De Soto County (LST 1171) - Naval Cruise Book

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'X 4-:tix I -4521 2 'W fbg 1 .J l ia' Lge -.-4 TL I '! il :Pte li sh: 1 435.1 Q .5355 -4 '11 , :air 12 'Digg if ji-PV, H 535 ll E523 lv :'1'? If 'iii '72 1 . . f. ., ., , . , . if lag: it-' Ill ll i. l. 'E VH 4. ll l ,I ... if If , l V .ll 'ln lu ll ..w l. M 1 14 it . l ll . -. l l i' l ' il .5 Ng g ,. Il l w l l ,tl H 1 .-4. .- , .,..- - .,i' Navy Mmine Corps Team provides a picturesque backdrop for an -owboat during the ship's one-day visit to dedication was only 30 minutes prior to the De- Soto County's arrival. Historically-the troolps were able to step bac into history. Admiral Haz- ard Perry's flagship of the Battle of Lake Erie, the NIAGARA, had been re- constructed and was situat- ed only two blocks from the modern-day warship. The Marines were visit- ed in Erie by old friends - a Leatherneck Magazine team. Writer GySgt. Mel Jones and photographer SSgt. Ben Nerek were there to do an article fea- turing the Niagara and De- Soto County. A local brewery tour provided an inside look at the preparation of refresh- mentsto come. Toledo, Ohio was the next port. The troops were ' treated to a musical battle between the 100-piece Clay High S c'h o ol marching band and the Navy's 10- piece band as the ship was docked. A A dance was held in the Naval Armory, complete with an 18-piece civilian band. Over'300 shipboard and Naval Training Center personnel, and their guests enjoyed the evening. A Fourth of July audi- . .. ..-f .v-rf-1 ms throng a Milwaukee city pier waiting to ,ring the LST's Aug. 8-12 visit in the beer H., X ence of 150,000 Toledo spectators saw the Nav'y's nderwater Demoli- tion Team, Marine karate team and Division chorus at the Walbridge Park cele- bration . -Record-breaking lines of visitors awaited the ship after it docked! at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Mich. Off the ship, a packed schedule of public .appearances kept the Marines and sailors busy., Karate demonstra- tions were scheduled three times daily, 'and the chorus and Navy band performed for numerous hospitals, civic and service clubs. Heading the list of appear- ances was a concert at Ken- nedy Square tformerly Cadillac Squarej and be- fore a standing-room-only group of 750 employees at one of the Motor City's leading auto producers. Tours were arranged for troops and crew -to the city's auto factories. In seven datyxs, 53,377 persons toured e ship, for the -top attendance stop. A one-day record of 15,494 visited the LST on Sunday, July 12. In Bay City, Mich., the attendance figures reached the 200,000 mark with the arrival of a five-year-old Bay City boy. He was given a complete tour of the ship by the Captain, LtCmdr. Horace D. Mann, Jr., and Maj. 0'Brien. Docked at the end of the Avenue of Flags in We- nona Park, the sailors and Marines took charge of morning and evening col- ors at the 19 flagpoles to accent the stay in Bay City. It was a scene reminiscent of the flags at NATO HeadL quarters in Norfolk, Va. - Before transiting the famous Soo locks, the last of 16 locks ofthe in- land system, the DeSoto County opened her quar- terdeck to the residents and tourists in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. With a wealth of mem- ories behind, both of lib- erty and a job well done, the Marines moved on to Duluth, Minn. ' V Duluth, the westernmost port on the cruise, marks the passing of the halfway point. It was the ninth port with eight remaining. The visit to the land of ten thousand lakes produced the expected total of one quarter million- visitors. A visit by LtGen. James P. Berkeley, Commanding General, F l e e t , Marine Force, Atlantic, materializ- ed in Marquette, Mich., on Aug. 3. VAdm. John S. Mc- Cain, Jr., Commander Am- phibious Forccs Atlantic, came aboard in both Chi- cago and Clevelan-dr. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Wallace M. Greene, Jr., visited the Dc-' Soto County during the stop at Cleveland, Ohio. Aug. 22-29. - The DeSoto C o u n t y steamed out of the St. Lawrence during the first week of September and the Inland Seas Marines re- -turned-to Camp Lejeune last week. TIANK DECK-Lance Corporal Richard C. Wil- changed, as Mai. John A. 0'Brien explains the hams, H8-S, 3!2, demonstrates the speed at maneuver to some of the Ship's guests. which the barrel group of an M-60 can be xxx va. 44 KARATE POWER-Corporals Glenn R. Premru, Marine karate team has attracted large aud- left, and Frank Poillucci, both from 3!l0, dem- ences throughout the Great Lakes while pre- onstrlate karate techniques as interested spec- senting their deadly art. tators gather around the stage. The four-man IMPORTANT FIVE-YEAR-OLD-The 200,000th ed tour of the ship by the Commanding Otflcer visitor to the DESOTO COUNTY, a five-year- of Marine troops, Mai. John A. 0'Brien. old Bay City boy. is given a personally conduct- ax :rar l l v. . 'T l l I

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Ls-.7-V .fs-f. k.-.--..,..,-,,.,....m.W .... m..f..a-..m. .-- 1 , r , A A J .,.... . . rrilfles Sailors Add C io t Fla ' Big Landing Ship Due- rad avy Marine Team 0 Cpen Tour in orth isllecial to The Times screen of navy-marine land- Soto County will carry an ing operations. In addition, corps team will eight-inch, self-p r 0 p elle d the, S e c o I1 d Marine divisi in a series of demon- howitzer, an M-48 mediu m chorus will also demonstrate here Monday, start- tank, a tracked landing 've- aboard ship. Ogdensburg, June 12.-A the first leg of a three- hicle, a 106 m. m. recoiless A four-man karate team will 18-port Great Lakes' rifle mounted on the mule d e m o n s t r ate hand-to-hand vehicle and the deadl tank- colnbat. An underwater dem- The U. S. S. DeSoto County ship 'is scheduled to' Y yr killing Ontos. The cruise, which will cov- olition. team will give live demonstrations th r o u ghout Mondav morning er more than 1,200 miles, the day, involving cast and E . 8 from its home port, comes on the fifth anniver- I'eCOV6l'y. Creek. Va.. carrying sary of the operation inland The DeSoto County is com- navy men, 125 marines seas. In 1959. a marine battal- manded by Lieut. Cmdr. Hor- 20 officers. ion team landed on numerous The demonstrations,- which ace D. Mann, jr., Portsmouth, inland beaches as part of the be conducted from 10 dedication of the opening of Va. The ship will leave Tuesday m. to 7 at night, will af- the St. Lawrence seaway. morning for Rochester and north country residents closer look at the modern . Cine-Globe Cruiser theater, e will return to northern New e ' a ri es r a similar to the setup at th World's ' ' Fair, will York wh n lt r v fo two-day corps team.- 442 foot De FLOATING AMBASSADOR-The USS DeSoto County is a Tank Landing sailors and 20 officers. During the Frogman To Demonstrate Ship commanded by Lt Commander Horace D. Mann, Jr., 'on a miniature 18 Great Lakes and St. Lawrence , . Operation Inland Seas. The ship carries a crew of 300 marines and A ' Platoons of handsome U. S. smile at their parents and which E x alte d Rulers of Police Chief Leo P. SPLASH!! .The frogmen' C9 mpletevlarines and sailors of the friends as they, go by, the North Central District fromian Elk member, was the and another ffogman with Wqt suits' fhppers' andl S. Navy joined the Elks Brier Hill Fire Department, Ogdensburg, Massena, Gouv-'orary parade. marshal h 1' t ' to tanks will drop about 20 feet 'lag Day Parade yesterday St Lawrence Gas Co float erneur and Potsdam partlcl- Robert J OiNell was the p, the St. Lawrence River Just Lawrence in what is kno off the Ogdensburg Clty,as casting They will S Docks. But it is no. secret d ata, for a Short on for these befllppered un er W ACC0NVPl1lSHED- mlssl. . tance, plant smalluexplos I amphlblans' The f r 0 g m e n charges with detonators men fefuffl 10 lwill demonstrate their under- im back prior to dew after reconnoltering :water technique for the gen- , Transport submari eral public at 6 p.m. Monday tion- A boat with 3 rub as one of many attractions of life raft along side will cr the Navy-Marine Corps buoy Kby at 15 knots, picking ant ambassador to the people frogmen out of the water z of fha Inland seas' the USS iinto the lift raft with the' ' ' DeSoto County. I I The DeSoto, to dock in og- a100P- densburg, is a 7,804 ton ves- Members of the Under drops from a e lcop er Hi l . . t St 1 - . . ,. , , ' from a helicopter In 0 the, 'lftorm-.nn helping to dress- Oedensburz Business andinatedy Y V T-I . I W - . . c a l l l . I u . n- . . 1 rn -sei whose might and man- .. , power exhibit cost approxi-gtel' Dem0,g1t18?eh,Tsag:P .mately sis million, will be demoflsifa 6 '1 I o en to the eo le of Ogdens - on board the DeSoto. Monday. P P P 'I burg from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.! , V b , X7 FIGHTERS-Members of the underwater demolition team will be cast ' a helicopter today, 15-20 feet above 3546 level, into the St. Lawrence Riv- Ogdensburg City Dock. The frog- swim under water, planting small i l J I OGDENSBURG IS PROMINENTLY marked on the map Inland Seas. Mayor Edward J. Keenan is pictured with Lt. 1 in the Ward Room of the USS DeSoto County. Ogdensburg Comdr. Horace D. Mann, Jr., as the Commanding Officer ,L was the first of 18 stops scheduled throughout the Great points to Ogdensburg on the map. tChuck Kelly Photol explosive charges with detanators. They will swim back just prior to detonation for pickup by a small boat with a rubber life raft alongside. The demonstration will be- gin at 6 p.m. QU. S. Navy Photoj fs 'VXVK 'Xa Lnkes and St. Lawrence Seaway on a miniature Operation - ---A - --- - Aus., C.. rin. iilatuiy UL LIIC 7772, who were joined by an Elks brother, George Dumas of the San Diego Lodge who was visiting in the city, and a marching unit of the Naval Reserve. ' A Kiwanis float, desiged as a baseball diamond, was next in line. Little League baseball players were on the float and batted small plastic balls out into the crowd. The Russell Fire Depart- 1- - ' ' -. - fs.Qf.:g.. ., , .. - .-. .2--1:21-'Z-i:E.-11. .-f '-watts , -E.i' ' 2 -:--,,. if , 1 'Q ' -sm: -'rfb iz- it-s1f:a:i2fss4112 ' ' for-:....-g.,. 'go.-,,,.f.,v-- . 15' - V ' - 1 iq , , '1121saaSe:2,'-,5,:.s.- . .. ,' . - . ,5Q.Q::E:Ei':ZEE?::'f':-1-2Q'1'E1g111Es1s.--1 -- -If.: 'lr . - 1- :-' , 3.g,,,5g,.3y15:73-3 42:15-,,,gyg-1-:,j-5 -1-3-Z 3.:.--:-:-l.e-gy4g.:-5g,--- .-4-: -lv ---rn-:.-'f-vt. -.-Q.. ,z , :-- AAE3 - f ' g gm ss x ment, antique cars and Za- briskie Motors exhibit follow- Flag was given by Panfilo Forgione, past Exalted Ruler, :followed by the OFA Band :playing 'The Star Spangled Banner . The Response, given, by Theodore Denny, followed, and is the history of the changes in all of the flags in America since the first flag, made by Betsy Ross. God Bless America was played lby the Morristown Central 'School Band. The Floral,Bell of Liberty ritual followed in ' Leadin Group numi- were served ICE cream and E FW DU. soft drinks by the local Elks three WHS the V Club, at the ark. and Bugle Corps fiom if P 2 Visiting Elks and adults in Sena- and fhfentggflcslfjssi the parade were served re-members, 0 . Qi freshments at the temporary Elks- Legion DH11 direagi fri' Elks Club on Washington Massenaf Farr? sb oc Street, following the programifloati Howard ter Exalted Ruler Simon s. sat- PHY float- Dum' G0 0f,,,g goat ofthe Ogdensburg Elksigiii and the 'mv , Lodge was general chairman' ' . of the parade. The co-chair-E. An Afpmyd Vggucgsfwpkfsgea men were Ernest A. Jeneault,lmg up Of bn? form- wlth William G. Walker, Parade 'gs esngto Ca Ralph T. Briggs and Nowtohland on ixvgcifedl , C: Bettinger, as assistants. Drum' im P d - Zri- -, . P13991 WHEN EW- '

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A . .,A.,A,,,A.7 ,A . , .A .,.,,.,., ,4 , , A - Aboaijd Ship Is Unchanged A. S. Frazier, chief engi- neer and production manager of radio station WMSA, Mas- sena, had the privilege of taking a trip aboard the tank landing ship, U. S. S. Desota County, up to the Great Lakes with a contingent of marines aboard. His article on the trip is presented here- with. By ADRIAN S. F RAZIER and the naval advisory boardg Edward Schmidt, manager of systems planning for the Re- liance Electronics and En is a 52-ton tank, a self pro- pelled howitzer, a mechani- cal mule, the ONTOS Ma- rine corps tank killer. The Marines also have aboard a gineering of Cleveland, O., light machine gun rocket and Jules D. Leppman, con- launcher, flame thrower and sultant for the General Tire e new grenade launcher. and Rubber company, chem The navy also has aboard a ical plastics division are also nay underwater demolition Y team of frogmen, under the on the trip. I :as contacted June 1 mi After being Shown -to our command of Ensign G. R. Yo- amesggctor of the Og quarters, we Wefe told we cum. They have a four-man Mafme COTPS fe- could look over the ship. The special underwater el-aft, deP0f- H9 casually only P1309 festflcted was the These frogmen are also para- me if l would like to radio room. After getting chutists, e real rugged gl-one a trip aboard the tank squared away, we started to df men. ship U.S.S. DeSoto make the tour. The first place KLST 11713, up to the Mr. Hout and I visited was The DeSoto also has aboard 'co ter the Sikorsky a hell . , Lakes with a contin- the Marine troop quarters. As I-1,19 tees, needed by Lieut' of marines aboard. Myl went through the hatch, irj. g,,RebertDn1-ant, and Jn. reaction was at- stepped back 20 years. Bunks seph Strand These men fry if l could clear it were still four high from deck the helicopter and land it I'Hdi0 StHii0r1 WMSA. to overhead. Marines were aboard the L. 5. T, which l am employed as laying in 'their bunks in va- some ei-mes ,ons 35 degrees f engineer and produc-rious forms of dress, some imanager, and my wife. starring overhead, some pol- T After receiving clearance ishing shoes and cleaning somewhat today' There are and becomes quite aproblem. he marines have changed TWO OGDENSBURG GIRLS listen to ex- i rines, belpw from beth, 1 confirmed me rifles. Things hadnrt changed volunteers like the 25-voice Sefgeailf Rector- except these marines were chorus Hem the Second me, . 0 . . ieived a1ette'ff0mY0UUB- too Young- The shlp rine division. There also is il. 1 0 ll F' Lucas of Heatthad the Same Smells- mea Karate team of dedicated 'ifst Marine. dis' same droning sounds. Because men who practice three hours an official mvita' we had time' we were takenat night 'md six hours on U. S. MARINES ON DUTY in combat uniform were sta- tioned at each unit of equipment below decks of the USS De-Soto County Tank Landing Ship to answer questions l Since-we had 'not eaten, we invited to supper. Sun-4 night's meal, as l recall 4 the Marine corps most us-1 Tank Landing UP-Hundreds waited in light rain to board groups, received explanations of the Navy-Marine Corps lines at times extending as far from the ship team manpower. CStaff Photoi . M ually consisted of cold meats! orissette Park monument Visitors, taken in hip avy hip Visited By 000 Persons Sundayg Open To Public Today THE USS DESOTO COUNTY, which docked Sunday at the Ogdensburg City Dock, carried two area men, Ray lluot of Ogdensburg and Sam Frazier of Massena, who had boarded the ship before it departed Norfolk, .Va., June 8, on a manpower demonstration tour of the inland SESS. lluot and Frazier, ex-Marines, were invited by the Navy! Department to join the DeSoto at Norfolk and wer flown there from Massena last week. The DeSoto, a 442 ft. Tank Landing Ship, docked at ar proximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The crew joined in O densburg's Flag Day festivities, supplying a color guai and Marine and Naval personnel to march in the parad FOLLOWING 'l'lIE ELKS CLUB FLAG DAY ceremor at Morissette Park, Lt. Commander Horace D. Mann, Jr DeSoto commander, opened the ship to the public. A estimated 2000 people visited the DeSoto Sunday. A reception was held aboard ship Sunday evening a. er which officers attended an informal get-together at tl Edward J. Keenan residence. DESOTO SCHEDULE 10 a.m.-7 p.m.-DeSoto open to general public. Noon-Major John O'Brien, Commanding officer Marines embarked speaking at Kiwanis Club lunchec Seymour Hotel. ' 1 p.m.--Karate team demonstration at Heuvelton l-li School. 2 p.m.-Choral group in concert at State Hospital 6 p.m.-Helicopter and frogman demonstration at Dock. nto the evening. LSI AT EISENHOWER LOCK. The U.S.S. DeSoto Coun- ty landing tank ship, movcd upstream from Eisenhower Lock at 8:30 a.m., Sunday. The navy ship was carrying a crew and is equipped W. .l the latest in modern weapons. lt was docked at Ogdensburg Sunday. above photo was taken at Eisenhower lock. The ship County Monday, beginning VISITORS-Over 6000 people visited the USS De- ing late i at 10 a.m. and continu- the ship's facilities complement of U.S. Marines in addition to her regular turns to Little Creek in September.