John King (DDG 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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SS JOH KI G DDG-35 The First ship to bear the name, JOHN KING, is the second of Adam Class Guided Missile Destroyers to be constructed by the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. JOHN KING was commissioned on 4 February 1961, at Boston Naval Shipyard. On 6 Septem- ber 1961, she arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, her homeport. Since commissioning, the ship has had twelve periods of extended operations with the U.S. Sixth in the Mediterranean. The first deployment was in November 1961. The twelfth Sixth Fleet deployment was completed in February 1985. In addition, JOHN KING has operated extensively in Northern European waters, having made seven cruises there in support of NATO commitments. JOHN KING represented the U.S. Navy at Germany's Kiel Festivaln in June 1983. The ship participated in the Cuban blockade Operations in October 1962, and was among the first units to respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis. JOHN KING was part of Project: Hand Clasp, visiting Limon, Costa Rica in June 1984. JOHN KING represented the United States in Halifax, Nova Scotia, having conduct- ed operations with Canadian Naval Forces in April 1984. A The guided missile destroyer deployed to the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Western Pacific, and conducted Naval Gunfire Operations off the coast of Vietnam from Decem- ber 1972 to June 197 3. The ship operated as part of the Seventh in Northern Arabian Seaflndian Ocean waters from November 1984 to January 1985, having celebrated the New Year in Singapore. JOHN KING is currently a member of Destroyer Squadron Two, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Commander Thomas H. Smith Commander Thomas H. Smith, born 12 April 1943, is a native of Becket, Massachusetts. He graduated from Brown University in 1966 and received his commission via OCS in December 1966. His first tour was Gunnery AssistantfFirst Lieutenant on the USS MYLES C. FOX CDD-8295. In 1968 he began a two year tour as Flag Lieutenant for Commander South Atlantic Force where he participated in UNITAS X and XI exercises with South American navies. Following Destroyer School he was the Weapons Officer on the USS ENGLAND CCG-225 and in August 1975 he assumed command of the USS MATACO KATF-865. Commander Smith served ashore in OPNAV COP-OD and attended the Armed Forces Staff College before returning to sea in 1980 as the Executive Officer onboard the USS PREBLE CDDG-465. He then served as Assistant Chief of Staff of Readiness and Training on the staff of Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Commander Smith then assumed Command of the USS JOHN KING in June of 1985. Commander Smith's personnel awards include the Navy Commendation and the Navy Achievement Medals. He is married to the former Eleanor Bradshaw of Norfolk, VA and has a daughter Erica and a son Andrew.

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JOHN KING CHIEF WATER TENDER U.S. NAVY 4102-60-605 X , RETIRED, DECEASED , J ohn' King was born in Ireland on February 7, 1865. He enlisted in -the U.S. Navy as aCoal Passer onboard the USS VERMONT on July 20, 1893, and his rating changed to Fireman, second class, on September 30 that year, and to Fireman, first class on March 31, 1895. He was honorably discharged and re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy six times during his period of unbroken service, and his rating changed to Oiler, then to Water Tender, and finally to Chief Water Tender, from October 1, 1909. During the period of 1893 to 1900 he served in the USS VERMONT, USS NEW YORK and the USS MASSACHU- SETTS. In 1900 he had successive duty in the USS DETROIT, USS VERMONT, USS INDIANA, and USS VICKSBURG, and from the latter in January 1903 he was transferred to the USS PISCATAQUA. Later that year he served in the USS RAINBOW, USS SOLACE and USS HANCOCK, and during his next enlistment C1904-19085 was assigned consecutively to the USS DES MOINES, USS FRANKLIN, USS VIRGINIA, USS FRANKLIN, with the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla and again the FRANKLIN. Upon re-enlisting at the Naval Recruiting Station, N.Y. in July 1908, he was again assigned to the USS HAN- COCK, and during the four years to follow also had service on board the USS WABASH and USS SALEM. In December 1912, again a re-enlistee, he was transferred to the USS FLORIDA, and had duty on board throughout the period ending with his discharge on September 24, 1916. Re-enlisting the same month at the Naval Recruiting Station, Brooklyn, New York, he was transferred to the Receiving Ship, New York, N.Y., on September 27, and on December 26, that year he was transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve and released from active duty. Two days after the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, King was recalled to active duty and was assigned to the Receiving Ship at New York. On October 11, 1917 he was transferred to the Naval Hospital, New York for treatment, and when released he reported on February 2, 1918, the Receiving Station, New York, for further duty. On August 20, 1919, almost a year after the Armistice, he was again released from active duty. On November 3, 1923, he was transferred to the Retired List of the U.S. Navy and died on May 29, 1938, in the Eighth Naval District. fNotification from Headquarters, Eighth Naval District, New Orleans Louisianal. King was twice awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the first time For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the accident to the boilers of the USS VICKSBURG on 29 May 1901. The citation to the second Medal of Honor awarded by G.O. 40, 19 October 1909, follows: John King, Watertender, serving on board the USS SALEM, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of the accident to one of the boilers of that vessel, 13 September 1909. He was awarded the Good Conduct Badge in 1899, the Godd Conduct Pin in 1909, and subsequently received the Good Conduct Bar for 1912 and another Good Conduct Bar in 1916.