Claude V Ricketts (DDG 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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4.li- j I S TANEDING NAVAL roRcE ATLANTIC STANAVFORLANT is the world's first permanent multi-national naval squadron to operate ftogether in peacetime. . The individual ships of the Standing Naval Force have many differences with regard to uniforms, traditions and equipment since all ships maintain their national character while assigned to STANAVFORLANT. Yet this force operates as one unit, bound by the common purpose of serving as NATO's maritime spearhead in preserving the free access to North Atlantic waters. STANAVFORLANT is composed of between four and nine destroyer or frigate type ships, operating as one unit on a continuous basis. Ships of various nationalities will normally remain with the squadron for a period up to six months. They are then relieved by a unit of the same nationality or a vessel from another NATO naval member. Commanding the squadron is a Commodore who is selected annually from one of the countries contributing ships to the force. The Commodore is aided by a staff of officers who are also provided by participating countries. Overall command of STANAVFORLANT is exercised by the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, from Norfolk, Virginia. The Commander in Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area, with headquarters at Northwood, England, controls the force when operating in European waters. The Standing Naval Force is tasked with achieving four basic objectives. First, it is to maintain naval effectiveness within the Atlantic Alliance at a high level by providing squadron experience and training on a continuous basis. The force participates in numerous NATO exercises and national tactical operations in European and North American waters throughout the year. Stressed during these exercises are antisubmarine warfare, anti-air defense practices and convoy duties. During a typical operation, the squadron may find itself pitted against the combined strength of 'enemy' submarines, naval aircraft, and swift torpedo boats, all at the same time. The squadron also serves to demonstrate the solidarity and unity of the NATO nations by showing the flags of various member nations in a single, multi-national force. During any given year, the NATO naval squadron may visit some 30 ports in 10 countries where open house days and various people-to-people programs provide citizens with the opportunity to judge for themselves the feasibility of a multi7national unit to operate in harmony. Another important function of the Standing Naval Force is its availability and readiness for immediate deployment to the scene of any possible contingency situation to reaffirm the solidarity of the NATO Alliance and provide a visible deterrent force. Should this occasion arise, the squadron would also possibly have to meet its fourth objective which calls for providing the initial elements around which a more powerful and versatile NATO naval force could be formed. X

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On November 22, 1975, during a collision at sea between the USS BELKNAP and the USS IOHN F. KENNEDY, RICKETTS was assigned as a rescue destroyer to fight raging fires aboard the USS BELKNAP. RICKETTS and her fire fighting teams performed in a heroic and exemplary manner in bringing the flames under control and conducting injured personnel transfer and treatment. Her efforts were instrumental in saving the USS BELKNAP and in rescuing the crew of the stricken ship. RICKETTS returned to Norfolk in january 1976, joining the U.S. Second Fleet. On September 8, 1976, an awards ceremony was held for RICKETTS participation in the heroic rescue of the USS BELKNAP. ln addition to numerous personal awards, RICKETTS was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation for her heroic rescue actions. This award, the equivalent of an award of the Silver Star, is the highest unit award granted in peacetime. , RICKETTS deployed from Norfolk on October 4, 1976, joining the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. This deployment included a trip to Kenya to participate in the celebration of that Country's 13 Anniversary of Independence. Six weeks after returning from the Mediterranean, RICKETTS joined a U.S. Task Group on a six week operation with the Brizilian Navy. RICKETTS earned the DESRON TWO TWO Squadron Battle Efficiency Award for fiscal year 77 . ln addition, the ship received department excellence awards for Engineering, Communication, Supply, Damage Control, and ASW for the same period. RICKETTS entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyards in September 1977. Following the completion of the overhaul in October 1978, RICKETTS underwent Refresher Training in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, returning to the homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in April 1979. RICKETTS commenced a 7 month deployment to the U.S. Middle East Force and U.S. Sixth Fleet in early September, 1979. RICKETTS operated with the Sixth Fleet before transitting the Suez Canal and joining the Middle East Force in late September. ln the Middle East, RICKETTS conducted at sea operations and visited ports in the Republic of Djibouti, Kenya, Pakistan, and Bahrain. She was the first Norfolk-Based ship assigned to the Naval buildup in the Persian Gulf in response to the Iranian Crisis following the November seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. While in the Persian Gulf, RICKETTS conducted more than 10 weeks of continuous underway operations celebrating the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Holidays at sea. For their contribution to this contingency, crew members were awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal by the Secretary of the Navy. RICKETTS returned to the Mediterranean in early February 1980 and operated with the U.S. Sixth Fleet until April when she returned to Norfolk, Virginia. Although maintaining a high operating tempo. RICKETTS was one of the two Atlantic Fleet destroyers cited by Vice Admiral j.D. johnson, Commander Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, as Fuel Efficiency Best Performersf' for realizing at least a twenty percent reduction in fuel consumption through efficient operations of engineering plants. Most recently in january 1981, RICKETTS deployed to Northern Europe as the United States representatives to the Standing Naval Forces Atlantic. Operating with as many as seven other navies at the same time, RICKETTS conducted exercises from the straits of Gibraltor to the fiords of Norway northtof the Artic Circle to Halifax, Nova Scotia. RICKETTS, as part of STANAVFORLANT visited 15 different cities in 8 different countries including England, France, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Portugal, and Canada. She hosted thousands of people everywhere including many important dignitaries. In june, after an extremely successful tour, RICKETTS returned home to Norfolk, Virginia.

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The Standing Naval Force is deployed throughout the vast, 12 million-square mile North Atlantic which is crossed by the Western world's major shipping lanes. Here, more than 3,000 merchant vessels can be found on any day. NATO'countries depend on the continuous free access to these sea lanes - the countries are presently operating approximately two-thirds of the world's tonnage of ocean-going cargo vessels in support of a large portion of their foreign trade. l The Western powers' dependence upon the Atlantic's lifelines has lately been acknowledged, and challenged, by the navy of the Soviet Union. Traditionally a land-orientated power, the Soviet Union has come to realize over the past two decades the importance of the waterways and has grown to become the second most powerful maritime nation. Confronted with the ever-increasing figures in Soviet naval contruction, the countries of the NATO Alliance found it necessary to reappraise their overall defensive strategy. Undoubtedly this has had a profound effect on the decision to establish a permanent NATO naval force. ' ' While naval units of the Alliance had been operating together for very brief periods' over a number of years, it was not until February of 1965 that naval vessels of several countries participated in extended exercises, lasting approximately six months. Dubbed Exercise Match Maker l, Il, Ill, in succession, the annual training periods continued through 1967. The success of Match Maker convinced many that a permanent international force was feasible. The Standing Naval Force Atlantic was first activated on january 13, 1968 at Portland, England, after having been approved in full at the NATO Ministerial Meetings in Brussels the previous December. The first ships to join STANAVFORLANT were the British frigate HMS BRIGHTON, the Dutch frigate HNLMS HOLLAND, the Norwegian frigate HNOMS NARVIK, and the American destroyer USS HOLDER. Since that time, ships from the NATO 'member nations of Canada, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States have played a vital role in NATO's permanent multi-national naval force.