Ashtabula (AO 51) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

X L 1 ll , .fb- gg- -Qi Q1 X ,.,.fc,f-. if-Aj-ss 'f ...-..w,.,- N 'fgiaclff-QNX.:-,'s 'xx,N- NN fl-X gilw T' T 'W A l 1 'fii-XX M:f A -f Q, - G ' ,-4 E ii X 1 ll!! ' s ll T' ' y 3, yacc i 'L g: ' Jews A Q :EMP 5g li. ,, -,f- -' xx I 1 ' 1 1946, The ASHTABULA was busy conducting logistics Opera, H55 in Japan, China, Korea, and Ceylon. At the conclusion of thi exercises, the ASHTABULA pulled into Sasebo, Japan for Q Qgrigd of tender availability alongside The AJAX. The forward tanks contained gasoline but it was considered safe to work. Gasoline fumes were ignited from a spark generated in welding and twin explosions curled the forward well deck up over the bow. The port side of the ship was split and sea water rushed in, smoke billowed from the forecastle. The booms and other pieces of deck equipment were thrown into the water yet the forward superstructure was undamaged and two men in the paint locker escaped serious iniury. Three men from the AJAX and the ASI-ITABULA fire watch were killed instantly. Luckily, the accident took place on a Sunday when most of the crew were on liberty. The fire equipment was broken out and the blaze was brought under control. lt was fortunate that much of the combustible material had exploded for this greatly alleviated the fire control problem. The potentially dangerous ASI-ITABULA was towed to a buoy position in the harbor. She returned to San Pedro via Pearl Harbor in July. ln January of l95O, the Flying A returned to the United States to participate in the Everett, Washington Armed Forces Day celebration. The ship's company marched in the parade -,-i,-1. f A through town and then an open house was held aboard ship. TT-T-T-T Over seven thousand people took advant f h' to visit the A SHTABULA. x ff f - VGFR x frflb f , 3iT1TQlN'l.'ljcjQ4P!. age o tis opponunhy More recently, in June and July of l96l, the FLYING A K i A 1 J Q X n F l' Q M 'X A ' ' F X QA' f J X54 -9 . , + x. -., + S S' ' f. f- .5 i ' ' V .- , - cf To ' A . .1-F' ' f 'K , - -f J' ' ' U F T ' I x lb -M1 U' ffhf- :nl-I ff' I., - U-gX1':2,g.i . . .,,. 3 Wt. Vg N w 0 ' 1 Q 'E ' . uk i 'aft .. We xx . T - - .4 I , ' PM ,Qi ,f y U X , 7 .qi ! . ,iv L f. ., '--1 . fwwwtewff s f -, ,Vey f .- ' -T i, V war, ,,,, ,J I .3 I V fm, ' ,gigs fi' -ulirgi U , W A ,N , , wwf N, 1, am, ff 3,4 K ... , cs, . M 91 received a WELL DONE from Commander Seventh Fleet for g seventy seven ships alongside in one month. ln OHS thirty-six day period, the Ashtabula spent only thirty-nine hourS in port. ln September, the ship once again returned to Lon9 Beach to service the First Fleet. Emerging from a lengthy four month yard period in February LA underwent a month of refresher training havin l963, the ASHTABL in The SGH DJGQO Area. lt was a proud moment when the ASI-ITABULA learned she had received the highest grade given to a fleet AO in seven years. On 9 April T963, the FLYING A, WGS Once UQUWW deployed for another tourfxof duty with the Seventh Fleet. if .i. 4 ....... V X fsxl'-If--'x.X feffifesule ft

Page 6 text:

do xi R L-1 ,IQ Vf Og, uss ASHTABULA LAO-51 'J I t bi t. T V 1. .., ffw C All tgwlttgzwijl :- f 1' M75 .1 ' M Tr. k5j'39l brgj Ztxf-1, .+sf,'QeW':,.i Refueling USS Hanson CDD-832D HE USS ASHTABULA CAO-5U known throughout the fleet as the Flying A was named in honor of the Ashtabula River in Ohio. Built by the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard in Maryland and launched in August of l9-43, the Ashtabula sailed via the Panama Canal to Samoa where she became a service unit of the South Pacific Fleet. The ASHTABULA operated in the vicinity of the Marshall Islands from May until September of T944. On the 22nd of October, she proceeded to Leyte Gulf and com- menced refueling members of the Task Group assembled there. While operating in that area, the ASHTABULA came under air attack and a torpedo hit the number six wing tank and it explodedg there were no fire or personnel casualties. Within an hour, the ship had a thirteen and one-half degree list to port. The following day three more planes flew over the convoy but were driven off by gunfire, One of the planes appeared on the port bow of the ASHTABULA and was shot down before it could turn away, ln April of T945, the ASHTABULA collided with the USS THORNTON QAVD-ill. The THORNTON sighted the task unit and in the confusion of trying to avoid them, she turned directly into the path of the ASHTABULA. The ASHTABULA'S bow struck the THORNTON amidships causing considerable damage. The THORNTON was taken under tow while the ASHTABULA, undamaged, continued servicing the fleet during the remainder of the war.

Page 8 text:

COMMANDING OFFICER 2QhZ ' M Captain John Starr Hill was born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 22, l9l5. He entered the Navy as an Aviation Cadet and was commissioned an Ensign in the U. S. Navy in October l940. He became a flight instructor and in April l942 he was assigned to Patrol Squadron FIFTY-THREE, then being fitted out, and served as a patrol plane commander with that sqaudron which operated in the Caribbean Area. ln July l943, he joined the Navy's first Night Fighter Squadron, VFCNQ SEVENTY-FIVE, and participated in operations in the South Pacific until June T944. Captain Hill was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and extraordinary achievement during operations against enemy Japanese Forces in the Solomon Islands Area while attached to the Night Fighting Squadron. He commanded a fighter squadron at the close of World War ll and became a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center. He was Command- ing Officer of one of two first iet fighter squadrons to see action in Korea. During his second tour at the NavalAir Test Center as Chief Projects Officer of Flight Test he vvas the first Navy pilot to fly the Sea Dart, FJ-4, A3D and A4D. He commanded the first Air Group to deploy in the USS FORRESTAL and was the first pilot to land the F3H Demon aboard at night and vvas the first Centurion OOO Carrier Land- ingsl on the FORRESTAL. He vvas Executive Officer of USS MIDWAY, Operations Officer for Commander Carrier Division FIVE, and Director of Training for the Naval Air Training Command. He became Com- manding Officer of USS ASHTABULA in September l962 and was relieved by Captain William E. Norrington in August l963. Captain and Mrs. Hill have three children, Starr, Dale and Randall.