The launching of the Hermitage 1956

Hermitage Confidential. By Frank Garavelli.

The day the Engine Room flooded. Part Three. By Jack Pusel.

The day the Engine Room flooded. Part Two. By Daniel Rowland.

The day the Engine Room flooded. Part One. By Gene Wiehagen.

Remembering FA Matthew Gibbs who was killed in action during the Vietnam Cruise.

St. Elmo's Pool Hall. By Michael "Beatle" Newell

Crossing the Line. SoLANT AMITY Cruisebook. Pages from William and Martha Smith.

Jim Duffy's MARG 1-86 Cruisebook

 



Second act in exile. . . .

When the USS HERMITAGE reached the end of its service life, it was sold to the Brazilian Navy where it served for more than 25 years as the Ceara. It was decommissioned on 29 April 2016.

Read about life after death.

The Original USS HERMITAGE (AP-54)

Ceara's mystery mission to Haiti

Hermitage in Brazil

Last Days of the Ceara

Julio Lemos: Last Photographs of the Ceara


"A cool, gray, drizzly day in Rio de Janiero"

CEARA DECOMMISSIONED ON 29 APRIL 2016

Lieutenant Ryan Andrews, USN, is participating in an exchange program with the Brazilian Navy. Here is his report of the decommissioning:

Unfortunately I was not able to attend the decommissioning ceremony after all. I was aboard my ship which was docked right next to Ceará at the time. It was a cool, gray, drizzly day here (Rio de Janeiro) during the ceremony. All of the crew assembled on her flight deck and the crews of the neighboring ships manned the rails as a sign of respect. Several admirals arrived to give speeches and to commemorate her service to the Brazilian Navy. At the conclusion of the ceremony the flags were lowered for the last time and quickly afterward her hull number and name were painted over with haze gray. She is still at BNRJ and her ultimate fate hasn't been decided, although I've heard rumors that she'll be sent for dismantlement and scrapping. Most of her useful equipment and parts have already been cannibalized, some of which went to my ship.

---RYAN ANDREWS, ryan.n.andrews@outlook.com

Link to website for Solant Amity I cruise of 1960-1961

Jack Pusel, featured in local newspaper, walked in father's shoes in the Phillipines

Frank Capps contributes Commissioning Booklet

Roy Gay on Basketball on SoLant Amity I

Frank Stack on SoLant Amity I

Frank Stack on GQ at Suez

Ernest Warren

Gary Goedken on "Hermy"

Operation Snowy Beach

New relics from Scott Eriksen

Bill Grubb photos WestPac 1967

Promotions in Vietnam---from Fred Gallagher

Banned from the head---from Ralph Van Horn

Don Kromer on changes to the Hermitage since Brazil

Ralph Van Horn: Soviet spy fight over the Hermitage

Don Atkinson: Soviets watch our exercises in Turkey

New Photos from Don Phillips


Change of Command booklet from 1987


Jack Pusel on a special storage locker

Gerald Horwitz on the commissioning

Deckplate musings from Gregory Hausler

USS HERMITAGE was the seventh THOMASTON - class dock landing ship. Decommissioned on October 2, 1989, the HERMITAGE was leased to Brazil the same day. There, the ship was recommissioned as CEARA. On January 24, 2001, the ship was finally purchased by Brazil.

Awarded: October 14, 1954
Keel laid: April 11, 1955
Launched: June 12, 1956
Commissioned: December 14, 1956
Decommissioned: October 2, 1989
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Propulsion system: two 600 psi boilers, two geared turbines
Propellers: two
Length: 510 feet (155.5 meters)]
Beam: 84 feet (25.6 meters)
Draft: 19 feet (5.8 meters)
Displacement: approx. 11,300 tons full load
Speed: 22 knots
Well deck capacity three LCU or nine LCM-8 or 50 AAV
Aircraft: help platform only
Crew: Ship: 18 officers, 330 enlisted
Crew: Marine Detachment: approx. 330 Marines
Armament: two dual 3-inch/50 caliber Mk-33 gun mounts

Source: Unofficial US Navy Site

Collision

Panama 1964
Where else were we encouraged to wear white and khaki shorts. Photo courtesy  of Mr. Chadwick, the XO. Jim Cullen reports that the

"Panama deployment was known by the famous PA call "Beer on the Pier," as there was no liberty (too dangerous). The pier, on a semi-deserted U.S. Army Special Forces base (surrounded by jungle) was as far as we were allowed. Lots of beer consumed on that pier with basketball court and music (probably all Frankie Valle/Four Seasons) on the PA system."

Teletype from the Hermitage




USS HERMITAGE ASSOCIATION

STEERING COMMITTEE

John Papalia jpapalia@mac.com
Walt Kabis Walter.Kabis@gmail.com
Ted Waples selpaw@aol.com
Roger Tatum rptatum@comcast.net
Aaron Finestone aaron@themightyzed.com
Steve Mitchell Proforms@aol.com
Jim Cullen logpad@yahoo.com
Jerry Horwitz jerryhorwitz@me.com



Snail mail: 10097 Cleary Boulevard, No. 174, Plantation, Florida 33324
USSHermitageAssociation@gmail.com

Join now. For membership email Walt Kabis.

Facebook Groups: USS Hermitage Association / U.S.S. Hermitage (LSD-34)

Linkedin

ATTENTION ON DECK

Join the USS HERMITAGE ASSOCIATION. The annual DUE’S remain at $20.00 (additional donation’s accepted) payable to USS HERMITAGE ASSOCIATION, 10097 CLEARY BLVD #174, PLANTATION, FLORIDA 33324. If you have any question regarding your due’s please contact TED WAPLES  954-740-9136 (call or text) or selpaw@aol.com. 
Any former Shipmate who has served on the USS Hermitage (1956-1989) and is not a member of The USS HERMITAGE ASSOCIATION can join their shipmates by sending $20.00 annual dues to the USS HERMITAGE ASSOCIATION at the address listed above. Please include (for our records) your NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, E-MAIL ADDRESS, YEARS YOU SERVED ABOARD THE HERMITAGE and YOUR RATE or RANK.

Along with your dues please send any change in your status over the past year as we would like to keep our records current.

New Address _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Phone or Cell _______________________
E-Mail Address ______________________
If you have any question regarding your membership or dues. Please contact Ted Waples 954 740 9136 (call or text)


Reunion Founder C. J. DeHart has died.

Carol (C. J.) DeHart died on April 16, 2018 in Hazelton, Iowa. He was born on May 14, 1941 in Shooting Creek, North Carolina. On July 17, 1967 he was united in marriage with Julene Scheilhorn of Galena, Illinois. He served his country honorably in the United States Navy. C. J. and Julene started the USS HERMITAGE LSD-34 Reunion Association. He helped build the Veterans Park in Hazleton, Iowa. C. J. retired after 30 years of employment with John Deere. He helped with the forming of a Desert Storm support group and helped with the Veterans Park in Hazleton.

We will never forget C. J. and Julene and their contributions to our organization.


It was an honor to be able to start the USS Hermitage LSD-34 reunion group as we call it. We have meet so many wonderful people and enjoy seeing so much of the United States. We wish to thank the seven that are taking over and we are sure that they will do a beautiful job. Good job on the website too. All of the group will not be forgotten and we thank each one of the shipmates and wives that have made this USS Hermitage LSD-34 group possible. May God bless each of you and everyone of you!
---C. J. and Julene DeHart

Click to
Aaron Finestone's photo collection

To me a dollar was a dollar in any language. It was my first night in the Argentine and I didn't know much about the local citizens, but I knew about American sailors, and I knew I better get out of there.
---Johnny Farrell in Gilda (1946)


.