USAR Combat Divisions, 1962 (Twilight 1964)

[Matt Wiser]

Would love to see the Navy in this one...especially if the two nuclear-powered surface ships are still going: namely USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) and USS Long Beach (CGN-9) Enterprise's air wing would have flown strikes into Cuba in support of the invasion, for starters.

[mcchordsage]

At least in my timeline, the naval and ground troops of the Cuban invasion force were pretty much whipped out as an effective fighting force. Survivors have straggled back to south Florida but the Enterprise is an unsailable wreck. The Navy enclave at Key West has been using her reactor to power their facility. Independence is damaged but repairable, there's just no facilities to do it. Essex was sunk. Long Beach and Bainbridge are still around. Long Beach spent most of the war in the North Atlantic but is in Norfolk now. Bainbridge transited to the Pacific. They both serve as couriers/HQs for US Naval forces.

Other notes:
Indonesia had begun taking delivery of 12 Whiskey-class submarines in 1962, as well as two Russian sub tenders. Some sources state 1967, but most state that the sub tenders were turned over in the summer of 1962 with the submarines beginning delivery in January. One tender was a slightly older Project 233K and the other a newer Don-class (with some more actual pictures of the latter in service). Contemporary photos (possibly) show as many as eight subs may have been delivered by year end 1962.

The US Navy had assigned various diesel submarines, mostly unmodified Gato and Balao-class boats, to naval installations across the country as training facilities for the Naval Reserve. By the end of the decade most were permanently rendered unable to dive, in 1962 they were almost all ready for conversion to operational boats. Batteries were sometimes removed, or they were locked out of being able to dive. Here's a list I've compiled of stations and subs in 1962:

• USS Batfish (AGSS-310), Naval Station Algiers, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Billfish (SS-286), South Boston Annex, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Bowfin (SS-287), Seattle, WA, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Cabrilla (SS-288), Houston, TX, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Cabezon (SS-334), Tacoma Reserve Center on Hylebos Waterway, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Cero (SS-225), Detroit Naval Armory, unmodified Gato-class
• USS Cobia (SS-245), Milwaukee Naval Reserve Center, unmodified Gato-class
• USS Cod (SS-224), Cleveland, OH, unmodified Gato-class
• USS Dentuda (SS-385), Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Drum (SS-228), Washington Navy Yard, unmodified Gato-class
• USS Guavina (AOSS-362), Fort McHenry, MD, Gato-class modified as a seaplane fuel tanker
• USS Hake (SS-256) Philadelphia Navy Yard, unmodified Gato-class
• USS Lionfish (SS-298), Marine Corps Reserve Pier, Providence, RI, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Loggerhead (SS-374), Portland, OR, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Manta (AGSS-299), Submarine Base New London, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Parche (SS-384), Alameda, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Roncodor (SS-301), Long Beach Naval Station, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Sea Dog (SS-401), Derby Wharf, Salem, MA, unmodified Balao-class
• USS Sealion (APSS-315), Portsmouth Navy Yard, Balao-class modified into UDT/Marine transport
• USS Silversides (SS-236), Chicago Naval Armory, unmodified Salmon-class
• USS Trepang (AGSS-412), Mare Island Navy Yard, unmodified Balao-class

Some of the units assigned to Reserve Submarines:

• Reserve Submarine Division 3-23, Brooklyn Navy Yard
• Reserve Submarine Division 3-55, Brooklyn Navy Yard
• Reserve Submarine Division 4-37, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
• Reserve Submarine Division 4-92, Cleveland, OH
• Reserve Submarine Division 5-7, Fort McHenry, MD
• Reserve Submarine Division 8-94, Dickson Gun Plant, Houston, TX
• Reserve Submarine Division 8-95, Dickson Gun Plant, Houston, TX
• Reserve Submarine Division 9-227, Milwaukee Naval Reserve Center
• Reserve Submarine Division 12-9, Alameda Reserve Training Center

[mcchordsage]

Following up on the, ehem, Navy boat, here's the 1960 Landing Party Manual, the last publication from the US Navy on sailors operating as ground forces, their organization, and equipment. There was apparently a 1962 revision, but as most things, if it isn't very early in the year/I can't find it, 1960-1961 material suffices.

https://archive.org/details/OPNAVP34...yManual1960Red

[mcchordsage]

To go with the Corps area map, the US Navy districts in 1962.


And current ratings in 1962.

[mcchordsage]

USNR Units from 1961-1962, Aviation and called-up Selected Reserve ships

HS-741: NAS Jacksonville
HS-742: NAS Jacksonville
HS-743: NAS Jacksonville
HS-871: NAS Oakland HSS-1
HS-872: NAAS Ream Field HSS-1
HS-912: NAS South Weymouth
HU-731: NAS Grosse Ile HUP
HU-733: NAS Grosse Ile
HU-751: NAS Lakehurst HUP
HU-812: NAS Minneapolis HUP

VA-672: NAS Atlanta
VA-891: NAS Seattle

VF-725: NAS Glenview
VF-727: NAS Glenview
VF-791: NARTU Memphis
VF-873: NAS Alameda A4D

VP-672: NAS Atlanta
VP-741: NAS Jacksonville
VP-791: NARTU Memphis
VP-872: NAS Alameda
VP-873: NAS Oakland
VP-875: NAS Oakland P2V5F
VP-876: NAS Oakland P2V
VP-881: NAS Olathe
VP-911: NAS South Weymouth
VP-913: NAS South Weymouth

VR-742: NAS Jacksonville
VR-872: NAS Alameda
VR-873

VS-741: NAS Jacksonville
VS-753: NAS Lakehurst
VS-873: NAS Alameda
VS-875: NAS Alameda S2F
VS-892: NAS Seattle S2F

Air Wing Staff 70: NAS Dallas
Air Wing Staff 72: NAS Glenview

DERs transferred to Selected Reserve September 1961
USS Haverfield (DER-393): Seattle, WA
USS Koiner (DER-331): San Francisco, CA
USS Wilhoite (DER-397): San Francisco, CA
USS Lansing (DER-388): Long Beach, CA
USS Forster (DER-334): Long Beach, CA

Haverfield, Lansing, and Forster will enter Group Two of the Reserve traing program; they will be manned by "nucleus crews" of Regular Navy men in addition to the local Reservists. These ships will be available to the Fleet with a minimum of delay. Wilhoite and Koiner will be placed in Group One, and will have larger crews of Regular Navy personnel; they will be ready for immediate recall.

Selected Reserve Units Called to Duty in October 1961
USS Miller (DD-535)
USS Parle (DE-708)*
USS Tills (DE-748)
USS Hood (DD-655)*
USS Remey (DD-688)* **
USS DeLong (DE-684)
USS Thaddeus Parker (DE-369)
USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447)
USS Coates (DE-685)
USS McNair (DD-679)
USS Kidd (DD-661)
USS J. Douglas Blackwood (DE-219)
USS Snowden (DE-246)
USS Bearss (DD-654)*
USS Roberts (DE-749)
USS Loeser (DE-680)
USS Robert F. Keller (DE-419)
USS Darby (DE-218)
USS Hunt (DD-674)*
USS Robinson (DD-562)
USS Greenwood (DE-679)**
USS Tweedy (DE-532)
USS Wren (DD-568)*
USS Huse (DE-145)*
USS Crow (DE-252)
USS Woodson (DE-359)
USS Daniel A. Joy (DE-585)
USS Tingey (DD-539)
USS Colahan (DD-658)
USS Marsh (DE-699)
USS Vammen (DE-644)
USS Wiseman (DE-667)
USS Laws (DD-558)
USS Walton (DE-361)
USS Edmonds (DE-406)
USS Alvin C. Cockrell (DE-366)
USS Watts (DD-567)
USS Whitehurst (DE-634)
USS Charles E. Brannon (DE-446)**
USS McGinty (DE-365)
USS Plover MSC(O)-33

VP-661 (P2V Neptune)
VP-741 (P2V Neptune)
VP-832 (P2V Neptune)
VP-872 (P2V Neptune)
VP-933 (P2V Neptune)

VS-721 (S2F Tracker)
VS-733 (S2F Tracker)
VS-751 (S2F Tracker)
VS-771 (S2F Tracker)
VS-772 (S2F Tracker)
VS-821 (S2F Tracker)
VS-837 (S2F Tracker)
VS-861 (S2F Tracker): NAS Norfolk
VS-872 (S2F Tracker)
VS-873 (S2F Tracker)
VS-891 (S2F Tracker)
VS-915 (S2F Tracker)
VS-935 (S2F Tracker)

*=Scheduled for repairs and overhaul, targeted to be ready by November 1st
**=Battle 'E' for 1961

Titles of USNR Shore Units 1961-1962
BuShips Company
Supply Company
Hospital Corps Division
Naval Weapons Training Unit
Surface Division (Large)
Surface Division (Medium)
Construction Battalion/SeaBee Division
Electronics Division
Naval Security Group Division
Submarine Division
Intelligence Division
Reserve Research Company
Public Relations Company
Ship Activation, Maintenance, and Repair Division
Harbor Defense Division

Units were numbered with District Number - Serial number of unit in that district, for example: Harbor Defense Division 5-1 was located in Norfolk, VA.

[mcchordsage]

Some more Naval Reserve aviation unit info. Why am I still working on this two years and four months after starting? No idea at all really, other than sometimes material comes up that feels like it should be here.

Corrections to Duty Stations and Aircraft Type, US Navy Reserve Squadrons called to Active Duty 1961-1962
From Appendix 14, Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 2
Naval Aeronautical Organization Notice 1/1/61

VP-661: Howard Air Force Base, Panama (P2V-5F)
VP-721: NAS Quonset Point (P2V-6)
VP-791: NAS Norfolk (P2V-5FS)
VP-811: NAS Brunswick (P2V-4)
VP-831: NAS Patuxent River (P2V-5F/P2V-5FS)
VP-832: NAS New York (P2V-5F)
VP-872: NAS Barber's Point
VP-883: NAS Chincoteague (P2V-6)
VP-911: NAS South Weymouth (P2V-5F/P2V-6)
VP-933: NAS Willow Grove (P2V-5F)

VA-672: AD-5 Skyraider
VA-891: AD Skyraider

USNR Units Equipped with tactical nuclear Low Altitude Bombing System aircraft
Naval Aeronautical Organization Notice 1/1/61

NAS Glenview
VMA-543: F9F-8B
VMA-611: F9F-8B**

NAS Los Alamitos
VMF-134: F9F-8B

NAS New Orleans
VA-821: F9F-8B
VA-822: F9F-8B
VMA-143: F9F-8B**

NAS New York
VA-831: FJ-4B

NAS Olathe
VA-881: F9F-8B
VA-882: F9F-8B**

USNR/USMCR Fighter Squadrons and AD-5 Skyraider Attack Squadrons
Naval Aeronautical Organization Notice 1/1/61

NAS Dallas
VF-701: FJ-3M*
VF-702: FJ-4*
VMF-111: FJ-3*
VMF-413: F11F-1**

NAS Glenview
VF-725: F9F-8

NAS Grosse Ile
VA-731: AD-5/AD-5N

NAS Minneapolis
VMA-213: AD-5

NAS Memphis
VF-791: FJ-4
VF-792: FJ-4**
VMF-124: FJ-4
VMF-221: FJ-4**

NAS New York
VMF-313: FJ-3M/FJ-3
VMF-131: FJ-4**

NAS Oakland
VF-873: F2H-3/4
VF-876: F2H-3/4
VF-879: F11F-1**

NAS Olathe
VMF-113: F11F-1**
VMF-215: F9F-8

NAS South Weymouth
VMA-322: FJ-3

NAS Willow Grove
VF-931: FJ-3

Training Squadrons with Fighter Aircraft for Transition Training
Naval Aeronautical Organization Notice 1/1/61

NAAS Chase Field, TX
VT-24: 21 F9F-8B
VT-25: 21 F9F-8B
VT-26: 32 F11F

NAS Glynco, GA
CIC School: 40 FJ-4

NAAS Kingsville, GA
VT-21: 22 F9F-8B
VT-22: 21 F9F-8B
VT-23: 36 F11F

*=Not specifically listed, conjecture
**=Drawn from available aircraft in Naval Air Training Command

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by mcchordsage

Why am I still working on this two years and four months after starting?

I feel your pain. Once you go down the rabbit hole of research...

[lordroel]

Originally Posted by mcchordsage

Other notes:
Indonesia had begun taking delivery of 12 Whiskey-class submarines in 1962, as well as two Russian sub tenders.

Was this still during the West New Guinea dispute between the the Netherlands and Indonesia ore after the end of the dispute.

[mcchordsage]

Originally Posted by lordroel

Was this still during the West New Guinea dispute between the the Netherlands and Indonesia ore after the end of the dispute.

Yes, the West New Guinea dispute was ongoing. Ordering the subs was part of their confrontation strategy with the Dutch. The Soviets also sold them a Sverdlov class cruiser in '62 but it wasn't delivered until '63. About 100 warships of various classes were sold by the Soviets to Indonesia from 1959 to 1965.

Originally Posted by CJHusVar

Yes, please!!

I keep meaning to do this then forgetting. Should have it done tonight.

[mcchordsage]

PDF added.

[mcchordsage]

Article from ARMOR magazine in 1964 on the AMX-13-75.

[mcchordsage]

Interactive map showing all operationally ready ICBM silos in the United States as of fall 1962.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...UX&usp=sharing