Schenectady (LST 1185) - Naval Cruise Book

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uss sci-IENECTADY QLST-11855 gmfs Nfl gum ron unmet .fslnuvwitmm COMPANY ll The Ship. .. USS Schenectady KLST-11851 is the seventh of the Newport - Class LST's, and the first U.S. Navy ship named after the city and county of Schenec- tady, New York. Built by National Steel and Shipbuilding Companv in San Diego, California, the ship was commissioned on june 13, 1970 at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. In 1971, the shi participated in Operation Key- stone off Vietnam. Later that year, she deployed to the Vietnamese coast, and became the first ship of its class to return counterbattery. She made other Western Pacific deployments in 1973, 1975, 1977 and 1979. The ':s.Q.13lk4wlAbX V if-iff' ' A l '4,l ' A i . f. 1.. A I . . .,.. .Ugg I , ll 'il 1 2' ' A . A ' , I ll V 3 1981 de loyment was Schenectady's .5455- 'za' - - - . ' 'Z 9 -'f4.+.v:.- is first to t e Indian Ocean. During her tg, g1g7iQ'lQi'Q:1qP1R,3E?XZ,:g,?,1': My , -f it T 1 QQ Qs 1 t i 3 , V .Nl ,, The Keel as laid, August 2, 1968. t'a.V.el5' Schenectadl' Froffed he' -1 -f abilities as a professiona ship, and as L.. .fr Q,-3. f ,- .2 an ambassador of American goodwill. After operating successfully with var- 'vis gg ious units of the Kenyan Navy, and later with our al ies from New Zealand 55 rsss 9 5 and Australia, Schenectady returned home having fulfilled all of its commit- A A ' -,1 ,'.,, ey, 'ff ments on time- C S ' I . 9 'fs. THE TOWN. .. Schenectady, New York is situated on the Mohawk River near its junction with the Hudson River in a scenic, rolling, countryside setting. Founded by Dutch settlers in 1661, the town had a rich colonial history. After the industrial boom of the 19th Century, Schenectad became a ma'or in Commissioning Day, lune 13, 1970 . 5' y j dus- trial center in Central New York. Much of the electrical and ropul- sion etiuipment on this all, other 1179 Cass LST's was manufactured by companies located here. State Street, Schenactady, N.Y. Stockade Monument, Schenectady, N. Y. The Ship's Seal represents symbolically a number of themes perti- nent to the ship. The composition combines symbols of both the 2 X sponsoring City and County and the Amphibious Force. 9 The shock of wheat is the seal of the City of Schenectady, recall- ing the fair land of the Mohawk Valley and symbolizingfeace and plenty. The scales of justice beneath the crossed swor s, the seal of the County of Schenectady, represents strength and jus- tice. The Danforth Anchor has been symbolic of the LST since its origin, because of its significant use during Amphibious oper- ations. Above the shield is the torch of liberty and freedom. The entire emblem, through these symbols, represents liberty and freedom defended by strength through justice, peace and plenty. This seal is based on a design riginated by Petty Officer First Class Noel Talampas, USN, a member of the nucleus crew of the SCHENECTADY. I is I QQ ' Q C0 D AD s. 45 lo, I O1 I THESEALH. -L x fa ' ' F' ' P I i ' 4 f I I I 1 Q 1 Q .I u, 1 Vx XXxxxS'

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0 0 , COMMANDING OFFICER M U55 scHENEc'rAov u.s'r 1185: 23 Ueeemben 1981 CO'S CRUISEBOOK UEDICATION Loohing bach on the 1981 weatenn Paci5ic deployment, I mould have to bay that my moot memonable event uno oua depantune 5nom Albany, weatenn Aultnalia. Hundnedo o5 people came to beauti5ul Painceio Royal Hanboun to Aee uo 055. Ao we paooed down the channel, you could oee many people Atanding out againbt the hillAideA'uuving.5ond 5anewello. It hal been many yeaao Aince I ve vioited a pant whene hoot and vioitoal got on A0 well. Unlihe the big dnaw enteatainment 05 the langen libemty poato, all Albany had to o55ea wan the welcome 05 itz townopeople and the augged beauty 05 thin pnovincial coaotal negion. But auth the keen inteneat Ahown in uo by the local neotdento, and a gneat oocial itinenany, it wal a wonden5ul pont viiit. Fon me - and I believe 5on moot 05 the cnew - Albany wal a highlight 05 a challenging and exciting cnuioe. with oun pont callo to Mombaaa, Kenyag Albany and Sydney, Auctnaliaj Subic Bay, Philippineo and Hong Kong, BCC it centainly lived up to the Navy'4 o55en to Hoee the wonld.H A weotenn Paci5ic deployment in aluuyz a demanding aooignment. It meano having to leave 5amily and loved oneo behind 50a an aw5ully long time. Shipboand uutcheo and upnh ane done undea anduouo weathen conditiono and a aeotnicted living enviaonment. Yet, it il the one time that Navy men can do what they do belt - openate theia ohip at Aea. Duning the deployment, we nailed the Ahip oven 50,000 mileo 05 open ocean. we panticipated in 5ive Aepanate amphibiouo aooault exencioeo, including the combined joint amphibioui anoault exencile KANGAROO-81 unth Auotnalian and New Zealand de5en4e 5onceA. Long houno anne Apent at 5light quanteno. Anchouing in aeotnioted wateno, launching LVT'A and conducting boat openationo became Aecond natuae to uog and we leanned to do theoe thingl well. Eveny day, in a multitude 05 wayo, we became mone pno5eoAional Navy men. Fknaigy, towando the end 05 the cnuioe, we could all oee the Aigni5icant impaovementb SCHENECTADV had made oven 102 P041 yean in matenial and openational neadlneoo. It'A ggizai long, hand noad out 05 the ohipyand ovenhaul to the hid 'heady ohip today. we can all tahe a meaoune 05 the F ,Q in thin accompliohment and in the contnibution we ane making in the de5en4e 05 oun countny. J.. w. .ATHANSON

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