Endurance (MSO 435) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 5 text:

Photo by JC1 lVliIt Harris, USN The keel of the ENDURANCE was laid on 15 January 1952 at J. lVl. lVlartinac Shipbuilding Corporation. of Tacoma, Washington. Launched on 8 August 1952, ENDURANCE was commissioned on 19flVlarch 1954. ENDURANCE is a wooden hull, non-magnetic, ocean going IVlinesweeper. Sheihafsf'sailength:of of 35 feet, a mean draft of-10.5 feet, tons. She has a crew of about 6 men. Her pg-Opulsion powe,rq2g1i.si5QLgprovided speed Packard Diesel engines, which drivefjfitwo con- trollable pitch propellers. She has the ability to sweep all types of influence and contact,jmines., if P 9 ENDURANCE visits many' different ports along the West Coast and has deployed to the Western Pacific several times since commissioning. While in the Western Pacific, ENDURANCE has visited such places as the Philippines, Japan, Guam, Taiwan, Korea, Viet Nam and Hong Kong. The ENDURANCE was presented the Navy Unit Commendation by the Secretary of the Navy for her exceptionally meritorious service during the WESTPAC deployment which ended in August 1966. This gave her the distinction of being the first Minesweeper since the Korean War to receive such an honor. Since commissioning, the USS ENDURANCE has undergone several extensive shipyard overhauls, placing her among the most advanced minesweepers in the world. ln addition to the most modern of influence mine- sweeping equipment, the ENDURANCE has such improvements as the new SOG-14 lVlinehunting Sonar, a greatly enlarged Combat information Center, and the latest sophisticated communications equipment. To increase the safety factor of living within a wooden hull, a light-water firefighting system, similar to those used in the hanger decks of the super carriers, is installed throughout the larger part of the ship.

Page 4 text:

g .3 . 5 S f r i 1 2

Page 6 text:

Lieutenant Commander Charles R. SCH LEGELMILCH hails from Yankton, South Dakota. After having lived in various parts of the world as an Army dependent, he attended lvlarquette University under the NROTC Program and was -commissioned an 'f Ensign, United States Navy, in 1961. ' During his initial tour on th'e'destroyer USS HARRY E. HUBBARD lDD-7481 he served as Anti-submarine Warfare Officer, Electronics Material Officer and Combat Information Center Officer. After reassignment to USS BRINKLEY BASS lDD-8871 in 1963, he served as Operations Officer until reporting to the Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit at San Diego, California, where he was Surface ASW Instructor. During the initial build-up in Viet Nam, LCDR SCH LEGELMILCH volunteered for duty with Naval Advisory Group, MACV, and was assigned as a Coastal Group lJunk Forcel Advisor. Following completion of a one-year tour, he extended for a second year in Viet Nam as a Coastal Surveillance Center Operations Officer and an Aerial Observer for Operation MARKET TIME. ln May of 1967, LCDR SCHLEGELMILCH was assigned to OPNAV as Assistant Secretary to CNO for JCS matters. He assumed command 'of USS ENDURANCE lMSO-4351 on 28 June 1969 during a WESTPAC deploymentp he was relieved of command in Subic Bay on 20 December 1970, and departed for his new duty as the Vietnam placement Officer in the Bureau of Naval Personal. LCDR SCHLEGELMILCH holds the following decorations: Bronze Star with Combat V , Air Medal ifive awardsl, the Navy Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon. 1 Commanding me 6 L l