USS Mount Mc Kinley (AGC-7) - Korean War

Korean War

On 20 May 1950, Mount McKinley was underway for WesPac to conduct training operations with the 8th Army. On 26 June, the ship proceeded from Japan to direct the landing of American reinforcements at Po Han at the beginning of the Korean War. In early September 1950, General Douglas MacArthur was on board, directing the amphibious assault at Inchon which forced the Communists to retreat north. The next assault was against the heavily mined port of Wonsan.

When communist Chinese troops entered the war, and American troops were pushed back to the Hungman beachhead, Mount McKinley assisted in the evacuation. In late January 1951, she assisted in the transfer of thousands of Korean refugees to Cheja Island.

On 7 June 1951, Mount McKinley sailed from Yokosuka and entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard 3 August for an extensive overhaul. Mount McKinley departed for WesPac, 6 March 1952, returning to the States 30 January 1953. While in Mare Island Naval Shipyard, a helicopter deck was installed on the fantail.

AGC 7 sailed again, 27 October 1953, for her third tour of duty in the Korean War area, arriving Yokosuka 16 November. From then until her departure for the States 30 July 1954, she was involved in fleet and amphibious exercises off Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. After arrival in San Diego 18 August, the remainder of the year was spent in local operations and a month long training exercise off Hawaii in October.

In the spring of 1955, Mount McKinley served as flagship for Operation Wigwam, an underwater atomic bomb test in the central Pacific. After a yard overhaul in the summer of 1955, the amphibious flagship returned to WestPac in January 1956 for a 3 month period. In April, she was press observer ship for further nuclear tests.