USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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Now a full scale amphib-workup began, and its culmina- tion was Exercise Varsity Eagle in March of 1977. At the end of that month the Navy and Marine Corps realized they had the greatest quantitative jump in amphibious capabilities since the inception of the concept. But her tests were hard- ly over. In June of 1977 five days of shock trials further established her integrity for sea, the work was hard but, in point of fact, the hardest was yet to come. Eleven grueling, dirty, frustrating months at Long Beach Naval Shipyard ad- ded additional capabilities, enhanced others and taught the crew how to drive from Long Beach to San Diego and back with their eyes closed on always too short weekends. More REFTRA, AMPHIBREFTRA and suddenly it was 30 days to deployment. For many however, the years of workup would not be rewarded with a cruise and January and February heard numerous rings of Plankowner- departing . Change of Command 9 Feb. 79, CAPT R. E. KLEE relieves CAPT. G.A. CHURCI-ls 5 . Those Boilers Light Off Again Shock Trials On February the 9th 1979 one who was not a plan kowner but who had been through it all also departed Captain G A CHURCH was relieved by Captain R E KLEE in ceremonies on the hangar deck This encapsulated history cannot begin to tell all the stories happy or sad associated with the developement of this First of a Class Ship It took many people and we can write this book only because of their efforts The Eagle of the Sea has spread her wings and joined the fleet providing depth ability and a new responsive capability to our nations defense and she does so because of these men the PLAN KOWNERS

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DEDIC TI O They endured it all and enjoyed little of it. They worked unbelievable hours on equipment never seen before. They were inspected, timed, measured, visited, assisted, drilled, exercised and evaluated by everybody, but they never quit, they never stopped trying-they were the first crew the PLANKOWNERS and it is to them and their captains that this book is dedicated. ' It started on Nov. 15, 1971 when the keel was layed at a new shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. In the following years she grew and became the largest man-made object ever moved on land when she went down the ways. USS TARAWACLHA-11 came to life on 29 May, 1976, at commissioning ceremonies under a hot Gulf Coast sun with RADM MORRIS commanding. Commissioning May 29, 1976 Shortly after commissioning, RADM MORRIS was relieved by CAPT G.A. CHURCH. Two months later NUMBER 1 anchored at Colon, Panama and spent two days preparing for her transit as the First LHA through the Panama Canal, fit was a very tight fitb. As was to become common, many eyes were on her as she moved through the locks, conducting her transit in less than eight hours, and she slipped into her ocean for the first time. After a short taste of liberty in Acapulco, TARAWA steamed up the coast of Baja, California and entered her new home port of San Diego in August 1976. Panama Canal Transit

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COMMA DI G 0 FIC R C t ' Robert E. KLEE began his Naval career by enlisting in the Naval Reserve at Tacoma, Washington in ap ain May 1974 Upon completion of one year at the University of Puget Sound he received a Secretary of the Navy appointment to the U.,S. Naval Academy and graduated with the Class of 1953. After commissioning, Captain KLEE spent four years at sea on the USS LENAWEE CAPA 1953 and USS NAIFEH CDE 3243. In August 1957 he was assigned to Stanford University as an NROTC instructor where he remained until the summer of 1959 when he reported to the USS JOHN S. MCCAIN CDL33 as Operations Officer and subsequent assignment as Weapons Officer. Upon completion of this sea tour, he reported to Commander in Chief Pacific as Flag Lieutenant and aide to the Chief of Staff and later as Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics. He attended the Command and Staff course at the Naval War College in 1963-4 and concurrently earned a Master's Degree in International Relations from George Washington University. He then returned to sea as Executive Officer, USS PARSONS CDD 9493 until February 1966, when he assumed command of USS FALGOUT CDER 3523. He began his first Washington tour in the summer of 1968 as an action officer in the office of the Chief of Naval Operation, Plans and Policy Directorate COP 603. In 1970, he reported to Avondale Shipyard, New Orleans and assumed command of the newly commissioned USS JOSEPH HEWES CFF 10783. He returned to the Naval War College in 1972-3 and attended a second Washington tour in the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Plansland Policy Directorate CJ53, where he served until August 1976 before assuming command of USS DEN- VER CLPD 93. In February 197-7, he attended the Senior Officer's ship Material Readiness course at Idaho Falls. Captain KLEE as- sumed command of USS TARAWA CLHA-13 on February 9th, 1979. 72? , if ,,,,.. Hi ' ' I f! JJ 7 iw L s , f 'its-4 Captain Robert E. KLEE, USN A v 'i 4' ., , 3 i . k. M... 1 M.. 4 ..,,, , An..-new an ml.-mnamffnw or 0-V V , . 5 ,,fQ,w, V,-of-gym' Q 'rgl-fypq