USS ANNAPOLIS (AGMR-1)

The USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was converted to the AGMR class from the USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) which saw service in World War II. The USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) earned three battle stars for its meritorious service in World War II.

The USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was a Communications Major Relay Ship, and the ship's motto was VOX MARIS: "Voice of the Sea".

I was stationed on the USS ANNAPOLIS (AGMR-1) from April 1967 thru November 1968. During my 20 month tour, there were two commanding officers, Captain William F. Casper, and after him, there was Captain William J. Wacker.

The USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was normally on Yankee Station off the coast of Vietnam, patrolling in the waters of the Tonkin Gulf and the South China Sea. The USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was an integral part of the Blue Water Navy in Vietnam, and, in a lighter tone, was sometimes referred to as a member of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club.

When the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was not on patrol off the Vietnam coast, we visited the ports of Subic Bay in the Phillipines, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sasebo and Yokosuka in Japan, and Fremantle/Perth in Western Australia. My Navy travels, before and beyond my tour on the Annapolis, also took me to San Francisco, Anchorage, Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, and Okinawa.

On July 29, 1967, the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) was on patrol on Yankee Station off the coast of Vietnam. A Zuni rocket, from a parked F4 Phantom on the flight deck of the Forrestal, accidentally fired, and caused a massive explosion, resulting in a tragic fire, that killed 50 Navy personnel, as well as causing substantial damage to the Forrestal. The USS Annapolis AGMR-1, as well as other Navy ships, were in the immediate vicinity of the USS Forrestal, and ready to assist the Forrestal in any possible way. Helicopters landed on the antenna deck of the USS Annaplois AGMR-1, and fire fighting foam, as well as other supplies, were transported to the Forrestal from the Annapolis.

On January 23, 1968, the North Koreans attacked and captured the USS PUEBLO (AGER-2). At that time, the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was enroute to Australia for a respite, and as a result of the capture of the USS PUEBLO, the trip was cancelled, and the USS Annapolis went back on station off the coast of Vietnam, and the USS Arlington (AGMR-2), who normally relieved us when we went on R and R, was rerouted to patrol off the North Korean coast in international waters. We missed the January trip, but another one was rescheduled for June 1968 for the Fremantle/Perth area in Western Australia. I extended my tour onboard the Annapolis, and I made the trip to Western Australia in June 1968.

The USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its direct support of U.S. 7th Fleet combat operations from January 9, 1967 through January 29, 1968.
VIEW THE MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION

This USS ANNAPOLIS (AGMR-1) Web site was designed, coded in HTML, and is maintained by Kurt A. Dold of Norwood, Massachusetts.

This Web page was originally published during October 2000.

The last update to this page was on February 2, 2007.

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If any of the images, art work, animations etc. fail to load on any of your views of the pages on this Web site for the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1), please refresh or reload the page. If that doesn't work, please E-mail me at my address below. Thank you!

The presentation of this page as well as the other pages/links on this Web site is done in a light-hearted view of my tour on board the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1). My intention is to not to demean or make light of the hard work put forth by the crew of the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) or the United States Navy.

The photographs on the pages on this Web site are from my personal collection, with the exception of those where credit is given to the various sources. I scanned the opening photograph of the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) from the soft cover book, "Escort Carriers in Action", which I purchased at a local book store. The photographs on the links for Page 5 and for Page 6 are credited to the persons who sent them to me. The animations, clip art, and music were downloaded from various Web sites which offer them free of charge to all. The ideas for this page are my own, and were not gleaned, copied, or stolen in any manner, shape, or form from any other Web site of a similar nature. This Web site was planned for years, but I did not publish the pages until the fall of 2000. If there are any questions concerning this issue, please contact me at me E-mail buoy below, and I will be more than happy to answer them. But, most importantly, if you were a former crew member of the USS Annapolis (AGMR-1), and if you have any comments, please contact me as well. And, if you care to view or to sign the Guest Log, please drop anchor at the Page 3 link located previously on this page.