Sumter (LST 1181) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS SUMTER LST-1181 '- it,- in Z 'M ,V ,. ,,,,,,,, Q NA' wan. eww , , ,wfmvvww sin-1,-.1 NORTHERN WEDDING 86fMARG 1-87 DEPLOYMENT SUMTER's deployment began with a roar as we had to sortie early on the 17th of August 1986 and anchor in the channel to avoid the approaching Hunricane Charlie. Anfiving in Morehead City on the 19th we embarked the Marines and began the first phase of our Deployment, NORTHERN WEDDING 86. Charlie continued to chase SUMTER across the Northem Atlantic. On 28 August we crossed the 66th Parallel into the Artic Circle and SUMTER crew and embarked troops were initiated into the association of BLUE NOSES. On the 50th SUMTERjoined up with the Northem Wedding Task Force and began our transit into the Norwegian Fjords for our first assault. Our first surface assult was in the Malargor Fjord and again weather conditions deteriorated causing the majority of the task force to transit through the inner leads of Norway while Saipan, Mt Whitney and some of the larger units ventured out in the Norwegian Sea to transit to Southem Norway. At Larvick in Southem Norway the Marines went ashore for the first time to conduct training with the NATO Forces. On the 18th of September we debarked the Marines in Jutland for their Bold Guard Exercise which took them through Denmark to Gemiany. With the Marines at Bold Guard. SUMTER headed for Copenhagen, our first and well deserved port visit. From Copenhagen we proceeded to Kiel, Gemiany to embark the Marines and backload their vehicles. Northem Wedding 86 was concluded and we headed to Amsterdam and then on to Portsmouth England for goodwill visits and upkeep. Phase l of our deployment was completed and SUMTER prepared to inchop to Sixth Fleet and begin the high tempo operations that would continue until February. After a brief tumover and visit in Rota, Spain we conducted our first Amphibious Exercise at Sierra de Ratin with the Spanish, The weather was wami and calm and SUMTER began to hold Steel Deck Picinic's to provide everyone an opportunity to relax after a long hard week. While anchored at Siena de Retin SUMTER was tasked by COMSIXTHFLT to conduct an emergency sortee and we had to complete the backload of vehicles and causeways while underway. The Med was highlighted by Port visits to Almeria and Valencia, Spain in between Amphibi- ous Exercises conducted at Tan Tan Morocco and Pian de Spille, Italy. While in Valencia, the rock group UBLUE MAX performed onboard and SUMTER crew and troops adopted an orphanage where we donated both our time and money to improve their home, Our exercise at Pian de Spille exercised our night assault capabilities and our NEO techniques and procedures. With nearly four months of continous operations SUMTER steamed into the harbor of Marslelle, France for her repair availability, only to discover a nation-wide transportation strike prevented us from entering Port. At the last minute the decision was made to proceed to Toulon, France where the French Navy could support our requirements at their Naval Base. The move to Toulon was successful as not only did the repair work proceed successfully but many SUMTER crew and troops were invited into the homes 0fToulon families for Christmas and New Years celebrations. With only a little over a month left of our Deployment we left Toulon on the 5th of January and proceeded to Venice, Italy for an Amphibious exercise with the Italian Marines who meet us on the beach in their AAV's. Our final Port visit was Trieste, ltaly where their was so much snow and ice Our ski tours were cancelled. Our final exercise was to be at Pian de Spille again but before we had completed our ofiload COMSIXTHFLT directed us to get underway to rendezvous with Task Force Six Zero near Augusta Bay for possible contingency operations. We were detained in the Med for an extra week planning and preparing for a possible NEO. On the 7th of Febmary we conducted a blue water tum over and proceeded to Rota for our wash down and then home concluding the final phase of our deployment. 1

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