California (CGN 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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c Ffanlil COMMANDING OFFICER USS CALIFORNIA (CGN-36) 20 November 1981 To the World ' s Finest Crew If you could combine all the Navy recruiting cliches such as It ' s not just a job, it ' s an adventure, Join the Navy and see the world, Pride and Professionalism, Heritage, It ' s an education, and Scholar-ship, they could be summed up as CALIFORNIA ' 81 CREW - World ' s Finest. I have been very proud of your accomplishments this year. This book reflects many of the highlights and remembrances. IVhat you did that is difficult to show in pictures and describe in words is the hallmark of our present day Navy - READINESS. The E ' s and hash marks which rightly adorn CALIFORNIA and are proudly displayed in the Enlisted Dining Facility are indicators of your readin ess, which in this past year you have literally displayed around the world. CALIFORNIA has further enhanced her professional reputation as the World ' s Finest Warship because of her crew. I salute you - the Navy ' s highest accolade of excellence is yours - Well Donel I I in1i Acad destr inju prior ScliO( (or ni Ui) C Scien 1%4. Vallei fi oi th when lepoi I J. SMITH taptain, U.S. Navy 8

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r USS CALIFORNIA: The Legacy of a Name rhe second CALIFORNIA, a 503-foot armored cruiser, was launched in ian Francisco in 1904. In 1918, the ship, which was renamed the SAN DIEGO was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Long island. T -a - L The fourth CALIFORNIA was a 58-foot yacht commis- sioned in 1917, and owned by the San Francisco Bar Pilot ' s Association. BB-44 The largest ship to bear the state name was the battleship ;AL1F0RNIA, BB-44. The ship was commissioned on 10 August 1921 nd for 19 years served as flagship of the Pacific Fleet (1931-1941). It ' s haracteristics were: length, 624 feet; displacement, 32,300 tons; speed II knots; and complement, 57 officers and 1,026 enlisted men. The ship was armed with 12 14 50 guns, and two 21-inch ubmerged torpedo tubes. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, CALIFORNIA was berthed in Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor. During the Japanese aerial attack, the ALIFORNIA took three torpedo hits, causing the ship to list 8° ' o to ort. By Thurs., the CALIFORNIA was sitting on the harbor ' s floor with • nly its superstructure above the surface. in 1942, the CALIFORNIA was refloated. After repairs, the ship eparted for Puget Sound Navy Yard, Wash., for major reconstruction, he CALIFORNIA returned to active service in 1944. During WWII, the CALIFORNIA earned seven battle stars. It larticipated in shore bombardments during the Saipan, Guam, Tiniar perations, and in the Battle of Surigao Strait. The CALIFORNIA was placed in commission reserve in 1946 iecommissioned in 1947, and sold for scrap in 1959. The first naval ship named for the state of California was a 313-foot screw sloop launched in 1867 and decommissioned in 1873. It iEinnittrnri A 179-foot yacht was the third ship to bear the name CALIFORNIA. In 1920, the ship was sold to a Florida lumber company. Battleship CALIFORNIA.

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Commanding Officer I Captain Charles ]. Smith is a native of Frankfort, Indiana, and attended public s( hoois in that community. Following high school graduation in 1954, he entered the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned Fnsign, USN, in June 1958 upon graduation. FHis first sea tour was aboard the escort destroyer USS TAYLOR (DD-468) where he served in junior officer billets and as Engineer Officer prior to transfer to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in February 1962. In 1963 he was selected for nuclear power training which commenced in May 1964. Captain Smith was awarded the Master of Science degree in Operations Analysis in June 1964. He completed Nuclear Power School, Vallejo, California in October 1964 and was graduated from Nuclear Power Training Unit, Schenectady, New York, in May 1965. FHis second sea tour was as Executive Officer of the destroyer escort USS HARTLEY (DE-1029) where he served eighteen months prior to reporting to USS LONG BEACH (CGN-9) in January 1967 as Electrical Officer. During this tour the first surface-to-air missile destruction of a hostile aircraft was achieved by USS LONG BEACH. Following assignment as Executive Officer, Nuclear Power Training Unit, Idaho Falls, Idaho from August 1969 to January 1972, he returned to the USS LONG BEACH where he served as Executive Officer until July 1975. Captain Smith ' s subsequent assignment to the Training and Readiness Division of the COMNAV- SURFPAC Staff included concurrent duty as Senior Member of the NAVSURFPAC NAVAIRPAC and NAVSURFLANT NAVAIRLANT Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team. Following temporary assign- ment from February to May 1977 as Executive Officer, USS TRUXTUN (CGN-35), he commanded USS ROBISON (DDG-12) from July 1977 to December 1978. Fie holds the following decorations: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Viedal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation with star. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Battle Efficiency Award, National Defense Medal with star. Sea Service Ribbon with star, Vietnam Service Medal with six stars and Vietnam Campaign Medal. Captain Smith is married to the former Elizabeth Ellen Daine and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Woodruff of Frankfort, Indiana. The Smith ' s have a son, Daine, attending the University of Indiana; two sons. Derrick and Drew, attending Norfolk Collegiate Fligh School, and a daugher, Dia-Dianne attending Norfolk Collegiate Lower School.