Renville (APA 227) - Naval Cruise Book

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C BAN One bright afternoon last October, President Kennedy announced to the nation that the United States Government had issued that morning an ultimatum of an extremely serious nature to the Soviet Union. A convoy of Russian frelghters believed to be carrying nuclear weapons in their cargo was on its way to Cuba, where a gradual military buildup had been uncovered during the previous weeks. President Kennedy told the nation a message to the Soviet Union stated that all Soviet vessels within a prescribed perimeter around Cuba will be signalled to stop by American Naval vessels and to prepare for a boarding and search party, and that any attempt at resistance would be met with open fire. The Presi- dent said that American forces around the world had been alerted, leaves cancelled, and extensions directed where necessary. At 0200 on the morning following that decisive afternoon on October 22nd, the Renville shifted berths from the Naval Station, San Diego, to the Naval Air Station, North Island. Other ships were busy moving in the harbor, too. There was excitement and nervous laughter. And the elusive feeling of unreality which spreads through awareness whenever some- thing happens which has always been categorically assigned to an unknown and incredible future. The Renville was scheduled to depart for WestPac in another week, and a successful period of amphibious training had been completed only a few days before. Her crew was looking forward to new horizons and preparing for wistful separations. With new feelings backed up on theold so suddenly, they did not know how to respond. Now the rumors spread. They would load troops. They would go to Cuba. There would be world war. They would load troops and wait- In the next few days nothing happened and a lot happened. The Soviet convoy had slowed and one or two ships had turned away. It appeared that Khrushchev would acquiesce, at least for the time being. The Renville crew began to adjust their outlooks to the new possibilities, and to form their personalities, their being around them. Their looks became more direct, their feelings more concrete, whether they be of skepticism, of disbelief, of uncer- tainty, of reluctance or heroism. And the Renville began to assume the appearance of a combatant ship. i

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'4We made a slow start on our WeslPav Deployment, what with the trip to the Caribbean and being home for Christ- mas, but once we started we really made up for lost time. We were able to make niany friends with our dependents cruise, and to accomplish many needed repairs to the ship. We also managed to get in considerable training which iwe- sorely needed. I consider our deployment of great benefit to all of us and certainly a profitable one in terms of experience. Commander H. P. Hansen is a native of Santa Barbara, California, and attended schools in Santa Barbara and Solvang, California. From March 1936 until June 1942 Commander Hansen served in the Navy as an enlisted man on the USS GAMBLE QDM 151, USS OGLALA CCM 41, USS HOVEY CDD 2081, and USS PRESIDENT JACKSON KAPA 181. Pro- moted to Warrant Boatswain in June 1942, and served with the Amphibious Forces in the South Pacific until De- cember 1943. During,1944 Cdr. Hansen was promoted to CWO and also commissioned two new 180 foot minesweepers, USS CLIMAX KAM 1611 and USS FACILITY KAM 2331. Under the LDO program he was made an Ensign in July 1944, and was ordered as CO, USS YMS 422, later renamed USS OSPREY KAMS 281. In 1946 he was promoted to LTfjg1 and during 1946 and 1947 the Osprey cleared mines in Japanese waters and from the Gilbert, Marianas, Truk, and:Pa1au Islands. Took command of the USS PCKC1 1168, and then was ordered to Key West, Fla., as Communications Offi- cer of the Operations Development Station where he remained until December 1951. In July 1951 he was promoted to Lieutenant, be also accepted a permanent commission as an LDO Officer, after being selected in 1948. In 1952 took command of USS SALISH QATA 1871 and in 1954 the USS MOLALA QATF 1061. While serving on the MOLALA Mr. Hansen was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. In 1956 he was detached and ordered to Naval Station, Guam, M. I., as Security Officer and Armed Services Police Officer. In November 1958, he was detached and ordered to Stockton, California, as Commanding Officer, U. S. Naval Reserve Training Center. After a tour of two years, Cdr Hansen was ordered to USS SURFBIRD fADG 3831, stationed in Sasebo, Japan, as its Commanding Officer. The SURFBIRD is the only degaussing ship in the world. On 1 August 1961 be was promoted to Commander. Commander Hansen reported to the RENVILLE as its Executive Officer in October 1962. Commander Hansen married the former Lois M. Nicol of Seattle, Washington, in August 1941. CDR HANS P. HANSEN

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CRISIS Ammunition was loaded. Bombs of various sizes mostly. And gasoline. Then back to the pier at the Naval Station, all through the night and the next day, troops and their cargo. The piers, under the smokey glow of the huge lights of many ships, were crowded with moving lines of Marines, their tanks, jeeps, trucks, and tier upon tier of wooden crates, and bundles, and bags. There was much shouting and swearing and commotion and bewilderment, but somehow the loading was completed in short time and the piers were emptied. It was a huge job of mobilization, and it was done in amazing time, and on the morning of the 27th the Renville was underway. After clearing San Diego Harbor the Renville crew found itself in a convoy of 26 ships, including a destroyer screen, with their bows pointing south. They knew nothing definite. The officers, most of them, knew nothing definite. Would they steam with no destination? Would they go to the Panama Canal and stop? Would they transit the canal and ap- proach Cuba? Would there be a landing? What? In any case they would be busy. Many of them had sailed only with a few ships, never' such a large formation before. The bridge watch, made up mostly of green ensigns and green whitehats, were nervous and taut and busy as hell. This would be the best training, if nothing else. CIC and radio were hopping, as they had never hopped before. The engineroom watch was doubly alert, in a formation like this a breakdown could be suddenly disastrous. And the deck crew kept busy with numerous highline transfers and under- way fuelings. The powerful-looking convoy of amphibious ships steamed south through the changing sea, while the ominous cloud of a major threat to peace hung gloomily over them. First the grey and then mauve seas off Baja, California, then with the hot damp days the deep blues, the transparent aquamarines, and the gay phosphorescent churn- ings at night. Further south the air became damp and clung to the body. One morning a low bank of rain clouds and fresh breeze blew up, and there was a sudden sweet downpour of rain. Crew and troops frisked in the rain, their tensions temporarily broken. I Wx