Krishna ARL-38

Krishna

In Brahmanic mythology, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, second god of the Hindu Trimurti, and a hero of inumerable exploits whose feats surpassed those of Hercules and Archilles in prowess.

(ARL-38: dp. 2,125; 1. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 11'2"; s. 12 k.: cpl. 253; a. 8 40mm., 12 20mm., cl. Achelous)

Originally classified LST-1149, Krishna was reclassified ARL-38 on 14 August 1944; and laid down 23 February 1945, by Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Senaca, Ill.; launched 25 May 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Eva Best Smith; placed in reduced commission during transfer to Mobile, Ala., for conversion; and commissioned 3 December 1945, at Mobile, Lt. Lyle E. Brown in command.

Departing Mobile 8 January 1946, Krishna arrived Norfolk 14 January for duty with Amphibious Group 2 at Little Creek, Va. For more than 19 years the landing craft repair ship operated out of Little Creek, and Support-and-repair operations have carried her from Baffin Bay to the Caribbean. From 25 May to 31 August 1951 she participated in Operation "Blue Jay" during the initial phase of establishing the large air base at Thule, Greenland. While at Little Creek she made annual deployments to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean Islands supporting amphibious landing exercises.

Krishna departed Little Creek 5 October 1964, and sailed to waters off southern Spain, arriving Huelva 26 October. While there she participated in Operation "Steel Pike I," the largest amphibious landing operation since World War II which sent more than 28,000 2d Division marines storming the shores on a mock invasion. One of 84 naval ships, Krishna provided support and replenishment services during this impressive exercise that clearly illustrated the strength and diversity of American naval sea power and emphasized the Navy's ability and readiness to move a vast amphibious force to any shore if needed in keeping the peace. Departing Huelva 4 November,

Krishna steamed to the East Coast via Oporto, Portugal, and arrived Little Creek 29 November.

From I December to 22 February 1965, Krishna reactivated Kirwin (APD-90), and on I June she was assigned to Service Force, Pacific Fleet. Departing Little Creek, she steamed via Pearl Harbor and Guam for duty in the Far East. Operating out of Subic Bay, Philippines, she reached the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Vietnam 17 September and began duty as support ship for patrol craft of U.S. Coast Guard Squadron 1. While the cutters patrolled coastal waters to prevent infiltration of ammunition and supplies to the Viet Cong, Krishna served as a repair facility and fueling station as well as an operations, communications, and command center. Later in the year she also provided services for eight 50-foot "Swift" launches that arrived to strengthen the coastal surveillance program.

Krishna remained on station until 1 December when she departed for Bangkok, Thailand, arriving 3 December. She returned to her various support duties in the Gulf of Thailand 11 December. In February Krishna raised and salvaged PCF-4. On 30 April men from Krishna helped extinguish a fire in An Thoi, a South Vietnamese village. She had a number of distinguished visitors through 1966, including Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze on the 15th of July. On 21 July the landing craft repair ship headed for Sasebo, Japan, with a stopover at Kaoshiung, Taiwan, 29 July to provide repair facilities, arriving Sasebo 9 August. Krishna departed Sasebo, for Vietnam 22 September, arriving in the Gulf of Siam 7 October to resume her WestPac mission. Krishna continued to patrol off the coast of Vietnam through 1966 into 1967.