USS Cambria (LPA 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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DEDICATION William Allen Desantis Born January 16, 1947 at Brooklyn, Kings, New York. Graduated from: Saint Anselm Grammar School, Brooklyn; Poly Preparatory School, Brooklyn; Saint Lawrence University, Canton, N. Y. in June ' 68 with a BA in Economics. Was married on December 22, 1968 to the former Miss Ann Frost Lewkowicz. Graduated from DCS March 14, 1969 and commissioned Ensign USNR. Reported on board Cambria May 1, 1969 at Porto Scudo, Sardenia. Appointments: June 10, 1969 - ThirdDivision Officer; September 17, 1969 - Recreation Fund Custodian; February 24, 1970 -Assist- ant First Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer; March 14, 1970 - Temporary appointment to Lieutenant Junior Grade. Survived by: Wife - Mrs. Ann F. Desantis, 2053 Lexinton Parkway, Schenectady, N. Y.; Father and Mother - Mr. and Mrs. Michael John Desantis, 166 83rd Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Sister - Mrs. Elain Benvento, 55 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.

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USS CAMBRIA is a veteran of amphibious warfare. Completed in May 1943 and christened SS SEA SWALLOW as a U.S. Maritime Commis- sion, the ship was then acquired by the Navy. She was recommissioned on 10 November 1943 as APA-36 and named CAMBRIA for Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Manned by the Coast Guard, CAMBRIA departed for the Pacific The- ater in December 1943 and arrived at Pearl Harbor on New Year ' s Day. 1944 saw CAMBRIA involved in the occupation of Kwajolein, Majuro and Eniwetok tolls, followed by landings at Tinia and Leyte. On 1 January, 1945 CAMBRIA departed for Lingayan Gulf where she landed her troops on beaches which had been seized the previous day. During this operation CAMBRIA endured enemy air raids which continued for several days, and suffered slight damage from a near miss bomb astern. Following this action, the ship participated in the invasion of Okinawa, the last and greatest amphibious operation of the war. On 10 April, 1945 CAMBRIA sailed for the United States and was oper- ating out of West Coast ports when the war ended. CAMBRIA was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet in 1 946 and placed under Navy command. Inactivated in 1949 and then reactivated and re- commissioned in 1950, the ship has remained assigned to the Am- phibious Force Atlantic Fleet as a Division and Squadron Flagship. In this role, CAMBRIA has made numerous extended Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises. In keeping with her long history of important mission assignments, CAMBRIA participated in both the Suez and Lebanon crises, and in 1962 was deployed to the Caribbean in connection with the Cuban crisis. CAMBRIA deployed to the Mediterranean with Commander Amphibious Squadron SIX embarked. This deployment was completed August, 1969. She deployed again to the Mediterranean in December 1969 returning to her homeport, Norfolk, April 1970.