Page 44: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 15, 1970)

NASSCO Launches LST-1192 And Lays Keel For Sister Ship

Principals at the launch/keel-laying ceremony included, left to right, the Honorable Strom Thurmond, (R) South

Carolina, main speaker; Mrs. Thurmond; J.E. Hughes, vice-president and assistant general manager, Kaiser Engineers

Division and National Steel vice-president and director; Neville Holcombe, attorney at law; Vice Adm. Nels C. John- son, USN, Commander, Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Miss Frances Holcombe, maid of honor; Mrs. Neville

Holcombe, sponsor; John V. Banks, National Steel Executive vice-president; Rear Adm. John W. Dolan, USN, repre- senting Naval Ship Systems Command; Capt. H.A. Gerdes, USN, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, 11ND, San Diego; R.E. Bernard, group vice-president, Kaiser Engineers Division, and National Steel Director, vice- president-treasurer, and assistant secretary; and Capt. Henry T. Lavin, CHC, USN, Senior Chaplain, Naval Amphi- bious Base, Coronado, Calif.

The Spartanburg County (LST-1192) was launched from the ways of National Steel and

Shipbuilding Company, Harbor Drive at 28th

Street, San Diego, Calif. 92112, on November 7, 1970, followed by the keel-laying of the

Harlan County (LST-1196).

The Spartanburg County was sponsored by

Mrs. Neville Holcombe. Her daughter, Frances, served as maid of honor.

Following the launch of the Spartanburg

County, Rear Adm. John B. Davis, USN, Com- mander, Amphibious Training Command, U.S.

Pacific Fleet, laid the keel of a sister ship, the Harlan County (LST-1196).

The main speaker for the launching was the

Honorable Strom Thurmond (R), U.S. Senator from South Carolina. Others who participated in the dual ceremonies included Kear Adm.

John W. Dolan, USN, representing Naval

Ship Systems Command; Capt. H.T. Lavin,

USN, Senior Chaplain, Naval Amphibious

Base, Coronado, Calif.; Capt. H.A. Gerdes,

USN, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, 11ND, San Diego, Calif.;

John V. Banks, National Steel executive vice- president, and John M. Murphy, National Steel vice-president, sales.

The Spartanburg County is one of a new class of tank landing ships having a greatly increased combat vehicular lift and landing capability over those of World War II. Ships of her class afford the swiftest and most ef- ficient means of landing tanks, artillery, and assault vehicles under combat conditions. The normal method of unloading will be over the ramp, to a pontoon causeway, and then to the beach. A stern ramp is also provided for load- ing and unloading amphibian vehicles in deep water.

The Spartanburg County has an overall length of 522 feet 3 inches, an extreme beam of 69 feet 6 inches, full load displacement of 8,000 tons, a mean draft of 14 feet 8 inches, and a speed in excess of 20 knots.

The main propulsion for each of the 17 tank landing ships built or under construction at

National Steel and Shipbuilding consists of six Alco diesel engines 16-cylinder Model 251-

C rated at 2,755 bhp at a nominal 1.000 rpm.

The three ship service engines are Alco 8- cylinder Model 251-E driving General Electric generators. The 17 sister ships are twin-screw equipped with KaMeWa CP propellers fur- nished by Bird Johnson. Bird Johnson also supplied the 800-hp bow thrusters for all the vessels.

Approximately 2.000 spectators witnessed the colorful dual ceremonies.

Robert G. Stone Jr. To Head

States Marine International

States Marine International, Inc., New York, announced that Robert G. Stone Jr. has been named its board chairman and chief executive officer. Mr. Stone, who has been serving as president of the company, succeeds Henry D.

Mercer, who founded the unsubsidized steam- ship line in 1931 and who retired effective

December 1.

States Marine owns 37 American-flag ships and charters a number of others, some of which sail under foreign flags.

Succeeding Mr. Stone as president will be

Douglas D. Mercer, a 1957 graduate of the

United States Merchant Marine Academy and vice-president since 1966.

A director of Chase Manhattan Bank, Re- public Steel Corporation and Magnavox Com- pany, Mr. Stone long has been a yachting en- thusiast. In 1957, he headed the syndicate that built the yacht Weatherly, which successfully defended the America's Cup.

Mr. Stone is a board member of various businesses and educational institutions. He is chairman of Harvard University's Corporate

Relations Committee.

Holland America/Hapag-Lloyd

Plan To Start Joint Service

Holland America Line and Hapag-Lloyd A.G., to promote efficiency and achieve economic oper- ation, have agreed to combine their activities be- tween Europe and the U.S. Gulf and South At- lantic. Subject to approval by the U.S. Govern- ment authorities, they will start the joint service in April 1971, under the name of "Twinco Serv- ices." This service will offer frequent sailings with modern vessels equipped to also handle a sufficient amount of containers to adequately serve the trade. This will be supplemented in 1972 by two LASH vessels presently under construc- tion in Belgium.

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