De Soto County (LST 1171) - Naval Cruise Book

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The big USS DeSoto County, Navy LST av 'Showboat'Will Pro id Muskegon With olorful Visit By CHARLES H. WOODRUFF .The big LST -fLanding Ship - Tankj USS De- Soto County, the newest of her type and more than five times the size of her World War II counter- parts, will arrive at Port of Muskegon Monday for a two-day visit as part of a three-month cruise of the Great Lakes. The vessel, a unlt of the At- lantic Fleet Amphibious Force, will dock at berth 7 of the Mart terminal Monday ati5 p.m., and will be open to the public for visiting Tuesday from 10 I-111- to 9 p.m. - ' The fighting ship ls bringing with her-a wide variety of Navy- Marine exhibits and demon- stration teams, including a U.S. Navy frogman team from the Navy's Amphibious Base at Lit- tle Creek, Va., a U.S. Marine Corps karate team, which will demonstrate its deadly scienceg units of the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic Marines, who will dem- onstratex latest fighting tech- niques and equipmentg a Navy H-19 helicopter, and a full-scale model of the Polaris missile. -me -if -ie That's only part of the show. Also aboard and prepared to entertain will be a 25-voice chor- us of the 2nd Marine Division and the ship's dance band, which will provide the music for an admission-free public dance at the Walker Arena Tuesday night from 9 to 12 p.m. Lt. Comdr. Michael Wirth, officer in.charge of Muskegon U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center, said arrangements have also been made for a baseball game between the softball squad of the DeSoto County and a local team to be selected by the city parks and recreation department, and for a special ship's tour between 9 and 10 a.m. Tues- day for the youngsters of West- ern Michigan Center for Han- dicapped Children. The softball game will be held at Reese Field, at the corner of E. Forest Avenue and Creston Street, Tuesday between 6 and 8 p.m. The contest will be open to the public without charge. . The Navy and Marine Corps demonstrations will be' held, again without charge, at the Arena Tuesday between 8 and 9 p.m. The frogman team will demonstrate the technique and xequipment that made this vol- unteer organization famous. The unit, under Lt. j.g. Gerald R. Yocum, of Mohnton, Pa., is Un- derwater Demolition Team 22, based at Little Creek, Va. Monks in China for self-protec- The DeSoto County is one of LST. 'She is air-conditioned through tion since they awere forbidden the newest of her type, designed She can steam 20,000 miles out Ca far cry from the ole by their religion to carry wea- to transport and land tanks and without refueling, has a top World War ll LSTSJ and il pons. For more than eight cen- other heavy equipment and wea- speed in excessof 15 knots, and completely self sufficient turies, karate was practiced and pons in amphibious landings. carries 30 officers and 604 en- She was the only LST to evac perfected by the monks and by Commissioned June 10, 1958 at listed men when loaded with uate dependents from the Guan? Chinese families as a secret art. New Orleans, La., she is 442 feet troops. The ship's company cur- tanamo, Cuba, Naval Base long and when fully loaded dis- rently consists of 16 officers and ing the Cuban crisis of 1962 ir-7654 Visitors to the DeSoto County- laces 7 804 tons more than five 174 enlisted men lus 96 Fleet ca in off 92 men, women ant skippered by Lt. Comdr. Hor- ace D. Mann, Jr., of Manteo, NC., will also see sound and color films of the Navy-Marine Corpsxtepm in action on a pan- oramic movie screen aboard the LST. The screen and films, known as the Cine-Globe Xruis- er Theater, are the same, as those currently attracting crowds at the large Navy-Mar- ine Corps exhibit at the New York World's Fair. There will also be a color- ful Four Ocean Challenge exhibit, featuring color slides and commentary by Vice Adm. John.S. McCain, Jr., commander of the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Force, and a major display of modern ground combat weaponry. - The weapons, to be domon- strated by a Marine team, in- clude a Mechanical Mule which mounts a 106mm recoil- less rifle capable of hitting a target four to five miles dis- tant: a tank killer, known by the Greek word 0ntos t The Thingoj, which bristles with six 106mm recoilless rifles on a small tank-like bodygwa modern amphibious tracked landing ve- hicle capable of carrying 28 ful- 1YEimo':1,Leatho1'EeClgS ffgmlas' Aquarama, is proving to be the big- a Muskegon EZV2-:mf :idignf ianlfacnfjdnz gest public attraction since the Sea- the frogmen ing a 90mm gun wmfa range way F6St1V31,S Midway. Hundreds ter demohtn in excess of 10 miles? 3 giant filed aboard ship for an open house gear above. eight-inch self-propelled howit- zer, -and other weaponsl , -l - - i Goodwill Trip A Big Success' For Navy Ship CPhotos on Page 105 The Nav LST DeSoto Count y y cleared Muskegon Harbor out-- bound for Manitowoc, Wis. to-J , 1 , , day at 8:45 a.m., leaving a ts public open house program ui full swmg. frothy wake of goodwill gen The big vessel, with its com- Corps officers 'and men, hosted - A A A 5' Q through form-loom today. ggshoigglgen 510'-Sed too? Ngon' The DeSoto's skipper, Lt. -ie -1+ ac- . ' n an a ay ues ay,C dl H D, M 5 A . and closed the visit Tuesday caiilleld thefiiiililic respon?-into the sclizdiiiggtefoiglilsgsgligign ggi night with a welioattended free Visit 'il0ne.ot the. warmest ani deck at 2:30 p.m. followed at Show and dance in the walkermost gratifying m my expert' 3 b n underwater demolition Arena' ences, and reported that more exeiycize by the ship's frogman The Marine Corps Z5-voice than 12,000 persons toured the team Plans to utilize the LSTS chorus and karate team enter- Jig LST Tuesday, running the heucbpter in the underwater tained at the Arena show, andlvisiting total close to 15,000. - - - - D , , , , P rry zz times that of a World-lar II Marine troops and two officers.Icliildren4.Www LT. CMDR. MANN JR. MAJ. JOHN A. Extend Open H Hourson Navy S i I oat LST is playing to record crowds today with Hated in her two-day. visit' ' The modern new warship, designedhfor amphibious issault, hosted more than 1,100 visitors Monday plement of Navy and Marine iight 'and hundreds were being welcomed aboard Uh? ships band Played 3 9 to On board the DeSoto as she 'to be dropped due to weather' fmldnight dance' ileft port today were some 50llconditions andthe vessel's wind-I . Mmnam-.n as-pa nffif-isle andllmm-ima nneifinn 1-Inna fn the tour througl aggregate is eral thousanu ing time. Th Navy's'Hit Show' . . . The modern LST DeSoto County, moored at the Mart Dock close to the SS Navy's 'Showboat' Scores a Hit With ' Port City Throngs f The big USS DeSoto County, the Navy's show- demolition demonstration had Lake. dock here today at 5 p.m , has expanded inspection and entertainment schedule to 7:30 to 9 p.m. open house tonight plus a underwater demolition demonstration in .Officers of the LST, one of the newest modern of its type, said the public is urged dnvlm and meer ii: 1-nur fl-in chin am-l ann +1-. ONF.-OF THE newest of her type, the tank landing ship USS DeSoto County, a bigger and swifter edition of the World War II LSTs, will pay a visit to Muskegon early this week. Her crew, which will include a large Marine Corps complement as well, will number more than 200 A special ublic showin of . , , - P Z the ship and other exhibits and demonstrations, including karate and frogmen, will be held Tuesday. V j C s ohm n d av , Marines fi -es. .ful-fusclesgggg,-jgiggggrgisfilif play of the latest To' Show Off Latest Combat Devices Tuesday Diiringxfigjhfjgif Muskegon Visit of USS DeSoto County tontank' ,, ,, ,, The Navy and Marine Corps will flex' their their muscles in Muskegon Tuesday. The USS DeSoto County, a tank landing ship, will be open for public inspection from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. She will arrive at Berth 7 at 5 p.m. Monday. One of the newest ships of her type, the DeSoto County is making a two-day stop at Muskegon as part of a three-month cruise of the Great Lakes. The tank landing ship is designed to trans- port and land tanks and other heavy equipment in amphibious operations. Among the Navy-Marine exhibits .and dem- onstrations for the public will be a Navy frog- man team from the Navy's amphibious base at Little Creek, Va. The frogmen will dem- onstrate equipment and techniques that have made the volunteer organization famous. In addition to the frogmen, a Marine Corps karate team will demonstrate its deadly science at the program which begins at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the L. C. Walker Arena. Admission Other exhibitions include la show of the in amDhibi0l1S latest fighting techniques and equipment by vie-W 3 fu11.5ca1e the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic Marines, a Navy H-19 helicopter and a model of the Maj. 013,-ien Tuesday night, a dance for the ship's crew underwater and Muskegonites will. be held from 9 p.m. to will be SPQCU11 midnight at the Walker Arena, and will feature lm- meetmg the the ship's dance band. The DeSoto County, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Horace D. Mann Jr., USN, has a com- Desotois plement of 16 officers and 175 enlisted men, and Lt- Comdr plus 96 marines and two officers. Wednesday morning the DeSoto County will mer 119623 Navy leave Muskegon and continue its cruise. Among newsmen invited to cruise aboard meeting of Muskegon The public aboard be invited to watch of Navy-Marine Gerald Optimist Club, on ute karate ship's supply officer -end, will be guests at ,Polaris guided missile session highlighted by a the DeSoto County to Wisconsin will be Press Business Club in the writer-photographer Al Royce, whose pictures and account of the trip will appear in nex Sunday's Press. fi

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d Lt Ben Sandra Miller fMl55 53611122 an from ITRIBUNE Staff Phobi- ds Annual Music Festival Luncheon-Governor Opens State Fair ilton hotel yesterday as crowd of hundreds Joined in the 28th annual roles when the 35th annual Navy Ship to Visit Here for Chicagoans can tour another oceangoing Navy ship when the USS De Soto County ties up at Navy Pier Thursday for four days. The 442-foot LST tl.anding Ship, Tank? will bring along entertainment for the expected crowds. Aboard will be a marine de- tachment demonstrating the Mart of karate ta method of killing with the handsl, a model of the Polaris missile. an anti-submarine helicopter, a 53-ton tank tand a tank killerj, movies, slide shows, Navy frog- men-and a Marine chorus. Thursday the public will be rom .m- welcomc aboard f 10 a 4 Days to 9 p.m., with a 'lib-hour break starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sun- day visitors can visit straight through from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. ' THE NAVY said it is send- ing the ,De Soto County to Chicago and other Great Lakes ports to give Americans a first-hand look at a modem Navy-Marine Corps team in action. - The De Soto, five times the size of the old World War ll LST. is part of the Navy's At- lantic Fleet, but lately its duties have been to visit Great Lakes ports. was made from Marine Corps Glee end of the long ballroom. Ship is now visiting Chicago. 4 W V I mn,-, , nm,-,,,v,,.,.-vw-. ...rsrm:ees.c1,.,:+ .e.Mzasdu:a25o2v1M 1 landing ship, De Soto t'Story in Womeifs sect , . ..........,........i......-.... ,....-- S pl Officer 1 Queens Docks Here in Venetian Festival V For Public Displa BY GLADYS ERICKSON More than 100 queens of the water will glide from their Monroe street harbor ren- dezvous tonight for Chicago's lake front 7th annual Venetian Night festival. The event, starting at 7 p. m., is sponsored by Mayor Daley's 'Youth foundation and Chicago's yachtsmen. , Postmaster Harry Semrow will lead the parade in his yacht, Senator. The Vene- tian Night queen will step from Semrow's throne - decorated craft to the reviewing stand to join Mayor Daley, Rear Adm. Howard A. Yeager, command- ant of the Sth naval district and craft will ,be decorated, and used by the Filippino Youth, organization. ' r The Chicago park district barge, always a unique entry, will have a revolving display depicting recreational and cul- tural facilities offered by the park district. 4 Lights in the buildings form-, ing Chicago's skyline along, Michigan avenue will remain on until the show is over. Ski Group Performs Chicagoland Water Ski as- sociation will open the show with a performance-of Ricky slalom, and barefoot skiing, jumping, and kit acts. ' 'The naval underwater emoli I other dignitaries assigned tri review or judge the' procession. Ethnic Groups Featured Ethnic groups will appear in native costumes. They.will per- form for an expected audience of 150,000. out-of-town yachts are including the Sting-Kill, Gordon St. Clair of the St. Petersburg, Fla., Yacht Ten owned rraiaune stuff Phoiol i IX, owned by Richard Novotny 11 game d t G n Bay in 1952 A11 Sta' footba of the Chicago Yacht club. His Greg Meth who Playa agams ree it d t Navy Pier He kicked tw- - WW-m,,,,,, 1 . d -. tions'demonstratIon team from! the LST tlanding ship tanksl Dei sota County, win display its! skill before the low-flying heli-2 copter frogmen pltmge into thai water, set half - pound ex-5 plosives, and speed away by' launch before the blasts send! up Styfoot geysers. , Music by the Great Lakesq DY BURLEIGH HINES JR. The third in a line of sae- going celebrities to visit Chi- cog, in recent weeks docked at Navy pier Thursday. But unlide the-visits by a Norwegian windjammer and a Canadian frigate, the U.S.S. DeSoto County is not only bat- tle-ready but armed with in- tertainment for viseitors. For four days the' 442-foot LST ftank landingshipl will have on board movies, a mod- el of the Polaris missile, a 53- ton tank tand a tank killerl, a demonstration of karate tdeadly hand-to-hand fightingl and a marine band. THE SHIPS stay in Chicago got off to a flying start with Vice Adm. John S. Mc- Cain, Jr. arriving on deck by helicopter. A.DM. McCain is commander of the U.S.. Atlan- tic Fleetuamphibious force. Naval Training center band ' ' aboard navys U S S Desoto County doc e a P k I t F 'l draulic system is Operated t d t extra points and was high scorer in 1962 contest against ac ers I The Runner, emPQ1'3fl.Y udiven the Runner and an 8. The admiral said later, at luncheon at the Sherm House, that the United S now faces a four-ocean 4 lenge. The Arctic and the 'A Asian ocean have been at to the U.S.'s traditional A tic and Pacific ocean tours duty,', said Admiral MCC got to have more mobility more striking power. THE U.S.S. De Soto Co I. I 1 c is one of seven new that will help provide that ing power. It can carry men and equipment and them 15 to 25 percentf than the old LSTs. Commanded by Lt. Co H. D. Mann Jr., the De will admit visitors until 9 Thursday, except for a hour break starting at 5. Fr Saturday and Sunday the is open from, 9 aqmjl to p.m. ' Club, and N0'L3'Vf1H Owned by ab08I'd the F Hfmingwn, andhe generators which give a weird i . E- Limgfield Of T-he Detroit Arm stoffice, fire de ar - ' - if Yacht dub' ' meng EZ Saueperuy and? A3-ire rnechanicalmarvel feel, to time g t The biggest entry is 'Olympic Sumpfion High schogl' W e S QC- G' Des Moines, Ia., bands will The tank 131141118 SMP USS ' ' Play- if f iy- De Soto County 'is to tie up at 'Navy Pier Thursday for a . 9 four-day visit, with public vis- f itin'hours10a.m.to5 .m. ' 1 inrlg7-in tn 0 nm Thlrigdau- an wo L - hed from sea service, is . peoo room, detac - . , . tdt V - ' t manifold system is opera e n he Chlcago d tely encounter helie. prlrna-nl? iii.: 83215 .lil .-'mba km- un-Fm-n aonin lt I I nigk J ,WNW tGreen bay Backers, V W

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