Chilton (APA 38) - Naval Cruise Book

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' %N ' o G APA - 230 ' ri-y ' m -. •■ SBJP A veteran of the Second World War in ttie Pacific, the ROCK- WALL, was built and commiss- ioned in 1945; she was retired from active status in 1947 after several missions involvinfr the i(!turn of troops from the Pacific and participation in the first Bikini nuclear tests. Recomm- issioned in 1951, she made the lossing through the Panama ( .ana! and reported for duty with the Atlantic Amphibious l- ' orces 111 .luly of that year. Hit usual task consists of part- icipation in amphibious training exercises, mostly between the Xirginia Capes, various East t oast loading ports, and the Carribbean. ROCKWALL went through the Guantanamo, Cuba lefresher training program in .Apiil, 1953, after an extensive yard overhaul at Baltimore, .Maryland. She has made sever- al special runs: in July 1952, carrying Naval Academy Mid- shipmen from Annapolis to Nor- folk and back; in August 1952, ferrying 1500 Army troops to Bremerhaven, Germany; in June 195.3, carrying Military Academy Cadets from West Point to .Norfolk. The spring tour of duty with the Si.xth Fleet in 1954 was the ROCKW ' ALL ' s first visit to the Mediterranean.