Elmer Montgomery (FF 1082) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS ELIVIER IVICNTGCIVIERY FF-10825 Built by Avondale Shipyard, Incorporated, Westwego, Loui- siana, ELMER MONTGOMERY was launched on November 21, 1970 and was one of the Knox Class Frigates specifically de- signed for Anti-Submarine Warfare. The ship is named in honor of Sergeant Elmer Montgomery, United States Marine Corps. After commissioning, USS ELMER MONTGOMERY was ho- meported in Norfold, Va. She had several extended deploy- ments with the Sixth Fleet in the Med and with the Middle-East Force in the Persian Gulf. On June 22, 1977, she commenced her first overhaul. Upon successful completion of overhaul on April 10, 1978, she changed homeport to her new operating base at Mayport, Fl. She completed refresher training at Guan- tanamo Bay, Cuba, in August of 1978, and immediately de- ployed to the North Atlantic. From April to September 1979, she deployed to the Middle East at which time she took on duties as Flagship for COMIDEASTFOR. She deployed once again to the Med from July to December 1980, to the Middle East in the Fall of 1981, and to the North Atlantic from August to October 1982. In February of 1985, she entered her second overhaul at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Upon successful completion of her overhaul in October 1985, she rejoined the fleet at her homeport, Mayport, Fl. In February 1984, she again underwent refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From October to May 1985, she deployed to the Med, and in the she conducted Law Enforcement Operations with the U.S. Coast Guard in Ca- ribbean. Following a Selected Restricted Availability conducted with Jacksonville Shipyard from January to March 1986, she again deployed to the Med in August 1986 and retumed in Feb- ruary 1987. After successfully completing various inspections throughout 1987, she participated in Fleet Exercise 1-88 in Jan- uary 1988 prior to deploying on an Indian OceanjMedfNorth Atlantic deployment in April 1988. She spent two months of the deployment in the Persian Gulf where she saw combat action against Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats. She eamed the Combat Action Ribbon for that encounter. After her retum in October 1988 she completed a Selected Restricted Availability at Naval Station, Mayport from February to May 1989. Following various exercises, the year wound up with ELMER MONTGOM- ERY completing refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during November and December 1989. 1990 had her complet- ing a basic and advanced Fleet Exercise prior to deployment to the MedfOperation Desert ShieldfDesert Storm 1990. ' 1 ,:::g,., ,.g 1.6:-mwYJ,z- 1314 s.z5g.....4 ...QF ,:4..1.a.,-cw sa. - .1

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l1? CGIVIIVIANDING CJFFICER 5 SEP 88 - 29 JAN 91 Commander Robert A. Higgins graduated from Florida State University and was commissioned an Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve, upon completion of Officer candi- date School in 1970. Following his initial tour aboard the USS NOA KDD-8411, where he served as Main Propulsion Assistant and ultimately Engineer Officer, he augmented into the Regular Navy. Commander Higgins eamed his masters' Degree in Personnel Man- agement from George Washington University in 1975. Commander Higgins attended Department Head School in 1976 followed by sea tours as Engineer Officer aboard the USS LAWRENCE QDDG-45, Material Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron Two and Executive Officer of USS COMTE DE GRASSE CDD-9710. Tours ashore include: Instructor at the United States Naval Academy and the Staff of Commander Training Command, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. His most recent assignment was in the Fleet Operations and Readiness Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He transferred to Chief Staff Officer of Des- ron 12. Commander Higgins has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals and various campaign and service awards. Commander Higgins is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R.C. Higgins of St. Petersburg, Fl. and is married to the fomier Patricia A. Phelan of Jacksonville, Fl. They have two daughters, Kathryn and Leslie, and two sons, Robert and Michael, and reside in Jacksonville, Fl.