Latimer (APA 152) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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I-hs251'q hatches include four 5-ton booms, eight 10-ton booms and one 35-ton boom. She has' on board a total of 26 boats for the accomplishment of our mission, these include 22 LCVP's, 2 LCM's, 1 LCPL and 1 LCPR. Berthing space is provided forapproximately 1500 troops and 100 troop officers in addition to space for approximately a 500 man crew of officers' and men. Troop berthing is pro- vided in 6 troop compartments, 4 of which are forward and 2 aft. Crews berthing is located in various compartments throughout the ship., all with a general location amidships. Ourqpeacetime compliment of crew members is approximately 370 men and 35 officers. Our present commanding officer is Captain R.V'. Gregory. He has been commanding officer,since September 1952. Captain, Gregory was preceded by Captain B.C.Allen, Jr. and Captain Max L. Catterton since the ship was recommissioned in September 1950. The ship's first executive officer since her recommis- sioning was Commander J.B. McAuliffe who was relieved by Commander J.F. Finneran, Jr. dur- ing August 1952.