USS Oak Hill (LSD-7)
USS Oak Hill (LSD-7) was an Ashland-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Oak Hill, the Virginia estate of President James Monroe (1758–1831).
Oak Hill, originally designated as a Mechanized Artillery Transport, APM-7, was laid down by the Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, California, 9 March 1943; launched on 25 June 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Robert E. Garrels; and commissioned on 5 January 1944, Commander Carl A. Peterson in command.
World War II
Following shakedown and amphibious training off southern California, Oak Hill, designed to serve as a cargo and transport type amphibious ship and as a floating dry dock, ferried cargo between the west coast and Hawaii. In early May she engaged in rehearsals for Operation Forager, the thrust into the Marianas, and, at the end of the month, sailed west in Task Group 52.16 (TG 52.16). With tank-bearing LCMs and troops of the 2nd Marine Division on board, she arrived in transport area off Saipan early on 15 June. Her boats soon away and headed for the beachhead, the LSD took up repair duties, working on LCMs, LCVPs and LCTs until the 22nd. She then headed back to Pearl Harbor to resume shuttling cargo and landing craft between Hawaii and the west coast.
USS Comstock (LSD-19)
USS Comstock (LSD-19) was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the first navy ship named in honor of the Comstock Lode in Nevada, discovered in 1859, which was one of the richest deposits of precious metals known in the world.
As of 2011, the ship is in active service at Republic of China Navy as ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191).
USS Comstock (LSD-19)
Comstock was launched on 28 April 1945 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., sponsored by Mrs. H. O. Redue, Jr.; and commissioned on 2 July 1945, Lieutenant Commander J. C. Rochester, USNR, in command.
1945 – 1950
Comstock sailed from Norfolk on 6 September 1945 and after calling at Pearl Harbor en route, arrived at Okinawa 20 October to join in the occupation activities of amphibious forces in China and Japan. She served in the Far East until 1946, then returned to the west coast, entering Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 26 May for conversion to a boat pool ship.
After operating along the west coast, Comstock trained in the Hawaiian Islands from July 1947. Between 28 November 1947 and 31 May 1948 she furnished boat pool services to Joint Task Force 7 for Operation Sandstone, the atomic weapons tests at Eniwetok. After calling at Yokosuka, Japan, she returned to San Francisco on 17 June and alternated local operations on the west coast with six brief tours of duty in the western Pacific until the outbreak of the Korean War.
USS Belle Grove (LSD-2)
USS Belle Grove (LSD-2) was a Ashland-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Belle Grove Plantation, the birthplace of President James Madison (1751–1836) in Port Conway, Virginia.
Belle Grove was laid down on 27 October 1942 by the Moore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California; launched on 17 February 1943, sponsored by Mrs. George M. Lowry; and commissioned at Oakland on 9 August 1943, Lieutenant Commander Morris Seavey, USNR, in command.
World War II
Following her shakedown cruise in the waters off southern California, Belle Grove sailed for Pearl Harbor on 21 October 1943. Upon arrival, the dock landing ship conducted several rehearsals for the upcoming invasion of the Gilbert Islands. In early November, she loaded troops and equipment and set sail for Makin Island. Arriving in the lagoon off Makin on 20 November, she unloaded her embarked troops and LCMs without incident later that morning. In company with Transport Division 20 (TransDiv 20), the ship cleared the island group that evening, returning to Pearl Harbor on 2 December.
