Ponchatoula (AO 148) - Naval Cruise Book

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. -. zu..--.1-J-A ,. ..,, L.S......1.1 14 E lnman Hoagy Carmichael Captain, USN Q fi is 235 901 C .M.MANDI z G OFFICER Captain E Inman lHoagyi Carmichael, a native of Macon, Georgia, attended Georgia Tech University prior to entering the Navy in January 1955. He began training as a Naval Aviator on 13, July 1956. Since receiving his wings in 1956, Captain Carmichael has been a member of various Air Squadrons and served aboard the USS RANGER, USS MIDWAY and USS CORAL SEA. ln July 1972 Captain Carmichael attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D. C., where he also attended George Washington University receiving a masters degree in Business Administration. Captain Carmichael reported to Carrier Airwing fifteen in March 1974, where he served as Airwing Commander aboard the USS CORAL SEA during the evacuation of Saigon and the SS Mayaquez incident in May'1975. ln June 1975 Captain Carmichael reported to the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D. C., where he served as the Naval Strike Fighter QF-185 Coordinator for eighteen months. Captain Carmichael's decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, 3 Air Medals and 15 lStrike Flighti Air Medals, 3 Navy Commendation Medals with l V and numerous unit and campaign awards earned as a result of service in Southeast Asia. As a Naval Aviator he has aquired over 6,000 hours of flight and 850 carrier landings. His wife, the former Joan Burton of Vienna, Georgia, and two children, Kelly and John presently reside in Springfield, Virginia. i l

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Origin Of Name Oilers of the United States Navy are named after rivers. The Ponchatoula River flows through the southwestern part of the Tongipahoa Parish, Louisiana, and enters the Tickfaw several miles southeast of Springfield in Livingston Parish. The name Ponchatoula signifies Singing Hair . The Choctaw Indians gave this fanciful name to the stream because of the abundance of Spanish moss on the trees in its vicinity, the Indians, thinking that the moss sang in the wind, named the river Ponchitoawa which was subsequently corrupted by the white settlers to Ponchatoula . Our Mission PONCHATOULA'S overall mission and motto, is to provide service to the fleet. To accomplish this task, she was designed, manned and built specifically to conduct replenishment operations during wartime, to move independently, to defend herself, and to be capable of controlling the activities of an entire task group or force. Certain specified mission requirements have been established which make it possible to measure the degree to which PONCHATOULA is ready to carry out her missions, each is a function of the level of training, dedication and experience of the personnel serving in her. Some of these mission requirements and the ratings necessary to perform the mission include: the ability to steam to certain specifications lBT!lVlMl, to be able to repair damage QHTJ, to operate in company with other ships lOS!SM!QlVll, to communicate and control the activities of others QRMXSIVIXOSJ, to be able to transfer fuel, mail, supplies and freight to others QBMD, to be able to engage air and surface targets QGMJ, and not the least among these, the ability to provide administrative support services for the rest of the crew lMS!SHXSK!ET!YN!PN!PC!lC!EM!DK!JO!etc.l The satisfactory performance of PONCHATOULA's mission means that other ships can remain on the battle line longer thereby perform their missions more effectively. PONCHATOULA' s mission is to keep the rest of the fleet going, and in the effort, enhance the capabilities of the entire fleet. Ship's Plaque The PONCHATOULA plaque was designed shortly after commissioning the ship. lt symbolizes what the ship stands for and the ideals she fosters. The meaning of the various parts of the emblem are as follows: Hi The white chevron is symbolic of the higher concepts to which the ship aspires. Q23 The sky blue fields through which the chevron points upward is symbolic of the heavens which contain the guides of these ideals. l3l The moon and stars are aids from the heavens to help in safe navigation on each cruise. Q43 The symbol found in the UPPER LEFT hand corner is the symbol of the goddess Venus, and commemorates PONCHATOULA's timely rescue of the Panamanian ship SS Venus. As ever, she stands ready to perform even the most demanding operations. i1f ZLi1,,f, f f 3' . 77 - I. I i f V 5? m fl I XV! ,X I f , ,XM ' V51 41 ' 4 ' 0 -, , , , A ' . 24535,f'ffj1,Z,T':,y4Z-f' ' ,, '

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