Lenawee (APA 195) - Naval Cruise Book

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c t i a t TiSS

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COMMANDING OFFICER This cruise book depicts the WestPac cruise of the USS LENAWEE (APA-195) during 1957-58. It is a record of a job well done and it is hoped that with the passing of time each member of the crew, officers and enlisted, can look back on the experiences of the LENA- WEE with pride. It has been a pleasure to have had this command and to each and every- one of you I wish further pleasant cruises and success in your daily tasks. CAPTAIN H. G. KIRKPATRICK, USN EXECUTIVE OFFICER I sincerely hope this cruise book brings as many pleasant memories to you as to me. We have had a few rough days together but you can look back with pride on a job well done. On behalf of my predecessor. Com- mander Carver, and myself may you all have fair weather and smooth sail- ing in all future cruises wheresoever they may take you. COMMANDER B. T. BROWN, USN

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c Mwcc (APA-f95) LENAWEE was built by Kaiser Company, Van- couver, Washington and launched on 11 September, 1944. She received her official commissioning on 11 October, 1944, at Astoria, Oregon. During World War II she was in a Transport Squad- ron operation in the Pacific taking part in the Okinawa and Iwo Jima invasions. She carried troops of the First Cavalry division to Yokohama and was present in Tokyo Bcry at the time of the Japanese surrender. From November 1945 to March 1946 she participated in op- eration Magic Carpet. LENAWEE went into mothballs after the war and re- mained so until 1950 and the outbreak of the Korean action. While operating in the Korean area she aided in the major evacuation of North Korean partisans to islands below the 38th parallel. During the signing of the final Korean truce on 28 luly 1953, LENAWEE was station ship in Inchon Harbor, Korea. In February of 1955 she took a major part in the evacuation of Chinese Nationalist refugees from the Tachen Islands off the China Coast. On her first trip to Keelung, Formosa, she carried some 3800 civilians and returned to the islands for an- other load of 1200 troops. In 1956 LENAWEE was the recipient of Amphibious Squadron One ' s Battle Readiness award as a result of readiness competition. She also is the proud bearer of the engineering E award. During the recent tour of duty in the Far East, LENA- WEE participated in operations PHIBLINK and STRONGBACK, both held in the Philippine Islands. In November 1957 LENAWEE was station ship in Hong Kong Harbor for a three week period. She completed her Far Eastern tour and arrived in San Diego on 1 April, 1958.