Jarrett (FFG 33) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commanding Officer Commander Leslie S. Blankinship United States Navy Commander Leslie Scott Blankinship. born August 21, 1945, in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the son of Leslie C. and Elizabeth Blankinship. He received his commission in June 1967 through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Program (NROTC) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He was also awarded a Masters Degree in Communications Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1974. Commander Blankinship first served in USS BORDELON (DD 881) as Communications Officer, Combat Information Center Officer and as Operations Officer from July 1967 to June 1970. Upon completion of Destroyer School (Surface Warfare Officers Department Head Course) in early 1 97 1 , he returned to sea as Operations Officer in USS EUGENE A. GREENE (DD 711). He served as Executive Officer, USS MCCLOY (FF 1038) from December 1974 to September 1976, and USS AINSWORTH (FF 1090) from October 1980 until May 1982. Assignments ashore have included a tour as Assistant to the Navy Satellite Communica- tions Program Coordinator for Plans, Programs, and Resources; Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College in 1980 and most recently served as Staff Officer for Communications Interoperability for the Chief Naval Signal Officer, Ministry of Defense, London, England. Commander Blankinship is married to the former Carol L. Dunn of Maxton, North Caroli- na. They have one son, Wesley ( 76).

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SHIP ' S CHARACTERISTICS Built By: Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation Los Angeles Division San Pedro, California Keel Laid: II February 1981 Christened: 17 October 1981 Commissioned: 2 July 1983 at Long Beach Naval Station, Long Beach, California Displacement: 3600 Tons Length: 445 Feet Beam: 47 Feet Complement: 15 Officers, 15 Chief Petty Officers, 153 Enlisted Propulsion: • Two General Electric LM2500 Gas Turbines (40.000 Shaft Horsepower) • One Controllable Reversible Pitch Propeller • Two 350 Horsepower Electric Drive Auxiliary Propulsion Units Auxiliaries: Four 1000 Kilowatt Ship ' s Service Diesel Generators Speed: 28+ Knots Aircraft: Two SH-2 LAMPS Helicopters Armament: • MK 13 Guided Missile Launcher • HARPOON Anti-Ship Missile • Standard Anti-Aircraft Missile • MK 75 76MM 62 Caliber Rapid Firing Gun • MK 32 ASW Torpedo Tubes (Two Mounts) • MK 15 Close-in Weapon System

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Executive Officer Commander Robert K. Blanchard United States Navy Commander Robert K. Blanchard, was born in Corpus Christi. Texas on February 8, 1 950. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Oceanography. Following graduation he attended the Navy ' s Nuclear Power School in Bainbridge, Mary- land and the Nuclear Power Training Unit at Ballston Spa, New York. His initial sea tour was as a member of the Engineering Department on USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9). In 1976. he reported to the pre-commissioning crew of the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). Following commissioning and initial operations on USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, Commander Blanchard served as an instructor at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit, University at Houston, Texas. In September 1 980, he attended the Surface Warfare Offi- cer ' s School Department Head Course at Newport, Rhode Island. In 1981, Commander Blan- chard reported to USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) as Damage Control Assistant. Operations Officer on USS ARKANSAS (CGN 41) was his next assignment prior to reporting to USS JARRETT (FFG 33). Commander Blanchard is married to the former Deborah Ann Ryan of Franklin, Massa- chusetts.