Finch (DER 328) - Naval Cruise Book

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I A P Gimme a little Jlack ' A 1 x ,gr X FQ! 1 Q Q The Dole ' L ' Liberty Call Y V '-,'L' .mg A as Q W.. ,,,, Ag, 1 K WN K M 'vii ' A 5 , kk n 'Q ' , mx ,,.+i -an K '- W Q , BEEN-S' , . .A,. . 2 Q H , , f Q ? 'E W QW. P ,, ,i g 5 'IQ' M Q M 14 Sep 68: Five Letters of Commendation awarded , my 2, 9 ,f

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Page 68 text:

HERE E GO 'R Steering course 0880, the USS FINCH stood about halfway between the Philippines and the island of Guam. Three sudden blasts screamed from her whistle and escaped across the midnight ocean. This was 1968, a year to prove as eventful for FINCH as the one before. A little more steaming and Guam was sighted about 1000 on January 3rd, By 1500, she had cleared the annoying delays of medical and customs boardings. FINCH was back. Those with families in Quam streamed off. This exodus signalled the end of one deployment and the start of another cycle which would itself end with yet another six month journey through the Western Pacific. Shipboard life flowed by casually that first week back in Guam. Those brown-baggers with their on- island families settled back into homelife. The single crewmen began their trips to Club Mocambo on base or night spots in town. Guam is good, so said one humorist. Most sailors agreed fthis in itself was un- usual, that Guam held no island paradise-unspoken for females just do not exist. You can see how this called for a major readjustment from West Pac liberty. Consequently, our first week was one of maximum liberty and adaptation. Serious work began-again on the 13th with com- mencement of RAV fRestricted Availabilityj, which is sort of a baby overhaul. Snipes QENS and BTSJ tore into main engines, generator diesels, boilers, evapora- tors, and anything else they could find that used to run. Radiomen and Radarmen fiddled and tuned and cali- brated every piece of electronic gear. Gunnery types replaced a whole gun mount and then spent days play- ing with it. Boatswain's Mates covered everything sta- tionary with gray paint. Meanwhile, ETs delved elbow deep into mazes of colored wires. Shipfitters cut braces here and welded a stanchion there. No fooling, the work of this RAV was hectic business when added to the normal chores of running the ship. Hammers deaf- 76 OU AGAI ened and flying paint chips blinded. Snipes poked greasy noses from holes and burrowed back into their work. The cooks up and moved to the Naval Station Galley. So, to eat we shuttled back and forth from that galley -when the bus ran. Inport OODS had to be sharp lest some visiting Admiral pass by and proper honors not be rendered. FINCH enjoyed hosting the Taiwanese RCS Ta TUNG QATF-5-Q for her two-day visit to Guam. Somehow, in the midst of it all, time was found to play football, tennis, basketball, baseball, hold a bowling tournament, and hit Gab Gab beach for a picnic that really swam. PC Jensen and LT Robbie Flash Newton entered the COMNAVMARIANAS Boxing Tourna- ment. LT Newton, 1964 All Navy Champ of his light- weight class, became West Coast Champion and then took the All Navy second spot after losing a very close championship decision. Other amusement came in as- sisting CDR D. F. Milligan, COMCORTRON SEVEN, and CAPT R. L. Law, COMDESFLOT FIVE, in the inspection of our sister ship, USS KRETCHMER QDER-5291 At the end of February, the pace accelerated as com- pletion deadlines neared. Engineers worked around the clock to meet dock trials. All others had to have their gear back together by the second week in March for sea trials. After numerous short delays, disappointments and malfunctions, sea trials were completed. The next few weeks were spent in independent ship exercises preparing for Refresher Training and working the bugs out of all equipment. The brownbaggers homelife and single man's frus- trations came to an end on April 15, when we left for Yokosuka, japan. The day before, LCDR R. L. Grim- mell came aboard as prospective Commanding Officer. Four day's transit and a weekend's liberty and we were