Henrico (APA 45) - Naval Cruise Book

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FAR EAST CRUISE 1959 16 APRIL-FRIENDS AND FAMILIES ON THE PIER , HENRICO SAILS FROM SAN DIEGO FOR THE REALM OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON ,THE WESTERN PACIFIC. 4 MAY-AFTER THREE STORMS, WE ARRIVE AT YOKOSUKA, JAPAN. 15 MAY-A MONTH-LONG SOJOURN STARTS AT CKINAWA AND WE BEGIN OUR STRUGGLE TO ADAPT OURSELVES TO THE TROPICAL HEAT. 25 JUNE-WE LOAD THE THIRD MARINE DIVISION BAND AND DRILL TEAM FOR A MONTH'S PEOPLE TO PEOPLE JUNKET, BEGINNING WITH A FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND IN SELDOM-VISITED BANGKOK. 11 JULY-A BRIEF BUT EVENTFUL STOP IN MANILA, MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF THE SEVERAL FILIPINOS AMONG SHIP'S COMPANY. 17 JULY-THE PEARL, OF THE ORIENT HONG KONG , IN A SCANT FOUR DAYS, THE PACKAGES QUICKLY FILL THEUNUSED SPACES ABOARD SHIP. 23 JULY-ON OUR RETURN TRIP WE STOP OVERNIGHT AT KEELUNG, TAIWAN, WHERE OUR MUSICAL PASSENGERS AGAIN PERFORM BRILLIANTLY. 26 JULY-MARINES DELIVERED BACK TO OKINAWA , MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. 28 JULY-SASEBO, JAPAN, PRECEEDING THE COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATION SEA HORSE , OUR FIRST TASTE OF TYPHOONS AS ELLEN BRUSHES BY., 10 AUGUST-CUSTER'S BOARD AT INCHON, KOREA FOR AN AMPHIBIOUS LANDING , SEA HORSE EXECUTED' SMOOTHLY. 24 AUGUST-KOBE, JAPAN , OSAKA AND KYOTO CLOSE BY, VIVID IMPRESSIONS OF A PROSPEROUS NATION, ANCIENT TEMPLES, FRIENDLY PEOPLE. 29 AUGUST-BACK TO YOKOSUKA AFTER A FOUR MONTH ABSENCE. IO SEPTEMBER-OKINAWA AGAIN, TYPHOONS, SARAH VERA , CHARLOTTE , AND DINAH PROVE TO BE MEAN-TEMPERED LADIES. 29 OCTOBER CTENTATIVEI-VOYAGE REPAIRS IN YOKOSUKA AND SAIL FOR HOME, VIA HAWAII, WE'VE TRAVELLED FAR, MADE NEW FRIENDS AND KEPT UP OUR END OF THE JOB. HAPPY MEMORIES OF THE CRUISE ONLY OVERSHADOWED BY ANTICIPATION OF HOMECOMING.- SAYONARA, GOLDEN DRAGON - KONNICHI- WA, SAN DIEGO.

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CRUISE BOOK STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LCDR D.H. HAGEDORN USN Iscy LAYOUT LCDR S. WILLIAMS USN ART LTJG W.A. BRANNIGAN USNR PROMOTION LTJG C.N.K. MOOERS USN PHOTOGRAPHY ENS P.R. GIVEN USN PHOTOGRAPHERS SIREKIS, A..I. EM2 RUBEN, H.W. JR RD2 I DIVISIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES AND MANY OTHER CONTRIBUTORS OF TIME AND EFFORT Ng. I

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SHIP'S HISTGRY USS HENRICO IAPA-45I THE S.S. SEA DARTAR WAS CONVERTED, IN MID-CONSTRUCTION, IN 1943 TO AN APA WITH FLAGSHIP ACCOMODATIONS AND WAS COMMISSIONED USS HENRICO IAPA-451. IN 1944, SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY INVASION AND THEN WAS SENT TO THE PACIFIC THEATER FOR THE OKINAWAN CAMPAIGN. ON THE EVENING OF 2 APRIL 1945, HENRICO WAS HIT BY A KAMIKAZE BOMBER, KILLING 51 NAVY AND ARMY PERSONNEL, INCLUDING THE SHIPS COMMANDING OFFICER. DURING THE 1945 50 PERIOD, SHE JOINED IN RETURNING SERVICEMEN TO THE U.S., ATOMIC BOMB TESTS AT BIKINI ATOLL, AND NUMEROUS TRAINING OPERATIONS OFF THE WEST COAST AND IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC DURING THE KOREAN CONFLICT 11950-19531 HENRICO SERVED IN THE ASSAULT LANDING AT INCHON, THE TACTICAL WITHDRAWAL AT WONSAN AND MANY OTHER OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS WITH THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS ON 1 OCTOBER 1954, AMPHIBIOUS SQUADRON ONE WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE SQUADRON COMMANDER IN HENRICO FROM 19551957 THE HAPPY HANK MADE SEVERAL CRUISES TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC WITH OPERATIONS IN HAWAII THE PHILIPPINES, OKINAWA, FORCES FROM THE TACHEN ISLANDS IN FEBRUARY 1955 AFTER CONTIGENCY OPERATIONS DURING THE INDONESIAN CRISIS IN LATE 1957 HENRICO WAS AN ELEMENT IN A HUGE SEATO OPERATION IN THE PHILIPPINES WITH 80,000 MEN AND 80 SHIPS IN THE FALL OF 1958 SHE TRANSPORTED TROOPS FROM SEATTLE TO CALIFORNIA IN THE FIRST LARGE ARMY AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION SINCE 1945. HENRICO THEN ENTERED A SHIPYARD IN SAN PEDRO CALIFORNIA FOR BIENNIAL OVERHAUL. AFTER SHE FINISHED HER REFRESHER AND AMPHIBIOUS SHAKEDOWN TRAINING, HENRICO SAILED FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC ON I6 APRIL 1959 AND JAPAN, PLUS PARTICIPATION IN- THE EVACUATION OF CHINESE NATIONALIST