Claude V Ricketts (DDG 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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. xi 1-EXE.. STANAVFORLANT 1981 This book is dedicated to the Sailors of the Navies of NATO and especially to the ships with which we served. HMCS SAGUENAY HMCS ASSINIBOINE FGS BRAUNSCHWEIG BNS WESTHINDER HNLMS DERUYTER HMONS STAVANCER HMDS PEDERSKRAM HMS ARROW HMS ANTRIM HMS NORFOLK RFA RECENT RFA TIDESPRING FGS KOELN

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USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS lDDCi-51 SHlP'S HISTORY DDG-5 built by the New York Ship Building Company, was commissioned USS BIDDLE in ceremonies held at the Philadelphis Naval Shipyard on 5.May 1962. This ship, the fourth of the DDC-2 class, was named for Captain Nicholas BIDDLE, a hero of the Continental Navy. Through 1963, the ship operated as a member of the U.S. Second Fleet in the,Atlantic and Caribbean waters. She participated in the Cuba Quarantine. Near the end of 1963, the ship made her first deployment as a member of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. Returning to the United States in March, 1964, DDC--5 was designated as the U.S. Navy warship to participate in the mixed manning demonstration held with the Navies of the United Kingdom, West Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. During this time, the ship was manned by 50070 non-US personnel. On luly 28, 1964, the ship was renamed and recommissioned the USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS in memory of the former Vice-Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral CLAUDE V. RICKETTS, USN, who devoted a great deal of effort to the concept of mixed manning and the Multilateral Force. ' ln the 18 months of successful mixed manning, the CLAUDE V. RICKETTS steamed over 50,000 miles, visiting ports in the United States, and each of the countries participating in the manning demonstration. The ship operated as a unit of the U.S. Second Fleet inthe Atlantic and with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. With many distinguished guests in attendance including the Secretary of the Navy, the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, Commander in Chief U.S. Atlantic Fleet, the mixed manning demonstration terminated with ceremonies at the Norfolk Naval Station on December 1, 1965. During the ceremonies the Navy Unit Commendation was awarded to the RICKETTS for distinguished service. From 1966 to 1973, the RICKETTS made numerous deployments to the Mediterranean Sea. ln july 1972, the ship made a Northern European Cruise. ln August of 1973, the RICKETTS as a unit of Destroyer Squadron 20, deployed to the Mediterranean to operate as a member of the Sixth Fleet and returned to Norfolk in january 1974. Upon her return, RICKETTS entered Norfolk Naval Shipyards for a ten month complex overhaul, returning to the fleet in january 1975. Completing acceptance tests, qualifications, and refresher training during a two month cruise to the Caribbean from March to May 1975, RICKETTS deployed to the Mediterranean as a unit of the Sixth Fleet in july 1975.