Francis Hammond (FF 1067) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIP ' S STATISTICS OVERALL LENGTH BEAM DISPLACEMENT NAVIGATIONAL DRAFT SPEED PROPULSION ARMAMENT COMPLEMENT SENSORS 44: feel 4(i feet, 9 inches 4100 tons 24 feet, 9 inches In excess of 27 knots Single screw, steam turbine. 28,000 shaft-horsepower. 5 54 caliber gun. ASROC, HARPOON, homing torpedoes. PHALANX t ' lVVS, Super RBOC 17 officers, 250 enlisted Long Range SONAR. IVDS and TACTASS. Long Range air and su rface search radars, fire control radar, electronic countermea- sures equipment. •• • r s s s m ■ , — J 6 •ip SNSSft

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The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes oride in oresenting the MEDAL OF HONOR oosthumously to FRANCIS C. HAMMOND HOSPITALMAN UNITED STATES NAVY for service set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Medical Corpsman. serving with the FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on the night of 26-27 March 1 953. After reaching an intermedi- ate objective during a counterattack against a heavily entrenched and numerically superior hostile force oc- cupying commanding ground on a bit- terly contested outpost far in advance of the main line of resis- tance, HAMMOND ' S platoon was suP- jected to a murderous barrage of hostile mortar and artillery fire, foll- owed by a vicious assault by onrush- ing enemy troops. Resolutely advanc- ing through the veritable curtain of fire to aid his stricken comrades. HAMMOND moved among the stal- wart garrison of Marines and, THE NAMESAKE : HN Francis C. Hammond although critically wounded himself, valiantly continued to administer aid to the wounded throughout an exhausting four-hour period. When the unit was ordered to withdraw, he skillfully directed the evacuation of casualties and remained in the fire-sweot area to assist the corpsmen of the relieving unit until he was struck by a round of enemy mortar fire and fell, mortally wounded. By his excep- tional fortitude, inspiring initiative and self-sacrificing efforts, HAMMOND undouPtedly saved the lives of many Marines. His great personal valor in the face of overwhelming odds enhances and sustains the finest tradition of the United States Naval Service. He gal- lantly gave his life for his country.

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[■ lavsjigMiJcjet 1 1 v lUfd isM M M m m m pmi ed Mp lo 1 1 c Jm whjmwljh p-y M flg£ I -;t m w B m N i H vj Ptf ' K ' JPPvFyv ifSifftj ' :-JjiK.t»» ' [ 1 [.imi ' - iilliii Oiir CAPTAIN Donaldson was Operations Officer of USS CALIFORNIA (CGN- 36) from 1 977 until 1 979 and Exec- utive Officer of USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS (DDG-5) in 1980-1981. CAPTAIN Donaldson assumed com- mand Of USS FRANCIS HAMMOND in April of 1 985. CAPTAIN Donaldson received a Masters of Science deeree from the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1 975 in the first course of the Anti- submarine Warfare curriculum and is a oroven ASW Subsoecialist. He graduated from the Inter-American Defense College in 1 982. His other shore tours were with Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group TWO Destroyer Development Group and Surface Warfare Development Group from 1 975 until 1 977. From 1 982 until 1 984 he served as COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT Paul H. Donaldson head of Anti-SuPmarine Warfare Sensors Section for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operation for Surface Warfare. CAPTAIN Donaldson ' s awards include the Bronze Star with Combat V ; Meritorious Service Medal; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and gold stars in lieu of two subsequent awards: Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation: Meritorius Unit Commenda- tion: Battle Efficiency E ; Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal; National Defense Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and numerous personal and unit awards from the ReouPlic of Vietnam. CAPTAIN Donaldson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Donaldson of Lee, Florida. He and his wife. Carol, have a daughter, Uennifer, and a son, Joel.