U.S.S. "Hoquiam" Pf-5 - Road to Hungnam (Paperback)

As the story opens, the Hoquiam is in the midst of shakedown and training. Abruptly, she is ordered to Wonsan, North Korea, to participate in the Fifth Marines Amphibious Landing. The Commanding Officer is told his ship will carry out any additional tasks for two weeks as may be ordered by Commander, Task Force 90. Anchored in Wonsan Harbor, the Captain, Lieutenant Commander Maxwell J. Brown, receives new orders to report to Commander, Task Force 96, for an indeterminate length of time.

The crew is not prepared for the very cold weather that drops out of Siberia within days, as the Hoquiam acts as Harbor Entrance Control Vessel for troop and supply landings at Iwon, Songjin, Hungnam, and Chongjin, North Korea. Shortly after completing those missions, she returns to Hungnam and acts as Harbor Entrance Control Vessel once again.

Meanwhile, Lee Stewart receives a letter from Betty Echols, a former girl friend, who believes he is still at Naval Station Tongue Point. She writes a sad tale of woe. At her high school graduation party, her date, Ralph Rogers, got her drunk, had his way, and now she was pregnant. Ralph immediately joined the Air Force and left town. She begs Lee to marry her and father this child.

A letter from the D.A. in Astoria, Oregon, arrives a short time later, charging Lee Stewart with felony copulation with a minor, Betty Echols, whom he had dated, impregnating her, and serving her intoxicants. Lt. Marston steals both letters and places them in Stewart Personnel Jacket for safekeeping until they return to Yokosuka.

The Hoquiam moors in front of ComFltActs Hungnam as their communications guard while they prepare to evacuate Hungnam. The ship takes on marines and children, and moves out to act as swept mine channel point at the Sea Buoy, Buoy #1. As such, the Hoquiam is literally the last vessel to depart the Hungnam area, right behind the Underwater Demolition Team support ship.

The Hoquiam anchors in Pusan long enough to disembark the marines and Korean children, then sails home to Yokosuka, arriving December 31st, seventy-three days after she was ordered to Wonsan for two weeks. Lee learns his Japanese girl friend, Kiki Hatsumoto, had to leave Yokosuka.

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