Peacetime service USS Samaritan (AH-10)

assigned transport duty, chaumont sailed atlantic, pacific, , caribbean throughout 1920s , 1930s. home port @ san francisco, commenced career of trans-pacific troop service consisted of voyages between california , manila via honolulu. 2 or 3 voyages in 1925-26 took shanghai instead of manila, , continued stop @ shanghai @ least once during subsequent years. 1 of important contributions, when in pacific, aiding in collection of meteorological information used weather map service of asiatic fleet. carried military supplies, marine expeditionary forces, sailors , dependents, , members of congressional committees on inspection tours, calling @ ports shanghai bermuda.

in august 1926 sailed san francisco through panama canal annapolis. return trip took norfolk, virginia, drydocked routine maintenance, , guantanamo bay. such voyages between east , west coasts became near-annual events.

missions shanghai

chaumont s voyages shanghai provided important assistance u.s. far eastern diplomacy during 1920s , 1930s supporting marine corps units deployed international settlement in city protect u.s. nationals there. @ end of january 1932 japanese forces in settlement attacked nearby chinese forces, leading intensive fighting in city.

uss chaumont 6th marine regiment, shanghai, china 1937

chaumont in manila @ time, , on 31 january navy department ordered embark 1,000 men of army s 31st infantry regiment , sail shanghai. responding rapidly, chaumont cleared manila troops on board on 2 february , arrived @ shanghai on 5th.

five years later, in mid-september 1937, chaumont rushed 6th marine regiment shanghai reinforce 4th regiment protecting settlement during all-out japanese effort seize city tenacious chinese defenders. chaumont suffered 2 mishaps during china service in 1936-37, week-long period aground @ chingwangtao , collision @ shanghai italian cruiser raimondo montecuccoli.