LST Squadron Four - Naval Cruise Book

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LST 279 fflSTORY THE USS LST 279 was built by the American Bridge Company at Ambridge, Pennsylvania and was commis- sioned on 25 October, 1943 in New Orleans, La. The first commanding officer was Charles A. Palm, Lieuten- ant, USNR, of Ventura, Calif. The LST 279 then pro- ceeded to St. Andrew ' s Bay, Panama City, Florida, where she made her shakedown cruise. After returning to New Orleans for alterations, the 279 proceeded to New York, N. Y. and thence headed for England via Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her first overseas port was Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Thence she proceeded through the Irish Sea to Milford Haven, Wales, United Kingdom. Her arrival in England itself was first made at Plymouth, February 7, 1944. From this date on, the 279 was engaged in various training maneuvers off the south coast of Eng- land. In May of 1944 this ship went under British op- erational control and so remained until July 14, 1944. The days immediately before the Normandy invasion were spent in the Western Solent, Southampton, Eng- land, where the 279 went through further training maneuvers with British troops. It was from Southampton that she started for France on June 6, 1944. At Gosport, Portsmouth Harbor, Eng- land, she picked up British vehicles and troops and thence joined the convoy for Normandy. The morning of June 7, this ship beached and un- loaded its cargo of soldiers and mechanized equipment on Mike Beach, Green Sector, in the Juno Area, Nor- mandy coast of France. After unloading, casualties were taken aboard and transported back to Portsmouth, England. During the early morning hours of June 11, general quarters were sounded as a German torpedo streaked in front of the ship, passing approximately 20 feet from our bow and hitting the LST 538, which was in the other column. That afternoon while unloading equip- ment off the Sword Area, the German long range guns began shelling the immediate area. Continued trips across the English Channel to the Normandy coast were made from Portsmouth, England. During the latter part of July this ship ' s operational base was changed to Portland, England. For the next ten months, routine operational trips were made between Portland and Rouen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, St. Michel-en-Greves, and the Normandy beaches. During this time seventy-four crossings of the channel were made. After 17 months overseas, the ship sailed from Plym- outh, England for Norfolk, Virginia. After unloading its cargo in Norfolk the 279 proceeded to New Or- leans for maintenance availability and repairs. LT F. D. KNOCHE Commanding Officer On August 1, 1945 H. E. Parker, LTJG, USNR, took command of the ship. During the latter part of August the 279 sailed for Galveston, Texas for her shake- down cruise. On October 12, 1945 the LST 279 became part of the US Atlantic Reserve Fleet. The LST 279 was then anchored in the St. Johns River, Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she was preserved and decommissioned. The 279 was re-commissioned 5 April 1951, and since that time has been part of the Amphibious Force, US Atlantic Fleet. Between the recommissioning date and the end of 1952, the ship participated in 5 major operations, three took the 279 to Caribbean waters. In the summer of 1952, the 279 took part in a northern operation, going several hundred miles beyond the Arctic Circle. The 279 has had three commanding officers since recommissioning: LCDR W. H. Fitzgerald, USNR; LT A. Youngberg, Jr., USNR; and LT F. D. Knoche, USN. who took command on 14 July 1952.

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LCDR JAMES R. FOCHT Commander LST Division 42

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LST 279 First row: Charles B. Shafer, Huber B. Young, Gerald J Gilner, Charles J. Maddi, Alan R. McShane, William D Purdie, Donald B. Dufresne. . . . Second row: Duane E Dennis, Henry C. Jenkins, Guy C. Patterson, Edgar V. Jen- sen, LTJG Norman B. Baty, Christopher M. Thomas, Lee E LeRoy E. Smith. . . . Third row: 1 ttten, i orman R. Calderwood, Raymond A. L. McHugh, Dudley L. Maijala, William Accor, Evans, Carroll R. McKean Donald E. Van Etten, N Demski, James L. McHugL, , Jr., John F. Garber, Donald L. Lomison. t % f i , f :i , f f ( t ■ im ' first row: Harvey W. Brodeur, Richard ' . Sj.,, j,,r, Donald R. Brelsford, Gerard A. Rouleau, Edsel Brown, Francis Vail- lancourt, Joseph F. Pandola, Albert M. Lembo. . . . Second row: Einar Holmberg, Paul B. Davidson, Herman B. Plautz, Neal F. Nelson, Harry L. Miller, Frank E. Soulier, Joseph , i , J ' Ronald Pecoraro, Joseph R. Shivers, Emmanuel M. Ferrante, Martin Stanton, Robert R. Lewis, Paul Ronchak, E. H. Walton, C. J. Verkler, Roman H. Pientok.