Latimer (APA 152) - Naval Cruise Book

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C mmander Amphibious Force A United States Atlantic Fleet In reply refer to u.s. Naval Base Ig?-M!4032SSD, 1 Norfolk, 11, Virginia' Ser, 2377 6 April 1953 From: C mmander Amphibious Force, U,S. Atlantic Fleet To: Captain R. Vg GREGORY, USN, Commanding, USS LATIMER'fAPA 1521 Subj: Commendatio for Ship Performance 1. Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, is pleased to inform you that USS LATIMER has placed FIRST among APA for overall performance in Phase II of Exercise LANTPHIBEX II-53, 3 March e 3 April l953. 2, This excellent performance bespeaks high spirit, teamwork, and pride of accomplishment on the part of all hands in USS LATIMER, and sets a plendid example for the force, ' 3. To you and every member of your ship's company I extend a hearty and deserved Wwell Donen. Ag Please insure that appropriate notation is made in fitness reports and service records of personnel who were conspicuous in contributing to this excellent performance. By copy of this letter, your reporting senior is requested to make corresponding notation in your next report of fitness, F. G. FAHRION' p Copy to: Q S COMTRANSRON 2 COMTRANSDIV 2h

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7 P The keefl for the ship was laid at Portland, Oregon by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on 19 JMay 194-4. Six weeks later she was christened the U.S.S. LAT IMER QAPA 1521 in honor of Lati- mer County, Oklahoma and launched at Portland. Action was not long in coming forthe Latimer. Christmas of 1944 found her bound for the Philippines and on Easter Sunday 1945 she took part in the Okinawa Campaign. In 1946 she joined the Sixteenth Fleet and made Norfolk her home port. She was put in mothballs in February 1947. The Latimer was taken out of the inactive fleet and recommissioned on 23 September 1950 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. Since that time she has taken a tour in the Mediterranean, spent a summer in the cold waters of Green- land, Northern Canada and Labrador and has taken a very active part in many practice amphibi- ous operations 'in the Atlantic Fleet. She has made great progress since. 1950 and now ranks at the top of the list of amphibious force PA's, U..S. Atlantic Fleet. The Latimer is an attack transport and as such she has one primary and many secondary functions as a unit of the fleet. Her primary mission is to embark a Battalion Landing Team of troopswithlequipment and to land these troops administratively, to evacuate casualties and to transport equipment and supplies. She has a cruis- ing radius of approximately 10,500 miles at normal cruising speed of 13 knots. The ship has4 car- go hatches. All hatches' carry troop cargo, ammunition and gasoline. Booms to operate these I