Renville (APA 227) - Naval Cruise Book

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, -x.t'v' - - ,up I Ii As we sailed from San Diego on 22 june 1964 there were undoubtedly several conceptions of the words cruise as it applied to our then forthcoming tour in the Far East. To some it meant the oppor- tunity to see new lands and new faces and to broaden, first hand, knowledge of the world on which we live. To more experienced hands who had been in West Pac before it was simply another job to be done. To the Amphibious Squadron we were relieving our arrival would mean the chance to stand down from the exacting combat readiness requirements of the wide -ranging Seventh Fleet and a return to a still alert, yet less rigorous, readiness posture in home port. To those we were leaving behind unquestionably the predominant thoughts were those of emptiness and apprehension as minds filled with the many prob- lems to be faced alone in subsequent months. Our cruise meant all those things, of course-but we sensed as we sailed, and subsequent events proved, that none of them connoted the true significance of our tour in West Pac. Most of us accept, at face value, the tenet that seapower is a. major constituent of our national strengths-military, political, scientific and economic-and that our freedom to use the seas is absolute- ly essential to the attainment of national security objectives. Yet we frequently err by defining sea- power in lofty or abstract terms, difficult to associate with our day to day efforts. From time to time, therefore, it is appropriate that we remind ourselves that seapower is, in fact, comprised of every day, real life men and ships: their potential and their accomplishments -and that we in RENVILLE are, in- deed, a quantum of seapower and, thus an instrument of national policy itself. The visible proof we furnished of the readiness, the resilience, and the staying power of the Navy- Marine corps Team by our record-shattering 67 consecutive day commitment off Viet Nam with a com- bat-loaded Battalion Landing Team reminded friend and foe alike that the omnipresence of United States Seapower must be reckoned with wherever the Free World is threatened. This and the other Sev- enth Fleet assignments we took in stride proved again, too, what we must never forget: that men- not machines -form the basic foundation on which seapower is built. A ship 's performance is measured in the competence, the skill , the dedication, and the diligence of her crew. RENVILLE could not fail because her crew prided themselves in seeing that she did not. I am highly privileged to have commanded this fine ship and her devoted crew during these momen- tous and significant months in our nation's history. May this cruise book faithfully record our pride and satisfaction with another job routinely well done. E 6

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rf- . .5 4' 'I' F? EXECLITI E OFFI ER Commander Zinsler graduated from the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy in May 1945. Serving during World War II with the Merchant Marine service, he was a survivor of the SS JAMES R, LOWELL, which was torpedoed and sunk in October 1943 in the Mediterranean. In June 1946, he served for one year on the U. S.S, BOXER CCVA-21j in the Engineer- ing and Gunnery Divisions. Commander Zinsler served for two years Q195O-1952i aboard the U. S. S, ORISKANY QCVA- 343 in Gunnery. Following his sea tour, he spent the follow- ing twvo years as C. O. of the Naval Control of Shipping Office in Baltimore. In 1954 he served as X.O. aboard the U,S. S. ALDEBRAN QAF-101, and in 1955 was C,O. of the U.S.S. MATTABASSET QADG-525 until 1957. In 1958 he served as X,O, aboard the U. S,S. SIGOURNEY CDD-6435 until August of 1959. Commander Zinsler then spent two years at the U. S. Naval Intelligence School in Washington, D. C. In February of 1961 he was the Assistant U. S. Naval Attache and Assist- COMMANDER F. G. ZINSLER ant U. S, Naval Attache for Air in Rabat, Morocco. In Aug- ust 1964 he came to RENVILLE on which he presently serves. Commander Zinsler was married to the former Miss Elisa- beth I. Brown of Baltimore, Maryland, in 1947 and they have 3 children, james age 13, Elizabeth A, age 16, Patricia A. , age 6. Commander Zinsler holds the following decorations: U. S. Maritime Commission Combat Award Q1 Starj, U. S. Maritime Commission Atlantic War Zone Award, U. S. Maritime Com mission Pacific War Zone Award, U. S. Maritime Commission European -Middle ,East War Zone Award, U. S. Maritime Com mission Victory Medal, U. S. Naval Reserve Medal, U. S. Navy Occupation Medal QEurope and Asiaj, and the National De fense Service Medal. Commander Hansen entered the Navy as an enlisted man, serving in the Pacific. Promoted to Warrant Boatswain in 1942 and served with the Amphibious Forces in the South Pacific Lmtil 1943. During 1944 Cdr. Hansen was promoted to CWO and also commissioned two new 180 foot minesweepers, U. S. S. CLIMAX QAM161j and U. S. S. FACILITY QAM 233j. Under the LDO program he was made an Ensign in july 1944, and was ordered as CO, USS YMS 422, later renamed U.S.S. OSPREY QAMS 281. In 1946 he was promoted to LT Qjgj and spent the following two years clearing mines in japanese waters. After being promoted to Lieutenant in 1951, he took command of the U.S.S. SALISH QATA-187j and in 1954 the U. S. S. MOLALA QATF- 1065. While serving on the MOLALA Mr. Hansen was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. In 1956 Commander Hansen served as secu- ! rity officer at the U,S, Naval Station, Guam. In November 1958, he was detached and ordered to Stocton, California, as Commanding Officer, U. S. Naval Reserve Training Center. In 1960, Commander Hansen was ordered to the U, S, S, SURFBIRD QADG-3831, stationed in Sasebo, japan, as its Commanding Officer. In August 1961, he was promoted to Commander. Commander Hansen reported to the RENVILLE as its Executive Officer in October 1962, and served until August 1964 when he reported to Treasure Island, San Francisco. It was a pleasure serving under such a fine Officer. Commander Hansen married the former Lois M. Nicol of Seattle, Washington in August of 1941. 5

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