Gunston Hall (LSD 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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GUNSTON HALL ' S mission in the NAVY SCHEME WAS TO LOAD, LIFT, AND LAND TROOPS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT. IN 1960 THE MEN OF THE GUNSTON HALL DID A CONS IDEFiABLE AMOUNT OF THAT MISSION . TOP, AN ARMY JEEP AND TRAILER THAT GOT AN UNEXPECTED SALT WATER BATH UPON EMBARKING INTO AN LCU IN THE WELL . CENTER, AN ARMY TRUCK GOT A LIFT FROM THE WELL UP TO THE SUPER DECK COURTESYOFTHE PORT CRANE AND SOME OBLIGING BOATSWAINS . BOTTOM, AT CUBI POINT, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, THE PROBLEM OF LOADING 50 TON TANKS WITHOUT BALLASTING DOWN TO TAKE THEM IN AN LCU WAS SOLVED BY USING A LARGE FLOATING CRANE TO SWING THE MONSTERS IN THROUGH THE OPENED STERN GATE.

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UNDERNEATH THE WELL DECK AND ALONG THE WINGWALLS THERE WERE 33 TANKS OF VARIOUS SIZES AND SHAPES THAT WITH DOZENS OF BALLASTINGS FILLED WITH SEA WATER, FISH, AND OCCASION- LY A LITTLE BLACK OIL . CONSEQUENTLY, THE TANKS GOT DIRTY AND HAD TO BE CLEANED BEFORE THE SHIP RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. THE R DIVI- SION TOOK ON THE JOB AIDED BY SIX MEN FROM OTHER DIVISIONS BEGINNING THE THIRD OF NOVEMBER . AT THE TOP, A BEFORE SHOT OF ONE OF THE TANKS . IN THE CENTER, A LITTLE STEAM, CHE- MICALS AND QUITE A BIT OF ELBOW GREASE FOR A NUMBER OFHOURS BROUGHT ABOUT THE CLEAN TANK READY FOR IN- SPECTION AND REPAIRS SHOWN AT BOT- TOM .

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KAOHSIUNG ' S HARBOR, TOP LEFT. BUSY STREETS WERE COMMON IN THE FAR EAST, ABOVE .KAOHSIUNG . AT LEFT, THE YOUNG BOATMEN OF KAOHSIUNG WHO BARGAINED WITH CREW MEMBERS FOR UNWANTED ITEMS. ONE OF THE MANY KAOHSIUNG PEDI-CABS WHICH PROVIDED THE CREW WITH TRANSPORTATION AT BOTTOM LEFT. GOINGTO SEA IS OFTEN A FAMILY AFFAIR IN THE ORIENT AND ALL THE GANG TURNED TO WITH A WILL TO KEEP THE FAMILY VESSEL FROM GETTING UP AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE GUNSTON HALL.