Durham (LKA 114) - Naval Cruise Book

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lVlar 14 1968 tight that personnel wearing moustaches had to have them registered When the balance crew filled out there were about 250 men Because of the close living conditions in the barracks the crew became well acquainted with one another Familiar names to most in those early days may have been SN lVllke lVloon lVlullens SN Gary Gooby Treatch EIVI3 Larry Herbie Herbert RD3 Arne Hut Huhtala BIVI3 Ken lVloose Levander BlVl3 Chuck Penner ElVl3 Jim Fluff Flynn RD2 Dan Olongapoe Long CYN3 Bob Antone BlVl3 Bob Weller SIVI2 Bill Harris and BlVl2 Bill Higg Higgins to name several. There are some who might still remember how many times RD3 Tom Clemmets got short sheeted, or how many times FA Paul Carrol was written up, or how many times BlVl3 Glen Babula raced his car around the dipsty dumpster before the base police flagged him down The rest might remember the night FTG3 Alan Gruver made his debut at the Aerodrome, though the Shore Patrol were probably closer to the truth in calling it a bust out One night SN Will Cagle decided to spit shine his shoes in the barracks. He lighted a can of paste wax polish, but let it burn too long and couldn't put the fire out. Grabbing one of the old foam-type fire extin- guishers off the wall, he opened it up on the spreading fire. The fire was quickly put out, but the extinguisher couldn't be, until it completely emptied itself of its contents. To just about everyone on the south side of the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge, Tidewater Area was a household word heard on every news broadcast and used at least once in every third sentence. After several months the crew became more familiar with certain clubs in this area, which were occassioned more often than others. Those of us with wheels and money made it into Virginia Beach, The World's Largest Resort Area. Here were the Peppermint Beach Club, Rogues Gallery the Golden Garter, art shops, sandal makers, and miles of open beaches. Those of us with wheels and money but less incentive, crowded the Jolly Roger on Wesf Ocean View Money but no wheels Louie s by Gate Two No wheels and little money The Aerodrome or the Tradewinds Still there were many of the guys who took in a show or went bowling ln town good cider and fresh talent could be had at the Folk Ghetto Further north on Tidewater Drive lVlama s for pizza and Ledo s for ShrDrc2x?vntown Norfolk as a bustling center of social activity left a bit to be desired lt had its hospital its Negro ghetto used furniture stores and pawn shops Its importance and popularity though seemed to rest in its location To the south and west Norfolk was bordered by a legendary and much frequented branch of the James River A bridge to the south took one into Portsmouth where DURHAIVI held her fitting out period North and east roads branched out to the Norfolk Naval Base Newport News Chesapeake Bay Little Creek Amphibious Base Lynnhaven lnlet Fort Story and Virginia Beach lVlany enjoyed Norfolk simply because it was a coastal city lts late autumns could be enjoyed almost through December though it was usually too cold in those late months for more than just a stroll along the beaches When the wind blew at all it was almost a full gale The trees along Ocean View Blvd all had their contorted limbs bent permanently inland by the late season coastal storms By January when the crew had returned from their Christmas leave period it was apparent that the DUR HAlVl would not be ready for delivery in February and maybe not even by lVlarch The Precommlssionlng Detail in view of the number of people who had already reported and the length of time before DURHAIVI would be ready for them launched a broad flexible training program which still accounts for the majority of training the present crew has received Over seventy people were sent TAD lTemporary Additional Dutyl to the USS RANKIN lLKA-1031 USS WRIGHT lCC-21 refrigerated stores ship REGAL destroyer RICKETTS and the USS DEWEY lDLG-141. The RAN KIN left for the Caribbean when there was still snow on the ground in Norfolk while the DEWEY made a Mediterranean cruise The offices in building N-30 slowly emptied as officers, likewise, began filling various school quotas Some of the schools were close enough that the ritualistic nooner cribbage games held in room 222, second deck, building N-30, did not have to be entirely interrupted Of the more regular players lBob Rodriguez, Eric Werner, Bob lVlcGrath, Claude Freaner, Tom lVlartin, and Randy Smithl enough usually showed up with their brown bag lunches to create the normal noise level. The two week Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Warfare school, to which Bob lVlcGrath was sent, put a hurt on his attendance at the games for a couple days. After a brief value judgment, though, he stopped going to school in order to get back to the cribbage circle. No one thought much of it, least of all Bob, until one morning that same week, his two day instructor happened to see him sitting in on a hand. When the crew finally moved on board April 29, 1969, in Portsmouth, people were still being sent to schools, some as far away as San Francisco, California. Between February 1, 1969 and April 25, 1969, over 10,889 man days of training had been held. One man would have had to go to school for almost two full years in order to accomplish the amount of training the balance crew received in less than three months. ln that period, each man graduated from an average of over six different schools. QOCXJ were graduates of shipboard grlemfighting, and 79'X, graduated from Damage Control c oo.

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First CO CAPTAIN JOHN DONALD STENSRUD, U.S. NAVY Commanding Officer Captain John Donald Stensrud, USN, was born in lVlcCanna, N.D. The son of the late T.O. Stensrud and Mabel Grodahl Stensrud, he received his B.A. degree from Mayville State College, lVlayville, N.D., and his lVl.S. in education from the University of North Dakota. He was commissioned in 1943, then served aboard the destroyer escort USS BORUIVI lDE 7901. ln 1946, he left active duty but joined the reserves. In August 1951, Captain Stensrud returned to active duty with the Naval Schools Command, Treasure Island. Later he became executive officer and the commanding officer of the salvage lifting vessel USS IVIENDER lARSD 21. He was augmented into the regular Navy in September 1955. After attending the Damage Control and ABC Defense Command School, Captain Stensrud served in the heavy cruiser USS COLUIVIBUS lCA 741 until February 1958, when he was assigned to the staff of Commander lVline Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Later he became executive officer and navigator of the destroyer USS CUNNINGHAIVI lDD7521. On June 17, 1961 Captain Stensrud became commanding officer of the radar picker escort ship USS SAVAGE lDER 3861. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., from August 1963 to January 1964 when he reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C., to direct the enlisted programs branch, recruiting divi- sion. He commanded the destroyer USS AGERHOLIVI from October 1966 to July 1968, and assumed the additional duty as Commander Destroyer Division Fifty-Two in April 1968. Captain Stensrud is married to the former lVliss lVlary E. Ringstad of Aneta, N.D. Captain and lVlrs. Stensrud have two children, a daughter, 'Caren Ann, married to Captain Walter C. Whittier, U.S. Armyp and a son, John. I