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RecollectionsTo begin with here is the commissioning program that
Robert E. Muller saved.
INGALLS SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The commissioning ceremony marks the transition from inactive to active service of a unit of the United States Fleet. At the moment of hoisting the Commission Pennant, U.S.S. LST 1164 becomes the responsibility of her commanding officer, who, together with the ships officers and crew, then has the duty of making and keeping her constantly ready for any service demanded by our country in peace or war. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lieutenant Commander Francis Kay, U.S. Navy ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S.S. LST 1164 Built By Keel laid 22 September 1952 Sponsor COMMISSIONED AS LST 1164 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNITED STATES SHIP The LST 1164 is one of the types of ships
developed to overcome the difficulties and delays met with in Amphibious
Operations when troops, equipment and supplies are transferred from transports
and cargo vessels to the beach via small boats. The LST 1164 is the more modern
type of LST. COMMISSIONING CEREMONIES U. S. S. LST 1164 1100-26 October 1953 Band Selections...Moss Point High School Band ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICERS OF U.S.S. LST 1164 LCDR Francis Kay, U.S. Navy............Commanding Officer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chief Petty Officers of the U.S.S. LST 1164 Mazer, Norbert J. ........................................Chief
Boatswain's Mate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acela, F.,GMSN, Alexander Jr., J.S.,TN Andretta, N.J.,ME3
Bagley, W.W.,FN1 Becker, L.J.,SA, Bell, C.,CSSN
Bellaran, Jr., V.N.,FN Bigelo, L.F.,SN Big Mountain, Sebastion,SN
Bizzari, D.M.,SN Blumberg, J.A.,SN Boone, V., GM3
Brawn, F.H.,FA Brooks, C.A.,SA Burke, J.A.,ET3
Campbell, W.C.,FA Carr, B.A.,EN3 Catani, A.L.,TESN
Ceder, R.A.,BM2 Chaney, W.,SN Coates, O.G.,SA
Colwell, J.I.,CS1 Cooper, R.C., SN Copeland, B.,HM3
Corrigan, N.,SN Coughlin, R.C.,QM1 Cowart, T.SN
Cullinane, W.F.,EM3 Culpepper Jr, .C.B.,SN Daman, S.H.,FC2
Daniels Jr., P.L.,SA Daum, R.,SN Davis, R.B.,SN
Deamon, T.B.,SA Dominick, P.J.,SN Dorsey, R.E.,SN
Downing Jr., H.E.,SN Drumm, O.L.,ENDFN Dugas, T.M.,SN
Elliott, R.P.,FN Englehardt, R.,RMSN Evens, E.S.,GMSN
Evens Jr., R.,HSN Felbinger, C.L.,SN Ferraro, R.,EN3
Francis, J.F.,SN Gardiner, K.G.,FN Garrett, R.J.,BT2
Gracia, M.,SN Grant, W.J.,SK3 Griger, T.,SN
Guzowski, F.S.,BM3 Hammons, W.GM1 Hancock, C.W.,SA
Hannaman, H.P.,ET2 Hansel, R.J.,SA Harper, W.A.,EM1
Harper, W.W.,BM2 Hayes, L.,TN Hicks Jr., W.O.,SA
Hoffman, P.R.,ETSN Hoffmann, M.J.,BM1 Hogan ,J.L.,SN
Holtzapple, J.C.,RM1 Howard, J.P.,EM3 Idone, E.J.,SN
Jackson, J.W.,RM3 Jannia, W.C.,SN Jascenia, J.,SN
Joyce, T.,BM1
Kaczoroski, L.S.,SN Kaszics, W.G.,EN3 Kibler, W.D.,QM3
Kiener, E.J.,SN Koslowski, T.J.,SN Landis, J.R.,SA
Lewis, R.,EN3 Locey, L.E.,FN Lopez, R.,SA
Loretto, W.S.,SN Mallett, R.F.,FN Martello, A.A.,YN1
McAllister Jr., T.D., McCreesh, J.P.,SA McGloin, P.J.,SA
McKissen, C.M.,GM2 Miles, J.K.,BM2 Miller, G.V.,EN3
Montgomery, J.T.,EM3 Morin, R.R.,SN Muehler, V.d.,EN1
Muller, R.E.,QMSN Nelesky, E.L.,EM3 Nelson, D.S.,SN
O'Neal, W.E.,IC2 Paige, J.A.,RD3 Panagrossi, D.R.,FN
Paris, L.R.,SA Park, J.S.,SN Perry, M.O.,SHSN
Phillander, G.M.,SD1 Purcio, F.J.,QMSA Rail, J.V.,GM1
Reynolds, R.J.,GMSN Rawls, R.S.,BM3 Reading, J.L.,SN
Rhymes, B.T.,TA Rich Jr., J.,EN2 Rivera, J.,SN
Roberts, J.C.,SN Routhier, R.L.,SA Rutland, W.,QM3
Ryan, W.SA Sample, R.C.,SN Savoy, P.C.,SN
Scolari, K.,SN Sheldon, M.,SN Shifflett, J.B.,SA
Shorter, R.L.,SA Simetz, E.K.P.,EMFN Sims, R.E.,SN
Smith, L.R.,DC1 Snyder Jr., T.K.,EN2 Sollecito, P.GM3
Sparks, G.,HM1 Staton Jr., B.,FN Stakal Jr., J.E.,ENFN
Stewart, W.J.,FT2 Strong, D.G.,SN Sturkey, O.E.,SN
Varbedian, R.R.,SN Wallsten, G.K.,SN Wayne, R.L.,SN
Wiginton, M.A.,GM3 Zamrok, E.H.,CS3
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Why do we remember our Navy days? The following piece sums it up. The Navy We were flown from a small airstrip in the swamps of VA or NC. On our way to Atlanta our plane encountered a thunderstorm which we flew around. Although we flew around it the wings on our DC3 flapped like bird wings. After being fed at the Atlanta Airport we headed for a pasture outside of Pascagula, here the busses had to chase the cows from our landing strip before we could land. We got our gear and ourselves on the busses and finally arrived at the "Old 1164" about an hour after the ceremony had ended. Shirley "Pappy" Daman's story starts in 1931 when he first joined the Navy. His father told him, since the "Big Depression" was going strong when he got out of school, that he should join the military and recommended the Navy. His father couldn't support him and if he could get in the Navy, they would support him. 1939 came and although the depression was still in effect it had abated some. Pappy took his discharge and started in civilian life. Pearl Harbor in 1941 changed all that, he had a critical rating so was called back. During this time period he was aboard the "Bon Homme Richard" when she was sunk. He took his 30 day survivors leave and continued his tour. His experience in the water had him preaching to us to never trust an inflatable Mae West but to always wear a Kapok one when going over the side. As soon as he could get out after the war he returned to civilian life. In 1950 his rate was still critical, therefore, he was recalled to serve in Korea. While aboard a minesweeper, clearing mines, he was in his director tub on the starboard side, a seaman was in the bow watching for mines. Suddenly the seaman started to shout over the sound powered phones MINE, MINE, but no direction as to where it was. Finally Pappy saw the guy running down the port side pointing down still shouting MINE, when the mine blew. The guy was never found and except for his earphone headset, Pappy would have been blown over the side. He stayed aboard but his head was badly cut by the headset and his back and legs were heavily scarred from shrapnel. Only after much badgering about his funny looking legs did he finally relent and tell us his story. When I first met him he had 16 or 17 years in the Navy and had gone in 2 years before I was born. William "Stew" Stewart Back to History The '54 operation "Operation Hardrock
Baker" took place in Guatemala with the Navy in major support off shore. There apparently was an uprising against the communist regime being sponsored by the CIA. This operation seems to be a part of operation PBSUCCESS. The book, although printed in 1999, is highly censored which makes for difficult reading. The title is Secret History THE CIA'S CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT OF IT'S OPERATIONS IN GUATEMALA 1952-1954 written by Nick
Cullather. This book explains "how a disaster-prone operation - marked by bad planning, poor security, and incompetent execution - was raised to legendary status by its almost accidental triumph". It seems to have had better security after the fact than during the execution. We did know that we were off Guatemala but nothing else, however, when we returned to Little Creek the "bar girls" wanted to know how we liked Guatemala. Remember the good old days of AOTU training.
Well here is a funny anecdote about one such exercise. I was rated as a top
watch (EN3) when Frank "Farmer" Vandnais checked aboard. Well Farmer
was just breaking as an oiler on my watch section and we just so happened to be
going for AOTU when Farmer had come aboard. So he was not very knowledgeable
when it came to casualty control drills.
1955 -The Bow Door Key-
WE WERE UNDER TRAINING WITH AOTE, THE AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONAL TRAINING THING AND WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS. DO YOU REMEMBER CONDITION 1A, OR ONE ABLE. WELL WE HAD THIS CRAZY 1st CLASS BOSEN NAMED JOYCE, HE LOOKED LIKE MUGSY OF THE EAST SIDE GANG. HE WAS REALLY A RIOT. ALSO WE HAD A 1st LIEUTENANT NAMED KAUFMAN WHO WAS RATHER NAIVE. WELL THE COMBINATION CLASHED DURING ONE OF OUR LANDINGS. EVERY THING BACK AND FORTH ON THE ONE JV SYSTEM AND ALL WERE LISTENING. YOU KNOW THE TYPICAL THINGS. ALL SECURE, ALL STATIONS MANNED, FULL READINESS, ECT.
WELL, THE ORDER CAME DOWN FROM THE BRIDGE TO PREPARE TO OPEN BOW DOORS.
THERE WAS A PAUSE AND YOU COULD HEAR JOYCE ASKING THE LIEUTENANT, SIR, WHERE
ARE THE KEYS. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE LIEUTENANT ASKING THE BRIDGE THE
SAME QUESTION. ALL ON THE SYSTEM HAD A GREAT LAUGH AND SOME BUTTS WERE
DEFINITELY REAMED.
ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I WAS GETTING READY FOR DISCHARGE AND IN MY SPARE TIME
CARVED A RATHER LARGE KEY FROM SCRAP ALUMINUM. IT WAS ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG AND
OF THE MASTER KEY STYLE. IT WAS BOLDLY ENGRAVE WITH "BOW DOOR, LST
1164".
WHEN I AND ABOUT 6 OTHERS WERE BEING RELEASED BY THE CAPTAIN AND OFFICERS
AS IS TYPICAL PRIOR TO LEAVING THE SHIP FOR THE LAST TIME, I REQUESTED PERMISSION
TO COME FORTH. I THEN TOLD THE CAPTAIN THAT I WAS THE CULPRIT WHO HAD STOLEN
THE BOW DOOR KEY AND SAID I WAS RETURNING IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT, BUT ONE SHIPMATE LATER TOLD ME IT WAS
DISPLAYED IN A CABINET BY THE SHIPS STORE FOR SOME TIME. I WOULD REALLY
LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.
W. KASZICS EN-2 . Back
to History
ANY TORPEDO IN THE WORLD CAN OUT RUN US During my two-year tour aboard the USS Walworth County, LST 1164, I had many memorable experiences. This is one of them. On a night toward the end of September or the first of October in 1962, we were steaming west in the Atlantic homeward bound after a six-month tour in the Mediterranean. It was time for me to go on watch. As a radarman (RD3) working in CIC (Combat Information Center), a person was usually in the center of the operation. I entered CIC and signed in the watch log. I’m not sure whether I was relieving Callahan or Baduini that evening, but whichever it was, they had briefed me as to what our responsibility was. It entailed no more than maintaining station in the squadron; this meant a boring four-hour watch. Unless we were having some special operation, there was only two radarmen on watch at the time. We would switch off every so often so as not to get to board at our station. One manned the radio station while the other manned the radar. Well I was on the radar making certain we were on station. Our position was at the rear of the squadron in a circular formation with the flagship in the center. The formation has an official name, I always thought of it as "rally around the flagship" formation. We did have a converted DD (destroyer) as an escort that maintained a station out ahead of the squadron. Of all the ships in the squadron, the LST’s had the least sophisticated radar (scope) equipment. I was on the "scope" (hence the term "scope dope") and had changed the radar to the two-mile range. This gave me a larger picture of the flagship and the port and starboard adjacent ships. I’m not certain how long we had been on watch, but I noticed a small "blip" or contact dead astern of our position exactly 1000 nautical yards away. It was keeping station with us. I got up from my station and walked over to the back door to the radar shack and looked astern to see if I could identify what it might be. If it was a small craft, I would certainly see it or at least the wake from it should it’s running lights be out. I saw nothing and then became very curious. I usually kept the radar’s range finder on the 1000-yard range while maintaining station. I watched the contact astern of us as each sweep of the scope; the range finder would intersect the contact. It appeared to stay right with us. I had my fellow watch stander (J. J. Bushlin, SN) report the contact to the flagship, as they had the duty of Radar Guard. Their reply came over the radio, "ignore contact, it is only a ghost." A "ghost" on radar in the simplest terms is a double reflection of a known contact. In other words two returning signals are received back to the transmitting radar causing a reflection of the known contact at twice the distance away. Anyway, I could understand the flagship thinking this was the case as the Walworth County was directly between the contact and the flagship. However, there was nothing between the Walworth County and the contact. So, why would we be receiving a "ghost"? I decided to watch this thing, and then it happened. Being an LST with a flat bottom and almost blunt bow, we were known to hit a wave and practically stop dead in the water for a few seconds. We did just that. We were steaming around six knots so it wasn’t like someone would ram us in the rear, but it was enough for the contact to jump ahead of the scope’s range finder. Ahah! I knew then something was following us for certain. Using my sound powered phones; I called to the signal bridge and asked one of the signalmen to use his field glasses to see if it was a periscope. He informed me that he saw nothing. I asked if there was any sign of phosphorous in the water? Still nothing. Well regardless, I knew a spook was there and who’s was it? I then took the radio and reported it a second time. I received the same answer; it is only a "ghost." I responded with my explanation and the senior watch stander on the flagship asked me what my rate was. "RD3", I replied. "Well", says he, "I’m a first class and I’m telling you it is a ghost, so forget about it and do not report it again." He just yanked my chain! "Bridge Combat" I said over the sound powered phone. Is the skipper there? Yes was the reply. Ask him if he could come into CIC for a minute. The front door to CIC opened and it was the skipper. "What is it Echols", he asked. I proceeded to explain our situation and why I felt a sub was following us. He appeared to buy it, because he told me to report it once more. I did. There was no hesitation from the flagship as the first class blasted me with his condescending remarks. The skipper took the mike, identified himself and asked to speak to his skipper, calling him by his first name. "Waite one", was the reply. It seemed a minute or so passed as we waited. I’m certain the first class was briefing his skipper on the situation. Then over the radio came, "what seems to be the problem" addressing our skipper by first name. My man Echols has convinced me that we have a contact following us. The reply was "Waite One". There was silence and then we received a coded message. I got the codebook out and decoded it. INTERCEPT CONTACT "What" I said out loud and then told the skipper the message. "Have me a course and speed when I get to the bridge" the skipper said. "But, captain, we can do only fourteen knots and any torpedo in the world can out run us" I replied. "Just get me the course and speed," he said as he went through the CIC door back to the bridge. "Oh brother what are we doing, this is ridiculous," I thought. I quickly calculated the course and speed to the contact and sent it to the bridge. Watching the radar as we pulled out of formation sent goose bumps up my spine. Since we are the center of the radarscope, the rest of the squadron appeared to rotate off to the right of the radar. I had on the sound powered phones and heard someone say, "Oh’ man you see that" I figured it was one of the signalmen. Then I hear the radio. It was another coded message. Bushlin decoded it and I passed it to the skipper on the bridge. "RETURN TO STATION" I immediately figured a course and speed to return to station. Then almost simultaneously a message went to the escort ship two to three miles ahead of us. INTERDEPT CONTACT The escort obviously had sonar. Well we returned to station and I called to the signal bridge to ask what happened. The spook saw us as we pulled out of station and headed for them. When they blew their ballasts to dive it made an obvious spray, they must have also shot off flares to avoid a collision, as they were only a thousand yards away. The signalman told me it looked like the fourth of July. Man I wish I could have seen that. When I came on for my next watch, I noticed that the escort was now steaming
back and forth to the rear of the squadron. Being immature as I was and very
cocky as well, it goes without saying I walked around with a swollen head for a
day or two. When we finally returned to port, following a detour to Cuba, I was
ordered to perform a CIC Operational Review of the flagship. That is another
story.
The things I remember about late September and early October 1966 are lowering objects over the side to precise depths and then winching them back aboard with the cargo booms for the civilian technicians. I also remember the cold, I didn't realize how cold it can get at night at that time of year. We were operating off Nova Scotia near the continental shelf I think. The trip to Ft Lauderdale Florida made up for it and I have been vacationing there ever since. Harry Draper The DANFS text said that we put into San Juan Puerto Rico for repairs in late November 1966. Did you wonder why? Well, we were coming in for a landing on the Vieques beach when someone let go the stern anchor a bit too soon "oops". What an experience watching that cable pay off the winch drum and whip through the aft dog house taking a good deal of the paint in the dog house with it. I am not sure the damage to the screws was sustained while backing off the
beach or in the recovery of the stern anchor, but we definitely hit something,
rock or reef. So off we went to Rosy roads where the screws were surveyed for
damage. In the end we limped back to Little Creek and then to dry dock in
Portsmouth, but not
before a weeks liberty in San Juan. The DANFS text said we were began 1967 in Norfolk Naval Shipyard, but I remember it being Portsmouth and Mike Barnaba concurs. Spending more than two and a half months in Drydock was the pits for me. The only thing I found to do was drink in the Portsmouth enlisted men's club. Who was that hospitalman striker with the great hangover cure? The New York trip at the end of March 1967 was to pick up some new heavy equipment for the Seabees. Bayonne NJ was the port we actually pulled into, but its just across the Hudson River and a fun time in New York City or sin city as it was called. I think we got a long weekend of liberty. Anybody remember? During "Clove Hitch III" from 8 April to 4 May we made our first of two visits to St Thomas in 1967. Jim Richards recalls spending the summer of '67 tied up to Pier 57 in Little Creek. On the amphibious assault off Onslow Beach, NC. I believe we launched amphibious assault personal carriers. Those tracked vehicles which carried about 10 men sealed inside. What death traps they were! We found ourselves back in the Caribbean from 27 October to 10 November 1967
and I believe our second visit to St Thomas. We steamed for the Med 3 Jan 1968 our job was to act as an oiler for the MSO's. After a few days of steaming with and refueling the minesweepers the inevitable happened. Three hundred feet of refueling rig strung off the stern, port side, in heavy seas a minesweeper approaches and is lifted by the sea and slides off the crest and over the refueling rig. That's it for the screw of the MSO as I looked on all I could think of is @#$%&!* I will have to rebuild that @#$ rig. Well, it turned out ok it bought us a few days in Bermuda. Harry Draper Back to History
The return voyage was not uneventful. We departed Rota, Spain 20 May 1968. On 27 May 1968 the ship was diverted to search for the overdue USS SCORPION SSN 589. After arriving at her last know location, from a radio message at 2159 hours 21 May 1968, we commence zigzagging across the ocean on SCORPIONS general course of sail. A day or two into the search a debris field is spotted. WALWORTH COUNTY maneuvers to take the debris to starboard rolling at 20 to 25 degrees in heavy seas. After repeated attempts we unable to retrieve anything. The debris was fresh and in my opinion, and Mike Barnaba agrees, not the usual mess deck flotsam. I remember reading in a New York newspaper in October 1968, that the remains of SCORPION had been found 400 miles Southwest of the Azors. The debris field we spotted could very well have been from SSN 589. The loss of SCORPION remains a sad event for sailors past, present, and future. The loss of the Russian sub Kursk in the Barents Sea with all hands recently rekindles the memory of the loss of SCORPION. Harry Draper Back to History While in the Gibbs Shipyard there was an explosion and fire aboard the ESSO Gloucester birthed to port. Ensign Grey headed the section three fire party which consisted of Bates, Pat Sullivan, the two Finley brothers and me. Four welders were trapped, we only got one out alive. I still have the Navy Times article and the citation we received from the CO Commander Osborne. Albert (Yogi) Baer I remember the fire at Gibbs very clearly as it happened yesterday. Baer and I were OBA men. The ship was the civilian oil tanker the SS Gloucester. 6 yard birds burned to death in an explosion in one of the main tanks. The last cargo was kerosene and they were welding down there. That was in the days before they knew about putting check valves on the Oxy/Acetelene torches. The hose blew off the acetelene side and it exploded and the lingering fumes of the Kerosene in the tank added to the fireworks. The Jacksonville FD was not very versed on shipboard firefighting so they called upon the USS Walworth county for assistance. Baer and I helped to bring out the badly burned bodies of those poor yardbirds. It was a sight that I still see in my minds eye on occasions. Yes I remember that very well. Pat Sullivan Back to History
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