Francis Marion (LPA 249) - Naval Cruise Book

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A PROUD HISTORY FRANCIS MARION was built in 1954 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey and originally was named PRAIRIE MARINER for the State of Illinois. After her maiden voyage under the Military Sea Transport Service she was determined to be in excess of requirements and was placed in the Reserve Fleet. She was transferred to the Navy in March 1959 for con- version to an Attack Transport. She was rechristened USS FRANCIS MARION and commissioned July 6, 1961 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. She is the newest, largest, and fastest Attack Transport in the U.S. Navy. The ship is named after General Francis Marion, the American Revolution- ary War hero who was affectionately known as the Swamp Fox . General Marion ' s harassing tactics were a model for present day guerrillas and he received the official thanks of Congress for his part in keeping South Carolina from reverting to British control. It is the mission of FRANCIS MARION to transport and land troops, sup- plies and equipment in Amphibious Assaults and to serve as a Command Ship for the Amphibious Commander. She is currently administratively assigned to Amphibious Squadron FOUR and is the designated flagship for Commander Amphibious Group TWO. Since commissioning, FRANCIS MARION has deployed to both Caribbean and Mediterranean areas, participating in various exercises and events. Notable among these are: A Presidental Review; the Cuban Crisis in 1 962; the Domin- ican Crisis of the same year; assistance to the city of Galveston, Texas during hurricane Carla; joint operations with Norwegian, Spanish, French, and Turkish forces; Operation Bar Drink above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway; Opera- tion Beach Time, LANTFLEX 66, and Clove Hitch III; served as flagship for COMPHIBRON FOUR while deployed as part of the Caribbean Ready Squadron 1-67. In Mid 1967 the ship underwent extensive overhaul and modernization. The latest and most modern, sophisticated communication and electronic com- mand systems were installed to permit effective command, control and gui- dance for large scale amphibious operations. After her departure from the yard in 1 968 her role as flagship came under heavy demand, as she performed the function for COMPHIBLANT, COMPHIBGRU FOUR, COMPHIBGRU TWO, COMPHIBRON EIGHT and COMPHIBRON SIX. In addition to her normal res- ponsibilities as an amphibious flagship, in December 1968 the SWAMP FOX participated as the secondary recovery ship in the historic Apollo 8 lunar mission. In 1 969 the FOX made two deployments to the waters of the Mediter- ranean: first as flagship for the annual NATO exercise Olympic Express ; then, as flagship for COMPHIBRON FOUR on an extended Med deployment, Med 2-69, in which the FRANCIS MARION displayed her high degree of read- iness by shattering her own record for off-loading boats: off-loading all 22 boats in the amazing time of 13 minutes, 43.8 seconds! During the first months of 1970 the FOX served as flagship for COM- PHIBGRU FOUR, participating in operations Springboard 70 and Exotic Dancer . At the present time the FRANCIS MARION once again has COM- PHIBRON FOUR embarked for her Mediterranean duty with the SIXTH FLEET, Med 2-70. General Francis Marion was an American Revolutionary War hero bom near Georgetown, SCof Huguenot stock. He was the youngest of a family of six. In 1776 he was elected a member of the South Carolina Provincial Congress which adopted the Bill of Rights and voted money for raising troops. Commissioned a Captain, he took the field against the British and aided in the capture of Fort Johnson. Having shown great skill in or- ganization, he was made a Major and stationed at the unfinished Fort Sullivan (afterward called Fort Moultrie). During its bombardment, he distinguished himself and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He led his regiment in an unsuccessful attack on Savannah in 1779, and soon was obligated to flee to the forests and swamps. While in hiding, he began to gather recruits from the surrounding country. Fearless moun- taineers, bold hunters, and other good marksmen enlisted with him. The unit, known as Marion ' s Brigade, provided their own equipment, worked at times on their farms and came and went at their bidding. Keep- ing a strict watch on the enemy ' s movements they interrupted communications, captured for- aging and scouting parties and intimidated the local Tories. Colonel Tarleton, the British Cavalry Com- mander, was ordered to capture the Swamp Fox, as Marion was called, but the Fox proved wary, and joining forces with Colonel Henry Lee, cap- tured Fort Watson. After raiding 290 miles of country, he was given command of the first line in Battle of Eutaw Springs. He covered himself with glory and received the thanks of Congress. Marion ' s Brigade was not disbanded until after the British evacuation. The hero served in the state senate from 1782 to 1790, and was a member of the State Con- stitutional Congress in 1790.