LST (530) - Naval Cruise Book

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only pass this along to the crew by reprinting it for the bulletin board and posting my own heartfelt con- gratulations to all hands for the way in which they had executed their jobs. The 530 had made a good record and an excellent name for herself by virture of her crew's performance. Un ,lune 7th Messrs. Bromfielfl and Sinnett, along with five LCYP crews coxwained by 'iPop Moore, Viade, Peters, Parker and Barber parted company with the mother ship for troop carrying duty dur- ing build-up period along the Nor- mandy coast. Ensign Sinnett and his crew subsequently participated with distinction in the daring Rhine crossing, thereby extending the scope of 530's record. There- after until Mid-December the ship crossed and re-crossed the English Channel on duty as troop, tank, ammunition, and cargo carrier for the Army, building for herself a record of quick turnarounds in all kinds of weather, and earning the commendation of flotilla and fleet commanders. Final news of orders to proceed to the Pacific via the U.S.A. came shortly before Christ- mas in 1944, which was celebrated with gusto in the harbor of Ply- . 35, X T CHANNEL CROSSING 1 ROVER Boys IN CHERBOURC c1,f, I M, W1 V - gf I Vi' ac' fr 1 ,P , 1 f. f ff ss i 5 , ff' mf ,,,i,-:iv-rt f, t t ' fl it X.. , ,ws 5 N I Q, , -Rss is at fs , Q s, - A sc sc R Q - -f' f- f 1' fy, Wg. ugly ,X t V ,A .W ,, x , is -r ,xv 1, C .t S, i' ,, 1, ,Q K,

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T GOING INTO FRANCE FROM THE 530 L FULL LOAD I i. -11+ 3' 1' Wigs. s ,l 'ff X. . if ' ' Lb,,'ys..,,,'1.g,.xs . Lx , YN :sl I J 1 mNkYfH0Bi,,,.,- -M 4, r X A' r-7 . ' ' ' ' :LQ M7 H' : ' 'Je 3515 - 'ff' W-.1 'T , . p Tw -1 A 44. In- .. p-,M-p 'W ' - ' J ' ' , T-U-., ... --Pts ,, ... X - f fy- A il -Y h, O 'i's'a ..4-..... 'f+'7 'i ifgg i 'ff 9,'..r-Q... L -Z f S i' 4 'F 'W ' , Q, A N- A is 'W N 4 X., , , ,I M --vs.: . S,-U ATM? '..... M- is--A M' - , M- U '4 ' a ' , ' W .,- -es-es ,Q I ws., 1 fn A ' - '--, 1 s wlygf, fh7.M:..,. .M c f- - e I., -.f I , gr, .. wg, ,.... 'A' -'H yr -M A - . is ag . ! .K f,N tl. ts- 'mx' K ' .1. - 'Gsm ,sg , -3.87 ,Aw TWD, , , - 2.4, sl. , 47 --M .r4.g..xs+-vw,-f.f--f 2 . .1-. -ws -W T ON THE BEACH L GERMAN PRISONERS COMING ABOARD A , ' - -fir-9 -. in ff . R i N 3' X... K- ...N , - K 'A si x I L I x - sw. i ' '44 s...,, -. N. 1- K' .is , . .Mc ' . -c '.frwf. ,pusr'X ,.-.x W through which 530 passed, namely' that we did have a charmed life. A strafing ME crashed a quarter of a mile off the port bow, sadly into a sister ship. Ships blew up over mines, or were strafed merci- lessly, or broached on the beach. Combat troops and tanks oil'-loaded on Gold beach at low tide and struck out for Caen where counter- attacks had already started. As the evening saw the beach sprinkled with dead, and the fighting moved inland several miles, we eased our way through sunken ships, mines, and other ships still waiting to unload, and headed back to Eng- land for another load, carrying German POWI's and some badly wounded British and Canadians. Air attacks made the night a try- ing one but the turnaround was made in record time. In Tilbury, London, a message from Admiral L. Nesmith, Royal Navy, commended 530 for her rapid discharge of duty thusly: Your ship is highly commended for the outstandingly rapid and effective manner with which she has accomplished her part in the invasion and return to British shores for her next assignment. Godspeed and good luck. I could

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T POST INSPECTION DISCUSSION 1 THE HOT-SHOTS mouth. A costume ball was held by the crew on the tank deck. Back to the U.S.A. in a slow submarine-dodging convoy and the usual rough Atlantic winter weather, first on a southerly course down by Spain and then on over via the Azores Islands. A short stop at Norfolk and on to Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York, where a blizzard and a freezing tempera- ture failed to take the edge oH' anyone'S pleasure at arriving at the Big Home Base. The mad dash to get ,clear of the veteran LST began immedi- ately after Lt. Black had his crew carry out the order to secure the engines, which incidentally had performed with efficiency far above the average LST's power plant. Wlell deserved flowers to Black's gang. Vfhat all hands did during their month's leave, I have no idea, but those of us who returned, gloomily realized we were oil' to the wars again in view of the hurry the gentlemen of the Navy Yard seemed to be in to shove the out to sea again. ln February of 1945, nearly a year after being rushed into like European War. 530 was called UH