Gunston Hall (LSD 5) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

USS GUNSTON HALL bears the name of the home of george MASON IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA. GOERGE MASON WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE FAIRFAX RESOLVES ' », OF THE FIRST CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA, AND OF THE VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, WHICH SERVED AS THE BASIS FOR THE BILL OF RIGHTS IN THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION. MA- SON REFUSED TO SIGN THE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE IT DID NOT PROVIDE FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY NOR SAFEGUARD SUFFICIENTLY THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THOMAS JEFFERSON CALLED MASON THE WISEST MAN OF HIS GENERATION . A BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA IS NOW THE CUSTODIAN OF GUNSTON HALL. THE SHRINE ON THE POTOMAC, NOT FAR FROM MOUNT VERNON, IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Page 6 text:

BUILT DURING WORLD WAR M AT THE MOORE DRY DOCK COMPANY OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, THE GUNSTONHALL EARNED THE BATTLE RIBBONS FOR THE INVASIONS OF KWAJALEIN, THE MAR- SHALLS , EMIRAU, HUMBOLT BAY, AND HOLLANDIA , NEW GUINEA, GUAM AND PAU7 U , LEYTE , LUZON, AND I WO J IM A AND OK I NAWA . PUT IN RESERVE IN 1947, SHE WAS ARCTICI ZED AND RECOMM I S- SIONED IN MARCH OF 1949 IN TIME FOR KOREAN SERVICE. SINCE THE END OF HOSTILITIES IN KOREA, THE SHIP HAS BEEN HOME PORTED IN SAN DIEGO WHEN NOT ROAMING THE FAR REACHES OF THE PACIFIC. ON 21 JUNE 1960 GUNSTON HALL LEFT SAN DIEGO TO BEGIN THE CRUISE OF THE WESTERN PACIFIC THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS BOOK.

Page 8 text:

COMMANDER ROBERT P. OCHSNER UNITED STATES NAVY COMMANDING OFFICER THE CAPTAIN CAME TO THE NAVY FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA RECEIVING HIS COMMISSION UPON GRADUATION FROM THE U.S. NAVAL RESERVE MIDSHIPMEN SCHOOL AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 16 JANUARY 1942. COMMANDER OCHSNER SAW COMBAT SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II IN THE COASTAL MINESWEEPER YMS-272 AND FLEET MINESWEEPER USS CHAMPION (AM-3 14) IN CONNECTION WITH THE AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS AT GUAM AND OKINAWA. IN SEPTEMBER OF 1 945 HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE CHAMPION AND TOOK PART IN THE PAST-WAR MINE CLEARANCE OPERATIONS AROUND JAPAN. SERVICE AS OPERATIONS OFFICER AND NAVIGATOR OF THE USS PRESIDENT ADAMS (APA-19) IN 1947 AND 1948, WAS FOLLOWED BY A TOUR AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE U.S. NAVAL STATION, GRONDAL, GREENLAND. AFTER GRADUATION FROM THE NAVY GENERAL LINE SCHOOL AT MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA IN 1950, HE SERVED AS EXEC OF THE USS BRUSH (DD-745) AND AS EXEC OF THE USS SHELIKOF (AVP-52). HE INSTRUCTED AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY FROM 195 3 UNTIL 1955, THEN SERVED ABOARD THE USS ZELLARS (DD-777) UNTIL 195 7 WHEN HE ASSUMED THE DUTIES OF DISTRICT ORDNANCE OFFICER, FIFTH NAVAL DISTRICT. COMMANDER OCHSNER ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE GUNSTON HALL 11 DECEMBER 1959.