rooms and two fire rooms. After having been towed to Ulithi, she was placed alongside AJAX where she was repaired so that she could safely proceed to Manus Island for drydocking. AJAX departed Ulithi on 25 May 1945 and proceeded to San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, where she took part in preparing the fleet for a final assault on the enemy. Here she accomplished one of her most challenging jobs-repairing typhoon damage to USS BENNINGTON KCV-202. cruisers and nine battleships. ' f df.-A- -fai- HNLJL-Lllhlml-Jl lx

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