Thomaston (LSD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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'W 'W ' Y' W Y' ' ' 'K '1 1 1 J 'Q 1 4 I . K . , 1 l E I I I 1 1 5 1 A 1, I E I i 4 I I I ,I HI TDR Y 6 THOMAS TON received the Meritorious Unit Citation for action involving seven over-the beach landings into enemy dominated territory during the period of July l966 to April 196 7. Because THOMAS TON 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 THOMAS TON's l5th deployment to the Western Pacific she was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation for her part in the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. In June of l977 THOMAS TON changed her homeport to Seattle, Washington where she underwent an extensive overhaul at Todd Shipyard. After one year, five and one half months, at a total cost of nearly 30 million dollars, THOMAS TON was ready for duty and again changed her homeport to San Diego, California. After a series of rigorous inspections and training exercises, THOMAS TON departed San Diego on 23 .luly l979 to begin her l7th deployment to the Western Pacific. On this, her most recent WestPac, THOMAS TON provided in valuable wet well and transportation support to the combined forces involved in the rehabilitation of the Enewetak Atoll atomic test site. Making timely turnover to the native islanders possible. Her deployment complete THOMAS TON currently operates off Southern California coast maintaining training and maintenance programs to keep her ever ready whatever the task. tr Cr X

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TH OMA S TON 'S W The USS THOMAS TON is the first in her class of THOMAS TON CLASS l.SD's or Landing Ship Dock. The ship was first authorized by the Secretary of the Navy on February 28, l952, and designed by Gibbs and Cox Inc, of New York City. She was built by the Ingalls Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi. K er keel was laid on March 9, l953 and she was commissioned on September I 7, l954. THOMAS TON was named for Thomaston, Maine, the home of Major General Henry Knox, the nation 's first Secretary of War and civilian head of the Navy. After her commissioning THOMAS TON joined the Pacific Amphibious Force where her first assignment in volved the Arctic resupply project of the Dew Line and Cold Weather Landing exercise during i955-56. THOMAS TON commenced her first deployment to the Western Pacific in August of l95 7. During October, l962, THOMAS TON transited the Panama Canal to participate in the Cuban Quarantine Operations for two months. She returned home through the Panama Canal to her homeport of San Diego in December of that year. During THOMAS TON's sixth Western Pacific De lo ment fro O t b l964 p y m c o er to .lune l965, U.S. Marine Forces were landed at Da Nang and Chu Lai, Vietnam. The ship landed additional Marine Forces in l966, remaining in Da Nang for one month repairing boats used to offload merchant ships. 1 I 1' I g I VV v H 'nf V, J A lvl , -f H- a -a

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WES TPA C SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA PEARL HARBOR, HA WAII ENE WE TAK, MARSHALL ISLANDS GUAM, USA NAHA, OKINA WA WHITE BEACH, OKINA WA YOKOSUKA, JAPAN WHITE BEACH, OKINA WA BEPPU, JAPAN NUMAZU, JAPAN PUSAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA CHIN HAE, REPUBLIC OF KOREA WHITE BEACH, OKINA WA SUBIC BA Y, REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES I Y . ,,,...,.,,- - fr fr ., 4 ' ' ,, ' ,ag , - l, - 23 JUL Y I979 OI AUGUST - O4 AUGUST II AUGUST - I5 AUGUST 2I AUGUST - 22 AUGUST 25 AUGUST - 26 AUGUST 30 AUGUST - 3I AUGUST O5 SEPTEMBER - 2I SEPTEMBER 29 SEPTEMBER - 30 SEPTEMBER O3 OCTOBER - 06 OCTOBER IO OCTOBER - I3 OCTOBER I3 OCTOBER - I8 OCTOBER I8 OCTOBER - I9 OCTOBER 22 OCTOBER - 23 OCTOBER 26 OCTOBER - I8 NOVEMBER Q 4