Follow-up on the Chronicle!
Ingram Chronicle
March 2004 Volume 2 Number 3
Here it is, March, and another month is about over! How time flies! I've been in contact with the old USS Haven (AH-12) crew--there is to be a Crew Reunion in Seattle this summer--I am not going to be able to make that trip--but I have run into some rather interesting items on the web page <http://www.usshaven.com/> with some interesting facts and photos of the old boat.
USS Haven (AH-12) underway at sea.
T
he Haven at In'Chon, Korea with barges rigged for helicopter landing platforms.
The Haven at anchor with a boat boom on port side, streaming the launch and gig.
Here follows a segment from the history of the Haven ". . . this is my story", an account of the voyages and service of the Haven in Korea:
"On 4 February 1951 an urgent message was received, ordering the vessel to Pusan to augment the medical facilities of USS CONSOLATION (AH-15). Casualties were very heavy during the Communist offensive, and about 700 patients were admitted during the nine days the ship was in port. From Pusan, the ship was ordered to Inchon, arriving on 16 February. There were only a limited number of United Nations personnel on duty in the Inchon area. The Communists controlled the hills surrounding Kimpo airfield, thereby preventing ambulance planes from ferrying patients to where they could be evacuated to HAVEN. These two factors kept the ship from much medical activity during her six-week stay. When HAVEN returned to Pusan on 26 April, the Communists offensive had reached terrific proportions, and HAVEN's daily patient load reached 500. On 22 September she underwent a change of command, when Captain C.B. Hamblett, USNR, took command. Captain G.G. Blodgett, MC, USN, had previously taken command of the hospital, relieving Captain C.D. Riggs, MC, USN. HAVEN's first cruise in the Far East ended on 16 October 1951 when she set course for home, after having admitted over 8,500 patients while treating an additional 23,000 outpatients.
"HAVEN left San Francisco on 7 January 1952 to begin her second Korean tour, which covered a period of nine months. Operating in Pusan and Inchon, she received patients by train and helicopter from the front lines. She returned to Japan three times for the short stays necessary to evacuate patients and to effect repairs, receiving and treating a total of 3,367 patients. Fifty-four percent of these where subsequently discharged from the ship and returned to duty. The efficiency and worth of the ship is reflected in the low death rate, only one half of one percent of all cases handled. Her signal success can best be appreciated by taking into account the fact that a large proportion of her cases were serious battle casualties, requiring immediate and specialized care. Stationed at In'Chon in August 1952, HAVEN found her facilities and personnel put to a rigorous test as the results of the bitter Bunker Hill fighting, which had just begun. Over 1200 patients were treated in a single month. In recognition of her valiant support of the United Nations battle for freedom, President Syngman Ree awarded the ship the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. On 16 September, just prior to her departure, General Lemuel Shepherd, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corp, visited HAVEN personally to render his thanks for what he termed the "loving care" given to his troops in Korea. "
I was aboard her for that second deployment to Pusan and In'Chon in Korea. We were very busy with the aid of the USS Consolation (AH-15) and USS Repose (AH16) as the major hospitals in Korea for the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Air Wing and the many other Naval units in Korean waters. While in Pusan, I was able to make a few small trips into the Korean countryside, to the Korean Naval Academy at Chen'Hae and to some small fishing villages a short distance from Pusan.
While the Haven was at In'Chon, the ship was moored at anchor in the Han River estuary, due to the 60-65' tide range--and all movements were by boat to and from the ship. The harbor basin at In'Chon was not large enough to accommodate the larger ships. It was still being rebuilt from the damages suffered in WW2.
As the ship's motor vehicle driver, I made trips to Seoul City Air Field to collect and deliver quantities of whole blood for our patients--and also collected a series of speeding tickets on returning from Seoul--the speed limit on the Main Supply Route (MSR) was at 15 mph, which would require about four hours travel time with the blood! I would do about 45 mph, get stopped briefly by the US Army MPs along the way, accept the citation, then resume my course and speed to the Haven at In'Chon. Meeting the boat at the water's edge, the blood was transferred to the ship and to the ship's refrigerated storage, for supplying the injured Marines and others.
We are in the midst of the school year, with the Yuma County Fair next week--30 Mar through 5 April--with the opening "dollar" day on Tuesday. Rosalyn has some of her cross-stitch works in the show--she should get ribbons for her efforts. We will be going to see the show then.
There are plans afoot for a tour to Florida for some of the family--Karene and Tom and extended family are hoping to go to Orlando to visit the Disney properties there. Mother and I shall not be included, although we do have a trip to Fort Lauderdale at some time soon--for a short cruise to the Caribbean--Miami to Cotzumal and return--five days and four nights at sea! We shall see how that turns out. I remember my parents making a number of ocean cruises, to the Eastern Mediterranean and other places--much to their enjoyment and pleasure.
We are having "unseasonally hot" weather at present--several days of 90+°F temperatures--a continental high pressure system has taken early root in the southern Nevada-northwestern Arizona-southwestern Utah region, playing havoc with the regular seasonal flow of cool weather systems into this area--just as you'd expect for the desert southwest! So we are going to have another "usually HOT" summer again!
The College course in Material Science and Metallurgy is going well--I have my largest enrollment of 16--with 14 participating--and have had them respond to my assignments over the Internet. This is getting them involved with more modern technologies as a part of the College out-reach and instruction through all facets of technology. I even have to turn in my course grades by the Internet accesses. Such changes--no more hard copies!
Ingram Chronicle
March 2004 Volume 2 Number 3
Here it is, March, and another month is about over! How time flies! I've been in contact with the old USS Haven (AH-12) crew--there is to be a Crew Reunion in Seattle this summer--I am not going to be able to make that trip--but I have run into some rather interesting items on the web page <http://www.usshaven.com/> with some interesting facts and photos of the old boat.
USS Haven (AH-12) underway at sea.
T
he Haven at In'Chon, Korea with barges rigged for helicopter landing platforms.The Haven at anchor with a boat boom on port side, streaming the launch and gig.
Here follows a segment from the history of the Haven ". . . this is my story", an account of the voyages and service of the Haven in Korea:
"On 4 February 1951 an urgent message was received, ordering the vessel to Pusan to augment the medical facilities of USS CONSOLATION (AH-15). Casualties were very heavy during the Communist offensive, and about 700 patients were admitted during the nine days the ship was in port. From Pusan, the ship was ordered to Inchon, arriving on 16 February. There were only a limited number of United Nations personnel on duty in the Inchon area. The Communists controlled the hills surrounding Kimpo airfield, thereby preventing ambulance planes from ferrying patients to where they could be evacuated to HAVEN. These two factors kept the ship from much medical activity during her six-week stay. When HAVEN returned to Pusan on 26 April, the Communists offensive had reached terrific proportions, and HAVEN's daily patient load reached 500. On 22 September she underwent a change of command, when Captain C.B. Hamblett, USNR, took command. Captain G.G. Blodgett, MC, USN, had previously taken command of the hospital, relieving Captain C.D. Riggs, MC, USN. HAVEN's first cruise in the Far East ended on 16 October 1951 when she set course for home, after having admitted over 8,500 patients while treating an additional 23,000 outpatients.
"HAVEN left San Francisco on 7 January 1952 to begin her second Korean tour, which covered a period of nine months. Operating in Pusan and Inchon, she received patients by train and helicopter from the front lines. She returned to Japan three times for the short stays necessary to evacuate patients and to effect repairs, receiving and treating a total of 3,367 patients. Fifty-four percent of these where subsequently discharged from the ship and returned to duty. The efficiency and worth of the ship is reflected in the low death rate, only one half of one percent of all cases handled. Her signal success can best be appreciated by taking into account the fact that a large proportion of her cases were serious battle casualties, requiring immediate and specialized care. Stationed at In'Chon in August 1952, HAVEN found her facilities and personnel put to a rigorous test as the results of the bitter Bunker Hill fighting, which had just begun. Over 1200 patients were treated in a single month. In recognition of her valiant support of the United Nations battle for freedom, President Syngman Ree awarded the ship the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. On 16 September, just prior to her departure, General Lemuel Shepherd, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corp, visited HAVEN personally to render his thanks for what he termed the "loving care" given to his troops in Korea. "
I was aboard her for that second deployment to Pusan and In'Chon in Korea. We were very busy with the aid of the USS Consolation (AH-15) and USS Repose (AH16) as the major hospitals in Korea for the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Air Wing and the many other Naval units in Korean waters. While in Pusan, I was able to make a few small trips into the Korean countryside, to the Korean Naval Academy at Chen'Hae and to some small fishing villages a short distance from Pusan.
While the Haven was at In'Chon, the ship was moored at anchor in the Han River estuary, due to the 60-65' tide range--and all movements were by boat to and from the ship. The harbor basin at In'Chon was not large enough to accommodate the larger ships. It was still being rebuilt from the damages suffered in WW2.
As the ship's motor vehicle driver, I made trips to Seoul City Air Field to collect and deliver quantities of whole blood for our patients--and also collected a series of speeding tickets on returning from Seoul--the speed limit on the Main Supply Route (MSR) was at 15 mph, which would require about four hours travel time with the blood! I would do about 45 mph, get stopped briefly by the US Army MPs along the way, accept the citation, then resume my course and speed to the Haven at In'Chon. Meeting the boat at the water's edge, the blood was transferred to the ship and to the ship's refrigerated storage, for supplying the injured Marines and others.
We are in the midst of the school year, with the Yuma County Fair next week--30 Mar through 5 April--with the opening "dollar" day on Tuesday. Rosalyn has some of her cross-stitch works in the show--she should get ribbons for her efforts. We will be going to see the show then.
There are plans afoot for a tour to Florida for some of the family--Karene and Tom and extended family are hoping to go to Orlando to visit the Disney properties there. Mother and I shall not be included, although we do have a trip to Fort Lauderdale at some time soon--for a short cruise to the Caribbean--Miami to Cotzumal and return--five days and four nights at sea! We shall see how that turns out. I remember my parents making a number of ocean cruises, to the Eastern Mediterranean and other places--much to their enjoyment and pleasure.
We are having "unseasonally hot" weather at present--several days of 90+°F temperatures--a continental high pressure system has taken early root in the southern Nevada-northwestern Arizona-southwestern Utah region, playing havoc with the regular seasonal flow of cool weather systems into this area--just as you'd expect for the desert southwest! So we are going to have another "usually HOT" summer again!
The College course in Material Science and Metallurgy is going well--I have my largest enrollment of 16--with 14 participating--and have had them respond to my assignments over the Internet. This is getting them involved with more modern technologies as a part of the College out-reach and instruction through all facets of technology. I even have to turn in my course grades by the Internet accesses. Such changes--no more hard copies!
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