Catamount (LSD 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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UNDERWAY She had looked quite beautiful sitting tlicrc at l)crtli 213 in San Diego harbor. Her sides, her decks, her superstructure shined from stem to stern. Freshly equipped with a new mezzanine deck, a futuristic helicopter deck, a ramp, water barrier, and two new twin 40nun. mounts, the USS Catamount was the latest thing in amphibious warfare design. But the 3rd Marine division had to go to Japan. The Catamount was available. Numazu! cried the 3rd Marines, and witliout asking directions, for she had been there before, the big Landing Ship Dock took off. It was goodbye to the ladies, the sweethearts, the wives and, Go to your stations all the special sea and anchor detail! at 0955, August 5, 1953. The jack was lowered, the ensign shifted, and Point Loma was soon out of sight. The Catamount, for the next sixteen days, saw only a warm blue ocean, a bright blue sky, and the other members of the little transoceanic family impersonally known as Task Unit 53.4. 1. Tanks, trucks, anti-tank guns, and other such equipment rested in the after half of the vessel. Some 250 Marines rested in the forward half. The sea was as smooth as a seaman second ' s chin. And across it there was maneuvering, and station keeping, and sun bathing, and geedunking. There were reminiscences over the few months the ship liad spent in the States, and anticipations of the many months she would spend in the Orient. Finally, Kuzo Shima light was spotted at 225° and the seventeen-day trip was practically over. The anchor was dropped early the next morning and eight months of Far Eastern duty had begun for the Catamount. Going To Japan ' The latest in amphibious warfare design. Mount t44, new lire power. Too long in tin Stales anyway. 12 —

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' Bosn R inc ' at the conn Stcbhins and sunlin: Basaricli on watcli f $9 Clark in main cor.trol 13 —