De Soto County (LST 1171) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 167 text:

' ' ' 1.-.ef-:Q---- . .. .. -.f,........i.,.... --. -. ,., Marine karate feam, aboard ihe De Sofo, needed a police and rebuilt, a job which any time at all because of state of preservation. entire original keel was usable, planking. rest of 1913, the brig was the lakes and put on dis- part of the centennial celebra- the Niagara was brought to Erie, where she's been since. nt, the flagship sits on in rf- 11 H1 En roufe fo fhe the De Sofa seven Sf. Lawrence locks. fo use her gangways, Soto had fo make an Erie TV show on fime. The Second Division chorus also had a packed schedule, which Included a performance af a convalescence home. as she did back in 1813. But, then, Erie has preserved much of its history. The house where Perry stayed and the tavern in which he met with his shipbuilders and officers have been preserved. Markers indicate where the ships were built and, of course there's the monument where they were later sunk. In Erie, a sense of heritage is strong. Also the sense of Erie- .uu p...!L..s!yc.c ..o.....c-.1 as wc, 'WH V up the gangway.J But that was why the 1171 there, to get acquainted. De Soto's 32-month cruise beg last June, when PhibLant authorit decided to duplicate 1959's inla cruise, in miniature. The idea wa Pofffay, by displays rather than la ings, the potential of the Navy-Mar Corps team. The choice of an LST ' r a c S I this purpose was sound: a Ts di-af shallow enough to enable dock rather than anchoring out. Besi' what type of 'Gator ship better in the Navy-Marine relationshij cates Aboard LSTs, as we all know, the as ciation, by necessity, is closer than any other type ship, save a sub, wh is really a boat and not a ship, ai how. The 98 Marines who were to m: the cruise reported aboard a few we early, to help prepare the De Soto, tl the Cflllipment was placed, final d. of paint added, and it was: . We off to meet the public and We theirs. As the 1171 steamed up the East seaboard, then into the Gulf of Lawrence, an advance team motored the cities which were to be visited. Lt Richard Stack, from the ISO office? of Force Troops, Lejeune, and LtCdr Russell Harney, from CinCLant Fleet, practically lived out of a car all last summer. They would pull into a city three or four days prior to the T's arrival, and immediately contact re- cruiters andfor I-I staffers, the folk who knew other folk in the community. In Erie, the advance team worked, A si-lfns iii Ellli' A Icontinued from page 251 Cruiser Theater, first perfected for and still used at, the World's Fair. De Soto carries the only other one in operation today. Cine-Globe has a cupped screen, a few yards in front of which the audi- ence stands. With views of subs sub- merging, jets landing on a carrier, Marines hurtling out of amtracs and such . . .the audience feels it is in the action. Better than training films, any day. There were other displays not quite so static. The gangway had hardly touched the dock, at 4:50 p.m., before three men in pyjamas leaped off. Well, they weren't wearing pyjamas, really. It just looked 'that way at first glance. What they actually had on was traditional judo 'garb. The three Marines were part of a karate team, Cordinarily, there were four-Cpls Glenn Premru, Earl Chris- teon and Frank Poilluci, plus LCpl Garland Aaron-but Poilluci was on emergency leavej and this particular karate team had 10 minutes before it was to appear on a live TV show. A police escort got them there on time, and experience before TV cameras negated the lack of immediate prepara- tion. That'was but the first of many move-let's-get-there appearances, for the karate team as well as the other groups. A 25-man chorus, from the Second Divvy, made five appearances during the visitg two at hospitals, two more on TV shows and a solo at a park concert. A Navy band, formed just before the ship left Norfolk, had almost as rigorous a schedule. The ship's softball team played a local one and created all sorts of good will. It lost . . . but the odds had been slightly stacked. Seems the Erie soft- ball team had beaten everybody for counties around and, like always, the ship's team hadn't had practice oppor- tunities. It's difficult to hold batting practice while afloat . . . especially on an LST! It's also difficult to fly a helicopter off a T's deck while tied to a dock, but the bright orange Navy ASW chopper rotored on and off repeatedly, carrying a 10-man UDT team which gave dem- onstrations in the bay, just beyond the pier. First, the fiipper-foots leaped out of the 'copter as it hovered about 15 feet in the air, the jumps placed at in is 1 I l the De Soto County was af Erie, a helicopfer rotored back and forfh, carrying l underwater demolifion feams which puf on demonstrations near fhe dock seemed to hang back. Finally, the Lawrence was a riddled hulk, her decks covered with blood and all of her guns out of commission. Only one piece of equipment remained intactg a under fire for years, and had lost an arm at the seafight of Trafalgar. If experience alone judged battles, Perry had no business challenging the Queen of the Seas. 1 .v Q' . swf'-. . . 'ij-, ,la l 01, 1 RNN4 lv The lasf nighf of Erie, a local brewery invited fhe ship's company and embarked froops fo a rafhskeller feasf. about 100-yard intervals so that the UDT-ers would be strung out. Then, the frogmen's high-powered retrieving boat churned down the line, hooping the swimmers aboard. While that bit of action was oohing and ahhing the crowd, the helo flew back to the ship and picked up two more UDT-ers, who were carried high above the bay so they could parachute, showing another method of UDT delivery. The chopper then demonstrated how men are rescued from water Cby horsecollar and winchj, and the crowds drifted back to line up at the gangway, wait- ing to get aboard. Not all the demonstrating was done by the ship and embarked troops. The city of Erie demonstrated its hospi- tality with receptions for the officers and an entire evening in a rathskeller for the crew-compliments of a local brewery. And the sea stories which were woven? The brine was flyin' in all directions! There were, of course, scores of Erielanders who'd sailed on 'Gator ships, either during World War II or the Korean fracas. A few of them rode the De Soto from Buffalo, the last port visited, to Erie . . . and there was much, Now, when I was on an LST back in .... None of them had ever been aboard the De Soto before, because she's prac- tically an infant. The 1171 has been E is witn PhibLant only since 1958, theg year she was commissioned. But, young or no, her crew members could' x keep up with the loudest I remember: 1 whens, 'cause De Soto has logged ay few miles in six years. . It goes without saying: she's been, to the Med and the Carib a few times. As a matter of fact, the 1171 was the only 'Gator ship to take part in the Gitmo evacuation during the last Cuban crisis. She carried 92 depend- ents back to Norfolk, then loaded Marines aboard and headed back for, the troubled waters. I At Erie, the tale-swapping was inter- spersed with an occasional You sure make 'cm big nowadays . . . references to the De Soto's size. Most Marines who've seen LSTs as part of amphibious squadrons certainly! never considered LSTs to be big ships. But, the fact is, those built in De Soto's time displace five times the tonnage as' those built in WW II! And tied up close to the Niagara, the De Soto looked like an Empire Statei building, leveled out and fitted withi guns. The 1171 was almost four times, the size of Perry's flagship. Which leads to another comparison. Fully loaded, crew and embarked troops, the De Soto can easily carry 854 men. That's almost twice as many men as Perry had in his entire fleet when he won the Battle of Lake Erie.

Page 166 text:

, , C?-X 'sr 'i flf Ni Q' ksw 'Qgv,i1 .Q M s 'f..5'fbrf5f w . N X I8 Q When De Soto County visited the Pennsylvania port, 11' was docked near another warrior, Perry's Niagara. Post of the Corps KANSAS.CITY INLAND CRUISE af grae F IT HADN'T been for a U. S. Navy' ship-the ' which was on -landlocked play less than 100 yards a De Soto County CLST 1171? have been visiting a foreign it tied up at the public dock Pa., this summer. The De Soto was Cstill is, as matter of factj on a goodwill the Great Lake, and Erie was 19 ports on the '1:zowdy list. city will be visited early thas. then the 'LT' will rock d Atlantic Coat to her Little Crak, home, from whence she began tour last June. The 511715 was impressive used alongside the dock, with a of hundred Ez-lelandexs Cthafs they prder to be mllecD quietly tEIdE1i.D.g the ojtion. Baide lake Stillldl she looked large to challenge the entire Padic with a Eotilla or tvro of the Fleet tossed in baicla. And up. YVhy, those Whofve been the De Soto during amphib would hardly have known the stef! She looked like a what with hs hawses, boom blocis, painted her ceilirged with white canvas, plus 'fas- xls:mdhe.fgraypaic1tbe:eftaf needle- scratches. These greaxd cable to be seem . . . 'wizcfve been aboard LSTs k -L improbahle :has somcis! ' Izzsteacl. fnsewapartoi thecfew lined up at attention, a Navy band non-avid music and eral of festhity about the You coulclzft have called it 1 yeas go, that 'fi into the same bay. The ' have Ei lsakcate joyous wovlci have begun to .f The sip vas ie ..:e'd been Olive: Halfd ,Islip when he defeated a Iliff to Sir. the Battle of Lake 1813. If it hacE:z't Exe: fa: mat victory, Ei?-5 well 5 Ohio, TURN PAGE I9 . 1

Page 168 text:

111 11 111 11 4 , I I I I 1 1 1 I 1 s Ii It 1, I I I I I 'I 'I If ,. I-I I 11 I 1 I,. I i, 1.I L PUBLICATION OF THE GREATER DETROIT BOARD OF COMMERCE LOUIS F ll E.. Manager W0 3-3700 i ' rs, Se nd Class Poxlage Paid ol Deiroll, Michigan Subscription raven Ss a your b 520 Wx YETIE AVE., DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226 61 Years of Service and Leadership l903 - 1964 IT- fl I '-'-Q , ' .1 ' ' - 1T' I I I I ICDONGRESSMAN LUCIEN N. NEDZI was given Presidential treatme x piped aboard the USS Desoto County Thursday afternoon after the lat Cobo Hall. After the Star Spangled Banner was played, boatswain's whist-les ihe was greeted at the top of the gang plan-k by eight side boys and the ship's ,'Lt. Commander Horace Mann. If President Johnson had boarded, he would have 13 thelsametreatment. Nedzi is a member of the Armed 'Service Committee in Congress. 'IA' lIun,f1lf5 P.rn--fwednesdlayl is the lastclay for the public to tour the shin. i I' I ' I I. - I ,. ,I QI Ilay, July 10, '64 DETROIT FRE PRESS w . I I 'I ,Bobo Hall I, I WOATING showcase of-Navy-Mmm y-operation sailed into Detroit Thurs- County, its 442- fvas the LST DeSoto gth and 62-foot width crammed with pment an LST and its Marine Corps Bl use for amphibious assaults and Iter demolition. Unlike any LST that in World War II, the DeSoto Colmty I 17,800 tonsj, has more power tslx ler, 2,400 - horsepower Fairbanks- lesel engines, and, wonder of won- gicempletely air-conditioned. sri-les a brilliant orange helicopter, ian electric-driven miniature sub for gfrogmen to their target quickly, an lt carrles Marlnes quickly and low rater to the beach, a. tank, a tank- ld a self-propelled 8-lnchihowitzer. ieSoto County arrived at Cobo Hall ledo and will be open to the public Dm 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through next yi Her underwater demolition team I will put on demonstrations of their lly at 4 p.m. A feature of the DeSoto 'is her Cine-Globe Cruiser Theater through use of a special lens, puts, ier in the -middle of thrilling scenes r and Marine Corps activities. The ver such theater is new showing the Ims at the New York World's Fair. I Free Press Pholo hY so HAUN OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS GREATER DETROIT BOARD OPCCJMMERCE .ki Ll:N YU. Msssimi., Irm.l.frv: W'1Li.z.xM M. On. I'1f:-Pvuldmv A. R, CQIANLY ju., Van-. f1:1Jn1l I, A. M',u.zr:, Vin-Ivmdml A S. jnsfxs, 'l'naiwu W I lfl'-'uY, Amiun171:.uufef WIIIIS H HAL I'r'1 I-li See New Navywar Equipme L, !:x1ri.l:ir IUMA-Pravzlfrir , Si-'AN .S111f:,1f, Drirqun lf. Kimi Donna P. Ku-P H. J. Lmvux' Rum l' M1'Eurm.v W. D. MMDU:-mimi. Homer 5. Maximum Ill I!ox,fw:1A. Mswuour I'-iuw j. Nl0NAGH4S Roy Asswsmv Tuoun H. Amu- 'fnowls J. AUL1 l.nv-Au.: li Bmroun J. lAv.'..1rJr.r' Duuu.. jx. C, D, HHH' , l'RKNK A. C1n.oM1'o 2-., N. l,UINs,,If1 Mm M, Fisms MI 1-nw N G.CiAs1ciN HAM Gunmen, jr. , F. H Clrmnm Grouse M. Hmini, , L. ll0'iIfiX4AN ,1- f me r F. I'-umm, ju, lfuxiun P Rmum, ' C Milfs: r I Rss. 1' JALKA T claws - ' v-I-2115 QQEDULL bare A limit nl Ibn Ullaflfll .Y-NJ!'4l' team julia Il-Ili. -1 mfn' if? fl, LS-fl' fL.ma'iug Ship, Tnukj will .1 Jlfbrzmrirzu. bolh from fin' ,'I,'.'.w'1f Finish will be hare iaith 1: full r.1mjfi'cmanl of men. XI Marine Delarhfmuf from fha 2:1d Ilfzvz. under live command of Maj. john A, O'Bfie21 .1110 will be mi Imfrrl FIM' LS-T, Tbe dutmlwzuzf inrlmltav .1 jafzf-111,111 hzmftf from and .1 25-111.111 1!1m'1fI1-bn1'b .iruilflvle for pulalii' :fu- lg'r1,gLfn1e111.f. Two .1'll1mi1'r1 :ffm 1111- ar'ni1'.'1- ble fm' appear.-:mtl befwre firxr .qrn11p.r L!, Cmdr. I-11,11-ur1f D. Marin. fr. Ihr L3-7' Cmnn1,wl,'z-1',f .-4171! Lffjjfl 1II111'hw'. 11 Nur, fllf-fI1m'f'il'41r1. Y 'i' The LS-7' r1i1'l br :r'u1mmf1l rzilly 1'm'l'w'l Nrll'-I ,md .rllrzrine 1l'f.'zIll70fIJ 111111 dffllplflflll in- i!f41lif.'1g ix lifflffrii ulmfh. Bn!!-1 the ml:- m.n'!f1: mm' line LS 7 1.f1'! la' 0,0447 for pyipfir f:1u'!7ez1'.7f'v'. f, .1,'l-3 frnm lf? mm.-i pm, if 4' If :nz zu-m!1l ffrtt' flu' ffm. learn. the t'I.2f 'l1 wr 11141 N411 .Jwake In .1fv,'11f.iu' Inj' it var qrufzji :aff LI.-Cf Isflz Dl'H,7L'r'I zgv.v1'. LO 7-1137. 1 il i 1'i' ' 'I in. l.:Slll i5r1Q1.iv I F I f ee t In Lazy ,Cruise on Lake I By CLARENCE A..-LEEBELT A lazy summer, day cruise,fa glimpse at some of the latest naval equipment, complete 'with' ,e,ntertainment,Qand the,skill.,that is required to ulate a 442 ship through' arnarrow channelgiandginarrower bridge lanes, incluuded in- the trip-of the USS DeSoto' Countyl- tromQTo1edo 'to Detroit' a trip on which the writer .and his boss, Joseph Kargol, Citizen publisher, guests. ' The vessel, commanded by LtL Comm. Horace D. Mann, lr,,, cost 327,000,000 It' ends a week's, public inspection' tou , atthe Cobo, Hall dock at 5 - , pfm, -Wednesday. j More than S500,000 in Cruise lCon!inuad from man scuba sub an underwater demoliiior team. -Don't be alarmed-if you , marine wh-ile you are boatiiiifiiiriiie fighting equipment is summer, Iaboard the ship, including anis 442' in length and It will be one of the uniIi-VT, an Ontos tank killer, awide and has a Belt.Fleet, ,the,name the ,medium tank, an eight inciipf 3,000 tons, has a fighting ghipgjt Operates olself propelled howitzer and a ent of 10 officers and 1 'The periscope Wm' be10ll061'rnillimeter recoilless rifle nlisted men and 3 The USS DeSoto Runner, a unit of the U.S. Atlcairr 1,617 PHQRY of 30 officers The 31l?-foot, 1,650-ten Aisle' included in the equip- Fnified men- its Owing 'Detroit Friday afternoon 1 ment aboard is ajeep, iruck LS O knots, and Ti swapped salt water for fresl and a helicopter plus a four Feed of l5lkifi0t5 P1115- Lakes to train Naval Reservists in anti-submarine war- olvered by Six 2400 fare and submarine operations. as b 3 n k S ' M 0 1' S 9 . ngmes. Q f ' f THE RUNNER and the LST Desoto County, which ,1Ifi'C0fsnm'Mannih0Fi Eaves in Detroit Thursday, are docked behind Cobo aomifiiiongg the all and win be open for inspection f to 5 . ' J 1 .rom e Saturday and Sunday- rom noon Pm gaildidate SchooI The'P------ . I V F- ' ' Anybody Got Il-I Match? READY FOR a ride of 1 500 miles is Citizen Editor Clarence A Leebelt who an 11 ton misile aboard USS Desoto County, an 8 000 ton LST Lt R L Chirnsi Leebelt that the missile is perfctly safe because it had been fired, recovered and with cement. The picture was taken-last Thursday on .Lake Erie when the ship was from Toledo to the dock at Cobo'Hall. u ' . 1 '