Schenectady (LST 1185) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ship Histor At seven o'clock on the thirteenth of June 1970 the SCHENECTADY was commissioned at ceremonies held at the U.S. Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, California. The ship is the first to be named in honor of the city and county of Schenectady, New York. Since that memorable day, SCHENECTADY has participated in many excercises and several Western Pacific Cruises. Under the command of Commander David E. Sigsworth, SCHENECTADY began her active ser- vice with her assignment to Amphibious Squadron Nine, homeported in San Diego. In SCHENECTADY'S first year of operation, she was called upon to escort patrol gunboats 2700 miles down the coast to Panama. In 1971 SCHENECTADY was sent to Southeast Asia to meet the challenges of Vietnam. While in Southeast Asia, SCHENECTADY came under enemy attack and returned fire. For this and other ac- tions during her tour in Southeast Asia SCHENECTADY was honored by receiving the com- bat action award. After spending a very short time in Amphibious Squadron Nine SCHENECTADY was augmented into Amphibious Squadron Five. On February 29. 1972 Commander Raymond J. Czar relieved Commander David E. Sigsworth as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. SCHENECTADY while in Subic Bay, Republic of the Phillipines. ii' x SCHENECTADY returned to her homeport of San Diego. While she was there she participated in numerous amphibious exercises off the Southern California coast. On August 22, 1973 SCHENECTADY received her third commanding officer, Commander Kevin L. Matteson. g On the twenty ninth of August 1973, SCHENECTADY departed on her second Western Pacific Cruise. After a brief stop in Pearl Harbor, SCHENECTADY proceeded on to Chin Wan, Okinawa and then to Subic Bay, Phillipines. While in the Western Pacific, SCHENECTADY participated in numerous landings and exercises with the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon returning to San Diego, SCHENECTADY entered Amphibious Squadron Seven. On the third of September 1974 U.S.S. SCHENECTADY entered her regular overhaul period. The overhaul period was completed on the twenty second of February 1975. Later that year in April and May, SCHENECTADY underwent refresher training and Amphibious refresher training. On July 19, 1975 Commander M. H. V. Nolan became SCHENECTADY'S fourth commanding of- ficer after relieving Commander K. L. Matteson. SCHENECTADY departed San Diego, Califor- nia on 4 October 1975 for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, enroute to her third Western Pacific Cruise. , i A s

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it 'gg ,k,, f Commander M. H. V. Nolan Commanding Commander Michael H. V. Nolan, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Nolan, was born in Toledo, Ohio on October 19, 1936. He is a graduate of Cathedral Preperatory School, Erie Pennsylvania, and attended Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachussetts where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1958. In 1972 he earned a Master of Arts in Human Behavior from United States International University. Commander Nolan was commissioned an ensign in the regular Navy through the NROTC Program in 1959. From 1959 to 1964. he served on destroyers U.S.S. COMPTON QDD 7055 and U.S.S. TAUSSIG QDD 7465 as damage control assistant. Engineering Officer, Operations Officer and Navigator. In 1964, he was assigned to the NROTC Unit at Princeton University as an instructor of engineering and leadership. This assignment was followed by a tour as Commanding Officer U.S.S. CHURCHILL COUNTY QLST 5835. ., . Wy- . .. .... .. - . .A ,V . YM Q ,dh L ' , , sgf ,r-.:. 3 , . nf, A.. shin.,-.L Commander Nolan then had a tour of duty on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam in 1968-69. This tour was followed by an assignment to the staff of Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In 1971 he reported to the U.S.S. PEORIA QLST 11835 as Ex- ecutive Officer. He returned to the Amphibious Force Staff in November 1972 as the equal opportunity assistant to the Force Commander. Upon establish- ment of the Naval Surface Force in January 1975, he retained the same assignment. On the nineteenth of July 1975 Commander Nolan assumed command of the U.S.S. SCHENECTADY QLST 11855. Commander Nolan has been awarded the Bronze Star, Navy Acheivement Medal, Armed Forces Ex- peditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He is married to the former Linda Marie Tripp of San Diego, California. They have three sons: Patrick, Timothy and Sean. 5.