New Orleans (LPH 11) - Naval Cruise Book

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maneuvers in the South China Sea, and made port visits to Hong Kong, Manila, Subic Bay, Okinawa, and Taipei. On her return voyage to the United States NEW ORLEANS participated in Keystone Bluejay operations, returning 1,100 marines and 100 vehicles to San Diego. In May 1970 NEW ORLEANS was Amphibious Forces Pacific representative for Armed Forces Day in San Francisco, conducting a highly successful open house in that city. lnjune1970 NEW ORLEANS participated in one of the largest amphibious exercises ever conducted on the West Coast, MEBLEX 1-70. She also had the honor of being host for the double change of command for Commander Amphibious Training Pacific and Amphibious Group THREE. ln July 1970 NEW ORLEANS made a short cruise to Hawaii, transporting numerous aircraft to Pearl Harbor. In August 1970 NEW ORLEANS became the Flagship for Commander FIRST Fleet. It was during this month that she provided support for President Nixon's visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and made a port call at Acapulco. During the period of FIRST Fleet's embarkation numerous dignitaries, including foreign diplomats and naval leaders, visited NEW ORLEANS and FIRST Fleet. NEW ORLEANS was selected as primary recovery ship for Apollo 14 and prepared for that mission during the fall of 1970. In December 1970 Captain Robert E. Moore, USN relieved Captain Boudinot. In January 1971 NEW ORLEANS departed San Diego for Hawaii and the beginning of the Apollo 14 mission. On 9 February 1971 NEW ORLEANS recovered astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Ed Mitchell 900 miles south of American Samoa in the South Pacific. In March of 1971 NEW ORLEANS was host for the Mike Douglas TV Show on board - a show seen throughout the United States. On 1 May 1971 NEW ORLEANS commenced her 1971 Western Pacific deployment. During the first two months of this deployment the NEW ORLEANS made two at sea medical evacuations of seamen, one from an American and one from a Norwegian merchant vessel. Several exercises were held during the deployment. One of these was a convoy exercise, a multi-nation cruising exercise simulating a convoy under combat conditions. Another exercise conducted during this period was a simulated amphibious assault on the Island of Mindoro, Republic of the Philippines. During this time joint NavyfMarine civic action teams provided medical care and completed various civic improvements for the local residents. , NEW ORLEANS completed her deployment in November and commenced preparations for her February shipyard overhaul in Long Beach. NEW ORLEANS completed the shipyard overhaul and began preparing for her next deployment in July, 1972. On 17 july 1972, only four days after Captain R.W. Carius, USN had assumed command from Captain Moore, NEW ORLEANS became the flagship for Amphibious Squadron THREE and later Amphibious Ready Group ALFA under Commodore W.H. Ellis, USN. During late July and early August NEW ORLEANS and her embarked units participated in the Philippine Flood Relief Operations, earning the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. NEW ORLEANS was then engaged in contingency operations again with the ready group off the coast of Vietnam until early February. At this time she became the Flagship for Commander Task Force 78 and the control ship for Operation End Sweep. CTF 78, headed by Rear Admiral Brian McCauley, USN, was tasked with de-mining operations for the coast and harbors of North Vietnam. On 17 April 1973 NEW ORLEANS ceased operations in Haiphong Harbor and after being relieved in Subic Bay, Philippines, she began the long voyage home. NEW ORLEANS arrived in San Diego on 13 May 1973, marking the end of a long ten month deployment. On 18 August 1973 NEW ORLEANS departed San Diego for Hawaii and the beginning of the Skylab III mission. On 25 September 1973 NEW ORLEANS recovered astronauts Alan Bean, Owen Crarriott and Jack Lousma 190 miles Southwest of San Diego. On 14 December 1973, Captain Ralph E. Neiger, USN, relieved Captain Carius and on 4 January 1974 NEW ORLEANS was again underway for Hawaii and the beginning of the SKYLAB IV mission. On 8 February 1974 NEW ORLEANS recovered astronauts Carr, Gibson and Pogue 250 miles Southwest of San Diego and returned to homeport to begin preparations for its fourth Western Pacific deployment to commence in mid March.

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l , Commanding Officer ff f Captain Ralph E. Neiger Captain Ralph Neiger wasfiborn Sacramento, Caiifornia on 4Q1anuary E928 has attended Sacramento College and tlie Business Administration. .ln 1961 Captain Neiger was accepted to the UnitedStates Naval Postgraduate School and received a Masters degree in Management. He completed the College of Naval Warfare course at theNav,al War College in june 1971. 4, Captain Neiger entered thefNavy' in December 1945 in the V-5 prograrn and following college training was appointedyya Midshipman in May, 1948 When, lie entered flight training at Pensacola, Florida. Hewas designated a Naval Aviator in Septe,rnberj1949, and assigned to Attacic Squadron 115. In May 1950 he was commissioned Ensign, USN., Captain Neiger served with VA-115 on the Ussi PHILIPPINE SEA from July 1950 to March 1951, in the Korean conflict. He attended LSO school and later served in that capacity aboard the USS ESSEX in the Korean War Zone. Other assignments included duty with the Bureau of Naval Weapons Resident Representative, Special Projects Office, Aerojet General Corporation, Heavy Attack Squadron EIGHT in 1960wl961, V-6 Officer aboard USS RANGER, and as flight instructor with ATU- 301 at Cabaniss Fieid, Corpus Christi, Texas. Captain Neiger served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of Heavy Attack' Squadron EIGHT in 1965-1966, completed a tour as Operations Officer and Executive Officer of USS HANCOCK QCVA-191 in September 1970, and Commanding Officer of USS OGDEN QLPD-SD in October 1973. A , f ff 4 X ,, f 'f 4 WW' ,W f f ,, 7 wx., f f , , W , ,U U, X 1, W fc f gf ff ' HM ,' , wypfff ff A, X 'f 'fwfr' :rags , WW X ,WW . ff aw , yy' 1 . W f af Q f f , 5 X W ff ,Mm X W University of California at Berkelejgfwhereifbe, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degrgee in