Biddle (DLG 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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SI-IIP's ORGANIZATION COIVIIVIANDINC OFFICER EXECUTIVE OFFICER AIR COMMUNICA CI-IIEF NAVIGATOR OPERATIONS SUPPLY WEAPONS OFFICER TIONS ENGINEER OFFICER OFFICER OFFICER OFFICER AIR DET NX DIV CR CS I DIV DIV Sl, 35 S1 S2 DIV DIV A B E IVI R DIV DIV DIV DIV DIV Ist 2nd 3rd DIV DIV DIV Editor's Note: The individual photographs appearing on pages 9 through 59 vary in quality due to the fact that some were taken during the deployment and others were taken after return to Norfolk. Those taken while in the Gulf of Tonkin were Shot without proper lighting and are used because no portraits are available of a large number of personnel transfered upon return. I Il

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AIR DEPARTMENT The Air Department is a self-sufficient helicopter detachment that moves aboard USS BIDDLE when directed by higher authority. The detachment utilizes BlDDLE's flightdeck, hanger, and other helo facilities to maintain and operate one helo for several missions in- cluding anti-submarine warfare, electronic-surveillance measures, and search-and-rescue. During BIDDLE's deployment-from 12 May until 26 October - Helicopter Anti-submarine Light Squardron Thirty, Detachment Four was assigned to BIDDLE. HSL-30 Det 4 was comprised of four officer pilots, fifteen enlisted maintenance technicians, and the Navy's new LAMPS helo - the SH-2D Seasprite. Det 4's performance was superb and record setting: first, they es- tablished a record number of flights hours 1711.61 for a single LAMPS detachment and, second, they made the first SH-2D combat SAR of a downed pilot on 11 September 1972 when the recovered CAPT A. S. DUDLEY, USMC from the northern Gulf of Tonkin. P LCDR F. M. DIRREN Officer-in-Charge LCDR SKIP DIRREN hails from Drexel H' h P N.J. with his wife Susan and three children. 'Q , a. and presently lives in Toms River LCDR DIRREN - . . graduated from Villanova University and received his Cgmmission f NROTC r0m MR DIRREN completed flight school in 1965 and was assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Two He subsequently served as Na A v cce LCDR DIRREN presently serves th H I as Officer in charge of Detachment Zvi e IC0pterAml Submarine Ught Squadron 30 i tance Pilot with Boeing-Vertal Co. ' y p'