Bowen (FF 1079) - Naval Cruise Book

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RADM Boorda addresses the crew on the ship s mess decks. During his remarks, RADM Boorda discussed battle group operations and Bowen ' s role in the deployment. Rear Admiral BOORDA, =Arriving Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Eight Visits Bowen Above, RADM Boorda meets MMl As he exits the console booth in Billy Bob Cannon in Auxiliary Ma- the fireroom, RADM Boorda is fol- chinery Room 1. lowed by LT Joe Zavodny, Engi- neering Officer. Above, RADM Boorda jokes with BT3 Robby rregia (far right) and FA Russell Starkey as CDR Robbins and LT Zavodny look on. 26 ISowcnli e iOi MMCM Robert Mclvin listens as RADM Boorda cKldrcsscs the CI ' O Mess during his visit.

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f4 N V r Above, CDR Richard A. Robbins, right, formally relieves CDR Robert D. Moser, left, as Commanding Officer of USS BOWErs (rF-1079). CDR Charles Robbins, brother of the new Commanding Offi- cer, and Mrs. Dorothy Robbins, motlicr, arrive on BOWEM S quarterdeck for the change of command ceremony. Mrs. Dianna Reynolds, left, wife of BTCS John Reynolds, and Mrs. Michelle Bastin, right, wife of HMl Michael Bastin, during the change of command ceremony. Shifting Colors The GUARD Changes CDR Richard A. Robbins re- lieved CDR Robert D. Moser as Commanding Officer of USS BOWEH (rF-1079) on May 29, 1987, just seven days before the ship began a six month Mediterra- nean deployment. The ceremony took place at 10:00 a.m. on a warm, clear day in Charleston on the ship s flight deck. Guest speaker for the change of command was Commodore William A. Earner, Commander, Destroyer Squadron Four, BOWEH ' S home- port squadron. Below, VADM Harold Q, Bowen, Jr. (retired), right, arrives on Bowen s quarterdeck for the change of com- mand. After being piped on board by BMl John Harris, center, the re- tired Admiral was escorted to his seat by LCDR Paul Allen, left, Bow- en s Executive Officer. USS Bowen was named for VADM Bowens fa- ther, who was also a vice admiral in the United States navy. Following the playing of the na- tional Anthem, the invocation and Commodore Earners remarks, CDR Moser made his own remarks, summing up his tour as BOWEI ' S Commanding Officer. He concluded by reading his own orders, then tumed to CDR Robbins and said I stand ready to be relieved . CDR Robbins then read his orders and said Captain Moser, I relieve you. Sir ' , becoming BOWEn ' S ninth Commanding Officer. QMCM Wil- liam C. Reed, BOWEns Command Master Chief, then presented CDR Moser with the ship s commission- ing pennant. The ceremony concluded with the Mavy Band playing Anchors Aweigh. In the following days, while CDR Moser prepared himself for his next assignment, on the staffof Anti-Sub- marine Warfare Training Group, Atlantic in riorfolk, Virginia, CDR Robbins and BOWEN began final preparations for the Mediterranean cruise. Above, BOWEM sailors in formation at the rear of the flight deck ' • observe the ceremony. Bowenlife 25

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i. During iSoorda ' isfol ' iawdny, Enji- ffc. ff : ?£ ' .V - W hen an Admiral calls , irigWiaiHltt % On riovember 14, 1987, Rear Admiral Mike Boorda, Com- mander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Eight, flew from his flagship, USS SARATOGA {CV-60), to BOWEN to ad- dress the crew. BOWEM was under the op- erational command of RADM jjBoorda for the duration of |the Mediterranean cruise. IIKADM Boorda ' s visit came iduring the battle group ' s iljliransit of the Atlantic Ocean ;[3ack to the East coast of the ipnited States. i| In addition to joining the ship ' s officers for lunch in he wardroom and speaking o the CPO mess, RADM 3oorda gave a lively, spirited Jddress to BOWEN crew Tiembers assembled on the ship ' s mess decks. Me dis- cussed the accomplish- ments of the battle group during the previous six months. You ' ve got the best pro- gram of anyone in this battle- group, he said of BOWEN ' S Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification pro- gram. ESWS qualification, he said, makes you feel good about yourself, your ship, and your riavy. As a way o f demonstrating his commitment to the ESWS program, RADM Boorda advanced BTEFi James Wallace to third class petty officer in recognition of the fact that Wallace was the only fireman on the ship who had completed the ESWS qualification process. Why are you out of uni- form? he asked BTEPi Wal- lace immediately before ad- vancing him to the higher pay grade. While onboard, RADM Boorda also awarded ESWS qualification pins to QM3 Terry Schmeiser, STQ2 Theodore Hullsiek and ET3 Bobby Ford, all of whom had recently completed the qual- ification process. The brief ceremony took place on the port side of the antenna deck. Several hours after he ar- rived, RADM Boorda ' s heli- copter returned to fly him back to the SARATOGA and the center of battlegroup op- erations. Above, RADM Boorda addresses crew m ' embers on the antenna deck after awarding several Enlisted Sur- face Warfare Specialist pins. You ve got the best program of anyone in this battle group, he said later on the ship s mess decks. Bowenlife 27