Diphda (AKA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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ff ' ' . .. Her Mission - - - - . ..... A my 4, X V Y-M Q 5 X1 The DIPHDA has operated for the Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet, for the past two and a half years. Basically, COMSERVPAC is re- sponsible for the material support of the Fleet. As such, he acts as the principal logistics agent for the Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, and is charged with providing services of all kinds to the Fleet. All of this means the DIPH DA is in the customer service business. Our iob varies somewhat in that at times we act as a pipeline ship, carrying the goods to fleet issueships in the Western Pacific. At other times, we have assumed the role of a fleet issue ship. We have provided both the necessities and luxuries to the forces afloat. As a fleet issue ship our shopping list sported everything from sugar and flour to size l4V2EE shoes and Coca Cola syrup. During the six months of fleet issue opera- tions in 1954 our monthly sales were in excess of S250,000 and our average inventory in excess of i5l,500,000. When operating as a pipeline ship our cargo is not limited to fleet issue material. We deliver automobiles and household effects for mili- tary personnel at both ends of the line. ln addition we carry considerable cargo for the shore activities. Although it may appear that we are a floating general store- and 2:11:55 ,.2.sy:rzasmrmi:55:15:45:.2-:2:1s:r-rm:-,.127 . --f-42. H .- . ' 1 ,mi-11.-:.:4 ..f.,,., -..:Zz-2166.1-':2.r:: .., 5,.-rm-ff114:f:1::mf:1z:,z4,:25 fm f gl- y,-:,.A:-:ss,.,.-:Wa-: . 1:.:-:-.1-zvz.-v , . .,.,,....,, ,,,,.,.,,.:.:.'.,.,, ..,,-,g.,.1,,,..-0.-:1-.-my.-.-.1-'-M:-Z.:-.az-:-:-1.1.14.fsVnpr-:V1.1.2-.-2.5.4,...W-..:7m.1.:.3:-sfgzggzggy:-1-.-rg-:Zszqgzgazz-:f:-:-:444+:-:rua:rzrz-1:1:1:1151:::::,:-:-:-:-:-:-:fp1211112:::-:-:---:-sQ:-1-11:2rpg::-:-:rr1:2119:-:-:-:-:,:..2g::g..-..'.-..,- -, .-..,3,,,,,,,,,R,,,,,,.,. ,.,.,.,.,Q,::,2:5,1,:5.,:.,.,.:.,,..,.,..,. g:2:g,:5.g.:.:4,g:. g1::,:5,fn3:11:ing1,.5,:4:g,:,1:2r1:p,:,::.--1513:,351:f:r:grwy:,:,.,.21gf:551--:m44:::a:.4s::..-.:92- ::22z2m-211292. ' 1:21412-1-':-av:V:-5:3191-:fr::f:412 :2a:5:535:', ,.,5:a2s:a2:r5:s:a:5:5:521155 2:2-I-:+:-2-2-2' 5:14:21:i:J:l-2-15-1-IEA: !:2:Z:J1:f!-3-I-I-1-LSP, Z-FH:5215155-5-I-:-5:-:-7'f:72i:35:S:!3i-I-' ---I'ifZ-154273-:-127.-gi:7-IH-2-5133557'5575:i:1:2ZW?I'If'I52517:3ii:2:15-'-1'I-911.-I5Ii .3131?:i:23'751I'Z-'-'-I Z4'Z-If!-7533:727!l:3:5'':i:5:?7'Z'I445:25:31-:3:2Z59'- i!55:f:23'Z Zf:7752513335: 2:-'IS'54-I'H-5I-I-Zi74'7:5:3:5:Z25:l'I' Q ,..... 2 mf.: ,.-.-. -,.,. ,..... 1 . si... .-....-....,-...- 1 .--1.1..:.:..: .-.-.- , ........ 1 ..-.-1.1M-C.-..s .-..,...... +1.:-...ws .',-..,... ..... . .,.-.. W., ........- L .....f.,1,, .-.-......,.,. 1.....:....,, ,..-. ..,....,.,.,... 1 ...M...1.f.,... .-.-.-.'.-.4.-,,-.- , W... .-.-s ....-.. f .H .-.b. .-.- ,.-, .... 1 4 . 1.1.1 .'.-.-..,.. ......,, ,. .,..,,. -.-.-.- , ...,.....-...f.-.:...,.,:.,.: .-.-- -,, ,.,..,.,., . .... ., I.. f confine ourselves entirely to furnishing material and services, we still find time to maintain a high state of combat readiness in the event that we are reassigned as an amphibious AKA. Weekly training periods provide the gunnery, damage control and medical drills that are nece-s- sary in performing our basic mission as an assault cargo ship. While our mission may not seem as glamorous as a radar picket de- stroyer or submarine, the- satisfaction we obtain in knowing that we deliver the goods at the right place at the right time, in the right amount more than compensates for the glamor. .:f:..:.::::.:f.:f:::..-:. .1-:gs:lssff+:fi-:-.1:wa:hers:sa:s:n:1:::-:::'f:f.eae:ee:::.:1i:5:1e1:2:r:1:f:wr-2s:::5:af:z1:1:ass.-sa::peas:5.zr::::::s::::wi

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Her History . . . . The keel ot the DIPHDA was laid on 27 January 1944 in the yar-d ofthe Federal Ship Building and Dry- dock Company at Kearney, N. J. The vessel was launched 11 May 1944 and had her sea trials on 6 July of the same year. She was placed in tull commission on 8 July 1944 at the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N. Y. Her service forthe remainder of the war can be noted by some of the campaign bars carried: Ameri- can Theatre, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, Philippine Liberation and China Service. ln 1946 the DIPHDA was assigned to the task force which tested an atomic bomb at Bikini. By 1949 she had made several runs from the West Coast to the East Coast, via Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal. May 1950 provided a diFferent itinerary with stops such as Whittier and Kodiak, Alaska. With the Korean War having broken out in the summer of 1950, the ship departed in July of that year for Korea, carrying ammunition. For the next month she operated between Suyong, Korea and Yoko- hama, Japan. Then a return trip to the States was made, for repair work. Again in November 1950 the DlPHDA'engaged in Korean operations, carrying ammunition between lnchon, Wonsan, and Pohang, Korea. Not until October 1951 did she return to the States, and in January 1952 was assigned to Military Sea Transportation Service QMSTS1. This new billet meant many round trips to Pearl Harbor and Japan. 1 By the end of October 1952 the ship was reassigned to Service Force, Pacific, and she began the pipeline runs betwe-en Japan and the States, carrying cargo of all sorts for the U. S. Fleet stationed in the Far East. This continued all through 1953 and in the Spring of 1954 the DIPHDA settled down to a six months' tour as station ship in Sasebo, Japan. Arriving back in the States in November, 1954, the regular pipeline schedule was resumed. The ship has been operating on a time table of roughly two months at sea and one month in port, while on pipeline. From Lett Top: 5. China Service Medal 1. American Campaign Medal 6. National Defense Service Medal 2. Asiatic Pacific lBronze Starl 8. United Nations Service Medal 3, Victory Medal WW2' 7. Korean Service Medal lSiIver Starl .4. Navy Occupation Medal 9. Philippine Liberation Ribbon CBronze Start

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HerAchievements . . . . ' The tangible- awards that a ship of this type may get are not numerous. However, the DIPHDA has made a name for herself in many fiel-ds of endeavor. In 1954, the ship received the award from her type command, Service Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet, for excellence in Battle Efficiency Competition for fiscal 1954. 'his award, represe-nted by a bronze plaque, signifies a whole year's effort in performing battle effi- ency exercises. Each department on the ship has certain requirements to fullfill over the year's time. e quality of this work is grade-d according to a standard, and the results are compared with those re- nlts of all Navy ships in our class in the Service Force, Pacific Fleet. Turning to sports, the ship fielded a softball team during the 1954 season, which walked away with more honors. Competing among all Navy units in Southern Japan, the DIPHDA Fifty-niners copped the championship of that league, with a record of twe-nty-four wins against six losses. The team then was sent to Yokosuka, Japan, to participate in the Far East Softball Championship. The Fifty-niners were not eliminated until the semi-finals, in an extra inning game. A ln recognition for the fine work performed by the ship, over the six month tour as AKA station-ship in Sasebo, Japan, from May to October 1954, this message was received upon completion of that duty: From: Commander, Service Squadron Three J A To: U. S. S. DIPHDA QAKA 591 You have achieved the outstanding Fleet Issue performance record of a WESTPAC AKA station ship X Smooth sailing X Sayonara X RADM Gano And in addition to all of this, in the words of the Ship's Bos'n, We have the cleanest living compart- ments in the Navy! . J. Battle Efficiency Plaque awarded ' to USS DIPHDA for the fiscal year 1954 by the Commander, Service Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet.