De Soto County (LST 1171) - Naval Cruise Book

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A recognition of a stand-out ship with a top crew as well as a great potential for reaching a maximum number of persons with the cruise message, this decision was solidly based. One of the ship's greatest advantages was its commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Horace D. Mann, Jr., an outstanding leader with a flair for public relations, a field in which he once intended to specialize. Delighted with the assignment, LCDR Mann approached each cruise challenge with zest, originality and dedication. Fired by their leader's enthusiasm and example, his officer and enlisted per- sonnel turned to for a performance that never failed to impress. Prime consideration in selecting the DeSoto County, however was its configuration which provided unique capabilities for a show boat per formance It was the newest of a famed war tested type Its hull size and draft permitted effective operations in the seaway canal system and the rela tively shallow Great Lakes harbors Its troop carrying capacity permitted em barkation of special demonstration teams Its tank deck longer than a football field provided exhibit space and room for visitors of all ages to move around with ease and safety And its open mouth Chinged bowl created an immediate impact upon all who saw the ship Actual cruise planning responsi bility rested upon a Navy captain on the Amphibious Force Commander s staff Public relations officers of all commands shared in the planning from the very start More persons saw the Cine- Globe Cruiser Theater loaned by the Navy Exhibit Center than its counterpart at the New York World's Fair. Longer than a football field the ship s tank deck gave room for displays and demonstra tions and for visitors to walk around in safety

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, m Fresh paint added to DeSoto County's lustrous reputation as a smart ship. More paint was needed during the cruise -- visitors walked off three coats of deck paint! The cruise mission and its importance were stressed by Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. , in talks to all of DeSoto County's officers and petty officers. 2 e m:h n Proposed as a public relations operation, Seapower's Report to the Stockholders succeeded even beyond + expectations largely because planners never lost sight of its purpose. A four star admiral conceived of the cruise as a means of reaching a relatively uninformed but vastly interested audience with the Navy- Marine Corps story. He was the late Admiral Claude V. Ricketts, in 1963 the Navy's second ranking officer as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. . He knew operational requirements had kept the Navy from scheduling another inland sea cruise similar to the one in 1959 when the St. Lawrence , Seaway opened. But he also realized 1 the importance of live visits to the increasingly seaward looking cities of the Great Lakes littoral. And in 1963 he decided the need was urgent. After a study of the concept, fleet schedules and ship capabilities, the Commander in Chief of the U. S. Atlantic Fleet formally proposed that a major amphibious ship and a submarine be ordered to the Great Lakes for extensive public relations cruises. Marine Corps participation was recommended, for the most effective representation of American seapower responding to the four ocean challenge facing our nation today. . Prompt approval came from the Navy's senior officer, the Chief of Naval Operations. The Commandant of the Marine Corps also concurred. Assigned the task of selecting a ship for this indoctrination and good will cruise, the Commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Force awarded the challenge and honor to the USS DeSoto County CLST 11711.

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i I u Immediate liaison was set up with Marine officers on the staff of the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, and with the Second Marine Division. Assistance also came from Atlantic Fleet Headquarters and the Navy and Marine Corps offices of information in Washington, D.C. Planners delved into data about city populations, harbor facilities, timing of local observances and special events, Seaway rules and shipping traffic patterns. They worked out proposed schedules featuring minimum transit times and maximum in-port times. Fortunately, because of DeSoto County's normal 14, 000-mile cruising range, it would not require special arrangements for fuel and other non-perishable supplies. As a boost to shipboard morale and local commercial public relations, however, procedures were devised for buying fresh produce in each port. Advance messages sent to commandants of each naval district in the Great Lakes area obtained valuable logistics and operational data, as well as information about military public relations personnel in each city to be visited. f '... N 1 1 --,A yt -L. .,, . H I ' A I' K . By request, commandants also named project officers for each city. Many were recruiters, familiar with civic groups and city leaders and possessed of excellent working relations with local news media.