Mauna Kea (AE 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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A NEW CAPTAIN SPEAKS .. T. H. Polk Captain, USN Commanding Officer Thomas Harding Polk was born on 26 July 1921 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. After comple- tion of his preliminary education he attended Texas Western at El Paso, Texas and the University e then entered and graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis Maryland in 1944 and received a Bachelor of Science Degree. . Captain Polk was promoted to his present rank on 1 July 1965 He is a graduate of the Submarine School Armed Forces Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Cap-Hill Polk has served as Commanding Officer of the USS SEA POACHER QSSD and as Submarine GrouP of Texas at Austin Texas H 1960 to February 1962 and is fluent in the Spanish language His most recent duty was as Naval A h ' ttac e and Naval Attache for Air U S Embassy Madrid Spain. He has been awarded the .l01Ut Services Commendation Medal and the Venezuelan Naval O d f M ' r er o erit. Captain Polk IS married to the former V1Ig1H1a Scott of Cynvvyd, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of three daughters and a son Carolyn Virginia Susan and Harding. Commander. He served with the Military Assistance Advisory Group to Venezuela from September 7 ' ' 7 7

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Qu. A short story I'm about to tell Some of it in rhyme, Of sun and sky and deep blue sea And trips out to the line. It started not to long ago- A month, a week, a day, In our home away from home, Hot, humid Subic Bay. Three days and nights to load the ship Holds working all the time. So low in the water we did sit, You could see no water line. Two days to Yankee Station, Doing 18 knots or more, With work to do a plenty, The Winches start to roar. Ships do come from all around, The stations-manned and ready. The approach is made, whistles blown, Then loads swing over steady. The ammunition leaves the ship, A pallet set in slings. Eight days, two weeks and often more, One thinks of many things. You turn around and start on back, The last unrep is finished. Reports are made and sent away, Of the names of ships replenished. Grande Island our right, 9- 2, -ov' i' '45-fist T' ,lb man? - -rs if - it 0, s-Nw wi. as - '-. n- an -f Q -W my Nldh N -X X. P 'e.'V' -N'-9 ah., - 't'3'

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CHANGE CF COMMAND On the crisp, clear morning of 17 July, 1969, in the harbor of Sasebo, Japan, Captain Thomas H. Polk relieved Captain Warren H. Sells as Commanding Ofhcer of USS MAUNA KEA. Rear Admiral R-L. J, Long, Commander Task Force 73fService Group Three, officiating at the ceremonies, called MAUNA KEA a ugreat ship , commenting that MAUNA KEA, to his knowledge, had never missed a Commitment. MAUNA KEA's crew at that time, was presented with the Meritorious Unit Com- mendation Medal. 5, -Q i .,. we 1, , , vugul p- , I , li Nia 1 'R Nm W' 51 x MTA' .V A -M A WM sm H--rf' X 05 1' mai ' -:fG'W'W . 0, R 4 5 Q' -Q. Q' 1 Q .. a if 'Ns