Ashland (LSD 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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ntinu es lwish to bid tarewell to the crew ol USS ASHLAND as she C0 to take her place in the lite and history ol our Navy and our country. l leave with pride lmnowing your character and abilities and your contribution to the Navy. The experience you have gained in cruising and maintaining ASHLAND will prove invaluable to you in your tuture duties at sea. This experience, in addition to training you have received on your own initiative and in lesson plans, has given you the toundations ot the complete sailor. Upon these ioundations it is hoped you will build your Naval careers and your t art that you have been trained tor a lite ' lla ot lite will loolm to you ot mind lives. ember that lor the mos p t our associates in any wa ' dership is largely a state ' d must be devel- Rem ot leadership, and tha y tor leadership. Your capacity tor this lea and must be cultivated. Exercise ot leadership is a slull an oped by practice. Theretore, lose no opportunity opened to you to improve your capacity and sltill in leadership. onsider you the tinest crew in the United States Navy, and you possess ' ' t rce. The lull proot ot your superiority as a unit has r superiors and the people ol our ' ity. e lc t ship in the o The eyes ot you t that superior our courag n the lines still to be tully realized. Country are watching you lor the realization o l lmow you, and have conlidence in your abilities, and in y to.meet the challenges ol the sea, and to win success and happiness in spite ot the many obstacles which are sure to beset you. Nly best wishes and God's speed go with you. Eugene C. RUEFF l.l.S. NAVY Commander , Commanding Olticer K7 166-41683

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CONTENTS Dedication ........ ...... History ......... ...... Officers ........ ...,,, Deck ................. ...... Engineering ........ ...... Executive ......... ...... Operations ...... ...... Supply .......... ...... Ports - Tours ................. Embarlxed Troops ......... Advancement ............... Ship's Lite ........ ....... Credits ..... ,.,,,,, USS ASHLAND Lsn-1 Med Cruise 68

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USS Ashla ncl: History The USS Ashland was built by the Moore Dry Dock Co. Oakland, California where her keel was laid on 22 .Iune 1942. The ship was commissioned on 5.Iune1943 and served with the Pacific Fleet during the remainder of the war. The Ashland was the first dock landing ship built, and the largest specifically for amphibious warfare. Seven Battle Stars were earned by the ship on the Asiatic - Pacific Area Service Medal for participating in the following cam- paigns: Gilbert Island, Marshall Islands, Mari- anas, Tinian, Leyte and Iwo Jima. After her war service the Ashland was placed out of commission in reserve as part of the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet in March 1946. Recommissioned in 1950, the ship departed for the East Coast in 1951, and was attached to Military Sea Transportation Service. An extended trip was made to Thule, Greenland, from June until September of 1952. The Ashland later par- ticipated in various operations for MSTS on gips to Greenland, Newfoundland and Cana- a. On 1 November 1956, the ship was transferred to Commander Naval Air Force, Atlantic for evaluation in LSD seaplanetend- in . 9 Following this evaluation period Ashland was again decommissioned and transferred to Atlantic Reserve Fleet. During the Berlin Crisis, the ship was again recommissioned in November 1961, this time at the Berkley branch of the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Dry- dock Company, Norfolk, Virginia and was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet under Amphibi- ous Squadron FOUR. L Since that time, Ashland has participated in several amphibious exercises and deploy- ments with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterra- nean and in the Caribbean operating areas. On 3 .lune 1965, ASHLAND deployed to the SIXTH FLEET returning on 4 November 1965. ASHLAND left Little Creek on 3January 1968, deployed to the Mediterranean, operated with Task Force SIXTY-ONE as a part of the U.S. SIXTH FLEET, and returned 30 May 1968.