HH-53 Deployment to the USS Saipan

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55th ARRS HH-53S AND TROOPS ABOARD THE USS SAIPAN OFF THE COAST OF NICARAGUA DURING DICTATOR SOMOZA'S DEPARTURE FROM THE COUNTRY AND THE POSSIBLE U. S. EMBASSY EVACUATION.

I was the Sq CC of the 55th ARS for this deployment. The 41st ARS provided half the force and we had one of the original NRS birds with us although the systems were limited. Somoza was removed from Nicaragua via other means and we never had to extract him as originally planned. Shipboard ops with the old HH-53's was interesting. On the way out to the Saipan the Captain wanted to know if we were Marines or Air Force. When we confirmed Air Force he said he would make it easy for us. He would but the pointed end of the ship into the wind and we were to land on the blunt end. Interesting deployment to say the least.

We came down close enough to Panama for the H-1's to bring us out supplies and personnel. We took a female crew chief out with us and the Navy made her return to Panama when we got close enough for the H-1's to come out. At that time there were no female personnel on Navy ships. She was one popular gal on the Saipan. Her name was Alice and when she departed on the H-1 the Captain put an announcement on the ships TV system to all personnel on board that "Alice doesn't live here anymore".

Capt Murphy was an interesting individual. All business and ran a tight ship. After Alice left I got to sit in on one of his Capt. Mast procedures for a navy troop that had been caught stealing. Sort of like an article 15 in the AF. They still do bread and water in today's Navy.

I was up on the bridge one night with the XO and learned an interesting fact about the bridge. I started to sit down in Capt. Murphy's chair on the bridge and was told in no uncertain terms that Nobody but the Capt. sits in that chair.

After the operation was over and we were deploying for the states, the night before we were to take off at o- dark-thirty heading up toward Cuba and then on up to FL and home one of my P.J.'s called and advised me that the giant was going to walk tonight. I could just see me up before Capt. Murphy in his Capt. Mast drill with the P.J. in tow.

All went well even though I didn't sleep much. As we took off we requested permission to cross the bow and down below the anchor was a beautiful set of six foot long green footprints.

The P.J. lit smoke flares on broomsticks off the ramp of the Jollies as we flew by and we got some pretty good pictures. I think it took us four AR's to get back to FL and the last one was in and out of the weather right over Disneyworld.

When we filed our travel vouchers after we got back to Eglin we had to pay the government a few bucks a day for the time we were on the ship. They said we had food and lodging and the payment was a sir charge we owed for eating in the officers mess. We did eat good! Go figure. (John Flournoy)

Below is an extract of a Navy History reoprt to the Chief of Naval Operations.

From: Commanding Officer, USS SAIPAN (LHA-2)
To: Chief of Naval Operations (OP-05D2)
Subj: Command History, 1979 (OPNAV Report 5750-1)

R. C. MURPHY

b. Mission

(1) To embark, deploy and land elements of a marine landing force in an assault by helicopters, landing craft, amphibious vehicles or by a combination of all three.

(2) Evacuation and disaster relief.

c. Composition of Command

(1) The crew of US5 SAIPAN consists of 54 officers and 827 enlisted men. Additional units embarked when fully loaded include a Marine Amphibious Unit consisting of a Battalion Landing Team and a composit helicopter squadron.

d. Homeport
(1) U. S. Naval Station, Norfolk, VA.

2. Summary of Operations

h. 14 JUN 79 - 19 JUN 79 Underway; Enroute to Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for Fleet Refresher Training.

i. 19 JUN 79 - 10 JUL 79 Assigned to Task unit 43.2.3 for Fleet Refresher ~raining, Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

j. 11 JUL 79 - 12 JUL 79 Underway; Enroute to Special Operations off the Coast of Nicaragua in support of possible evacuation of American Embassy personnel. Four United States Air Force HH-53 Aircraft of the 41st and the 55th Airborne Rescue and Recovery Squadrons (ARRS) onboard under the command of USAF COL B. Kamhoot.

k. 12 JUL 79 - 15 JUL 79 on station off the Coast of Nicaragua. Thirty man modified Infantry Platoon of 193RD Infantry Brigade, Fory Amador, Canal Zone arrived onboard in support of special contingency operations.

1. 15 JUL 79 - 29 JUL 79 on station off the Coast of Nicaragua

m. 29 JUL 79 - 31 JUL 79 Special Contingency Operations complete. 193 Infantry Brigade personnel off-loaded to Howard Air Force Base, Canal Zone. USS SAIPAN underway, enroute to Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for resumption of Fleet Refresher Training. Off-load four USAF HH-53 Aircraft.

n. 1 AUG 79 - 6 AUG 79 Fleet Refresher Training resumed with final Battle Problem completed 6 August 1979.