Leonard Mason (DD 852) - Naval Cruise Book

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HER HISTORY . . . USS MASON (DD852) was named for PFC Leonard F. Mason, USMC, who was killed in action on Guam in World War II. For his heroism, he was post- humously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. (Biograp hy and cita- tion appear on inside covers.) MASON was built at Quincy, Massachusetts by Bethlehem Steel; she was launched 15 December 1945 under the sponsorship of PFC Mason ' s mother, Mrs. Hillery Mason of Lafayette, Ohio, and was commissioned 28 June 1946. MASON shook down in the Caribbean, and transited the Panama Canal to join DESDIV 152 in early 1947. She was overhauled at Hunter ' s Point, and in June 1947 sailed for a ten month tour on the China Station. Upon her return, she participated in local operations for eight months, underwent overhaul at Bremerton, and in March 1949 joined DESDIV 32, sailing for eight months on the China Station the following month. Upon her return, MASON operated locally until June 1950, when she cari- ried NROTC midshipmen to Pearl Harbor on their annual summer cruise. This duty completed, MASON was refitted and regunned at Mare Island. In Decem- ber 1950 MASON again sailed for the Far East, operating with TG 96-7 as an ASW ship for four months. The next two months were spent with TF 77 in support of carriers; late in May 1951, MASON was transferred to TF 95 and with this unit participated in the siege of Wonsan. In June MASON was as- signed to TG 95.1 as a blockade ship and screen unit for the British carrier element assigned. A well-earned rest was now due, and MASON returned to CONUS. In February 1952, MASON returned to the Orient; in March she was as- signed to TF 95, and again ' took part in the Wonsan seige. In April, MASON screened TF 77, and then played an active role in HUK exercises with TG 96.2. In May, MASON joined the Formosa Defense Patrol. June saw MASON again with TF 77 off Korea; she remained here until September, at which time she sailed for her new home port — Long Beach, California. A winter in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and a rugged spring spent in refresher training readied MASON for her next tour in Korean waters. Just trnmssBSBBra ikiiiLsmmLiUMun

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WESTPAC CRUISE LOG of the USS MASON (DD852) 1956-1957 STAFF Editor-in-Chief , t,, ., , ,, Layout Editor ™ ' ° ' hall Activities Editor . 03 ph° °E ' ' °- • ■; ' ; ;:; ::::::LTiG ' Ruiz:aMaiieyso3 Produced by THE JACK DAVIDSON PUBUSHING CO Box 989 SanDi 90 12, Calif.

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n before her departure, she operated for two weeks with NOTS INYOKERN, testing new ASW weapons; then in May, with DESDIV 32 and DESDIV 301, MASON sailed west once more, spending June screening NEW JERSEY on and beyond the Bomb Line. The summer passed with HUK exercises and TF 77 in that unit ' s last Korean operations. As the Korean War ended, MASON joined TF 95 for police duties, and then in September returned to TF 97 in their new area of operations, the South China Sea. A tour on the Formosa Patrol, and another month with TF 77 finished this deployment; in late November, MASON returned home for a winter of local operations. In July, 1954, MASON returned to the Far East, operating with TG 70.2 and TF 95, and finally TU 36.7.2, a typhoon evasion group. This was the first of thirteen typhoons, certainly par for the course, which invaded MASON ' S vicinity during this cruise. Upon her return in February 1955, MASON immedi- ately entered the yard at Long Beach for a regular overhaul. Following her return to operation, the ship went through refresher training. She also tested new ASW weapons for NOTS INYOKERN and prepared for her next cruise. In September, MASON headed westward on her seventh WESTPAC cruise, in company with DESDIV 32. During October, she operated with Submarine Hunter Killer Task Group 70.4, and then with TF 77 in November. In December MASON participated in an amphibious training operation at Okinawa, and then she rejoined TF 77. January 1956 found the MASON on the Formosa Straits Patrol, and then in February she headed homeward arriving in Long Beach in Early March. The month of March was devoted to a period of much deserved leave and liberty. MASON spent April and May conducting training exercises in local operating areas and providing services for various fleet training schools and the Naval Reserve. In June she participated with TF 11 in the annual Pacific Training Exercise, during which a very memorable visit to San Francisco was made. During July and August MASON was occupied with a rigorous Des- troyer Qualification Underway Training Program. Then in September and October MASON settled down to a reduced schedule of local operations.