Vancouver (LPD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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Melbourne in Australia as well as the often visited Subic Bay Philippines Yokosuka Japan and Pago Pago Samoa with Okinawa an occasional stop The Coral Sea festival in 1965 was the highlight of that 1n1t1al WestPac cruise On July 9th 1966 VANCOUVERbacked away from pier 5 in San Diego and set her course west for her second full WestPac deployment After a short stop in Hawaii the slopes of Diamond Head faded as she set course for the Philippines At long last, the familiar sight of the Zambales mountains of Bataan appeared on the hori- zon, and the ship made ready to enter Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. Here VANCOUVER's versatility was dem- onstrated at the outset. As the ship pro- ceeded into the harbor, she was ordered to reverse course and proceed to sea. A mil- itary aircraft had gone down, and VANCOUVER was assigned to participate in a search and rescue operation. The ensuing operation reflected the readiness of VANCOUVER to adapt to any situation Commander United States Military Assist ance Command Vietnam QGeneral Westmorelandy The efficiency and speed with which the planning and execution of this second assault was completed served as another example of VANCOUVER's out standing flexibility During the next month 1nDeckhouse IV which took place a scant two miles south of the Demilitarized Zone VANCOUVER dis tinguished herself in her usual bussiness like manner When called upon during the operation to fuel helos from the IWO JIMA, VANCOUVER assumed the task of primary helicopter refueling ship, and although it required an extreme effort and all day flight operations during the ass ault, VANCOUVER performed this task with such efficiency and cheerfulness that she was commended by those who witnessed her performance. The helicopter squadron paid VANCOUVER the unusual honor of pre- senting a helicopter tail rotor to the ship as a tribute to her outstanding support of the helicopter operations. V V N W-nvmkwvm WM ,,Av I MN ,,,,. W, , ., ., ,,,, f - 9-.V -- '--' -11 -' ' - in - F HMA f AM F V AW D 46 0-MT V A-0'- 9 , ' - . . . . . . I 9 , , 0 O C I 9 9 9 9 . I ' 'Q A s a u , I , .- ' 9 9 , . 9 9 ' . 9 9 ' ' 0 on short notice. The first real test came soon after. Her first assignment as a member of the Amphibious Ready Group was to conduct what was to become a routine procedure: an amphibious assault on the coast of Vietnam. In the shadow of the coastline, VANCOUVER proceeded to an area a short distance north of Saigon where she landed her embarked Marines in a combination vertical envelopment and assault boat landing. Employing helicopters to land troops quickly and effectively, and boats from her well deck to assault the beaches, VANCOUVER applied the tactics ofamphib- ious warfare rapidly and efficiently. Once the troops were ashore,, supplies were heloed- ashore to assist in securing the beaches. When only minor resistance was encountered, VANCOUVER withdrew her troops and returned to sea, leaving a surprised enemy to wonder when and where she would strike: next. The answer came quickly. Less than 33 hours from her orig- inal assault, qknown as Deckhouse HD VANCOUVER put about and again landed troops 20 miles south of her first invasion point, in answer to a request from On December 14th, VANCOUVER paused in Subic Bay long enough to say farewell to Captain Aubrey and welcome her new skipper, Captain C.M. CRUSE. The brief ceremony included comments from both Captains praising the crew for the notable record they had attained in VANCOUVER. VANCOUVER, in her most ambitious operation of the cruise, participated in Deckhouse V. In what was the largest amphibious landing since lnchon in Korea, VANCOUVER landed Marines in the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam, the heart of the communist effort in the south, and an area not penetrated by Americancombat troops since the beginning of the war. All of the results of that assault are not yet known. But given VANCOUVER's history, and her known and proven abilities as a member of the amphibious forces, it can be assumed that VANCOUVER scored another striking success in her long list of achievements. She has exemplified, and will continue to demonstrate, that excellence of performance which make VANCOUVER and versatility synon- O1'1'1Ol.1S . '

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VANCOUVER is a name that has become synonomous with versatility. Her designers molded her to adjust to every conceivable situation in ainphibious warfare. Commis- ioned on May 11, 1963, VANCOUVER is the second in a series of ships designedto wage an old type of warfare in a new manner. VANCOUVER comes admirably equipped for the job. Her crew of 375, and the 900 Marines which she can host, have yet to find a task the ship cannot perform. Among her many facilities, VANCOUVER boasts three barber shops, a laundry, one of the most well-stocked libraries afloat, a carpenter shop, ship- fitter shop, and machine and electrical shops. The crew is well cared for in a twelve man hospital ward, with medical issues available from a nearby pharmacy. An X-ray room on board can aid the doctor should he ever find it necessary to use the well-equipped operating room. Extensive interior communications enable the ship's 540 compartments to be connected by tele- phone qsound-powered or dialy as well as standard inter-communication s y s t e m s . The 60,000 gallons of fresh water produced each day make possible welsome showers for the crew on a regular basis. A constant flow of supplies and parts from the Supply Department inventory of over 20,000 items provides the ship with the means to operate in a self sufficient manner. VANCOUVER is 521 feet long, 104 feet wide and from keep to top of superstructure is 10 decks high. In addition to carrying 900 Marines, she can transport equipment ranging from tank, trucks, jeeps and cargo to weapons, ammunition, and food. Even a 50-ton rock crusher has been accommodated on board. Two General Electric steam turbines drive her in excess of 20 knots. With twin rudders and twin screws,the ship has maneuverability comparable to that of a destroyer. VANCOUVER R's armament includes eight 3 f 50 automatic dual purpose guns in twin mounts. First is a word which comes easily to mind where VANCOUVER is concerned. She was the first LPD assigned to the Pacific fleetg she landed the first Marine combat troops in Vietnam, she landed the first American combat troops in the Meking Delta of Vietnamg and she was the first LPD to carry 100 dependent women and children on a voyage of 1,000 miles to an overhaul in Bremerton, then return them to San Diego three months later. The unusual latter opportunity came about when, due to the heavy operational commitments on VANCOUVER, the dependents were not seeing much of their Navymen. When the ship was assigned to an overhaul in Bremerton, Washington, Captain N.E. Aubrey, Jr. requested permission to take along the dependents and their cars. The Chief of Naval Operations granted the request, and the memorable cruise up the coast on a Navy vessel was one which many a woman and child will not soon forget. The crew adapted supelrblyto the unusual situation, and it was a new high in the Navy's efforts to afford the families of Navymen any consideration possible. The overhaul in Puget Sound Naval Ship yard was extensive. When she emerged, VANCOUVER found that she could never again transit the Panama Canal. Qlndeed, she had only cleared with six inches on either side the first timej. This was due to additional antennas on her flight deck which vastly increased her communications capabilities. From top to bottom, and stem to stern, she was refitted for new and greater responsibility which lay ahead. When she left Bremerton in April, 1966, VANCOUVER had completed ahead of sched- ule and with a smaller bill to the Navy than originally anticipated. It was another example of VANCOUVER Firsts. VANCOUVER is no stranger in WestPacg she deployed in November, 1964 for a cruise that was to last until June of 1965, during which she made the famous initial landing of U.S. Marines at Danang. Seven weeks later she returned to the Far East on a shuttle run that lastedtwo months. Her ports of call have included Sydney and

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..,.m,x.,,..s.a..Hfzg., .,z:s . ...Q Lx .... amxzp-L:..,,...... ., , r.,. Commandm fficer Captain Carl M. Cruse United States Navy CAPTAIN C. M. CRUSE, USN, - A BIOGRAPHY Captain Cruse was born in Woodville, Texas on July 10, 1923. He attended Sam Houston State Teachers College from 1940 to 1942 before entering the Navy in con- junction with the Naval Aviation Cadet Training Program. After completion of flight training at Pensacola, Florida, in June of 1943, he was commissioned an Ensign. From 1943 through most of World War ll, Captain Cruse served as aflight instructor in the Naval Air Training Comm and, Pensacola, Florida. Later toward the end of World War II he joined some of his former students in the Pacific Theater as a member of Carrier Air Group Five. Subsequent to World War II, he served in various naval air ,activities of the Naval Air Test Center, and the Naval Air Training Command. It was during this period that he first qualified as a test pilot, and became a member of the elete Society of Experimental Test Pilots. From July 1955 to November 1957 Captain Cruse served on the staff of Commander Second Fleet and Commander Striking Fleet ATLANTIC. In January 1958, Captain Cruse assumed command of Fighter Squadron Twenty-Two, and later assumed command of Fighter Squadron Eighty-Two, both of which were attachedto the Atlantic Fleet. From March 1962 to March 1963 he served as Commander Carrier Air Group Nineteen operating in the Western Pacific from the USS BON HOMME RICHARD QCVA 315. June 1964 to November 1966 he was assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command as Project Manager for the A-7 CORSAIR II LIGHT ATTACK AIRCRAFT. Service schools attended by Captain Cruse include General Line School, Armed Forces Staff College, Naval Test Pilot School, and the Naval War College. Captain Cruse is married to the former Laverne Burns of Backersfield, California. They have two daughters. When not occupied with Naval affairs Captain Cruse likes to relax with sailing, duck hunting, and some occasional fly fishing for trout. 1, - ' ,2- f