Thomaston (LSD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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Si' - ' il' gms-5. ifafzyffmmfmpfwf .rf .fz:'fRzr.4f2fwffMQf.2.f.s'f.gz may .wwwwpM,,gf 5 ss: ' HMHMEKET is 21151135581 USS THOIVIASTCJN LSD-28 The USS THOMASTON is the first of her class lDock Landing Shipl. In keeping with the tradition of naming LSD's after famous places the ship was named for Thomaston, Maine, the home of Major General Henry Knox. He was the Nation's first Secretary of War and civilian head of the Navy. The primary mission of an LSD is to transport and launch combat loaded amphibious craft in am- phibious assault over enemy beaches. THOMASTON is 510 feet long, 84 feet wide and has a full load displacement of 11,525 tons. Her draft is 19 feet and is capable of speeds in excess of 20 knots. THOMASTON'S crew is made up of 20 officers and 350 enlisted men. She can also carry up to 300 troop passengers. THOMASTON was first authorized by the Secretary of the Navy in February 19523 her keel was laid in March of 1953 and she was launched in February of 1954. THOMASTON was commissioned and became a member of the Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force on September 17, 1954 ' THOMASTON commenced her first Western Pacific deployment in August of 1957. Since then she has made 15 more. She has ,participated in many operations and exercises since then, which include: Saddle Up, off Borneo in June 1959, Sea Horse, near Korea in 19593 and the SEATO exercise Talangan in the early months of 1962. Also in 1962 THOMASTON was involved in the famed Cuban Operation and passed through the Panama Canal while leaving and returning to her homeport of San Diego. 9f 2-.! lEf?' m fr 'J .mb '-f i., - ..-W- M.-M ..f M - .4 - 9-if .... 2-2. ,.,,44fsgf3f2 , 4,2-agv' ,sie 'fgryv.ss1.-f- -4.7 . ww:zf,-z-wwe? V ff f- . . U A W . .2 2 ...,. ,.,f,.. -viii' HV' 'Kwai y W W .. 'Q

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.f,w'-nQ.-ee-f.f-e?- f an rr +f':f?v-225911-f' Lf' A: wee: .1 if 1 ff . ff' U . X H 1 ,. f '75 ,, www . ., f f f ' ., arf During the Vietnam era, THOMASTON again lived up to her motto: Mild in Manner but Strong in Deed. Between October 1964 and June 1965, she landed Marines in Da Nang and Chu Lai, Vietnam. In 1966 THOMASTON landed more Marines and remained in Da Nang for one month offering her repair services to small boats used to off-load merchant ships. THOMASTON received the Meritorious Unit Citation for action involving seven over the beach landings into enemy dominated territory during the period of July 1966 to April 1967. Because THOMASTON did such an exemplary job throughout the Vietnam era, it was only fitting that she be present for the final chapter of the Navy's involvement in Vietnam. During her 15th deployment to the Western Pacific she was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for her part in the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. On September 17, 1976, THOMASTON celebrated her 22nd birthday. 1 '31',f .Ww1Y ,IB .s:..-:'--,,..zifzr:,f5e2s:-:-Qwfwa-,:fe.f1-.:.--f...usfxgzfzfaeszsfa Sr.- axis -f