I spent 9 months and 26 days on board the Juneau in 1973-74-75 as a member of embarked troops:Battalion Landing Teams (called BLT in those days) 1/9, 2/9 and 3/9. We floated from ROK
to Subic Bay, RP; from Red Beach on Okinawa to south of Brisbane down into Sidney, Australia. During this time we trained with military units of many other nations. Our purpose was to be prepared to go back into Viet Nam where needed, when needed.
A young midshipman I had the privilege of working with 23 years later, Lance Priest, also spent time on the Juneau as a crew member. His job and that of his shipmates was to move other units similar to mine through the same waters to do a similar job. There was a considerable time
A young midshipman I had the privilege of working with 23 years later, Lance Priest, also spent time on the Juneau as a crew member. His job and that of his shipmates was to move other units similar to mine through the same waters to do a similar job. There was a considerable time
difference in our tours on board.
We spent our days aboard the USS Juneau, LPD 10 (Landing Platform Docking) preparing and waiting, to go back in if needed.
All naval vessels are of importance and for a myriad of reasons. The USS Juneau also holds a very unique place in history.
The USS Juneau (CL-52) an Atlanta Class Light Cruiser, was commissioned 14 February, 1942.
She was sunk during the Battle for Guadalcanal, 13 November, 1942 by Japanese torpedoes
claiming the lives of 687 men. Among this number was the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo,
Iowa.
claiming the lives of 687 men. Among this number was the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo,
Iowa.
Despite naval policy stipulating that siblings could not serve in or on the same military unit, brothers George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert refused to serve in the Navy unless they were posted to the same unit. The Brothers became navy heroes. In their honor, a Fletcher Class Destroyer, the USS The Sullivans (DD-537) was named after them. The USS The Sullivans was decommissioned 7 January, 1965. In 1977 the ship was processed for donation to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, in Buffalo, New York.
The Juneau was discovered in 4,200 meters of water by an expedition in the South Pacific ocean funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The search team located the wreckage of the USS Juneau off the coast of the Solomon Islands on St Patrick’s Day, 19 March, 2018.
I remember reading about them.
ReplyDeleteI have a habit of reading military history when the call is yelling its head off and I know that there is NO way of actually answering it.