Diphda (AKA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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One of the five heavenly constellations associated with the myth of,Andromeda and the Sea Monster is that depicting the Whale. The brightest star in this figure is Deneb Kaitos or. . . DIPHDA. The Navy De- partment names many of its assault cargo ships after constellations or stars, and thus the DIPHDA was named. . , The ship is a single--propeller, turbine driven type vessel. The basic design is the U. S. Maritime Com- mission C-2 hull. She is 460 feet in length and 64 feet in width, with a full load displacement of 14,000 tons. The DIPHDA is capable of carrying more than 8,000 tons of cargo in her five holds, and has 6,000 engine horsepower which will move her at an average speed of 15 knots overa long period of time. At this speed our engines consume approximately 12,000 gallons of fuel oil, per day, and with our fuel ca- pacity we could steam three times across the- Pacific without stopping. Our five holds enclose approximately a half million cubic feet. We could carry T25 automobiles in addition to many tons of cargo. There are- twelve booms on the main deck, with twenty electric winches to operate them. The larger booms are capable of a thirty ton lift. In our present assignment we carry four boats, ranging from a motor whaleboat to an eighty-eight man LCM. The DIPHDA has accommodations for 450 men and 27 officers, and is now operating with a peacetime complement of T90 men and T3 officers. A 4

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The CharT above shows Trips Taken by The Ship across The Pacific since 30 OcTober 1952, when she was reassigned To Commander, Service Force, U. S. Pacific FleeT. These include nine round Trips To Japan, wiTh such additional porTs of call as Subic Bay, Philippines, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Hong Kong and San Diego, for an approximaTe ToTal of lO0,000 miles, CequivalenT To four Times around The world.j In The course of our Travels we have been exposed To many Types of OrienTal culTures and cusToms. We musT be prepared To make a quick TransiTion from one way of life To anoTher. For example-, when enTering a Japanese resTauranT, The shoes musT be lefT ouTside, and The cusTomer siTs on The floor-a disTincT diHer- ence from San Francisco. x T '

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A trip for the DIPHDA involves prepdrotions to be token for in oldvolnce ot the olctuol soiling dote. Once our soiling orders ore received, our prospective course is plotted on de- .-Xi iff is ,J .saw DJ' x ,S -1 s . qs 49 4, 63? sq' www BG, 1-Q X' 9' 5' 9 u ' a 4, Q99 9' :FJ 0' '-.Y I xscj-Q., QQ iv Q, ,yqf-, 9 ,gf 4 '55, vs as V9 Q06 3 'V+ 49',' ,! 4 ,,,.,. Q ., N., Q. gb ml ,, w 61:1 , Q.-5 x Qs + W 4, 49. on ff x ,QP V9 9 +-3' QQ' ' P 5 as s 4 cs 9+ 46 , , 5 is 1 c. Q 6,4 v . l, 1 W 9 4' 6' Q5 ,QQ V' 1 x Q 'fo s s 'ff Q i .' vis if s v , Q N' ,gf 4' +6 . feisty? 4,31 , I 'V 0 X :T QQ 4 N' , 5 ,. 6 4' N V, ' S IL If l s , Q5, . f N6 f l N 3 0 J,..,3,i3l3 kg 6,0 Qs.f'qq.f of Q 64+ e,3:'l?+E ,,,6+-Isp.,-1' J? ,,.., 6 1 if' Q, 'Q is 65+ ' 'oi' J' QQ: Q, 9 N I , 6 toiled cholrts of the olreos through which we will trovel. Our routes ocross the Pocitic often vory from trip to trip, depending upon the time of the yeor. For instolnce, during the winter months we try to dvoid the rough Northern Po- citic, by swinging south, while in the summer we tdke the short northern route. While the novigotionoll plons ore being proiected, the finoll corgo is being brought oboord and shored up in the holds reody for seo. On the eve of deporture the five holtches gre bot- tened down ond our cdrgo booms crodled. A In dddition, the ship must be supplied with sufficient fuel ond provisions