Henrico (APA 45) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 5 text:

CRISIS IN VIETNAM USS HENRICGIAPA-45I PARTIC PATES

Page 4 text:

The attack transport is designed to carry assault troops and their equipment to an objective area and to land troops and cargo on enemy held beaches. In addition, the ship mgist be equipped to evacuate and transport troop casualties and prisoners. of wlar E1'O1'l'1OFl'gi:. Epttilggqsat area, and to train embarked combat troops in the technique of amphibious an ing p . I ' ' AYPIELD class APA, which include the HENRICO, can,Pap?,1Qf3f,f1,Ql,i2f5H13g??2Si2132S?Sf E,.heLBcM'S, 1 LCPR, and 5 LCPL's n- a total of 23 bqats. The I-IENRICO can carry over 100 troop officers and about 1500 troop enlisted men in addition to its peacetime allowance of 25 officers and 343 enlisted men. Additionally, the HENRICO, as falgship for Commander, Amphibious Squadron ONE, carries 25 staff officers and 34 staff enlisted men. The I-IENRICO is approximately 492 feet in length and displaces about 14,000 tons when fully loaded. She is able to make speeds in excess of 18 knots, but normally. cruises at 15 knots. Her armament, essentially defensive in nature, consists of two 5 f38 caliber guns with a maximum range capability of 18,000 yards, and four twin 40lVllVl guns with a maximum range capability of 4,500 yards. Her primary mission is . that of all APA s: to conduct a ship to shore movement against a hostile beachhead and to deliver the troops and supplies necessary to make the amphibious operation successful. The USS HENRICO QAPA-455, formerly the S. S. SEA DARTER, converted to an attack transport with flagship accommodations, was built in 1942 and 1943, and was commissioned on 24 June 1943. The ship, named for I-lenrico County, Virginia, had CDR John WILLIS as her first commanding' officer. In February 1944, the HENRICO steamed to the United Kingdom for amphibious training. While engaged in these amphibious training exercises at Portland, England, the HENRICO opened fire for the first time under actual battle conditions during a heavy air attack on the night of May 28. The following month the ship participated in the largest amphibious operation in history, the invasion of Normandy. In October, the I-IENRICO returned to the United States for overhaul and then proceeded to the Western Pacific for participation in the invasion of Okinawa. The following April, while the ship was retiring for the night, a twin-engine Francis kamikaze bomber crashed into the starboard side of the navigation bridge. Two 250 pound bombs penetrated several decks before exploding on the main deck, port side. I-IENRICO was taken in tow by two other ships and delivered to an anchorage in Kerama Retto Harbor, Okinawa. Among the fifty-one persons killed that day were the Commanding Officer, the Division Commander, and the Troop Commanding Officer. - After minor repairs the HENRICO sailed under her own power for the United States. In August. 1945, she proceeded to Leyte, where she was anchored during the first days of the armistice with Japan. Operations immediately after the war included the returning of U. S. Servicemen from overseas, the Magic Carpet Operations. Later the ship participated in Operation CROSSROADS, the first atomic bomb test at Bikini. The Korean War again found the HENRICO busy. In July 1950 she sailed from the United States- with units of the 5th Marine Regiment, which she landed at Pusan. In September she participated in the assault landing at Inchon. To landing operations at Wonsan, North Korea followed .in October. She also participated, in 1953, in Operation BIC SWITCH, the moving of Communist North Korean prisoners from Koje Do tolnchon pursuant to the armistice agreement. October 1962 and the Cuban missile crisis found HENRICO loaded to capacity with Marines and supplies and on her way to the trouble spot, taking her place with other elements of the - 50 F Get OH the Caflbbean patrol BY February 1963 cuba was instor a d Hnnnico was . . . - , 1 back into peacetime routine . . . refresher training and amphibious Zpefational training. On 2,1 ,April 1964, HENRICO was honored for her outsta d' ' I' b h re- sentation of the Battle Efficiency E h VADM H mg acuevemem yt SP Force, U S Pacific Fleet This award Sresulted fhhn B' Cowen, Commander Amphlblous . . ' ' A .4 .. - 4 rom ' ' ' ' the mme other Ships in Amphibious Squadron ONE nearly two years in competition with U gn IgI5y51i11?eE133r6?ViEIlR1CiO1deP3Oyed to WESTPAC once again to serve as a unit of the Combat 'missions Infulfibruar O? 159165, She was .agam Called uponito rendel' bel' Services in South Vietnam the first am liibiou l fine participated H1919 amPhibiOus landing at DaNang, Iandmg in 1953 HENREC0 npade ths an ing to take place in Southeast Asia since the Lebanon following momlpst at Hue Chu Lai lfsedmore successful landings in South Vietnam in the three crew the Armed Eorces E,XPeditionarYnMgg3l1T1, at DaNan8, thereby earning for her officers and June 1965 marks HENRlCO's 22nd Anniversary of continuous active duty

Page 6 text:

COMMANDING OFFICER Captain Edwin G. Dankworth, USN, a native of Los Angeles, California, graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in June 1942. Following duty as an instructor at Dartmouth College, he reported to the USS PHILIP QDD-4985 where he served as Gunnery Officer. In May, 1944 Captain Dankworth commenced flight training. Upon com- pletion he was assigned to Fighting Squadron 5, in which he served until June, 1947. While serving as Officer -ln-Charge of the night fighter detachment aboard the USS BOXER off Korea, he was awarded the Air Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal. This tour of duty was followed by two years in the Bureau of Aeronautics and the assignment to Fighting Squadron 71 as Commanding Officer. In 19 he was assigned duty on the Joint Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During this period, he was promoted to Captain. Prior to reporting as Commanding Officer of the USS HENRICO, he served as Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander, Carrier Division 5. Captain and Mrs. Dankworth were married in 1942. They have two daughtersg Charlotte and Jane.