Epping Forest (LSD 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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minesweeping in Korea, lasting almost two months with only one short break in Sasebo. During all this time the world was anxiously awaiting news of on armistice in Korea. We waited with them. The monotony of this tour in Korea was brok- en one morning about the middle of July when we got an emergency order to steam at flank speed to Yang-Do, Korea. A Canadian de- stroyer had run aground and we were ordered to steam up there and make emergency re- pairs to her hull. But because of heavy seas and inclement weather we were unable to ef- fect any repairs. So after two days of waiting for better weather we got orders to steam back to Sasebo via Wonsan. Sasebo was a very welcome sight that day in July when we come steaming in. It was the last time that we were going to be there this tour. From Sasebo we steamed to Yokosuka and began making preparations for the home- ward voyage to Son Diego. But fate and the Navy Department have a way of changing even the best laid plans, for on the day that we were scheduled to depart for the States we received orders to proceed to Sasebo and thence bock to Inchon, Korea. It was a real heartbreak to us who had been counting on starting for the States from Yo- kosuka. Sooner or later we had to start back to the States so it was during the first few days of August that we lifted anchor in Inchon and sailed for Guam. i One week later on Sunday morning we ar- rived in Guam. The same afternoon we loaded a barge and started for Pearl Harbor.

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a few days in Sasebo we were again on our way to Wonsan where we were to stay for another week. It was during these times in Wonsan, February and March, that we really learned of the severity of the Korean winters. Snow, wind, and ice were our constant com- panions as we lay at anchor in Wonsan har- bor. During all this time the big guns of our fleet, the battleships, cruisers, and destroyers never let up in their constant shelling of the Communist installations and positions on he beach. Neither did the personnel of MSB Di- vision ONE let up in their never-ceasing vigil of keeping the Wonsan harbor free of mines and open for the bigger ships of the fleet. Finally in the latter part of March we steamed to Yokosuko via Sasbo, where we transferred MSB Division ONE and COMINRON THREE. We were to stay in Yokosuko for over two weeks. The highlightsof our stay in Yokosuko were the two ship ' s parties at the Broadway Hotel. The parties both nights were successes as con be attested to by anyone that was there — and who wasn ' t! Okinawa was next on our list of ports of coll. Here we participated in one of the biggest practice amphibious operations ever attempt- ed in WESTPAC. Along wih a host of other amphibious ships we participated in a large scale amphibious landing. During the entire four days that it took us to complete the exer- cise we were hampered by rainy, squally, weather. In spite of this the operation was a success. May was beginning to fade away as we again started bock to Sasebo to pick up MSB Divi- sion ONE, COMINRON THREE nd COMIN- RON SEVEN. From Sasebo we went directly to Wonsan. This was our longest tour of

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