Edward McDonnell (FF 1043) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE HlP The history of USS EDWARD MCDONNELL began on 1 April 1963 when her keel was laid in the Avondale Shipyard at Westwego, Louisiana. EDWARD MCDONNELL was launched on'l5 February 1964, and on 25 January 1965 she departed the Avondale Shipyard for Charleston, South Carolina, where she was commissioned on 15 February 1965. After an extensive shake- down period and a complete fitting-out in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, EDWARD MCDONNELL assumed operational status on 14 January 1966 under the administrative command of com- mander, Anti-Submarine Warfare Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She then joined the Atlantic Fleet Htmter-Killer Force to conduct advanced ASW fAnti - Submarine Warfare! exercises. On 16 May 1966, EDWARD MCDONNELL de- parted Norfolk for an extended deployment to Eastern Atlantic and Northern European waters, ASW exercises were conducted continuously en- route and upon arrival in the Norwegian Sea, The underway schedule was often grueling, but such ports as Trondheim, Norway, Kiel, Ger- many, and Aalborg, Denmark, offered welcome opportunities for liberty and the chance to meet the people of these cities. ASW exercises con- tinued through the summer, with port visits to Copenhagen, Denmark, Norrkoping, Sweden, and Dublin, Ireland, all of which extended a warm and friendly reception to the ship. On 1 September 1966, the ship's home port was changed from Norfolk to Newport, Rhode Is- land. The ship then came under the administra- tive command of Commander Escort Squadron SIX. From 1 September 1966 to the end of the year, EDWARD MCDONNELL participated in three more advanced ASW exercises. The ship celebrated Christmas and New Year in Newport with the crew enjoying holiday leave. The new year of 1967 brought to EDWARD MCDONNELL and her crew a schedule which was, for the most part, equally divided between l

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DEDICATIGN T0 FAMILIES GF THE CREW OF USS EDWARD MCDONNELL CDE-10432 You have given more than can be expected to the total effort of the ship

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underway exercises and regular in-port upkeep periods. From January to September, the ship conducted periodic exercises at sea which in- cluded ASW tactics, gunfire support, and anti- air-craft gunnery. On 22 September 1967, ED- WARD MCDONNELL deployed to the Mediter- ranean with other units of the Atlantic Fleet. Operations during this three-month deployment served the ports of Naples, Italy, Palma, Mal- lorca, and Gibraltar. The ship returned to New- port on 16 December 1967, just in time to celebrate the holidays. The year 1968 began for EDWARD MCDON- NELL with a tender availability prior to entering Boston Naval Shipyard for her regular overhaul. Arriving at the shipyard on l February 1968, the crew of EDWARD MCDONNELL began the long job of overhauling such equipment as boilers, sonar, electronics, and ordnance. In February 1969, her overhaul completed, EDWARD MCDONNELL departed the Boston Naval Shipyard for refresher training in the Caribbean. After six weeks training at Guan- tanamo Bay, Cuba the ship put into West Palm Beach, Florida on 13 May for Armed Forces - . , r w ..., 1, X- 1114.411 mfxznz . '1m'Z:' ...i'?'V . 1 .,'img-......aJ..4E?Z....?fQ.z..ff'.'niP W A. Day celebrations. The ship returned to Newport on 5 June, having participated in Fleet Exer- cises onher way north. EDWARD MCDONNELL remained at or near her home port for the re- mainder of 1969. In January 1970 EDWARD MCDONNELL headed south again for a month of training in the Car- ibbean Sea. She returned to Newport in February and began making preparations for her deploy- ment to Northern Europe in May. M .1