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U.S.S. CAPRICORNUS (AKA/LKA-57) Association
(This website updated July 18, 2007 to reflect Reunion San Diego now past and to point to Reunion Branson MO, June 8-12, 2008)
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Two views of USS CAPRICORNUS (AKA/LKA-57) at sea
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U.S.S. CAPRICORNUS Association
D. Thomas Longo, Jr., Chairman
30424 Mallard Drive, Delmar, MD 21875
410-742-4380 (phone/fax), DTLongo@aol.com
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View of the "beach" and floodable well deck comprising much of the interior of USS CLEVELAND (LPD-7), which the group toured in San Diego. The ship carries large landing craft on this deck. When the well is flooded, they float, and are loaded with trucks, guns, tanks, men and whatever else across the angled "beach." Then they power themselves out the stern and head for the objective. For many of our family members this was their first visit to an alive, living and breathing Navy ship, a stirring experience.
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At the San Diego reunion, first time reunion attendee, World War II CAPRICORNUS shipmate Leon T. Johnson (left), and Chairman Thomas Longo conduct the Association's annual Remembrance Ceremony in honor of departed shipmates. This year's ceremony was held on the flight deck of USS MIDWAY (CVB-41), berthed permanently at San Diego. Visible on the left is the Association's Ship's Bell.
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An LCM-6 Landing Craft Mechanized. CAPRICORNUS carried up to eight of these all-metal, 30-ton "Mike boats." They were powered by twin Diesel engines. They were so heavy that when swung out for lowering into the water, the entire ship would heel a few degrees. During loading and unloading operations alongside ships' cliff-like sides, LCM's and LCVP's would bob up and down on the waves many feet, complicating operations for their crews handling heavy cargo. Everyone had to look out for life, limb and safety and to display near-acrobatic agility to avoid being crushed or maimed. When the boats backed off a beach to return for more troops and cargo, incoming surf would explode and erupt against their square sterns like fireworks as they powered through sandbars and more oncoming waves. They and their crews were tough!
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An LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle-Personnel, the famous World War II Higgins Boat. Capricornus carried up to fourteen of these nine-ton craft, made of plywood except for the metal ramp and powered by a single Diesel engine. Three were carried on davits on each side of the superstructure and eight more nested within larger Mike boats atop the ship's hatches. The lower LCVP on the starboard davit was the duty lifeboat.
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A SHORT HISTORY OF THE USS CAPRICORNUS (AKA/LKA-57)
The vessel that became USS CAPRICORNUS was originally built in Oakland, CA by the Moore Drydock Co. and launched as the S.S. Spitfire on August 14, 1943. She was converted for Navy duty by Willamette Iron and Steel Works in Portland, OR, and was commissiond as USS CAPRICORNUS (AKA-57) on May 31, 1944 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Benamin F. McGuckin. Her commissioning crew of "Plankowners" included neumerous 17- and 18-year olds. Those boys and young men pointed her bow westward across the broad Pacific and took her to war.
CAPRICORNUS' specialty as an Attack Cargo Ship (AKA) was supporting amphibious landings with the numerous assault boats she carried to land cargo and people from both herself and other ships onto hostile shores. CAPRICORNUS was one of many unsung heroes during World War II. Battleships and aircraft carriers got the glory, the "Scrappy Cappy" and her brethren got the grunt work. "Last to know, first to go" was her wry ship's motto of those days. CAPRICORNUS was a lucky ship. Despite being strafed and bombed, she brought all her WWII crew members home safely.
CAPRICORNUS participated in several World War II island invasions in the Pacific from Leyte to Okinawa. On November 13, 1944, while transporting Army reinforcements, CAPRICORNUS destroyed one the the Japanese torpedo planes which attacked | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||