General W H Gordon (AP 117) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

Mate, second class, USCGR. Several photos ot the crew were made by the writer. The artwork, includ- ing the jacket design and front cover, was executed by E. C. Donohue, Seaman first class, USCGR. It might be of interest to note that all the work, which includes planning the book, writing it, developing and printing all the photos ot ship life, making the layouts and doing finished art work, was accomplished aboard the GORDON while she was under way at sea. This was done in addition to regular duties. Other Coast Guard photos were obtained through the cooperation ot Captain Ellis Reed-Hill, USCG, Director of Public Relations, Coast Guard Head- quarters, Washington, D. C., and his assistant, Lieutenant Commander lack Dixon, USCGR, Director of Photography. Pictures ot the ship under construction were provided by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearney, N. I. Photo of the ship's Christmas party was made by Drucker Hilbert Co., New York. Photo of U. S. Naval Training Station, Newport, R. I., was furnished by Navy Public Relations dwlslon' In selecting the photos shown here, the main object was to tell the complete story oi the U. S. S. General W. H. GORDON as far as censorship would permit, second, to include in pictures as many crew members as possible. Unfortunately, with the limited amount of space, and with the large organization on board, it was impossible to show everyone. To those men whose photos do not appear go sincere regrets. It is hoped that after the Victory is won and the smoke oi battle clears that we can all sit back in our easy chairs, light our pipes, break out this tome, and enjoy memories of the GENERAL W. H. GORDON. Robert N. Aylin At Sea, April 18. 1945

Page 10 text:

' it j' FOREWORD This book was written with the hope that it will give all who read it a picture of duty aboard a Coast Guard-manned troop. transport in World War ll. As an organization, the Coast Guard is often mis- understood through its own name.. Far-flung and varied are the Coast Guard's endeavors in this war. At the present writing over 90,000 Coast Guardsmen, almost two thirds of the entire service, are on foreign combat duty or the high seas manning vessels varying in size from attack transports to small landing craft. This book merely covers one Coast Guard activity, transport duty. However, someone writing the whole story of this sea-going branch of America's armed might would tell of Coast Guards- men at Pearl Harbor, of the victories in the battle against U-Boats in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean, and of the hundreds of landings on islands of the Pacificg of the African, Sicilian, Italian, and Normandy invasions. ln addition there's the job that is being done on the home front-protecting the ports of America, guarding our country's 8,350 miles of coastline, and carrying out maritime duty connected with naval and merchant shipping. Of the photographs appearing here, fifty-three were made by Arthur Green, Photographer's Mate, first class, USCGR, who, before coming to the Gordon, distinguished himself by prize winning photos of Coast Guard action taken during battles with German submarines and torpedo-bombers in the Mediterranean area. Most of the seascapes and all photos of the ship her- self were taken by L. M. Liddle, Photographer's Mate, second class, USCGR, whose work speaks for itself. Photos of the GORDON's commissioning ceremonies were made by I. C. Dean Photographer's

Page 12 text:

, , ,. -- ..,-..,,.,- .....,... .M . ......, ..,,, .,,,- 7 ,all vw., Her keel was laid in November, 1943, at the Federal Shipbuilding cmd Dry Dock Company, a subsidiary ot United States Steel Corpora- tion, beside the muddy Waters of the Hacken- sack River on the outskirts of Kearny, New Iersey. Work progressed on her hull with the usual Federal efficiency and the launching took place on schedule 1 -,ll-1, S lg