John Bole (DD 755) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

'P , , , . l . , ,J , XF .. ., ,..,,, .,,. f V , V ...V -- ,'f4- - Xv,-' .. -f-. Q ,.1.' ...,.,Y f ,nw --f-, -'h- - ,-i-4::.::'::z-:L-Q5gr.-1-amflrvggg yn-4 'ls L J U L , F ,f r J X . . f f 1 -1+ A N E ii inn uh x in its R, viking wvxnak X My tl'-Ezxiks 11 Y.. Sxak -av-Z'-f-, QJKNAQY-5 g,,A:,-,xsL,MLk:sL:?1r,Q1 had bv.,xAf':r- J .qu -5,,,,, Tin? .-..3.-.fxx L'-rn !,JN,,,, avid? 3 AZ!! ,gg:,fA4.. 4.1 3-g N, N -L I v 1- 'W-ft ...f -1 J- 5 '51 w w. -F' 231 -r-- ---f--1 'r' ,a :r .,,. , Huw: ,nf C-1. -J7'f 'l-75 I..-:Q x'7Ng':' S X-1 mir 'Ft-L 'H TY11' Lf' P '53 ' '15 f 'Q 'L 61'3'If: 5 -3 ' -PQ' 'E-V-1 ' -':..2 -.cartx VM -ns... 'M f 4. s.-Ti W A' -, ,- J f if Q The most recent deployment found the BOLE, along with many cruisers and destroyers of the US Seventh Fleet, actively engaged in the war in Viet Nam. She was called upon to pro- vide gunfire support to the troops ashore, and fired over 6000 rounds of five inch ammunition i at enemy positions. Q Despite a fast tempo of operations and a relatively small amount of scheduled upkeep time, BOLE'S machinery, guns, and equipment remained in a high state of material readiness throughout the cruise, an enviable record for which the crew deserves great credit. In addition, the BOLE compiled a number of records for underway replenishment, including the replenish- ing of a Fleet Submarine, the USS STERLETT fSS392J, and aniunofficial record for the fastest rigging time from an oiler: one minute and forty-one seconds. ln retrospect, the cruise was long, challenging, but very rewarding to all those aboard. . . ......., . A , . . --. . . -- --, f -1 lv-H-H ff . f-f..,:: 'ww' ffvffffe-fi?-J? 'f 'f T 11f'- , .L 'Y-S5 'ii1?1H'f-BA-A 76 - iq:-12:5 'Ffa' Q-wTi5 in S RiF 1 . -557' ,J 4.-cfzvi' '- . g.. f fwr:' ' A-3, .. 5- 'Ffa 1 ,fa ' --L 'H 44-4 F1 ' ,359 '7f-7r:-'F'?i:z::v:':':-:-:? C':f-- 1M.2..JfS--- :'-If-+74-'-4-'f 'f' r' ' F' 1 Y - -'A' A 'vs ,Mi L f it -fe fffrw -nvff-ffTLfFff rffrf'- 'ff ffm' 1 't V '- '

Page 6 text:

- V- -'-'- '- -V-r ,- ff .-. -,I .-i .. . -s . f 1 -A + 4 ,,wiifgfvflgMaw-ff.faf1igp,y5fm:f'fiy '- 5- , ,., , , V - rm-iw ' I 9' M , 1 A-.ps :S ,Q-,,, -5-J-?:a.'Lg':E,f: :.-ze A w..b,g, y .., f. f a 1.11 Nfl. ---:,.,:.-TA. 24,2 we.- .f :e. esEfaQfS. ff5f:f.-1,-K a, su:-:freeze-2 615.-w bmrrffa-.s:1-'fL2-1 fn' ' ' .r.'D:.r1LT-.4::.1::1!,-f-:LE119:'.xT.'::lL:T'.fI1':':: .'.1 :.'fFJ.i:'f-fe?-?225-tt'sf:-:r':r:':-.T.iff'f' -FTS-T21 'I-'41 '5 '-' 5'-'Vf- t ' ' H Ship? History The USS JOHN A. BOLE is an all purpose 2200 ton Destroyer of the SUMNER class. She is 376 feet long with a 40 foot beam! her power is supplied by two 30,000 horsepower engines capable of propelling her through the water at speeds in excess of 30 knotsg her evaporators produce 16,000 gallons of fresh water daily. Her generators send enough electricity through her 500 miles of electric cable to supply power to a small cityg her armament includes the Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter, six torpedo tubes, and six 5 !38 guns. The crew consists of 270 en- listed and 17 officers. The JOHN A. BOLE was named for the Commanding Officer of the submarine USS AMBERJACK, LCDR John Archibold BOLE, Jr, The ship was commissioned 3 March 1945 at the Staten Island, New York, shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Company, where she had been launched the preceding November, After her shakedown cruise to Cuba, BOLE'S first assign- ment was to escort the badly damaged aircraft carrier USS FRANKLIN from the West Indies to New York. Soon after, BOLE was assigned to the Pacific where she played an active role in the numerous operations that eventually led to the Japanese surren- der. She participated in the strikes on Wake, escorted carriers to Eniwetok, saw the Philippine Invasion, and fought through the Kamikaze attacks at Okinawa without damage to either ship or crew. Following the surrender of Japan, she took on the demil- itarization of Saishu, destroying 88 suicide boats. Many routine patrols and mine sweeping tasks in the East China Sea followed before she returned to the West Coast in 1946, Overhauls and training cruises to Alaska followed. When war broke out in Korea, the BOLE saw three tours of duty there. She participated in the invasion of Inchon, fought as part of fast carrier, groups, bombarded the Communist shoreline, and patrolled the'Tai,wanf.s'traits. On her third Korean tour, along with the destroyer'LOiFBEIRGfk,she was given the job of continuing the seige QT' WOHSOH H2l1'bOI Q participating in the longest Naval seige in history. Under fire for sonsecutive days, 'she received only minor shrapnel damage. When the armistice WaS Sign?f1fB0LEevQP9-I-Med with Task Force 77 in ready standby status. In Dgiembef, 196,14 the entered, the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for FRAM MK II overhafal. This .overhaul .1ncreased.BOLE'S ASW capability by adding a Variable Depth- Sinar, Drigne Anti-Submarine Heficopter, and many other 1'1'1OdeI'niZatjOnS to thg hun and ma- c inery. Since Korea, BOLE hasfmade ten cruises to WestPac, where she operated in many capacities asa member of th.eiUS Seventh Fleet, She has worked with fast carrier groups as planeguard, with a number, Of other ships in ASW exercises, and independently, on the gunline off South Viet Nam. She has visited ports in Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines For-mc-,Sa New Zealand, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Guam, Midway, Samoa, and the Ad , , mir alty Islands. 2 IKUNNI . . f ..',f,:::.f. 1.1.1,-::.:, . .fwnf ,,:,:,.f-, pf ,ear ,,m,,,,,5,- . . ., V: affefzvs-ff..-., 'w,,', W ,L ,,,,., .,. -f fr,-,g:,,,..,..:,.'.-.-.ff-'::.f::a:-.-A-1'f.m':1r,-, 4.v..r,1w., . ' V ' 51'4e'L-I-26?-LP5ii'?J if-'-iITSC?SEZ-Lf . f.fQLf5'.'rur'1'-'i'f. :':.:i'T.'l'f7:::'- -'- '-,1731.'-11' '-151:-.L.''wH2532655152EW-L':-:H52T52i-F1??vS1LT1,:.r5?:?21-'1-up:-:.i':f::r.1r.:-:L5F.v-':-L-J:'fef12rsmn-:.:-.mr . ,. ,, A , . ,mg-:iff-15 533211-Lfgzj 1f4::.j:a:yfag1 fr.-J. s -' V ff . S5223-Iaiqfvsjfv--5 ,-Tia12:-w:E5?s ?f1.g.a?-at-3:gg2511315356:Su:-2251152H221-sriirza1Eritfi-Peasfisir23.111331-3-:,:ezhgfqifig-:Izsvfz-t41T:.'iI i5.'T131-r--. fs- .1-1 -. , rw-mu4u.:1m4.: awmmwmimm-am ' --

Page 8 text:

CUMMAN ING OFFICE USS JOHN A. ROLE QDD-755j COMMANDER FRANK C. COLLINS, JR. FROM THE CAPTAIN . . . What is there about going to sea in ships that down through the centuries has captured the imagination and devotion of man? Is it the ease of effort, the reward in terms of prestige or money, or perhaps the creature comforts implicit in a seaman's life? Hardly, you snort impatiently! Everyone knows that there are no eight-hour days or five-day weeks in a Navy man-o'war. In peace, you are toler- ated, and even during limited wars a serviceman lives an unvenerated life, as is so starkly attested to by draft card burners and anti-war protestors. And crea- ture comforts - if sweltering in the Tonkin Gulf or shivering in the Sea of Japan or being remanded to an area 376 feet long and 40 feet wide can be termed a creature comfort, then we've sure got them! No, NONE of the motivators normally associated with provoking a man's in- terest in a vocation play a signficiant role in capturing the fancy of a Destroyer- man, Instead, in my opinion, it is the challenge, the responsibility, the very effort which man must extend in order to survive life in a Destroyer, that feeds his fires of motivation and evokes pride in being able to do an impossible job. The sea is a cruel and unforgiving mistress, seldom giving second chance to those who disregard her laws or err in judgement, and yet, nowhere is the might, and beauty, and infinite extent of our Creator so apparent as in the raging fury of a storm at sea, the unequaled beauty of sunrise or sunset viewed from the bridge of a ship, or the impressive vastness of a trans-Pacific crossing. In addition to being a challenging and impressive way of life, the sea offers its own unique rewards. It truly separated the men from the boys. To those of you who have made the grade this cruise, from Sea of Japan's blizzardy cold to the Equator's blistering heat, and from the boredom of plane guard to the back- break of gunline, you may consider yourselves both man and mariner - and I salute you as members of a select and rapidly vanishing group whose motive is not money or ease, but rather challenge, responsibility, and the opportunity to serve your country. 4