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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SFC J. C. Van Deusen, project coordinator, and Chaplain George Evans mustered the volunteers and installed two pumps Cone of which was donated by AJAXJ, wiring, and 1.800 feet of pipeline, which ended the scarcity of water that had plagued Boy's Town since it was built. In February, 1970, AJAX received word that due to cutbacks in military spending overseas, her homeport was to be changed effective 1 June 1970. The new homeport was San Diego, California. This would mark the end of a ten and one-half year stay in the Orient for her. The month of July was an extremely busy one for AJAX and her crew. After five days of activity, the move of Commander Service Group Three and his staff to AJAX's sister ship, USS HECTOR KAR-7j was completed, and on 15 July was ready to depart Sasebo, for San Diego. A large crowd gathered at India Basin to bid sayonara to AJAX and her crew. At 1100, 15 July 1970, AJAX departed Sasebo. Between that time and 1630, 20 july, when AJAX outchopped from the com- mand of Service Group Three to that of Service Group One, many congratulatory messages were received attesting to the quality and importance of the job this ship had performed so well in the Western Pacific. While underway, word was received that AJAX had placed first in the battle efficiency competition among ships in her category for fiscal year 1970. Even as this word was on its way to us, many hours of our un- derway time was spent at general drills in preparation for new competition. Adding more glory was the an- nouncement that our engineering department had also won the honors in its division of engineering efficiency competition. On the morning of 6 August 1970, AJAX steamed into San Diego harbor to a warm welcome from a crowd of AJAX families and friends. Although AJAX was now homeported in San Diego, she continued with Western Pacific deployments. During her 1971 WESTPAC. july was an extremely busy month culminating in a change of com- mand. Captain J. T. Coursin, was relieved by Captain W. L. Zimmerman during formal ceremonies on 31 july 1971. Later that year on 21 August, AJAX departed for Vung Tau, Republic of Vietnam. AJAX arrived in Vung Tau on 27 August. Her task was to provide repair services to the Vietnamese Navy. Work began im- mediately upon arrival and the work did not slow down until departure in September. In her more recent years, AJAX has continued the earnest obligation of providing alongside availability repair service to ships of the fleet. Having completed her Long Beach availability, AJAX left for San Diego to return to family and friends. It was a trip of mixed emotions. On 15 September 1972, AJAX held its first wedding aboard AJAX and bid farewell to a shipmate in a burial at sea. Machinery Repairman Randy R. Campbell and Barbara A. Miller of Chula Vista were married in a special ceremony aboard AJAX. AJAX also bid farewell to MMC Ronald Damon, a retired comrade in a burial at sea. AJAX is one of the oldest continually com- missioned ships in the Navy. She has logged more time with the Seventh Fleet during the Vietnamese war years than any other ship in the U.S. Navy. During her 1973 deployment, AJAX crewmen expended more than 20,000 mandays providing repair service and logistic support to 56 ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. During her most recent WESTPAC, the ship steamed nearly 17,000 miles and enjoyed R 85 R trips to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Hawaii. The visits to Taiwan and Hong Kong proved an unprecedented experience as dependents of Service Group Three Staff and Fleet Ac- tivities, Sasebo, accompanied their sponsors on board AJAX. Altogether AJAX 's history has been an impressive one. She has serviced everything from the smallest boat to the largest aircraft carrier in the Navy, sometimes with as many as 22 ships alongside for repair. Sailors who don't know, look at AJAX and say It's just another repair ship. They don't realize that for over 30 years, she has served as a hospital, supply center and a repair facility for those ships and sailors in need of her help. O