Anchorage LSD-36

Comstock

The Comstock Lode in Nevada, discovered in 1859, was one of the richest deposits of precious metals known in the world.

(LSD-19: dp. 4,490; 1. 457'9", b. 72'2"; dr. 18', s. 15 k.
cpl. 326; a. 1 6"; cl. Ashland)

Comstock (LSD-19) was launched 28 April 1945 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.; sponsored by Mrs. D. C. Park, and commissioned 2 July 1945, Lieutenant Commander J. C. Rochester, USNR, in command.

Comstock sailed from Norfolk 6 September 1945 and after calling at Pearl Harbor en route, arrived at Okinawa 20 October to join in the occupation activities of amphibious forces in China and Japan. She served in the Far East until 1946, then returned to the west coast entering Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 26 May for conversion to a boat pool ship.

After operating along the west coast, Comstock trained in the Hawaiian Islands from July 1947, Between 28 November 1947 and 31 May 1948 she furnished boat pool services to Joint Task Force 7 for Operation "Sandstone," the atomic weapons tests at Eniwetok. After calling at Yokosuka, Japan, she returned to San Francisco 17 June and alternated local operations on the west coast with six brief tours of duty in the western Pacific until the outbreak of the Korean war.

Comstock sailed for the Far East 7 July 1960 and arrived at Sasebo, Japan, 12 August, to support the United Nations operations in Korea. She joined in the initial invasion at Inchon, 15 September, and remained there as a repair and salvage vessel until 4 October. She also saw action during the invasion of Wonsan on 26 October. In January 1951 she was assigned as flagship for Mine Squadron 3, and furnished gunfire cover and logistic support during minesweeping operations along the east coast of Korea. On 2 February 1951 she rescued the survivors of Partridge (AMS-31) which had been mined and sunk. She also furnished landing craft for the use of British Royal Marines in their commando raid south of Chinnampo on 20 May. Comstock returned to her home port, Long Beach, 15 June 1951

Comstock sailed in Korean waters on three more deployments during the war, serving for most of each with Mine Squadron 3. On her next tour to the Far East she sailed from Yokosuka 14 August 1954 as part of the task force engaged in Operation "Passage to Freedom," the evacuation of Indo-Chinese civilians from Haiphong in Communist North Vietnam. She returned to Yokosuka in October and sailed 7 November by way of Alaskan waters for the west coast. In May 1955 she joined the Surface Support Unit for Operation "Wigwam," an underwater atomic test off the coast of southern California.

Between that time and December 1960, Comstock returned to the Far East and the islands of the western Pacific for duty in 1966-67, 1967-58, 1959, and 1960. While on the west coast, she frequently operated in amphibious exercises with marines.

Comstock received 10 battle stars for Korean war service.