Claude V Ricketts (DDG 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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U15 Marr - Cfltzudc 'Il Ricketts Claude Vernon Ricketts was born in Missouri on February 23, 1906, and was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1929. For duty in World War Two he received a Letter of Commendation with Ribbon and the Legion of Merit with Combat ' ' V . After instruction at various staff and war colleges he reported in June 1949 as Commanding Officer of USS ALSHAIN KAKA-551. In July 1952 he became Head, Amphibious Warfare Branch, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. After Commanding the USS SAINT PAUL KCA-731 and serving as Commander De- stroyer Flotilla Four, he became director of Strategic Plans, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. On February 1, 1961, he became Com- mander, Second Fleet, and on September 25 of the same year, he assumed his last duty in the U.S. Navy as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. While serving as Vice CNO he devoted his enormous energy and talents to many projects of importance to the U.S. Navy and the NATO alliance. On July 6, 1964, Admiral Ricketts died of a heart attack. On July 28, 1964, USS BIDDLE was renamed and recommissioned USS CLAUDE V RICKETTS CDDG 51 in memory of the former Vice Chief of Naval Operations At the name changing ceremony the Honorable Paul H Nitze Secretary of the Navy spoke of the appropriateness of renaming the ship in honor of Admiral Ricketts because of the great contri butions and effort the Admiral had given to the concept of mixed manning and the Multilateral Force CLAUDE VERNON RICKETTS CY' CMU fr SHIP S EMBLEM ln the absence of a verifiably accurate RICKETTS Family Crest the present emblem WQS adopted when USS BIDDLE KDDG 51 was renamed USS CLAUDE V RICKETTS IDDG 51 on 28 July 1964 At this time RICKETTS was participating in the mixed manning demons tration by seven NATO countries Therefore the four pointed star is similar to the NATO symbol except the colors are reversed it being impractical to go through all the red tape of obtaining permission to use the exact NATO symbol The four stars are indicative of the full Admiral and his dis tingmslyed Sefvwe and in international relations and NATO affairs The trident 1S retained from the BIDDLE emblem and IS the symbol of sea power The emblem was selected for its s1mPl1C1fY and its being easily f6PF0C1l1C1ble . T .fy Ui 4 1 - t I !. g I y V . f 1 .' . . . 1 Cf all . I u . ' I l 1 - , . . . . - 'A - . . . . U, 4 . .fe ,ls-A HQ, gr 1 in

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--31-1 Y The weapons of the CLAUDE V. RICKETTS reach high into the sky and under the ocean to attack her enemies. The ship possesses two of the U.S. Navy's most modern systems - the TARTAR anti-aircraft missile system and the ASROC fAnti- Submarine Rocketj system. TARTAR is launched from a twin-arm launcher and homes on aircraft targets tracked by radar. The missile itself is a medium- range, supersonic. weapon powered by a dual-thrust, solid pro- pellant rocket motor. Coupled with the radar fire control system, TARTAR gives CLAUDE V. RICKETTS the capability of de- stroying aircraft at ranges and altitudes beyond the limit of conventional gun batteries. In most instances, the targets attacked by TARTAR will be destroyed before they are sighted visually by ship's personnel. ASROC, the U.S. Navy's newest anti-submarine weapon, is a surface-to-underwater solid propellant rocket torpedo that can be employed against all types of enemy submarines. ASROC is actually two missiles in one. Fired from surface ships, it is projected to the target area and upon. entering the water it be- comes an acoustic homing torpedo. I . sau: 33.