Category Archives: Uncategorized

USS Calvert: An Introduction, Origin Story, and Design Details

The document below is a compilation of research notes covering:

  • Key elements of the USS Calvert’s origin story.
  • The broader story behind her and her five sister ships of the C3-C&P reasons for their existence and their role in the War..
  • Her, and her sister ships’ special design characteristics pre-dating the War.
  • The essence of her design and her special place in the history of the US Navy’s Amphibious force.

View and download the 30 page document here: A History of the USS Calvert – An Introduction, Origin Story, and Design Details

Additional documents covering other periods of WWII are available here: https://www.usscalvert.com/history/apa32-1942-1947/

Notes:

  • The document was last updated on September 21, 2022.
  • Please contact me with any questions, additions, or corrections.

As always, thank you for visiting the website and anything you are wiling or able to share regarding the history of the USS Calvert.

2021 Reunion – Wichita, Kansas – November 4-7

The USS Calvert Associates has announced that a 2021 USS Calvert and USS Harry Lee Reunion is scheduled in Wichita, Kansas with arrival on Thursday, November 4th and Departure on Sunday, November 7th.

Please download and review each of the following three documents below:

Please help answer these questions, share insight – 1950s and 1960s

I have been actively working on converting a lot of details from the USS Calvert’s 1960s deck logs into a chronological historical record to be posted on the website later this year. As such, I have not posted anything new in a while. … So, I figured I’d ask if anyone can share any memories or information in the topics below. If you have anything to share, please either add a comment further below, or email me directly (usscalvertwebmaster@gmail.com) if you don’t want your information to be made public on this site.

Some random questions and areas of interest:

  • 1950s and 60s information on the Aiji-no-ie Orphanage (aka, Home of Affection) in Tokyo. In late 1956 the Calvert’s crew began supporting Orphanage with a $100 monthly donation. For the next decade, an item on the Calvert’s far east cruise itinerary, while in Yokosuka and time permitting, included work party visits to the orphanage. Several of the Calvert’s cruise books mention the orphanage and also show photos of work parties at the orphanage. Are there any details or stories that can be shared about visits, experiences, memories of the orphanage? For example, any connections made with the kids? Anyone keep in touch with anyone from the orphanage over the years?
  • Does anyone remember bag piper, Signalman MacCaulley, aboard the Calvert in the late 1950s or during early 1960?
  • Early 1960s movie, The Sixth Man, staring Tony Curtis. I am looking for details about the Calvert’s landing craft and crews’ involvement in the filming of this movie. The filming likely occurred the summer of 1960. I found a new paper article from the fall of 1960 which referenced the Calvert’s landing craft used as part of filming, but am unable to find any reference to the movie itself as a released movie.
  • 1958 collision between the USS Calvert and the USS Magoffin (APA-199). I am looking for any details on a collision between the Calvert and the Magoffin, circa 1958. The Calvert lost a boat or two from what I understand, but I have no other details.
  • Frequent electrical fires in the Calvert’s soda fountain, circa late 1950s and early 1960s: I see multiple references to fires breaking out in the ship’s soda fountain, in the 1960s deck logs. Does anyone have any memories of these fires, and the reason for them happening?