Bordelon (DDR 881) - Naval Cruise Book

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The BORDELON was commissioned at Orange, Texas, on 3 March l945. Staff Ser- geant William James Bordelon, for whom she was named, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for valorous and gallant conduct as a member of the Sec- ond Marine Division during the battle of Tarawa. The BORDELON was built as a reg- ular destroyer of the Sumner, DD692 class. After a shakedown cruise to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, she proceeded to Norfolk where she was converted to her present status as a Radar Picket Destroyer. From there to San Diego, California and then Yokosuka, Japa-n via Hawaii. For three months from Decem- ber l945 the ship operated out of Kure, Jqpqnl as part of the occupation force. Later while based in the Marianas and part of Task Forge 77, she was entertained with the entire force by the British in Hong Kong, China. 4 July l946 found her at Manila in the Philippines with a unit of men marching in honor of the First President of the Philippine Republic. Toward the middle of December i946 the BORDELON returned to the States carrying over a hundred Navy and Marine veterans. On returning to the East Coast, she went to Brooklyn Navy Yard for overhaul and to New- port, R. l., for refresher training. Summer, I947, the ship made a Midshipman Cruise to

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CDR. JAMES M. WERTH, USN Served on the USS RALEIGH CCL-7D from March I94I through Pearl Harbor, South Pacific and Alaska campaign to I 944, as Asst. Gunnery Officer USS TICON- DEROGA CCV-l4l on operations in the Philippines, South China Sea, Formosa, Okinawa and Japanese homeland waters, on the staff of Comcardiv 7 from July '45 through the end of the war, as Executive Officer USS PURDY CDD-7341 to Dec. '47, Instructor at the General Line School, Newport, R. I., '48-'50, Joined the U. S. Naval Mission, Brazil in August l95O. Took command of the BOR- DELON in October I952.

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Argentia, Newfoundland and represented the Navy in a tennis tournament with the British Navy at Bar Harbor, Maine. The winter of 1947 was spent in North European waters, the summer of '48, on a Midshipman Cruise to France, Portugal and Algeria, the fall in the Boston Navy Yard. After some refresher training at Guantanamo, the BORDELON was off for the Mediterranean for a five month tour of duty where she was honored when designated as one of three ships to visit Spain. This was the first visit to Spain by U. S. war- ships in ten years. Early winter was spent in the Davis Strait area across the Arctic Circle and followed by a period for leave and upkeep in Norfolk. The BORDELON'S second Med Cruise took the summer of '49, Her third Midshipman Cruise took her south to Panama. More operations around Norfolk prepared her for the third Med Cruise ,starting in January l95l. This cruise took her to Split, Yugo- slavia, that being the first visit to that country by a U. S. warship in many years. A yard period, refresher training, and the BORDELON was ready for this, her fourth cruise in the Mediterranean.