Lindenwald (LSD 6) - Naval Cruise Book

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On January 22, 1944, LINDENWALD proceeded to Kwaialein Island, in the Marshall Islands, for her first taste ot combat, carrying 18 LCM's, 18 U. S. Army medium tanks and U. S. Army personnel. After the Marshalls, the LINDY proceeded to her next Pacific Theater assignment, the invasion of Emerau Island on March 20, 1944. Closely following Emerau came the invasion of Saipan Island. At Saipan, the LINDENWALD landed 18 tank-carrying amphibious vehicles as well as a detachment from the Second Marine Division. After seven days of combat, she carried wounded sailors and marines back to Pearl Harbor, and then steamed to San Francisco for a brief rest. October 20, 1944 marked the next event in LlNDENWALD's long career. As part of the largest Pacific task force assembled at that time she participated in the famous battle of Leyte Gulf. When the Leyte operation was completed, LINDENWALD was dispatched to Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, to assist in transportation of General MacArthur's rear echelons to their new headquarters at recently acquired Leyte. January 1945 found the LINDENWALD in another Philippine operation, the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. This operation provided the extra measure of combat experience which was to carry the LINDY through her last and most crucial test, the invasion of Okinawa. As part of l'The fleet that came to stay , she faced 92 straight days of attacks and harassment from the infamous Kamikaze Corps. During the nine weeks of the Okinawa campaign, the LINDENWALD and her sister LSD's repaired and returned to battle the amazing total of one and one-half the number of amphibious landing craft used during the operation. Steaming so often between South Pacific islands and Pearl Harbor landed LINDENWALD the nickname of Leaping Lindy ...a name which has lasted through the years. During her tour of duty in the Pacific theater, the LINDY earned five battle stars on her Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, a record which would distinguish any of the Navy's fighting ships. Her combat duties completed, the LINDENWALD returned to the States for rest and renovation. She was deactivated briefly before she was reconverted to meet her next challenge, the Frozen North. In May 1948, LINDY reioined the active duty ranks for an operation involving assistance to Military Sea Transportation Service in the Arctic. From 1948 to 1956 the LINDENWALD served with the Pacific Fleet, attached to MSTS for Arctic operations. In her capacity as part time troop carrier and part time ice breaker, the LINDY was on almost continuous duty as part of this country's explorations of the North Pole. After many years in the North, LINDENWALD was decommissioned and transferred to full-time duty with MSTS in December 1956. She then underwent further conversion in Norfolk, Virginia, for specialized arctic cargo. The yardwork mainly consisted of alteration of berthing spaces to provide standard accommodations for a civilian crew of about 85 officers and men, and construction of additional superstructure compartments. In 1957 LINDENWALD, with a civil ser- vice marine crew, again set out for Northeast Canada and Greenland in support of MSTS Far North Operations. The former fleet LSD was used to ferry amphibious equipment and floating craft too bulky for standard cargo ships. This phase in LINDY's life was not always a peaceful one. In mid-October 1958 she departed the east coast of Green- land on a supply run around Cape Farewell to a port in the Davis Strait. The trip was never completed because of an encounter with severe Arctic elements. During a 32-hour battle with icy winds and raging seas, LINDENWALD lost her steering controls. Tossing helplessly, her well-deck cargo came adrift and pounded dangerously against her sides. Radioing for help, LINDENWALD contacted the fleet oiler CHATTAHOOCHEE, which arrived shortly. The small tanker passed a towline to her and headed for a safe anchorage. There the crew repaired the damaged steering system and salvaged what was left of the cargo. With a noticeable list, LINDENWALD sailed for New York City and in late 1959 was placed in a ready reserve status. Her work was far from done, however, and in early 'l960 Sl'lC-E was towed tu dry dock for conversion. LINDENWALD was recommissioned and ioinecl the Amplwihiaus Farce, U. S. .Atlantic Fleet on July 1, under the command of Commander G. B. Howe. After her return to duty in 1960, LENDENWALU preceecld te Guantaname Bay, Cube, 'lo-r a shakedown cruise. During 1961 LINDY underwent shipyard repair, received training with the Anmphileious Operational Training Unit, and partici- pated in a Marine landing exercise at Ccwrzp flendleton, Virginia. She was eieplayerl le Ciudad Trufille for the Domini- can crisis in the fall of 1961. J From February to June 19612 l.llPlDENW,f3al.D loinecl the U. 5. Fleet for a tom' in the Mediterranean. During this tour, Commander F. P. Mcwermatt assumes? cammand af the l..ll'vlDli'ilwllNAl.l'3. Alter cs brief uplceep period in the United States, she deployed to the Caribbean in Augge.ssl el that year. 'Wliesi 'lla-za Eiultacm crlsifs began LENDY was on station with the Caribbean Ready Squaalron, -fully cermlzwzil-leaclecl. Upon her return to the ll. S.. in early 1963, l.ll5'llflENW13kl.l3 urn-zlerweril leur n'ml'itlf:s o'verltoml in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. During May and June, LINDY returned to the Caribbean rl-or refresher training at Guaa1lam:zrna Bay, Cuba. For the remainder of that year she remade lvm voyages te Clxznarlcsa. Un these trips she visited St. Jelrns and Argentia, Newfoundland, and Sydney, Neva Soctia. y J From March 4 to March 18, 1964, LINIEENWALD clepleyecl tc: St.. Tlmrrms, Virgin Islands, and Sem ,lweel, Pwer'te lizzie, for a lift of Underwater Demolition Team personnel and the Navy's experinwurlal subrnarine fiiewslly LINDEN- WALD displayed her combat readiness ence again in Opercrtien Quick lliclr V during April. fl1ll'er lleis clperatien the LINDENWALD received a new captcein, Clczmnmmzler' J. U. Tayler, who rxssuvmmecl cfmnmamwcl on Mlmy ffl, 'l The last chapter ol LINDENWALITS his,los'y is her -uleplwyrnent in the Meditermmfecm dwirvg snsrnmer' of 1964. Leaving Norfolk on May 19, she arrived ra the Nlecliterranean on June 5, where she spent live wfweilus Era eperatiealxs with the Sixth Fleet, including Operation Steel Pike I. Arriving lnacli in l'llm'lf:plk an Nlcwembm' 16, l.3lYlZFll:??'-ll.'lfi!5ilLlI'f began a well-earned holiday-leave period.

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U. S. S. LINDENWALD ILSD-bl CARE OF FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK, NEW YORK The success in maintaining this ship as an alert, ready unit of the Amphibious Force, Mediterranean was due entirely to the skill and devotion to duty by officers and men of LINDENWALD. LIN- DENWALD met every commitment with determination from the most complicated landing to the smallest orphanage party. I am iust as proud of the good will distributed in the I7 Mediterranean ports visited by LINDENWALD sailors as I am of the professional com- petence displayed in carrying out our primary mission. ,J. D. TAYLOR dr James D. Ta lor gommander James D. Taylor assumed command of the dock landing ship LINDENWALD on May 4, I 64. . He commanded the radar picket destroyer HAWKINS before being ordered to command LINDEN- WALD. From October I960 to January l963 he served on the staff of Commander in Chief, U.-S. Atlantic Fleet, and then attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk. He entered the Navy in June 1943 and later attended the University of Oklahoma, North Texas A 84 M, and midshipmen school at the University of Notre Dame. After being commissioned ensign in July l945 he served in the Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force attack transports Oconto and Bexar, and the attack cargo ship Rollette. He then served in the escort aircraft carrier Sicily, succeeded by duty in the destroyer C. J. BADGER. From September l952 until December T957 he was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Proiect at Albuquerque, N. M., and later served on the staff of Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. Following a tour as executive officer of the escort destroyer DAMATO he assumed command of the ocean minesweeper FEARLESS in 1959. A native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, Cdr Taylor is married to the former Miss Billie Jane Collier of that city. They have two children, Jan and Cynthia.