Gyatt (DDG 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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I l P .. ....-..-- CRUISE NARRATIVE 28 JANUARY - 31 AUGUST 1960 'W' 4 U. S. S. GYATT IDDG-I l Q X Care of Flee+ Pos? Omoo New York, New York 07 NF ..xsxxNyxxx :' lx : ' J 'U 'QP' ' u IS' If -fl r x Q-I I9 4 4 9 I - , , Z 7 . ' L Q 5 . W wjg.--' , l . wg. 1 ,' t 9 If U 0 1 'xx i' .X I X -. xxxXxxxxs . Gyatt departed Charleston, South Carolina on Thursday, 28 January with Destroyer Squadron SIX to join the United States SIXTH Fleet in the Pediterranean early in February. Once at sea, we joined the SECOND Fleet for the Atlantic crossing and fleet exercises, including WBIG DEAL IIN, an air defense exercise. The trip across the Atlantic was smooth all the way, and many of the UOld Saltsu reported it was the easiest and most comfortable crossing they had ever made. On the morning of the 1Oth of February, we traditionally entered the Mediterranean when we passed the Rock of Gibralter abeam to port. Our first stop was on 13 February at Pollensa Bay on the Island of Mallorca. Here we officially became part of the SIXTH Fleet, and also the first guided missile destroyer in our nation's history to be deployed with an overseas fleet. Upon leaving Pollensa Bay, we proceeded to Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia for a day of meetings and conferences with the majority of ships in the SIXTH Fleet. We departed Golfo di Palmas on the evening of 16 February and participated in fleet exercises with Task Force Sixty in the Eastern Mediterranean. The third week in February we anchored at the world-famous Principality of Monaco on the southern coast of France - the French Riviera. Monaco is ruled by Prince Rainier III, whose wife, Princess Grace, is the-former American movie star, Grace Kelly. Monaco is also the hom of the famous Monte Carlo Casino. Probably the most notable singular event of the Med Cruise occurred on our second day in Monaco, when Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, escorted by Vice Admiral G. W. Anderson, Jr., Commander of the SIXTH Fleet, and Captain E, E. Grimm, then our Squadron Commander and now Commanding Officer of the USS DES MOINES, the SIXTH Fleet Flagship, came aboard for a demonstration and explanation of the missile loading cycle. They were on board for approximately one hour and all the Gyatt Ushutter bugsn had a field day! four

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Q STATE., N .59 U S S GYATT IDDG Il New York New York ' NN . . . - , Care of Fleei' Posi' Office ' 1 r fi After leaving Monaco at the end of February, we transited the Straits of Messina between Italy and Sicily and got a bird's eye view of the Island of Stromboli. We again joined Task Force Sixty in the Central Mediterranean. One night while operating with the super-carrier FORRESTAL as a plane destroyer, GYATT, with LTJG Russell Knowles, Jr. conning, picked one of the FORRESTAL'S downed pilots from the ocean just 16 minutes after he was forced to parachute from his faltering FLD WSkyrayU jet fighter. March was almost entirely devoted to Greece as far as GYATT was concerned. Twelve days were spent alongside the destroyer tender YELLOWSTONE for routine maintenance and repairs at Salamis, Greece, which is about 15 miles from Athens. After leaving the YELLOWSTONE, we were at sea for one day and then returned to Greece, this time anchoring in Phaleron Bay, which is neanboth Athens and Piraeus. Many of us took advantage of the tours through the ancient ruins of Athens and saw parts of buildings still standing, the oldest of which was begun SOO years before the birth of Christ. late in March we left Greece in company with the FORRESTAL, the cruiser DES MOIN S, and various other destroyers and headed south-east for lebanon and Beirut. GZATT spent 6 days in beirut - from 28 March until 2,April with many of the officers and mon taking advantage of two-day tours to Jerusalem and the Holy land. Beirut has justifiably been called the Hfaris of the Eastu, and proved to be a continual source of many interests. Many of its people speak French, so we had a chance to try out some of the language we learned in Monaco. From Beirut we proceeded to sea for a two-week period of fleet exercises with Task Force Sixty in the Eastern and Central Med. We returned to the French Riviera and anchored at Cannes from 15 to 30 April. During this time, everyone had ample opportunity to see the entire Riviera, including such well-known ports and resorts as Cannes, Nice, Gulf Juan, Antibes, Villefranche, and Monaco. During this in-port period, the results of the February examinations for advancement in rate were received and GYATT sailors were awarded a total of 42 promotions: 5 men advanced to Chief Petty Officer, 1 man was advanced to 1st Class Petty Officer, 10 men were advanced to 2nd Class Petty Officer, and 26 men were advanced to 3rd Class Petty Officer. five