Rankin (LKA 103) - Naval Cruise Book

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I 391 jp Q'-iwfis HISTGRY or THE USS RANKIN USS RANKIN lLKA-1031, named for Rankin County, Mississippi, was built in Wilmington, North Carolina, and later converted into an attack cargo ship at the Charleston, North Carolina, Naval Shipyards. She was first commissioned on 24 Feb- ruary 1945 at the Boston Naval Shipyards. During her brief year of service during WW II, RANKIN was part of the Pacific Fleet. After the war, she was decommissioned and placed in the Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. On 22 March, 1952 RANKIN was recommis- sioned and ioined the Atlantic Fleet with her homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. During the first eight years following her recommissioning, RAN- KIN won the Battle Efficiency E six times, five of which were consecutive years, thus entitling her to display the Gold E , She was the first ship in the Atlantic Fleet to be so honored. In October 1962, upon the discovery of Rus- sian lntermediate-range ballistic missles in Cuba, RANKIN was part of the Amphibious Force of the Atlantic Fleet, which marshalled near Cuban waters and was prepared for any eventuality. In February 1963, RANKIN, with Amphibious Squadron Ten and components of the Second , . . - - - A Marine Battalion, ,visited Sfxntoidigirrajixrago fosffyvlaa 'Enaargurafrion ofiitigieifirst elected President ofiti-ue Dominican Repuibiicig 'ar their alert role on this occasion the RANliSNreceived commendationsfrom Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. In April of that same year, as a result of the unstable political situation in Haiti, the ship proceeded directly to a position off Haiti and patrolled in the Gulf of Gonave for a period of thirty-one days until ten- sions eased. During Squadron exercises in April of 1965, RANKIN took part in the Domincan Republic crisis. Arriving off the coast of Santo Domingo, RANKIN and other ships of Squadron Ten commenced the mass embarkation and evacuation of over 1,000 U. S. civilian nationals and refugees. As a result of this successful amphibious operation, all per- sonnel of the RANKIN were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation by the Secretary of the Navy. In October of 1966 the RANKIN was called upon to render relief to the disaster area of Cayes-Jacmel Haiti, after Hurricane Inez caused massive damage to the island. Men of the RANKIN unloaded tons of food, medical and building sup- plies tothe stricken people. After her regular overhaul period in 1967, RANKIN returned to operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean with Amphibious Squadron Ten. Deployed to the Caribbean from March to July 1968, RANKIN visited San Juan, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Panama, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Aruba, and Jamaica. ln August 1968, RANKIN participated in Riv- erine 68. This exercise was designed to demon- strate to Marine and Naval Forces the latest methods of combating iungle warfare. In November 1968, RANKIN was reassigned to Amphibious Squadron Four. In December 1968, RANKIN participated in the Apollo 8 Moon Shot as a secondary recovery ship operating sourth of Bermuda. In January 1969, RANKIN deployed south to the Caribbean for two months of intensive opera- tions and then returned to Norfolk to prepare for the Mediterranean cruise.

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NIEDIII - B9 USS RANKIN fLKA-1031 Captain C. N. Pierozzi, USN Commanding Ciiicer LTJG SA. Mamikonian, USNR Cruise Book Editor Jia, W1 X 9 Moa' in g 1

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The RANSGN is 459 feet long and has Q beam of 64 feet. Fully loaded, she dispiczces 31300 tons with u mean :lrczft of about feel. S-he has n maxi- mum speed of lb knots and a cruising range of nearly i7,Gif!i'i miles. Carge is carried in seven holds equipped with four 35 ian beams. Almost ali cargo aombei loaded. This means that it as feaded in zazcordaavze with premranged 323255, suzh th-rztwhcfn it is off loader! in ci, amphibi a-.rs assault, it willbe .placed :whore ready for combat and in the order that will be required by the troops. As a result of combat loading, however the RANKIN is generally completely loaded by volume but lightly loaded by weight in comparison with non combat cargo ships. RANKIN's main battery consists of sixteen land- ing craft carried on deck over the cargo holds and in welin davits on either side of the ship. These boats carry personnel and equipment through surf and on to the beach where the ramps are lowered and troops and equipment debark. Once the first wave of men and equipment has landed, amphibious operations do not end. The troops so landed are ill-equipped to do more than gain a foothold. The cargo deep in the holds of the RANKIN and other attack cargo ships is needed by the troops to keep the attack going and insure ultimate success in the operation. The need to work around the clock is impera- tive. The crews of the attack cargo ship settle down to unremitting hours of backbreaking work. These are times when the greatest skill and team- work are required from both hatch crews and boat crews. Bad weather may cause the ship to roll and pitch, creating hazards for the crew who are faced with the problems of placing heavy vehicles, am- munition and other supplies into bobbing landing craft. As can be surmised from the foregoing, duty of the RANKIN, or any other attack cargo ship, is not glamorous. It is simply hard work, sometimes dangerous and usually prolonged in the support of combat troops. Neither the ship nor its crew seek out the enemy, but the enemy sometimes seeks them out. Then they must man the ship's 5 38 caliber gun, and the four twin 40 millimeter anti-aircraft mounts. Such being the story of an attack cargo ship, a ship devoid of the prodigious equipment, the capabilities, comforts and conveniences of more modern ships, she, nevertheless, has been able to attain and possess awards which are the envy of all ships. E R. KIN'S MESSION sm Ez ,K . 5 12 , x 1