Donner (LSD 20) - Naval Cruise Book

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her landing force... During amphibious assaults, the helicopters are sometimes used to sneak in combat troops and equipment at strategic positions behind enemy lines. This technique, called vertial envelopment , prevents the enemy from con- centrating heavily on troops debarking from different landing craft on the beach. her proud name. Now lets pause briefly and find out where the ship ' s name came from. ..and what it means. To the American people, the name Donner stands as a symbol of courage, love and unselfish devotion. In the summer of 1846, George Don- ner, a husky man of about 50, led a string of covered wagons from Illinois to California. With him was his family; his wife Tamsen and their five small daughters. This was the first attempt by pioneers to steer covered wagons across the Rocky Mountains— a short cut to the west. A series of delays found the Donner party still at the Rocky Mountains at the start of winter. Food supplies had run out. Some members abandoned the group in frantic search of refuge from the coming snow and hunger, hlowever, the Donner party went on. ..George Donner ' s wagon moving last because of its heavy weight. About 8 miles from Truckee Lake, Nevada (which was later to bear Donner ' s name) his wagon broke down. The others had reached the safety of abandoned cabins by Donner lake before they discovered George Donner and his family were missing. But the first snow storm arrived— forcing the party to move on westward at once or face the consequences of starva- tion and terrible winter. Meanwhile George Donner was unable to repair his wagon and became ill from exposure. For more than a month his family lived on little or no food and survived on the warmth of each other ' s body. When the first relief party showed up mid-December, it could only take two of the Donner ' s children safely to California. Tamsen Donner was faced with a cruel decision: Which of her beloved daughters should she send? Her own. ..or her two step-daughters Elitha and Leanna. She loved them all. Take Elitha and Leanna...they ' re the eldest and strongest ones. My small ones don ' t eat much and they might forget what they ' ve seen here, and her voice trailed to a whis- per. . you ' ll come back forthem(herownchildren) won ' t you? The remaining Donners miraculously lived through another month of winter without food. But before the second relief team arrived at the end of January 1847, George Donner had dropped into a coma. The relief party leader urged Tamsen to come with them with her children before the snow storm would bury them alive. With tears in her eyes, she shook her head and murmured her husband was still alive and she must remain with him. With ttiat she kissed her daughters goodbye and turned around fearing her courage might foil her should she witness the departure of her children. Out of 87 pioneering people of the Donner party that headed west, 39 perished along the Rocky Moun- tains during the winter of 1846. The lost one to die was the widow of George Donner— the captain of the party: courageous, loving, unselfish and devoted Tamsen Donner. The Navy has chosen to name a ship after the Donner Lake. We, as USS Donner navymen, strive to be as courageous and devoted to duty just as Tamsen was to Pioneer George Donner. Camp at Donner Lake. ..November 1846

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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEN OF THE USS DONNER (LSD-20). IT WAS THEY WHO MADE THAT CRUISE IN THE SUMMER OF 1964... IT IS INDEED THEIR STORY...

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• her mission... The USS DONNER is a landing ship dock designed to load combat troops and equipment, small amphibious craft and vehicles; transport them across oceans; and launch them ashore. The ship is also so designed that it can render docking and repair services at sea or in port to small ships and craft. In accomplishing her mission, the DONNER can easily fit into her roomy well deck 3 landing craft utility (LCD) or eighteen landing craft mechanized (LCM) vessels. In .an entirely different mission, the ship can carry and operate as many as 15 helicopters. However, on routine maneuvers, she carries only eight copters. When more than two helicopters are on board, the forward end of the well deck becomes a hanger for storage and maintence for these aircraft. The deck above the after end is designed for launching and recovery of the birds . To accomplish our mission efficiently we have a crew of 260 officers and men. They make, up the ship ' s 5 departments. ..each of which has a specific job to do.