Basilone (DD 824) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain at work. Crew we have some good news and some bad news .and at play

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HIP'S HISTGRY USS BASILONE CDD-8245 was constructed at Boston Naval Shipyard and was commissioned on 26 July 1949. A GEARING class destroyer, she was named after the late Gunnery Sergent John Basilone, USMC, of Raritan, New Jersey, who was awarded the congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism displayed dur- ing the fighting at Guadalcanal. BASILONE is 390 feet long and 40 feet wide, draws 22 feet of water and displaces 3500 tons. Two turbines, using steam generated by four oil- fired boilers, develop 60,000 shaft horse-power and drive BASILONE at a maximum speed in excess of 30 knots. In peacetime she is normally manned by a crew of 266 enlisted men and 15 officers. Since her commissioning, BASILONE has operated extensively in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean. In 1956 BASILONE deployed to the Sixth Fleet during the Suez Crisis, and in 1958 she went back to the Mediterra- nean when another crisis developed in Lebanon. Upon returning to the United States, she joined a hunter-killer group engaged in Anti-Submarine Warfare. When the Cuban missile crisis developed in the fall of 1962, BASILONE was in Guantanamo Bay, she immediately proceeded to join in the naval blockade that eventually forced the withdrawal of the Russian missiles. ln July 1963 BASILONE entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to be remodeled under the Navyls Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization CFRAMJ Program, the purpose of which was to extend the useful life of destroyers by providing them with the latest anti-submarine and elec- tronic warfare equipment. It was during this yard period that BASILUNE received a modern sonar and Anti- Submarine Rocket CASROCJ. BASILONE retained her two dual purpose 5 38 twin mounts which gave her secon- dary capabilities of anti-air warfare and shore bombard- ment. Returning from her FRAM overhaul in April of 1964, BASILONE was transferred to Destroyer Squadron Twelve, homeported in Newport. In January of 1966 she deployed to the Western Pacific and that fall, BASILONE returned to operations in the Western Atlantic. In May of 1967, soon after BASILONEjoined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, war broke out between Israel and the Arab Nations. Moving to a ready station off the coast of Crete, BASILONE remained at sea with other units of the Sixth Fleet for seven weeks until the crisis had passed. Returning to Newport in September of 1967, BA SILONE sailed on two training cruises before entering Boston Naval Shipyard for a Regular Overhaul in January of 1968. Following Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, BASILONE once again deployed to the Med. in September of that year. BA SILONE returned to Newport in January of 1969, and conducted Destroyer School Training. She again deployed to the Mediterranean in November to return in May of 1970. After spending the summer in upkeep, she participated in the Americals Cup Races by hosting of- ficial and dignitaries. In September of 1970 lighting broke out in Jordan and with three days notice, BASILONE was on her way to the Mediterranean. She spent two months there and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commenda- tion. The next operation after Christmas in Newport in- volved special ASW Tactics evaluations in the months of February and April of 1971. BASILONE again went to Boston Naval Shipyard for a Regular Overhaul, completed in November of 1971. This was followed by Refresher Training in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ending in February of 1972. Next, BASILONE participated in task group operations in April to prepare for upcoming cruise. In June, 1972, she began a 46,000 mile World Cruise that in- cluded operations with the Seventh Fleet in Southeast Asia and with Middle East Forces. BASILONE returned to Newport in December. 1973 began with Destroyer School Training and was a conversion year for the ship to Naval Distillate fuel systems, accomplished during a yard period at Boston Naval Shipyard. BASILONE once again deployed to the Mediterra- nean in January of 1974 returning to Norfolk, her new homeport, in July of 1974.

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LCDR. R. A. Kottke June 1974 to Dee. 1975 The Executive Gffieers LCDR. J. F. Chandler Relieving