Mrs. Johnson's 4th grade Field Trip to the USS Austin (LPD-4)

Mrs. Johnson's Fourth Grade Class of Shelton Park Elem. School,
Virginia Beach, VA, aboard the USS Austin (LPD-4) on 2 Apr 1966.

 I have memories of my father, Commander Stanley G. Cooper, Executive Officer, inviting my fourth-grade class at Shelton Park Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. My teacher, Mrs. Johnson gladly accepted the invitation writing a letter to my father on February 7, 1966, with her signature & all of the classmates' signatures. 

The date of  April 2,1966, finally arrived for the young invited “shipmates” to tour the ship ported in US Naval Base Norfolk. I found pictures & documents years later filed away in my mother’s home. Memories flashed right back as if it were yesterday of 54 years ago. After our delightful trip, Mrs. Johnson had us write Thank You notes to the officers & crew involved as we felt like royalty. My father also sent these letters around to each involved with an official memorandum attached. The students were also assigned to write an essay of our summary of the trip. Here is my summary written by a 10-year old. 

Our trip to the U.S.S. Austin (LPD-4)

By Mary Cooper

We were in our classroom when my father came in.

Then we went outside to wait for the cars, but they were already there. We went to the cars & away we went. I was in Mary Ellen’s car. We sang songs.

When we were there, we walked in, where we were divided into groups. Our guide showed us the well deck. That is the place where they fill it with water, let ships in & load.

Then we went into another room, the side ports. If the well deck is too full, the ships go beside & the crane goes in & out. 

Then we went to the place where, if one person is sick, they have a bed that has two mats & a rope that ties around it.

Then we went outside & saw the front of the ship & got our picture.

Then we went to the pilothouse. We sat in the captain’s chair.

Then we saw the boats & life rafts.

We went to the other side of the ship & he showed us the flight deck. Then he showed us the captain’s private boat. 

We were told that they had special grey paint because if they have a storm & if the lightning strikes they will not get hurt.

Then we went to eat our cake. On the cake it said,

Welcome 

Shelton Park School

April 2, 1966

We ate the cake & we got a hat. Then we went to the wardroom & watched cartoons. 

Then we went to the bathroom. We said good-bye & left.

While we were going home, we wrote a song about the USS Austin.

USS Austin

You should go there often

You’ll be proud of it

Because it’s the world’s best ship. 

So go to the USS Austin

You’ll be proud of it.

Because it’s the world’s greatest ship.

Yea!

When we got out of the car we sang the song to my father & said thank you.

I later found my artwork about my memory of the trip.

Other photos were taken by another parent for my mother, who could not attend the trip with us.

Cdr. Cooper discusses the plans with Mrs. Johnson
as the students wait to be served cake.

Mrs. Johnson cuts the cake.