Donner (LSD 20) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE U. S. S. DONNER (LSD-20) IS AN 8000 - TON LANDING SHIP DOCK BUILT BY THE BOSTON NAVAL SHIPYARD 31 JULY 1945, DE-ACTIVATED 12 AUGUST 1949 AT CHARLESTON, S. C, AND RECOMMISSIONED 16 SEPTEMBER 1950. THE DONNER IS NAMED AFTER THE DONNER PASS IN CALIFORNIA, THE SCENE OF A DISASTER TO A PARTY OF PIONEERS CROSSING THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS IN THE WINTER OF 1846. GEORGE DONNER, A WEALTHY PIO- NEER AND CAPTAIN OF THE ILL-FATED PARTY, LED HIS FOLLOWERS HIGH INTO THE ROCKIES ON THEIR WAY TO CALIFORNIA. DONNER WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WAS CAUGHT HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS BY A SNOWSTORM, ABOUT SEVEN MILES NORTH OF THE PASS AND LAKE THAT NOW BEAR HIS NAME, AND PERISHED THERE. THUS DONNER GAINED IMMORTALITY BY HAVING A LAKE AND PASS NAMED AFTER HIM WITHOUT HAVING SEEN EITHER ONE. DURING HER FIRST TOUR OF ACTIVE DUTY FROM JULY 1945 to AUGUST 1949, THE DONNER PARTICIPATED IN ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN, AND MEDITER- RANEAN DUTY. AFTER RE-ACTIVATION SEPTEMBER 16, 1950 HER DUTY TOOK HER NOT ONLY INTO THE ABOVE WATER AGAIN BUT EXTENDED HER SPHERE FROM THE ARTIC CIRCLE TO THE PANAMA CANAL. SHE HAS, IN HER 14 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE, VISITED NEARLY 50 FOREIGN PORTS, MOST MAJOR PORTS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST, AND HAS HAD THE UNIQUE PRIVI- LEGE OF BEING ONE OF THE FIRST UNITED STATES NAVY VESSELS TO TRANSIT THE NEWLY-OPENED SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER WATERWAY AND VISIT THE MIDWESTERN CITIES BORDERING THE GREAT LAKES. DURING THIS PAST MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT THE MISSION OF THE LSD-20 WAS ALTERED IN THAT SHE CARRIED, LAUNCHED, AND RECOVERED HELI- COPTERS CARRYING COMBAT-LADEN TROOPS TO THE SCENE OF AN AM- PHIBIOUS LANDING.

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