received this picture in an e-mail from Capt. Robert Kecham, USNR, who was aboard the USS Montrose APA-212 at the time. A friend of his who was a P2V pilot took the picture. His

 
USS Cabildo (LSD-16)
 
 
Pictures 1950's and 1960's
 
   
     
  This picture was taken in August 1957 of the ship in San Francisco Bay  
  Interesting notes:  She must have been going to a shipyard as the crews personal cars are on the flight deck.  She still has the awning covered Bridge, five inch gun on the foredeck and CIC and Radio Shack have not yet been added behind the Pilot House. All those changes were probably part of the FRAM Mark II Overhall made from Aug. 1961 to February 1962.  
     
     
  Entering Subic Bay Philippines November 1, 1963  
  Entering subic bay  
     
  I bought this official Navy photo on eBay recently (May 2022).  It was released by the Navy 2/12/1979.  It was taken as the ship entered Subic Bay November 1, 1963.  This was when we first arrived in WesPac after crossing the Pacific with stops in Hawaii, Kwajalein and Guam and shortly before we went to Hong Kong to be station ship.  It's the only picture of the complete ship I have that was taken when I was aboard.  
     
     
 
Refueling in WestPac 1964
 
 
Thanks to Capt. Robert Kecham for providing this picture.
 
 
underway refuelig
 
 
I received this picture in an e-mail from Capt. Robert Kecham, USNR, who was aboard the USS Montrose APA-212 at the time. A friend of his who was a P2V pilot took the picture. His note said it was during Exercise Ligtas in 1964. The oiler is the USS Kawishiwi AO-146 What a super photo of our ship!
 
     
 
A very nice 1960's profile view of our ship.
 
 
 
 
Thanks to Don Wagner SM2 63-64 for providing this picture and the notes below.
 
 
 
     
 

This picture shows the USS Cabildo entering her home port of Long Beach, California and procedung to berth Mike - 7 (as indicated by 3rd halyard starboard yardarm flag-hoist (Desig M 7). She is making a speed of 8 knots (as indicated by 2nd halyard starboard yardarm flag-hoist at dip (Zero Eight). The special sea and anchor detail has been set and the starboad anchor has been un-housed and is ready to be let go.

On the port quarter (and in the haze), you will see the Long Beach harbor jetty/breakwater with the white light marking the end of it. Just about on the port beam, is what appears to be a small craft with the harbor pilot aboard. Beyond the small craft is a merchantman witha black hull and white superstructure.

Notes: The startboard accomodation ladder by the quarterdeck is the one the MERRICK mangled when she collided with us. Where we holded was above the battery room, just below that ladder and above the turn of the hull. In another incident, the starboard boat boom (in it's cradle) jumped out while the Cabildo was in a hurricane and when the ship rolled to starboard, the boom swung out and on the opposing roll to port, the boom swung back and Boom! It sounded like being inside a base drum. Does one wonder why they call it a boom?

 
     
     
 
Three 1950's Pictures
 
     
 
Dale Bittle set these next profesional photos of the Ship which another crew member had sent to him. They are early enough that the 5 inch gun is still in place on the fore deck and after the addition of the helicopter platform over the well deck. They are great shots of the ship we are lucky to have.
 
 
 
   
The 5 inch gun is still on the foredeck and the bridge is still open with an awning above. In the 60's the the five inch gun had been removed and the bridge enclosed. Also, the Combat Information Center, Crypto Room and Radio Shack were all directly behind the Pilot House and that structure has yet been added in this photo.
   
 
 
 
 
 
A good stern quarter view of Flight Deck over the Well Deck. The Flight Deck was added between 1954 and 1956.
 
   
 
 
     
 
A very nice 1960's profile view of our ship.
 
     
   
 
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USS Cabildo (LSD-16) Association Website - Last Revision June 28, 2022                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
 
 

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