Sanctuary (AH 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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TABLE GF CONTENTS Decommissioning - Recommissioning - Women At Sea Indecision and Waiting - Buenaventura, Columbia Crossing Oceans - Port au Prince, Haiti Human Interest - A New Home - Divisions

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SANCTUARY has passed many milestones and has surmounted many difficulties since Nov- f ' - ember 1972. She is successfully carrying out her mission, because she is manned by pro essuon l h know hovv to do their jobs whether in surgery, the boilers, the ships boats, the as vv o , maternity ward, the bakery, the storerooms, the retail store. The fact that the people doing these jobs are men or women is not the important thing. The important thing is that the job is being done, and being done efficiently and professionally. This is the essence of our experi- ment, and its success is due to the competance and sincerity of each and every member of our crew, regardless of sex, race, national origin, or religion. Well done to all hands, and very best wishes to all of you for good luck in the future. Sincerely, QZM T Thomas A. Rodgers Captain, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer

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THE END OF ONE EXPERIENCE pk FIG if . W X. K .Nino ,Q ,5m,,.,x,, A, SANCTUARY was decommissioned on 15 December 1971 in ceremonies at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. lt was the second time the ship had gone through the process of decommissioning. She was first taken out of the fleet on 1 lVlarch 1966 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyardg her first tour of duty having been spent evacuating POW's from Japan at the close of World War ll. The December '71 decommissioning came after SANCTUARY spent four years off the coat of Vietnam providing the latest in hospital facilities for United States and Allied Forces.