Mountrail (LPA 213) - Naval Cruise Book

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? I i The Old Mule rounds the bend. We arrived in Morehead City, North Caro- lina at midnight on 11 December and spent the next eight hours off-loading our Marines and their equipment. The next afternoon we arrived at Pier 11 and were greeted by families and friends. Little Creek had never looked better. Q .. H0 TLAT Y The band was there to greet us. Mb j .- First line goes over. - R. bttbt V .fe -A Mr Kaldahl enjoyed that extra night's liberty. 1 Q Pu Mix 4 O! Families and friends come aboard.

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X X We were overjoyed to see the FREMONT appear through the haze. TUR OVER Amphibious Squadron TWELVE arrived in Carboneras, Spain on 27 November and turnover began as soon as they had anchored. By late afternoon all of our pertinent ma- terials and information had been transferred to the USS FREMONT QLPA-445 and PHIB- STRIKFORSIXTHFLT 3-68 was underway for home. The next day we celebrated both turnover and Thanksgiving with a magnificent roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings on the mess decks.

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PCSTSCRIPT Yes, our 1968 Med 'cruise was finally' over. After, , steaming almost 15,000 miles, consuming one million gallons of fuel, handling' 16,000 mes'- sages, expending 1700 rounds of 40 MM ammunition, and .holding 5 am- phibious landinzs. our 'iob' was finished. It had been a cruise which none of us would soon forget, with lots of hard work and a lot of good times. But as we doubled up our lines at Pier 11 our thoughts were not on the cruise, but on that long-awaited homecoming. WALBWDBTII Cruise Book Glllue PUlLl8HlNGm 918 Welt ill! Street COMPANY Norfolk. Virginia N817 Marnltne. Mo.. U.!.A.