Blakely (FF 1072) - Naval Cruise Book

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I n THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF USS BLAKELY IFF-10721 DURING THE COURSE OF THIS DEPLOYMENT ARE BEST STATED IN THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM COMMANDER SIXTH FLEET: BLAKELY'S OUTCHOP FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN MARKS THE COMPLETION OF AN EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENT. YOUR CONSISTENTLY SPARKLING PERFORMANCE WHILE OPERATING AS A UNIT OF THE SIXTH FLEET WAS NOTED BY BOTH U.S. AND NATO OFFICIALS. DURING YOUR PARTICIPATION IN NAVOCFORMED OPERATIONS, ADM BALDINI, ITN, COMMANDER ALLIED NAVAL FORCES SOUTHERN EUROPE, COMMENTED THAT, BASED ON HIS PERSONAL OBSERVATION, BLAKELY SAILORS WERE THE FRIENDLIEST, MOST HARMONIOUS AND BEST INFORMED HE HAS ENCOUNTERED, AND THAT THE SHIP WAS THE CLEANEST AND BEST MAINTAINED HE HAS SEEN IN SOMETIME. INDEED YOUR HIGH LEVEL OF MATERIAL READINESS, EVIDENCED BY YOUR LOW AVERAGE NUMBER OF CASREPTS, HAS SINGLED YOU OUT AS A MOST DEPENDABLE OPERATING UNIT. YOUR DISTINCTION AS THE GRAND CHAMPION OF THE NATIONAL WEEK MOTOR WHALE BOAT RACE AND REGATTA, SELECTION AS THE SIXTH3FLEET SMALL SHIP NOMINEE FOR THE SECNAV ENERGY CONSERVATION AWARD, AND FINE LIBERTY RECORD WERE INDICATIVE OF A WINNING ATTITUDE. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RETURN TO THE MED. BEST WISHES FOR A SMOOTH AND SAFE VOYAGE HOME. VADM JAMES D. WATKINS, USN. THIS MESSAGE IS INDEED PRAISEWORTHY AND HIGHLY COMPLIMENTARY OF YOU. . .EACH OF YOU WHO PERFORMED SO WELL DURING THIS DEPLOYMENT. BLAKELY WAS ALWAYS READY AND PERFORMED AT ALL TIMES IN SUPERIOR FASHION WHETHER AT SEA OR ASHORE. I AM PRIVILEGED AND EXTREMELY PROUD AND PLEASED TO BE CAPTAIN OF THE BEST FF IN THE NAVY. N. T. HILL CDR, USN 'I v'f1fl2'fr ?sf,' I1 -. -f --A-A-A--aasaaled -Y ' 5

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