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USS Seminole (AKA-104)
Encyclopedia
USS Seminole (AKA-104/LKA-104) was a of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
named after counties in Florida
Seminole County, Florida
Seminole County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Located between Orlando to the south and Deland and Daytona Beach to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford...
, Georgia
Seminole County, Georgia
Seminole County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 9,369. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 9,081. The county seat is Donalsonville.-History:...
, and Oklahoma
Seminole County, Oklahoma
Seminole County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 24,894 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Wewoka. Before Oklahoma's admission as a state, the county was the entire small portion of Indian Territory allocated to the Seminoles. Seminole County has been an...
. Seminole was designed to carry military cargo and landing craft, and to use the latter to land weapons, supplies, and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
and operations. She served as a commissioned ship for 25 years and 9 months.
Seminole was built in 1944 as a Type C2-S-AJ3 ship
Type C2 ship
Type C2 ships were designed by the United States Maritime Commission in 1937-38. They were all-purpose cargo ships with five holds, and U.S. shipyards built 173 of them from 1939-1945. Compared to ships built before 1939, the C2s were remarkable for their speed and fuel economy. Their design speed...
under a Maritime Commission
United States Maritime Commission
The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and replaced the U.S. Shipping Board which had existed since World War I...
contract (MC hull 1703), by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company
North Carolina Shipbuilding Company
North Carolina Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard in Wilmington, North Carolina, created as part of the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program in the early days of World War II. From 1941 through 1946, the company built 243 ships in all, beginning with the Liberty ship SS Zebulon B....
, Wilmington, North Carolina; launched on December 28, 1944; sponsored by Miss Pamela Cole; Commissioned on March 8, 1945, at the Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina, with Lieutenant Commander E. L. Bothwell, Assistant to the Captain of the Yard, in temporary command.
World War II, 1945
Following shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
in Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
from March 25 to 28, 1945, the attack cargo ship operated along the east coast. On April 8 she departed Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
for the Panama Canal Zone. Seminole transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on April 14 to 15 and arrived at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on April 30.
From May 1 through May 27, Seminole engaged in training cruises off the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. On May 28, she got underway for the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
and arrived at Eniwetok on June 6. Seminole independently zigzagged her way to Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, Caroline Islands, from June 17-21, where she loaded anti-tank land mines for Okinawan operations. Arriving at Buckner Bay, Okinawa on July 14, Seminole unloaded her cargo on July 17. On July 18, general quarters
General quarters
General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage....
were sounded, and the AKA steamed southward to avoid a typhoon. The hazard over by July 20, Seminole returned to Buckner Bay the following day. She took similar measures during a typhoon warning from August 1-3.
On August 6, Seminole departed Buckner Bay for Ulithi, and, in spite of trouble in her fuel lines, arrived on August 10. On the 13th, she got underway for the Palaus and arrived at Peleliu Island the following day. On the 15th Japan surrendered
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
.
Post-war activities, 1945–1950
Seminole loaded cargo at Peleliu and departed on August 21 bound for the Marianas. After anchoring in SaipanSaipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
Harbor on August 24, she unloaded cargo there and at Tanapag
Tanapag
Tanapag is a settlement on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is located close to Tanapag Beach on the northwest coast, just to the north of Capital Hill, the island group's centre of government...
and Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
before getting underway for Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. Seminole remained in Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
, Guam, from September 1-4, before sailing for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Seminole entered San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
, Leyte
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
, on September 8; steamed to Guiuan, Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
Island, on September, where she transferred four LCVP
LCVP
The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...
's and eight LCM's
Landing Craft Mechanized
The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
before steaming to Iloilo, Panay Island, on September 12.
From September 12-17, Seminole loaded general cargo, ammunition, vehicles, landing craft, and gasoline for the 40th Infantry Division. Then, on September 18, she got underway for Jinsen, Korea, and anchored there a week later.
Seminole returned to Leyte on October 7. She remained in Philippine waters, loading cargo at various points, until October 18 when she stood out of San Fernando Harbor, Luzon, for Korea. After unloading equipment and 84 officers and men of the U.S. 6th Infantry Division at Jinsen, Seminole again set out for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, anchoring in Guiuan Harbor, Samar, on November 5.
On December 1, the attack cargo ship departed Leyte Gulf, and arrived in San Francisco, California, on March 2, 1946, after stopping off at Tsingtao, Guam, and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
.
During the postwar years from 1946 to 1950, Seminole operated along the west coast, and at Pearl Harbor, Guam, and other Pacific ports.
Korean War, 1950–1953
In Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
when war broke out in Korea in the summer of 1950, Seminole and sister ship, , got underway for Yokosuka, Japan. She changed her course in accordance with a dispatch of August 30 and arrived at Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
the next day. After voyage repairs at the Mitsubishi dockyards and lashing down for typhoon "Jane," Seminole loaded military cargo and got underway for Pusan, Korea, on September 4 accompanied by and . Seminole returned to Kobe that same day in compliance with a confidential dispatch, fueled to capacity, and got underway independently at 0027 on September 5.
Seminole moored in Pusan Harbor on September 6. On September 8, she commenced loading cargo, supplies, and equipment of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
1st Provisional Marine Brigade
The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was a Marine infantry brigade of the United States Marine Corps that existed periodically from 1912 to 1950. It was an ad hoc unit formed for specific operations and therefore not considered a "permanent" USMC unit....
. Five war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
s reported on board on September 11, and 301 U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and 58 ROK Marines
Republic of Korea Marine Corps
The Republic of Korea Marine Corps is the marine corps of the Republic of Korea...
embarked the next day. On September 15, Seminole lowered and dispatched her boats for the opposed landings on Red Beach, Inchon. From September 16-20, the AKA continued to offload her cargo. On September 21, she evacuated six marine casualties and debarked them at Sasebo, Japan, on September 23.
After repairs to the ship and her boats, Seminole stood out of Kobe on October 5 and arrived at Inchon on October 8. Seminole began loading troops and equipment of the 1st Marine Division the next day and took on additional troops and cargo until standing out of the harbor on October 17. Seminole and accompanying ships reversed their course back and forth several times until the mine fields
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
at Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
had been cleared. She entered Wonsan Harbor on October 25 and landed marines and offloaded cargo until October 30.
Seminole departed Wonsan Harbor on November 1, reaching Pusan the next day. After embarking men of the 65th Regimental Combat Team and the 58th Field Artillery Battalion, she disembarked them at Wonsan on November 7. Two days later, Seminole got underway for Pusan and sank a mine with fire from small arms and 20 millimeter guns en route. Seminole anchored in Pusan on November 10, where she loaded troops from X Corps, before getting underway on the next day.
Seminole returned to Wonsan Harbor on November 12, disembarked the soldiers, and performed upkeep and maintenance until standing out for Japan on November 17. Seminole arrived at Yokosuka Harbor on November 20, remaining there until the end of the month. Early in December, the attack transport returned to Korea to evacuate troops who had been endangered by the entry of Chinese communist forces
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
into the war. The ship entered Wonsan Harbor on December 4, and embarked a platoon of the 3rd Infantry Division and their equipment. From December 5-7, additional elements of the 3rd Infantry Division, including the Division Band, came on board. On December 9, Seminole stood into Hŭngnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
, Korea. For the remainder of 1950, Seminole completed several trips between Hungnam and Pusan, ferrying Japanese stevedores, as well as 3rd Division and ROK soldiers. Seminole anchored at Kobe Harbor on December 29.
On January 13, 1951, Seminole stood out of Kobe en route to Korea, anchoring at the Pusan outer harbor the next day. From January 23-28, Seminole transported North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n and Chinese POW'S from Pusan to Sadung Ni. On January 29, Seminole interrupted this work to engage in simulated amphibious movements and assault landings along the eastern coast. The ruse, between January 29-31, caused the enemy to deploy his troops where they did not threaten United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces.
Her mission completed, Seminole returned to the ferrying of POW's on February 2. On February 8, additional simulated assault landings were made. On February 10, Seminole departed Inchon for Japan and arrived at Sasebo two days later. She made one more trip to Korea and back that month, returning to Yokosuka Harbor on the 25th.
Seminole departed Sasebo
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo is a United States Navy naval base, in Sasebo, Japan, on the island of Kyūshū. It provides facilities for the logistic support of forward-deployed units and visiting operating forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and designated tenant activities.- History :Sasebo...
on April 4, arriving at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on the 16th. On July 9, she stood into San Diego Harbor. Seminole operated along the west coast until November 29, 1952, then she returned to Yokosuka. Departing Yokosuka on December 5, Seminole resumed her operations in Korean and Japanese waters. On April 10, 1953, Seminole departed Japan as a part of Task Group 90.9 which redeployed the 5th Cavalry Regimental Combat Team from Pusan and Koje Do, Korea, to Otaru, Japan
Otaru, Hokkaido
is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination...
. Arriving at Pusan on April 13, Seminole loaded vehicles, drivers, and 500 troops before returning to Otaru on the 27th.
Seminole continued her operations in Japanese and Korean waters well after the signing of the truce on July 27, 1953. From July 28 to September 12, she ferried almost 10,000 North Korean and Chinese POW's in "Operation Big Switch
Operation Big Switch
Operation Big Switch was the repatriation of all remaining prisoners of the Korean War. Ceasefire talks had been going on between Communist and UN forces since 1951, with one of the main stumbling blocks being the Communist insistence that all prisoners be returned home, with the UN insisting that...
" from Koje Do to Inchon. On September 22, she departed Asian waters and arrived at San Diego on Columbus Day
Columbus Day
Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
1953.
Pacific operations, 1954–1966
On September 14, 1954, Seminole departed the west coast. She arrived at Yokosuka on October 2, Hong Kong on the tenth, and Sasebo on the 29th.On November 30, 1955, the attack transport ship stood into Subic Bay, Philippines, and arrived at Saigon, Vietnam, on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. After evacuating refugees from North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
and the Tachen Islands, she departed Saigon on January 11, 1956. Seminole returned to Japan, standing into Kobe on the 27th.
Seminole departed Kobe on February 6 and proceeded to Buckner Bay, Okinawa. On February 24, she departed the Ryukyus for Japan and thence proceeded to San Diego via Pearl Harbor. For the remainder of 1956, Seminole operated along the west coast and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. In January 1957, she again set sail for Yokosuka. Seminole operated off Japan, Okinawa, and Korea until her return to San Diego on September 26. Back in Yokosuka on July 3, 1958, the AKA remained in East Asian waters until her return to San Diego on December 8. Seminole continued her active service into the 1960s. On July 1, 1966, Seminole was assigned to Amphibious Squadron 9.
Vietnam, 1967–1970
On February 24, 1967, the squadron departed Chin Wan, Okinawa, and arrived off the mouth of the Cua Viet river, South Vietnam, on March 1. There, they embarked marines for rotation, and arrived at Chin Wan on March 13. On April 14 the Seminole assisted in the rescue of 28 survivors of SS Silver Peak, which had been run aground by typhoon "Violet."Seminole participated in Operation "Beaver Cage," an amphibious and helicopter borne assault in support of the 1st Marine Division from 28 April to 13 May. Planning commenced immediately for operation "Beau Charger," an amphibious and helicopter assault for a search and destroy operation near the DMZ
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the First Indochina War.During the Second Indochina War , it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North Vietnamese territory from South Vietnamese territory.-...
. This operation, executed May 18-22, inflicted losses upon the enemy in an area he had considered his sanctuary.
On June 18, Operation "Beacon Torch" was launched near Hội An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
. After disrupting enemy base areas, fortifications, and lines of communications, the 5th Marine Regiment was withdrawn on July 2 and inserted just south of the DMZ to help counter an urgent North Vietnamese threat in Operation "Bear Track," July 4 through the 17th. Three days later, Operation "Bear Chain" was launched against enemy strongholds south of Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
, terminating on July 25. A short duration, surprise amphibious assault in the vicinity of Huế, was followed by a search and destroy sweep inland, Operation "Kangaroo Kick."
Seminole next headed for a much-needed upkeep period, arriving at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
on 5 August. The last operation of this deployment came on 27 August with an amphibious landing near Quang Tri
Quang Tri
Quảng Trị is a town district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Significantly, it was the only South Vietnamese provincial capital to be captured by the North Vietnamese forces for a limited period in the 1972 offensive....
. Operation "Belt Drive," as it was named, came to a successful completion on 5 September and deterred enemy terrorism over the election period. Seminoles unit departed Vietnamese waters on 1 September, however, to return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
west coast, via Hong Kong and Subic Bay. She arrived at her homeport, San Diego, on 21 September.
From April 24 to May 3, 1968, Seminole participated in fleet exercise "Beagle Leash" off the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
islands of Coronado
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
and San Clemente
San Clemente, California
San Clemente is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 63,522 at the 2010 census. Located on the California Coast, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego at the southern tip of the county, it is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish...
. On August 1, Seminole participated in a joint convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
exercise while in transit from San Diego to Pearl Harbor.
On October 10, during an upkeep period in Subic Bay, Seminole relieved . On the 23rd, she entered Kaoshiung for a port visit. On the 28th, Seminole proceeded independently to join the ARG
Amphibious Ready Group
An Amphibious Readiness Group of the United States Navy consists of a Navy element—a group of warships known as an amphibious task force —and a landing force of United States Marines , in total about 5,000 people. Together, these elements and supporting units are trained, organized, and equipped...
in Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
on the 30th. She was detached on November 13th for a round-trip voyage to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and rejoined the task group on the 26th. Seminole got underway for Hong Kong on December 6, arriving two days later.
After spending Christmas in Hong Kong, Seminole stood out of the harbor on December 27, 1968, to rejoin her unit off the Vietnamese coast near Da Nang.
Seminole was redesignated LKA-104 on January 1, 1969.
On January 12, Seminoles squadron participated in the Mo Due demonstration. Seminole remained in the Mo Due area alone to continue the demonstration, thus missing Operation "Bold Mariner," the largest amphibious operation since the Inchon landings. On February 6, the LKA offloaded Seatail material and steamed singly for Yokosuka on the 14th. Amphibious Squadron 9 rejoined Seminole at Yokosuka on the 26th.
On July 14th, Seminole grounded on Puget Shoals after a port visit in the Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
, area. She rejoined Amphibious Squadron 9 at Buckner Bay on December 1. The squadron got underway for Subic Bay the next day and finished the year in upkeep.
Following additional upkeep, training, and an amphibious demonstration for students and faculty from the Vietnamese Defense College, Seminole departed Subic Bay on January 25, 1970 for Vietnam and Operation "Keystone Bluejay." The ship completed loading marines and equipment on January 29 and delivered them to San Diego on February 24.
Decommissioning
On September 23, in her 25th year of active service, Seminole was transferred to the Inactive Ship FacilityNaval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility
A Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility is a facility owned by the U.S. Navy as a holding facility for decommissioned naval vessels, pending determination of their final fate...
, San Diego. She was placed out of commission in reserve on December 23, 1970.
Awards
Seminole received six battle stars for service in the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and six campaign stars for service in Vietnam.