Detroit (AOE 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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AUGUST 26: Anchor, Rapallo, Italy. Commanding Officer ' s per- sonnel inspection. Liberty call. SEPTEMBER 2: Underway. SEPTEMBER 3: Small arms train- ing, General Quarters for Damage Control Training, BECCEs. SEPTEMBER 5: Transit the Straits of Messina. SEPTEMBER 6: Replenish NIMITZ, PERRY, CONSOL with SYLVANIA and SIRIUS. SEPTEMBER 7: UNREP CON- NOLE, PAUL, BIGELOW, VOCE, DAVIS and SELLERS. Transit Straits of Messina. SEPTEMBER 8: Fast Combat Sup- port to TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI, BEARY, and KING. SEPTEMBER 10: Flight Quarters. Missile exercise. P03 rating exams. RADM Parker, COMSERVGRU TWO comes on board. DETROIT is his flagship for his two day visit. Ensign Smith SEPTEMBER 11: UNREP NIMITZ, KING, BIDDLE, PERRY. SEPTEMBER 12: Transit Straits of Messina. COMSERVGRU TWO departs. Moor NATO Fuel Pier, Augusta Bay, Sicily. Beer on the Pier. SEPTEMBER 15: P02 Rating SEPTEMBER 16: Underway. Replenish five NATO ships. SEPTEMBER 17: Moor La Mad- dalena, Sardinia for in port refuel- ing of ORION. Refueling accom- plished with slack wire fueling rig due to Mediterranean mooring of ORION. SEPTEMBER 18: Anchor, San Remo, Italy. Field day. Liberty Call. SEPTEMBER 20: The following message received from Commander, Submarine Refit Training Group, La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy — Your prompt response in meeting bunkering requirements in La Maddalena was greatly appreciated. DETROIT ship handling skills in tight Med moor at Stefano berth were most impressive. Vertrep The assistance rendered in supplementing the SIRIUS provi- sioning and GSK loadout on short notice was also smartly executed. SEPTEMBER 21: Underway. RDVU RECOVERY, General Quarters. SEPTEMBER 23: Heat stress and hearing conservation medical lecture in the crew ' s lounge. Electrical safety lecture in the library. Striker board. Fire doctrine lecture in the ward- room. SEPTEMBER 25: Fuel CONSOL with USNS Wacamaw. Transit Straits of Messina. In port Augusta Bay. SEPTEMBER 26: Field Day. Flight Quarters. Beer on the Pier. SEPTEMBER 27: Underway. SEPTEMBER 28: Replenish NIMITZ, OLIVER HAZZARD PERRY, NATO escorts. SEPTEMBER 29. ' Replenish TEXAS, BIDDLE, Italian destroyers. OCTOBER 1: UNREP CONNOLE, PAUL. OCTOBER 4: Moor Souda Bay, Crete NATO refueling depot. Un- derway for the Aegean Sea. OCTOBER 5: Replenish PERRY, BEARY. OCTOBER 6: Lifeboat crew train- ing. Refuel KING. Retard clocks one hour at 1900. OCTOBER 7: Scheduled to enter port in Augusta Bay. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat assassinated. OCTOBER 8: Note in the Plan of the Day — DETROIT will arrive at the location of the task force that is standing off Egypt about noon on Thursday (8 October). The FFV and stores that were staged in Augusta Bay are being picked up by SAN DIEGO and will be arriving late on 10 October. The general plan is to complete the scheduled LOGREP of. the Amphibious Group (in a different location). We can expect to refuel the SAIPAN after arrival and then provide Fast Combat Support as required (probably on very short notice). The MTT visit has been cancelled. CTF-63 expects to transfer to DETROIT from SAN DIEGO on 10 OCT and depart on 12 OCT. The impact of contingency operations on our long range schedule is unknown and it is impossible to make any projections or predictions. The word will be passed if the situation changes. OCTOBER 9 - OCTOBER 20: Contingency Operations. OCTOBER 13: During the last 24 hours when DETROIT was heavily engaged in CONSOL refueling operations, the forward automatic combustion control low pressure air compressor failed. A tiger team lead by MMCS Roberts and consist- ing of BTC McGaughey, ETC Annis and ADC Bridgeman comple- tely overhauled the compressor in one day. BZ to the attack team and to SK2 Alfredo and BT2 Goldsch- midt who tracked down the neces- sary parts. Cooperation and team- work keeps the fast in Fast Combat Support. Well done! Navy Birthday message from Secretary of the Navy John Lehman — Since our last birthday, the Navy-Marine Corps has continued in full measure to meet the chal- lenges of a troubled world. Never before in peacetime and seldom in war have such extraordinary efforts and sacrifices been demanded of all of us. We are currently working virtually at our limits. ' % ' The mess deck message board. FURTHER NOTICE HAS ARRIVED OUR MESSAGE: AT LAST, WE RE HOMEWARD BOUND

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AUGUST 12: CONSOL OPS for the monthly LOGREP of the FORRESTAL Battle Group. Cargo transfer with USNS Sirius via Burton Rigs and missile transfer with USS MOUNT BAKER. AUGUST 13: Battle Group replen- ishment. DANIELS to port, CARON to starboard, VERTREP with PAUL. AUGUST 14: CONSOL OPS in- cluding receiving approximately one million gallons of fuel from the CALOOSAHATCHEE and VER- TREP of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) to the SYLVANIA. The following message was received from the Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Eight — Your safe and expeditious comple- tion of (Toulon, France missile exchange with USS JOSEPHUS DANIELS) conducted under unique conditions was both spirited and BT3 Yancey professional. Particularly appreciated was DETROIT ' S readiness for transfer upon arrival and sustained attention to details of safety and getting the job done. WELL DONE! AUGUST 15: General Quarters, Surface Gunnery Exercise. AUGUST 16: Yixst replenishment of the Nimitz Battle Group. NIMITZ BIDDLE, O ' BANNON, CARON and PAUL alongside, VERTREP AINSWORTH, TALBOT CON- NOLE, and PRATT. SH3 Key In port Augusta Bay for fuel, cargo and the onload of a VC-6 drone detachment. AUGUST 17: Underway. COM- SIXTHFLT, Vice Admiral Rowden, arrives by helo for a brief visit. AUGUST 18: Drone launch in support of Open Ocean Missile Exercise. AUGUST 19:Drone launch contin- ues. Flight Quarters for Staff transfer. Night replenishment of the Forrestal Battle Group. During preparations for the missile exercise, two Libyan aircraft fired missiles at two F-14 Tomcat aircraft. The Tomcats were in international airspace at the time and returned fire, shooting down both Libyan aircraft. There was no damage to the U. S. Navy aircraft from the NIMITZ. The response from all DETROIT ' S crew in setting General Quarters, material condi- tion Zebra, getting all four boilers on the line and preparing all weapons and control stations was outstanding. Training may not always be exciting but it paid off in making DETROIT ready when necessary. DETROIT was assigned to provide Fast Combat Support for the battle groups for this period because we have what it takes to get the job done. Well done to all. AUGUST 20: Replenish CON- NOLE, PAUL, and BIDDLE. In port, Augusta Bay. Beer on the Pier. AUGUST 21: Underway. Message received from Vice Admiral William H. Rowden, Commander Sixth Fleet: Since early on 18 August you all have been engaged in one of the most significant operations in terms of national interest and national prestige to the United States in recent years. You have been exposed to danger and to the threat of weapons. You have all operated under the direct scrutiny of the entire national command structure and within the confines of a well thought out but difficult to execute set of rules of engagement. Throughout all this each and every one of you has performed superbly in the proper and professional execution of your assigned duties. Our objective was to demon- strate clearly and unmistakeably that the U. S. Navy can and will operate in International waters in accordance with the time honored law and rules of the sea. We have done this. In so doing we have been challenged by the armed forces of Libya. Their challenge was frequent and persistent. You responded resolutely and with dignity and resolve. We drew blood. This occurred when several of our shipmates had been fired upon and they themselves placed at risk and in very real personal danger. They responded in a proper and profes- sional manner. We need not take pride in the fact that blood was drawn. We have every right to take pride in the fact that our training, discipline, and execution minimized the violence but clearly demonstrat- ed our resolve. I have been personally in- volved in this operation for the past two days with you. Your perfor- mance has been outstanding. You merit the admiration and apprecia- tion of our navy and nation which you have so clearly earned. Well done. Rowden. AUGUST 24: CONSOL with Sealjft China Sea. AUGUST 25: Brief stop in Gaeta for in-port replenishment of USS PUGET SOUND. SA Potter, SH3 Maxwell, and SN Andrews

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Today, we are truly the cutting -dge of National Defense and foreign policy. Your professional response to these pressing requir- ements has been nothing less than heroic, a fact increasingly appreciat- ed by a grateful nation. America, in renewing itself, now realizes the absolutely vital role that seapower will play in our nation ' s future. You of the Navy-Marine Corps team are that seapower. We are now witnessing a much-increased and well-deserved acknowledgement of the p. jstige of our military professionals, clear indication of a national awareness that freedom can be maintained only by remaining strong, proud, and vigilant. And a special well done to QM3 Morales, whose outstanding response as helmsman was a major factor in DETROIT ' S avoiding collision. As of today, since the cruise began 25 June, USS DETROIT has steamed 17,347.85 miles, replenished 124 ships by CONREP plus two alongside piers, 57 ships replenished by VERTREP, pumped 19,009,291 gallons of fuel to ships alongside, transferred 1103 pallets of stores by CONREP, 652 pallets of ammo by CONREP, 651 pallets of stores by VERTREP, 298 pallets of ammo by VERTREP, 1528 maintenance ac- tions done on aircraft by the HELO DET, 355,200 hours of watches stood by the crew, 1527 gallons of paint IC3 Smith and BTFA Kerwin. We must all ensure that we rertiain strong enough to resist Soviet intimidation, retain the ability to protect ourselves, and guarantee that the vital interests of our nation and of our allies are sustained worldwide. 1 am very proud of you and I deeply appreciate the immense contributions and sacrifices that each of you and your families are making. Your outstanding devotion ceAainly warrants the fullest respect and admiration. The greatest satis- factions are often derived from the greatest toil. Happy Birthday and best wishes to you all. John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy. OCTOBER 14: Well done to BMl Worm, BMl Korbal, and BMCM Boyette for accomplishing an emer- gency breakaway from USNS WACAMAW on 11 October under the n. - difficult circumstances and without . : personal or material casualties. used to cover 305,400 square feet of decks bulkheads overheads, 8,880,000 gallons of fresh water used by the boilers and crew, the port screw has made 9,764,657 revolu- tions, the starboard 9,763,872, DE- TROIT has used 4,250,412 gallons of fuel, medical has given 707 shots and seen 968 patients, 64,000 man hours have been invested in field days, the galley has served 113,220 meals to the crew. Radio has handled 16,701 messages, the Signal gang has handled 1042 messages by sem- aphore signal hoist flashing light, MARS radio has completed 762 calls home, and last but not least DETROIT has used 2,472,000 sheets of paper and 4320 pens and pencils. OCTOBER 16: The following message received from USS PAUL — Short fuse supply assist provid- ed 12 October greatly appreciated. Ability to provide every item requested exemplified DETROIT ' S ' Service to the Fleet ' approach. Once again, many thanks. OCTOBER 77; Yesterday afternoon the BTs and MMs on watch in the 2 Main Machinery Room demon- strated that they could react quickly and correctly to a potentially disasterous situation. FA Norman discovered a leak in the fuel oil service system which was spraying atomized fuel into the bilges. He immediately alerted thfe lower level watch to break out fire fighting equipment and then spread word of the leak. The watch section had fire fighting gear broken out and were spraying down the area with foam within a minute. Under MMC Male ' s direction, the plant was cross-connected, the boiler secured, and the fuel oil was pumped over the side. Your coolness and profes- sionalism during an emergency is a credit to you and DETROIT. Well done shipmates. OCTOBER 18: HW 19 developed a serious fuel leak while on the flight deck. Well done to AMS3 Nicho ls, the LSE, for promptly spotting the leak and signalling the pilot to shut down the engines. The fire party also rates a BZ for its quick response in manning the fire hoses. OCTOBER 20: Congratulations to Kevin Patrick O ' Conner, who was advanced to Machinist ' s Mate Third Class by the Commanding Officer as a result of sustained responsibility and outstanding performance over the past year. OCTOBER 21: CONSOL with USS SURIBACHI. Flight Quarters for VERTREP with USS KALAMAZOO. October 22: Moor, NATO Fuel Pier, Augusta Bay, Sicily. Whew! Beer on the Pier. OCTOBER 23: Welcome aboard to LCDR John O ' Neil, USN, who is reporting aboard from USS SAIPAN (LHA-2) as prospective Executive Officer. Underway for Rota, Spain. OCTOBER 24: Replenish AMER- ICA and PREBLE. Overhaul contract awarded to Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.