The downloadable document below provides historical details of the USS Calvert and crew during 1954, including the Calvert’s participation in Operation Passage To Freedom which took place from mid-August to the end-of October, 1954.
Most of the day-to-day details are from the Calvert’s deck logs, which were sourced by Dr. Ronald B Frankum during his work in the early 2000’s researching the U.S. Navy’s humanitarian operation, Passage To Freedom. His book, Operation Passage To Freedom, is an excellent source for understanding the strategic setting leading up to, during, and after this event, as well as a source worth reading to understand how the crew of the Calvert (mentioned throughout the book), and other US Naval ship crews, helped relocate a vulnerable population from Communist controlled northern Vietnam to the US-backed southern Vietnam (then French Indo-China).
Many of the source materials for Dr. Frankum’s work are available online at The Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive, located here: https://vva.vietnam.ttu.edu/ including the Calvert’s deck logs, crew member interviews from the early 2000s, and other related research content. Using the search feature at this site will result in a good number of USS Calvert related resources.
Appreciation to Robert B. Hile’s son, Robert, for the following photographs related to his father’s service in the US Navy and while aboard the Calvert. In addition to the photographs below, here are additional photographs taken by Robert Hile during the early 1950s.
Robert B. Hile, Graduation photograph, Great Lakes Naval Training Center, November 1950Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Graduating Class: Company 372, Platoon 1. Robert B. Hile is identified by the red hash mark. November, 1950.Robert B. Hile, Company 372, Platoon 1 – Great Lakes Naval Training Center.Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Graduating Class: Company 372, Platoon 2. November, 1950.
While aboard the Calvert, Robert a BM3 participated in exercises in Japan during the summer of 1951 (where the Calvert’s crew became known as “The Chigasaki Raiders” given the number of exercises that they participated in during the June to August time frame). He saved this patch:
When the Calvert then participated in exercises near Inchon, Korea in the winter of 1952, Robert’s father held on to the following map, which includes a notation indicating the Calvert’s location during the Marlex 12 exercise (more information on this exercise is found on pages 16 and 17 of the above reference document).
Marlex 12 exercise, Tokchock Island Group, near Inchon, Korea – December, 1952
A full size image of the above map can be viewed here.
And here is an enlargement of the section of the map showing the Calvert’s position:
Calvert’s position noted on map.
While aboard the Calvert in the summer of 1952, BM3 Hile, and other Calvert coxswains, earned the Assault Boat Coxswain insignia to wear on the right sleeve of their uniforms.
Robert B Hile’s Assault Boat Coxswain marlinspike insignia
This was a brand new insignia to recognize coxswains who completed special training for boat handling and assault landing techniques at one of two Assault Boat Landing training schools, one on the west coast and one on the east coast. Additional details on the assault boat coxswain designation and training, including mention of the Calvert’s coxswains, is available here.
Here are additional items from BM3 Hile’s time aboard the Calvert:
BM3 Hile’s bosun whistles.Early 1950s lighter, USS Calvert issue.“Not of The Line Vice Admiral Flag” and was likely used aboard BM3 Hile’s boat, and not the Calvert itself.
Further explanation regarding Not of the Line for us non-Navy folks: “Those not eligible for command at sea include officers of the staff corps (medical, supply, chaplain, civil engineer, judge advocate general, dental, medical service, and nurse corps) as well as line officers restricted to engineering or special duties are not of the line officers. These flags are never flown aboard ship, but may be flown in boats and are used ashore to designate the headquarters of such entities.”Per W. Calvert, 2002-10-15: “WW2 era USN Ships Jack. Flown forward on the Bow. 48 stars flew from 1912 to 1953” From Robert B. Hile’s Navy and USS Calvert memorabilia collection.Per W. Calvert, 2002-10-15: “This item is not a flag, it’s got no lanyard holes, is wrong shape for the size to be a flag or pennant. I’ve checked with navy buddies and searched the net. We believe it to be officer / chiefs mess table cloth. The blue pipping is too decorative for general mess based on experience.” From Robert B. Hile’s Navy and USS Calvert memorabilia collection.
Gratitude to Robert for his service as a crew member of the USS Calvert, and then as a Pennsylvania State Police Officer. Appreciation to his son, Robert, for providing these photographs for inclusion on the website. Information and artifacts as above truly help keep the the Calvert’s and her crew’s history alive and accessible to former crew members and their families.
The document available for download below is a draft of the historical details from the Calvert’s call back into service at the beginning of the Korean War through to December, 1953.
and includes details on the following events and activities, among many other details:
Calvert called out the mothball fleet in August of 1950 and recommissioning in October 1950 in Norfolk, VA
Voyage from Norfolk to the West Coast in early 1951
“First” Far East Cruise – April 1951 to August 1951
Second Far East Cruise – October 1952 to April 1953
Third Far East Cruise – August 1953 to September 1953
Drydock and training – September 1953 to December 1953
Please leave comments below or email me directly if you have any corrections, questions, or details you would like to share.
This version represents a “working draft” and as such there may be formatting issues, grammatical errors, as well as historical inaccuracies, incomplete or conflicting details.
Document version history as follows:
v2023.04.24 – Major updates to all sections.
v2020.05.11 – Current published version. Corrected and re-aligned historical details for several operations; Added photos and maps for the Chigasaki exercises in summer, 1951 and for the Tokchock, Korea exercise in December, 1952.
This picture was originally included in the Summer 2015 Calversion, Volume 70, showing the Calvert’s full boat crew in front of one of the Calvert’s LCTs.
Click on photo to open for a close-up view.
Boat Group or L Div. First Far East Trip – 1951 – USS Calvert (GM Note: Photo had been given to John Cole by Kenneth A. Keene, Shepherd, MI)
