George Clymer (APA 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICERS CAPTAIN SMITS CAPTAIN WHITMAN Captain Cornelius J. Smits commenced his Naval Career in 1940 through the Naval Reserve Program. His first assignment was on board USS SPICA, a cargo ship in the Pacific. Three years later he assumed command of USS LST 78 where he participated in amphibious landings in the Gilbert, Marshall, Marianas and New Guinea. In 1945 he served as Executive Officer of the oiler USS ENOREE and later assumed command. Captain Smits duty stations include USS CONE (DD 866), General Line School, Monterey, CO of USS NAIFEH and USS LYMAN K. SWENSON (DD 729), Staff of Commander Destroyer Flotilla ONE, Office of Chief of Naval Operations, Staff of Commander in Chief, U. S. Forces Europe, Staff of Commander First Fleet and when he relinquished command of USS GEORGE CLYMER on 8 September L964 was ordered to the Staff of Commander Joint Task Force EIGHT. Captain William A. Whitman, assumed com- mand of USS GEORGE CLYMER on 8 September 1964. He was on board USS SEA -LION on 10 December 1941 when she was bombed and sunk at Cavite. From Manila he proceeded to Corregidor and was assigned to USS SEAWOLF (SS 197). Captain Whitman participated in fifteen submarine war patrols while serving in SEAWOLF, SARGO, HAMMERHEAD and Sub- marine Division 262 and Submarine USS-0-10 (SS 71). Captain Whitman ' s assignments in- clude duty in FLYING FISH, ATULE, RONQUIL and CHARR (SS 328), Staff of Commander Sub- marine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Staff of Commander Submarine Squadron TWO and FIVE, Commander Submarine Division FIFTY I ' W ' O , Executive Officer of the Submarine Tender SPERRY , Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Logistics). Post graduate school- ing includes U.S. Naval Post Graduate School (Mechanical Engineering), U. S. Naval War College, and the Industrial College of the Annuel Forces ( ' 6l- ' 64) i?

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TYPHOON EVASIONS rnio» st . ■ «k | OCEAN mm %m jO W. l«»«eTT0 - TYPHOON KATHY u •»«. «. Typhoon evasion started early for CLYMER during this deployment. We were caught unexpectedly by typhoon FLOSSIE in our first port of call — Buckner Bay, Okinawa on 20 July. We drug anchor and collided with the USS ELDORADO during the night of 2b July. On 27 July we were underway to ride out typhoons FLOSSIE and GRACE . On 31 July while enroute to Sasi Japan we turned around to avoid typhoon HELEN which was headed for Sasebo. On 14 August we transited the Inland Sea from Iwakuni, Japan and went through the Shimonoseki Straits to avoid typhoon KATHY . She was a very unpredictable girl. She followed us into Sasebo, Japan on 23 August. We rode her out at a typhoon anchorage in Sasebo for two days. Again in October we moved from the repair pier to a typhoon anchorage in Subic Bay, Philippines in event typhoon CLARA decided to drop in. She passed clear of Subic. Our shift from the Repair Pier, Subic Bay to Leyte Pier (Carrier Pier) to avoid expected high winds on L October was our last typhoon alert. i l

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER CDR KINGTON COMMANDER JOSEPH E. KINGTON entered the Navy as a seaman recruit in 1935 and advanced through the various enlisted grades in the Fire Control rate. He was advanced to Chief Fire Controlman in 1042 and was commissioned an Ensign in May 1044. Since commissioned he has served on five destroyers as First Lieutenant, Gunnery Officer, Operations Officer, and Executive Officer. He attended the University of Auburn during 1948-1950 under the Five Term Program and General Line School, Monterey in 1951. Previous amphibious duty was on staff COMPHIBGRU ONE and at NAVPHIBSCOL, Coronado. Prior to report- ing aboard the CLYMER he was CONSERVRON THREE ' S representative in Yokosuka. 13