John Rodgers (DD 983) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 104 of the 1983 volume:

' ■:) ' v ' USS JOHN MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT |iitffi iiiiiii 9 29fAPRIL-21 NOVEMBER 1983 «Ui , ulA - l HISTORY OF USS JOHN RODGERS Following commissioning on 14 July 1979 at Pascagoula. MS, USS JOHN RODGERS fDD-983) conducted Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba, and later established the Vieques Island Naval Gunfire Support Range record. In January 1980 the ship entered Pascagoula for four months post shakedown and overhaul. In July Sea Eagle returned to the Caribbean for a goodwill cruise and refresher training through the middle of August, setting the range record at VIEQUES ISLAND for the second time. On 18 November JOHN RODGERS was on her way toward her first overseas deployment, to the Mediterranean Sea as Flagship, Commander Destroyer Squadron Thirty-six. While operating with the Sixth Fleet, the ship was awarded the Hook ' em award for tracking a highly evasive submarine for over eleven hours. Sea Eagle returned to Charleston in early April 1981. From 4 September through 26 October, JOHN RODGERS participated in Ocean Venture Phase VII. a joint US Spanish naval exercise, and Phase VIII. a joint US Dani- sh German naval exercise in the Baltic Sea. Sea Eagle also participated in SHAREM 44, a US British Dutch ASW exercise, conducted in the English Channel. The ship ' s second major deployment, this time to the Middle East, began 11 February 1982. Assigned to COMIDEAST- FOR, the ship operated in the Arabian Gulf from early March through June. In May JOHN RODGERS crossed the equator for the first time while transiting toward Mombasa, Kenya. The ship returned to Charleston on 28 July. After only one month inport, Sea Eagle was underway again for two months of operations in the Pacific Ocean. In December the ship completed a very successful INSURV Inspection. During March 1983 the ship participated in READEX 1-83. a major Fleet exercise involving over 70 ships. During the exercise JOHN RODGERS successluUy fired all of its weapon systems. The Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John Lehman, toured Sea Eagle 28 March, prior to the ship ' s return to Charleston 1 April. The ship departed Charleston for its most recent deployment to the Mediterran- ean Sea on 29 April 1983. Mm F NAMESAKES Commodore John Rodgers [1772-1838) Commodore John Rodgers served in CONSTELLATION and commanded MARYLAND during the Quasi-War with France. He commanded JOHN ADAMS during the Tripolitan Wars and was Commodore of the Mediterranean Squadron in 1805. In the War of 1812, he captured 23 prizes and rendered valuable service on land, defending Baltimore during the attack on Fort Henr ' . Later he served as a highly successful President of the Board of Commissioners. USS OHN RODGERS (DD-983) is the third ship named in honor of Commodui. Rodgers. his son and great grandson; all of whom served the Nav ' and the Nation with gre distmction. The careers of these men provide the crew of JOHN RODGERS a heritage of service in the finest traditions of the United States Navy. Rear Admiral John Rodgers (1812-1888) His son. Rear Admiral John Rodgers. led the North pacific naval expeditions just prior to distinguished service with the Union Navy during the Civil War. Following the war, he commanded the Asiatic Squadron, the Mare Island Naval Station and the Naval Observatory. Commander John Rodgers (1881-1926) Commodore Rodgers ' great grandson. Commander )ohn Rodgers, became the Navy ' s second naval aviator and received the Distinguished Service Medal for mines- weeping operations in World War I. He later served as an aircraft squadron commander on the Navy ' s first carrier, USS LANGLEY. He also pioneered trans-ocean, non-slop flight, participating in the first attempt at non-stop flight from California to Hawaii in 1925. Commander Rodgers served as Assis- tant Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics until his death in an airplane crash in 1926. COAT OF ARMS The official crest of USS JOHN RODGERS symbolizes the service of three members of a prominent Navy family. The anchor represents the service of Commodore John Rodgers, who acted as president of the Board of Naval Commissioners following the War of 1812 until 1837. His son. Rear Admiral [ohn Rodgers, led exploring expeditions in Chinese waters and through the Bering Strait in 1855: the compass rose is symbolic of his service. Commander John Rodgers, great-grandson of Commodore Rodgers, was a pioneer of Naval Aviation and his service is alluded to by the wings. The sea eagle, a sharp-eyed, marine bird-of-prey, represents the ship ' s primary mission of detection and tracking of submarines, with the addition of incredibly deadly striking ability. The three arrowheads refer to the multi-mission capabilities of JOHN RODGERS. SHIP ' S SCHEDULE 29 April-8 May: Transit, Atlantic 9-10 April: Inport Rota, Spain 11-13 May: Ops, West Med 14 May: BSF, Augusta Bay, Sicily 15-16 May: Ops, Cent East Med 17-22 May: Novorossiysk Ops 22 May: Search and Rescue Mission 23 May-5 [une: Beirut 6-10 June: Visit Alexandria, Egv ' pt 11-13 June: Transit, Adriatic Sea 14-26 June: IMAV Trieste, Italy 27-30 June: Ops, Cent Med 1-7 July: Visit Monaco, Monte Carlo 8-13 July Ops, Cent Med 14-15 July Ops, West Med 16-21 July Visit Malaga, Spain 22-27 July Transit Med 28 Jul-6 Sept: Beirut 7-14 Sept: Visit Ashdod. Israel 15 Sept-11 Oct: Beirut 12-14 Oct: Transit Cent Med 15-26 Oct: IMAV Gaeta, Italy 27-30 Oct: Ops, West Med 30 Oct: Anchor Tangier, Morocco 30 Oct-8 Nov: CRISEX 83 9-10 Nov: Inport Rota 10-20 Nov Transit Atlantic OFFICER ' S y CALL QUARTERS V COMMANDING OFFICER A native of Staten Island, New York. Captain Wagner graduated from the U. S. N ' aval Academy in 1962. Following commissioning he was assigned dut ' aboard USS RADFORD lDD-446]. where he served successively as Damage Control Assistant and then Operations Officer. He next attended graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, and the professional degree of Naval Engineer. He was then assigned to the Naval Ship Engineering Center for duty as the Assistant Technical Director of the Computer Aided Ship Design and Construction Project. In 1970 he reported to USS BELKNAP (CG-26] as Chief Engineer. Captain Wagner served on the staff of Commander Cruiser- Destroyer Force. U. S. Atlantic Fleet from 1972 to 1974 and was then assigned as Prospective Executive Officer of USS SPRUANCE (DD-963J. Following SPRUANCES commissioning, he served as Executive Officer until December 1976. when he was assigned to the staff of the Deputy Commander for Surface Combatant Ships. Naval Sea Systems Command. Prior to being ordered to USS JOHN RODGERS. he served on the faculty of CNO ' s Senior Officer Ship Material Readiness Course at Idaho Falls. Idaho for two years. He assumed command of JOHN RODGERS 7 August 1981. Captain George F. A. Wagner COMMANDING OFFICER A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Commander Kmetz is a 1965 graduate of the University of Minnesota where he received his commission through the NROTC program. Commander Kmetz served as First Lieutenant in USS LASALLE ILPD-3J, Weapons Officer in USS DEALEY (DE-10061, Executive Officer in USS BENEWAH IAPD-35], and as Commanding Officer of USS CANON (PG-90J. He participated in extensive operations within the rivers and contiguous waters of Vietnam and Cambodia while serving in USS BENEWAH and USS CANON from 1969 to 1972. After a brief assignment as Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander Coastal Squadron THREE, Commander Kmetz served on the Destroyer Development Group Staff and as Flag Secretary to Commander Cruiser Destroyer Group TWO. After graduation from the Naval War College in 1977, he served as Executive Officer, USS KOELSCH (FF-1049] where he participated in ASW Squadron operations. Following this assignment. Commander Kmetz served as Chief Staff Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron TWENTY and during this tour completed three major overseas deployments. Most recently he served as Executive Officer of Fleet and Mine Warfare Training Center, Charleston, South Carolina. Commander Kmetz assumed command of USS JOHN RODGERS on |uly 15th 1983. Commander Stephen G. Kmetz CHANGE OF COMMAND JOHN RODGERS conducted an underway Change of Command July 15th 1983 while in transit to Malaga, Spain. Commander Stephen G. Kmetz relieved Captain George F. A. Wagner as Commanding Officer. CDR Kmetz became the new Commanding Officer when he spoke the words I relieve you sir. The crew, dressed in spotless dress whites, then retired to the hangar bay where everyone enjoyed a sumptuous buffet laid out by Supply Department. CAPT Wagner enjoyed two years as Commanding Officer and JOHN RODGERS performed flawlessly in all her assignments while under his command. His present duty assignment is with the joint Cruise Missile Project in Washington DC. CDR Kmetz reported onboard after serving as Executive Officer at the Fleet Mine Warfare Training Center in Charleston. He brings with him a reputation for excellence and profession- alism. Since becoming Commanding Officer the crew has not let him down, doing what JOHN RODGERS does best. Operate. EXECUTIVE OFFICER f lUli i A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Commander Russell is a graduate of Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa, with a degree in Chemistry and holds a Master of Science Degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. California. Commander Russell was commissioned on September 12, 1969, from Officer Candidate School and is a November 1971 graduate of the naval Destroyer School. At sea he served as Anti ' Submarine Warfare Officer in USS HERBERT . THOMAS IDD-8331 and USS HOLLISTER IDD-788I.He was commissioning Operations Officer in U SS DONALD B. BEARY Commander Thomas G. Russell (FF-10851 and the Operations Officer and Navigator in USS SHASTA (AE-33]. Commander Russell ' s last sea tour was as Commanding Officer USS DOUGLAS (PG-lOOj. as a forward deployed unit of the United States Sixth Fleet. He has served ashore as a Junior Officer detailer and as a student at the Naval Postgraduate School prior to reporting as Executive Officer, USS JOHN RODGERS Augusi 2, 1982. Commander Russell is married to the former Cherie Hancox of Homer, New York. They have one son, Christopher, born in November 1980. ISp IKM r H ■gir m II |!5 .M WEAPONS DEPARTMENT LT KARL L. GILLETTE Fire Control Officer ISl-U LCDR CHARLES E. WILLIAMS Weapons Officer LT PETER D. McDONNELL Antisubmarine Warfare Officer LT ANDREW R. PARR Fire Control Officer ENS KENNETH H. CHAPMAN Gunnery Officer LTIG ROBERT B, SPEEGLE First Lieutenant FOX DIVISION ■ FTG2 KIXG. FTG2 WILLIAMS, FTM2 DAXX. FTG2 BRIDGEFORD. FTG3 WOLFE. GMM2 GILBERT. FTM2 SCHLEGEL, FTM3 WALTMAM Fox DivTsion, the Main Battew specialists of JOHN RODGERS, is manned by Fire Control Technicians and Gunners Mates (Missiles). Whether we are called upon to fire Harpoon cruise missiles. NATO Seasparrovv missiles, or provide accurate and timely gunfire the specialists of Fox Division are the men who make it happen. FT ' s The Fist of the Fleet . f AS DIVISION L to R: STGl DORSEY. STG2 STO ER. GMT2 HON. STG3 NIXON, STG2 HAYES. STG3 BREWER. STGSN HAMBURGER, STGSN BROWN. STG2 KELLOGG. STG2 SMITH. STG3 WORSNUP. STG2 McELHANEY, TM2 GHEE. GMTSN PEREZ. TMSN WILLIAMS. STG2 BRIGHTMYER. STG3 DUFF. STGl MABLE, GMT2 CLARK, STG2 FELTNER, GMTC HERNANDEZ. STGl RICHARDS. LT McDONNELL e V G DIVISION X L to R: ENS CHAPMAN. GMG3 TAINTER. GMGl BRUCE, GMG3 BAKER GMG3 BONNER GMG3 ADAMS, SN YATES. GMG3 BEACH, GMGC STILL G Division is charged with operating and maintaining the ship ' s two 5 54 MK 45 Light Weight Guns, magazines, and various small arms. The Gunners ' Mates ' job doesn ' t stop there, as additional duties include ASROC Rover. Sentries, small arms trainers. UNREP line gun rifleman, and SDF members. The men of G Division distinguished themselves this deployment by keeping the ship ' s guns operational and ready for use while off the coast of Beirut. On call 24 hours a day, they were always ready when we received the Call for fire. FIRST DIVISION ■l- F. L to R, 1st ROW. SN E SMITH, BMC KIMBALL, SN CANNON, SN BILLMAN 2nd ROW SN TURNER, BM3 PARCHELL, BM3 NATE, SN C, W. SMITH, BM2 TOMLINSON L to R, 1st ROW, BM2 WHITLEY, BMC HALL, SN WHITTLE, BM3 BROWN, 2nd ROW- SN DAVIS SN RAY, SN GARDNER, BM3 LEMON, SN FERNANDEZ. BM3 MARTIN First Division, comprised of Boatswain ' s Mates and non-designated seamen, has many responsibilites onboard Sea Eagle. From flight ops to boat ops to diving ops, the men and equipment of First Division are involved. From Bridge watches to Quarterdeck watches to Anchor watches . . First Division is there, twenty-four hours a day. Haze Gray (thanks to First) and underway, the ship is kept looking good by the men of Deck . Jacks of all trades and all around Fleet sailors, the Boatswain ' s Mates wear the fouled anchors with pride. L to R, 1st ROW; LT|G SPEEGLE, SN ATKINS, SN SIMPSON, SN ANDERSON, 2nd ROW; BM3 STRONG, SN KROUSKOUP, SN RIPPY, BM3 RICKETTS OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT LT RICK RUSH Operations Officer LT RANDY HORNER Outboard Officer LT HANK EGAN Operations Officer LTjG KENT GRIFFIN CIC Officer ENS KEVIN SWEENEY Communications Officer ENS KEN HAYES Electronic Warfare Officer 01 DIVISION X L to R: OS2 FRANCIS. 0S2 HASSELMAN. OS3 WRIGHT, OSSN ELAM. OS2 ASCHNEVVITZ, OSSN RAMSEY. 0S2 RENTROP. OS2 GRAHAM. OSl BACON. OS2 PAVONE. LT]G GRIFFIN. 0S3 LAGO. OS ' s call Combat Information Center (CIC) home. In GIG they coordinate the gathering, processing, evaluation, and dis- semination of information from all available sensors, which include the surface and air search radars, lookouts, and tactical data link. When all this information is collated it is then broadcast to ship ' s in company via the Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS). Controlling aircraft, tracking contacts on NTDS consoles, employing radio telephone circuits, and plotting on navigational charts are some of the routine duties of the OS ' s. They are also integral members of the ship ' s NGFS plotting team. Through their vigilance and accuracy we were assured of always firing at the correct place at the proper time. OI. the Operations of Operations Department. L to R: OS2 POPE. OSSN HURST. OS2 ROBISON. 0S2 RUTHERFORD. 0S3 DYKE OS2 PIERCE, OSSN LLITERAS, OSSN SUPE, OSG PRIDGEN OT DIVISION X ■ ■ M ' i III k- L to R: EW2 FLIPPEN. EWl ROBISON, EWSN LUTHCKE, EW3 LAPOINTE. EW3 SEARS. ENS HAYES OT Division consists of Cryptologic Technicians with the following specialties: CTA (Administrative). CTM (Maintenance). CTO (Communications). CTR (Collection). CTT (Technical). The Outboard Team played an important role during the Mediterranean deployment by providing tactical support to force, fleet, area, and Top to Bottom. L to R: CTOl HILL. CTTl McNAIR. CTR3 GLASS, CTTl STALEY. CTTC [ACKSGN. CTM3 BELLI CTAl OCKAY, CTMl BAXLEY, CTM3 NETTLES. CTOSN ALLEGER. LT HORNER. CTRl KELLER. CT03 DUFF. CTTC PHILIPPS national commanders. They were always on the alert, ready to help whenever called upon. Also, many men of OT completed their Enlisted Surfare Warfare qualifications and now sport the silver cutlases of their new designation. OE DIVISION i . L to R: ETC VINCE, ET3 HECK, DS2 OROZCO, ETl BAGGETT, ET2 BAGGULEY, ET2 ALLEN, ETl WHITCOMB, ET3 BOSAK, ET3 MINOR, DSl GROWCOCK, ET3 MEZO, DSC HILL The man of OE maintain some of the most sophisticated equipment in the Navy today. They are responsible for the mainten- ance of the Naval Tactical Data System, surface and air search radars, computers, communications equipment and other im- portant electronic gear. Comprised of Data Systems Techs and Electronics Techs OE personnel can be found all over the ship maintaining and repairing equipment. Chas- ing dovi(n that one stray tron is their expertise. OC DIVISION L to R: SM2 BURGESS. SMSN SMITH, SM3 CALHOUN. SMI OBRIAN. SM2 MIDDLETON L to R: RMSA SANDERS. RM3 WEST. RM3 EVANS, RM2 KOTTER, RM3 PEELER. RM2 APPLEN. RMl ROBY, RM2 HUNT Nancy and Jason, Penelope and Venus. Flags. Flashing light and Red phones. From Beans to Bullets to Births - 24 hours a dav. 365 days a year. The VOICE of JOHN RODGERS rings loud and clear. s 3 i   i i . X ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT LCDR MICHAEL D. JOHNSON Chief Engineer LT JAMES W. BURNS Main Propulsion Assistant LT JAMES H. VAIGNEUR Electrical Officer v.. LTJG JON W. KAUFMANN Auxiliaries Officer ENS MICHAEL P, WETHERELL Damage Control Assistant 5 174 E Fn 174 220 M IHY M DIVISION Front Row, L to R: GSMl KRAMER. GSM2 BREWER. GSM3 HASTINGS. GSM3 WOLF, FN ANDERSON GSM2 PARSONS GSMS TFRRTAm GSM3 CASH. GSM3 TRIA. GSMl MURAKAMI. GSM2 POAG. GSEG KUNCHICK Back Row GSMC BROWN Shfm hTiip STEPANSKY. GSM3 WEIL. GSM3 KELSAY. GSEl ROMACH. GSM3 JONES GSM2 MUHLBACH Se S ES r Mfmi n cook°Tt burns ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ™ ' ' ' ° ' ° ' ' ' ' ' ' gsmTlavende ?sSfRoSS,Si If not for M Division. JOHN RODGERS would be shore duty. The men of The Destroyer take this motto to heart. Through their long hours of hard work and dedication we are able to go where we have to go at the best possible speed. That means sailing thousands of miles month after month, year after year, without a commitment missed. Sometimes that means staying on the job after most people have finished for the day. putting in 18 hour duty days, and never letting up in determination to make the engineering plant the best of the fleet. Major equipment maintained and operated bv the division include: four GE LM2500 Gas Turbine Engines, three Allison Gas Turbine Generators, three waste heat boilers, two Westinghouse main reduction gear sets, and a myriad of supporting equipment. 1%-: - =: - == - ■ ■: ' ■ _:;•■ A ' . CRAl HORS ' ; w ? « '  :-- ' r)!j A GANG o EN3 Al°NUTT%M ' ' pVTT. PMH f!t ' w ' SCHEELER. EN2 McLAMORE, Back Row: A Gangers, the unsung heroes of engineering department. If it rotates, oscillates, pumps or moves in any way and it isn ' t attached to the main propulsion plant we own it. repair it and make it work. From the galley, to the laundry, small boats and big ovens, ice machines and soda machines, the A Gangers will take care of it for you. During our Beirut operations they kept the ship ' s small boats in top working condition, never missing a beat and making sure the boats didn ' t either. R DIVISION V Sr The proud men in the red hats showed their colors during the MED 83 deployment. By performing countless repairs to machinery and other equipment they served behind the scenes to insure battle readiness whenever and wherever the ship operated. Comprising the backbone of the repair parties, their concerted effort and dedication proved to be the mainstay of the ship ' s protection. Some of our many accomplishments: 52 successful helo landings in four days, emergency repairs to the accom ladder, in-shop repair of a gear for the SPS-40 radar. Red D. C. hash mark, and building and maintaining an outstanding fire fighting capability. Top to Bottom. L to R: HT2 LEIBLE. HTFN [ONES. MR2 BOLIN HTFN McBRIDE. HT3 FRANCK. HT2 HARKIN. HT2 VVAHL. HT2 GRZEGOR- EK. HTC STONE. HT3 FORREST. HT2 RICK. ENS WETHERELL E DIVISION v. n n VI ; ., j, r- ' ■ • ' ■ ' ' ■ ' Ii 1 II II n •• • ' • ' « ' i - m i ' ' isr ii I i ' ' 4 i I i S « « L to R; EM3 CELENTANO, IC2 CAMPAGNARY. IC3 JETER, IC3 LEWALLEN. EMI ALVAR. IC2 DZUIRA, EM3 KIVETT IC2 ROWE, EMFN ESTRADA, EM2 CALDERON, EMC ABAN y9ii want light bulbs? We ' ve got ' em! You want phones? We ' ve got them! You want electric tools? We ' ve got them too! These are questions and answers E Division personnel answer each day. Composed of Electricians Mates and Infernal Communications Specialists, this group of fun loving, hard charging men is ready to respond anytime. You need something? Call E Division! SUPPLY DEPARTMENT LT lACK DEASY Supply Officer LTIG BOB ALLEN Disbursing Officer ENS GREG DA VIES Disbursing Officer MESS MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS The Mess Management Specialists feed JOHN RODGERS. The qualit ' and quantity ' of our chow is outstanding which is a tribute to the MS ' s. Three meals a day, even,- day of the year with special feasts during holidays. They are also the organizers of our fan tail picnics, which provide a welcome break during our long deployments. After a long hard day it is a treat to head down to the chow line and get a hot bowl of soup, a cold glass of milk, or a well prepared dinner. The award winning team down in the galley and in the wardroom pantry keep our stomachs full and our bodies content. ■ mA m i SHIP ' S SERVICEMAN X I ' X . L to R: SH3 MURTLEY. SH3 SHI STRONG. ■Pops SHARTZER, SHSN MILLS. SHSA WEST. SH3 GATES, The Ship ' s Serviceman provide many of the services needed to make the JOHN RODGERS a home for an extended deployment. The Barber keeps the crew from becoming mop tops while the laundry ' runs 12 or more hours a day to keep us in pressed clothes and clean linens. The Ship ' s Store presents the crew with an opportunity to spend our money on anything from the latest cassette tapes, gedunk. soap, cigarettes, to JOHN RODGERS ' souvenirs. Three nights a week they opened the soda fountain to provide popcorn and other tooth destroying treats during the evening ' s movie. And the soda machine sold thousands of sodas over the course of our seven month deployment. « f STORE KEEPERS L to R: SKSN STREETE. SKCS HAMBLIN, SK2 PITPITAN. SKSN STYLES. SKSN TAYLOR The Storekeepers are in charge of the JOHN RODGERS warehouse. Every spare part that is received by the ship or sent out is their responsibility to log. store and issue. Many times they have come to the rescue with a critically needed spare part. Working out of Supply Support Center they are to the people to see when you need a spare and you need it now. . .aStt 1 1 ¥ 4 DISBURSING DK2 McCain, LTIG ALLEN, DK3 GALVIN The Disbursing Clerks handle payment of the crew, allotments back home, and they keep our LES ' s updated. After two weeks of work they are a welcome sight on payday. They also handle all foreign currency transactions, and they still have some Egyptian pounds for sale. Remember, always be nice to a DK. NAVIGATION DEPARTMENT LTJG JERRY HESKETH Navigator It- ' rm- I HTC STONEY STONE Master at Arms MAC BOB REHRIG Master at Arras EMC ROSCOE TAYLOR 3M Coordinator RMC CASEY KASSERMAN Command Chief H HMC ' DOC ' MASCHO Corpsman ;2. ■ J QUARTERMASTERS L to R: QMl CASS. QMSN MARTIN. QM2 PALMITER. QMSA ARDEX. QM2 MAULDIX. QM3 PEGUES The Quartermasters tell us where we are. where we were, and where we will be. On watch 24 hours a day and the OOD ' s best friend, the QM ' s never let us down. From celestial navigation to satellite and Omega navigation, nav detail and inport routine. their job entails one of the oldest and most exacting sea faring occupations. The - were also an important part of our XGFS detail. taking visual bearings and ensuring our computer was correct. They hold an extremely important job on the bridge and are a well respected group. QMSA Chapman plots a fix. Was that 600 miles per degree or 60 miles per degree? SHIP ' S OFFICE Back Row L to R: PCS SIMMONS, YNSN WATSON. PN3 ADAMS, HM3 BURR. PNC HERRIOTT, EMC TAYLOR HMC MASCHO Front row: YNSN JONES, PNSN WEARING, PNSN TAYLOR. y 1 T Ship ' s Office is the center for paperwork. It is the processing center for everyones ' service records and anything relating to them. Incoming and outgoing correspondence is routed through here to maintain accountabihty on the massive amounts of forms it takes to run a ship. The Ship ' s Office also includes the 3M Coordinator who maintains the PMS records and monitors work packages. The Postal Clerk runs the Post Office and can handle anything the larger ones do. The Corpsman, our doctors, help keep the crew healthy and treat our illnesses, while they ' re always ready to supply emergency medical treatment. VANS DIVISION f t ar- Front Row L to R: EW2 DIEL. EWl MOORE, ETl GURTIS. Back Row: LT LYONS, ETl DANNER, ETl McMAKIN, ET2 HAGEN OSC WARD. Vans Division was exactly that, the division in charge of the two vans that sat on the 0-4 level aft. Assigned to the JOHN RODGERS for almost nine months, they worked closely with Combat to provide our task forces with training experiences. In addition to their participation in the many ship ' s functions, they supplied a large proportion of the Duty Master at Arms force and the Shore Patrol. V ' LT Jack LYONS Vans Officer UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT Undenvay replenishment was the way ]OHS RODGERS restocked all t pes of supplies. Regardless of whether we were recei Tng fuel, a mm unition, supplies, stores, mail, or mo ies. it seemed that we always UXREPed during the early hours of morning or during Hohday Routine. Refueling is mostly a long waiting period. Once the hoses were across and connected it was just a matter of waiting for the tanks to fill. The monthly CO.VREPs in which we received supplv parts and food were the hardest. A hands were involved as vast ainoimts of food were brought onboard and quickly moved out of the way of the next load and dowTi to the storerooms. FLIGHT QUARTERS It seemed we were always going to flight quarters, particularly while we were off the coast of Lebanon. The most commonly asked question upon hearing the word passed was. What are we getting? The most desired thing was mail. While Beirut International Airport was closed the only vva - to get mail was b - helo from Cyprus. The dail - shuttle provided mail, supply parts, and passengers. The ship landed all t pes of helos. CH-46, Cobras. LAMPS, and SH-3 ' s. A couple of occasions we hosted Marine pilots who had never landed on a destroyer before. Flight Quarters was an interesting experience! BASKETBALL Since there wasn ' a Helo Det em- barked, the Helo Hanger pro ided a place for some inters sporting events. Basketball was by far the most popular. In addition to the O ' . ' iY contest in which a team of three members, one under 21. one between 22 and 30, and one over 30 participated, there was an inter-divisional tournament. Supply and First Division, both strong contenders, were overcome by the team from Navigation. Though one of the favorite sports, basketball was the number one cause of injuries among the crew during this deployment. Several crew members were hospitalized due to various sprains and breaks while participating. FANTAIL PICNIC i - i. Several times a month. nurLv:!- ly on Sunday afternoons, the cooks prepared a barbecue. This welcome change from the mess decks provid- ed a chance for the crew to come topside and enjoy the fresh air. Whether the fare was hot dogs and sliders or ribs and steaks, they always seemed to taste better when cooked topside. Welfare and Rec provided the sodas. We became used to finding strange languages on the labels when the Supply Department locat- ed local source for procurement. We saw German, Dutch, Arabic, and Hebrew alternating with Eng- lish. VISITORS During the JOHN RODGERS many port visits we hosted a wide variety of guests. Some were friends and families of Americans who lived in the country we were visiting. Others were new friends that had been made during the ship ' s short stay. At right are some of these visitors sharing our Fourth of ]uly Picnic on the fantail. In addition to visitors, the JOHN RODGERS was a host ship for FOREXTRAMID 84. During our deployment 3 Belgians, 2 Germans, 1 Spaniard, and 2 Royal Navy officers served aboard the ship. These officers, in addition to learning about life aboard a US destroyer, taught us about life in their navies. They also provided a chance for us to improve our knowledge of their language as their English improved. Our Belgian Guests: 2EV Carlo RIICKAERT, 2EV Guido FISSERS. and 2EV Patrick HUYGHE. LIBERTY CALL ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT The skyline of Alexandria USS JOHN RODGERS at anchor Our first port visit in the Med. Alexandria is one of the oldest seaports in recorded histoPj ' . First founded by Alexander the Great, who lays entombed there, it was the site of the Lighthouse of Pharos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. For three centuries before Christ this city was the most heavily trafficked port in the world, serving as a clearinghouse for goods coming from the Red Sea and India. While here, most of the crew took advantage of tours to Cairo to visit another one of the Seven Wonders, the P Tamids. Other sites included the Sphinx, the King Tulankhamun exhibit, other ruins, and Sadat ' s Tomb. Captain Wagner onboard a Ship of the Desert. Wish I had a cold Stella Only $5 to ride, $20 to get off. CIVLIOCAESARI DICT PERPETVO ANNO X SOMEWHERE IN ITALY TRIESTE. ITALY • - ' r ' WL - ill ' ' ■ ' ■ ■ ' • ' ' ' - I 11 ' Ilj Located on the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea, on the border between Italy and Yugoslavia. Trieste was a pleasant surprise. While inport for a two week IMAV with USS PUGET SOUND we had the opportunity to explore this historic city, travel to Venice, tour Austria, and sightsee in Yugoslavia. We were treated to warm hospitality, horseracing, and the fascinating exhibits, food, and drink at the Fiera di Triesta, the annual trade fair. Trieste is also the site of numerous Roman ruins, fascinating Rennaissance architec- ture and many sidewalk cafes and restaurants. The canal in Trieste, Italy. Overlooking Trieste harbor i H S H k 4 m ■ nam 1 1 k. 1 USS Puget Sound, John Rodgers, USS Belknap, USS |oseph Hewes LIBERTY BOATS For several of our port visits we anchored out. Though this normally simplified the sea and anchor detail, it created the problem of how to get to shore for liberty. One way was to use the ship ' s boats, but the Boat Crews and Boat Officers quickly tired of that idea. The crews made many runs back and forth between ship and shore and other ships. The other option was a Liberty Boat hired from a local firm. Sometimes it amounted to little more than a tug with little room. The one pictured above was our main transportation while we were in Monaco. MONTE CARLO, MONACO The 4th of July was celebrated anchored off the coast of Monaco. Ruled by Prince Rainer, it is politically recognized as a part of France. From our anchorage we had a colorful view of Monaco, the Grand Casino, Loew ' s, the Oceanographic Museum, and the many beaches and impressive yachts. Truly a vacation spot, crewmembers spotted Princess Caroline and Roger Moore among the pleasure seekers. The casinos made money on most of us. but a few lucky ones came back to the ship with pockets well lined. We staged a spectacular fireworks display for the 4th. Little did we know that this had recently been the sight of the International fireworks competition! The Musee Oceanographic, under the direction of Jacques Coustau, offered us free admission allowing many of us to wander through the halls in awe of the fascinating displays. A nice break from the at sea routine MUSEE OCEANOGRAPHIC directed by [acques Coustau Monte Carlo is not all casinos and vachts FANTAIL LIBERTY No matter where we were, there was always the opportunit - to take some fantail libertv-. To some it was a chance to be alone and gather ones thoughts. Others talked with friends or made new ones. The fantail and other topside areas gave ever -one a chance to enjoy a little sunshine and to meet with other crew members that worked in different parts of the ship. Even inpcrt fantail liberty was worth taking. In Monaco there was a constant parade of yachts and boats sailing by. As they looked over the JOHN RODGERS. we looked over them. it could be an easy way to get a shower. ASHDOD, ISRAEL After many w-l::, off Beirut, Ashdod was a welcome ' nje. We arrived during Yom Kippur, :m Jewish New Year. ' he-lidi Christian, Jew, or Moslem, Jerusalem was a holy city and visited by many crew members. The narrow streets of the old city were a fascinating contrast of cultures. In the space of a few minutes one would pass an Arab driving his donkey along, an Orthodox Jew with his curled forelocks and black suit, a Catholic Priest, American Tourists with their cameras, and Israeli soldiers with their Uzis. Ashdod itself was a quiet, seaport town. Many evening were spent at sidewalk cafes eating kosher pizzas, watching video tapes, and talking with the people. Some of us even watched the The Return of the Jedi, complete with Hebrew and Arabic subtitles! The Golden Gate of Jerusalem The Church of the Nativity ' ■ iii-rjri|jt- =■}•■ I The Dome of the Rock GAETA, ITALY After lea ing Beirut for tfie final time, we transitted to Gaeta for a ten day IMAV uith the USS PUGET SOUXD. the Sixth Fleet Flagship. Most of the crew took this oportunit - to call their families in the states and let them know evei -thing was OK after our adventures on the gunline. Many of us traveled up to Rome to -isit the many splendors of antiquity-. The Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter ' s and Trivoli Fountain were all on the itineran, ' for our tours. Some crew members were also fortunate enough to attend the Pope ' s weekly blessing from his window overlooking St. Peter ' s Square. Closer to Gaeta. we enjoyed the sights of this small seaside town, shopped at the Naples Exchange, gorged ourselves on pasta and seafood, and just relaxed, knowing we would soon be returning home. Wflo Miwr; The Trevi Fountain Sistine Chapel Ceiling One of many ancient relics of Rome. SHIP ' S BAND On several occasions, including Super Day and the Fourth of July Picnic, the ship ' s band provided music. They played a wide variety, displaying their skills on a wide array of instruments. The crew and visitors seemed impressed by the harmonies produced, particularly considering the few practice sessions that they had been able to squeeze into an already busy schedule. They were well appreciated. Flight Quarters was called away many times while the JOHM up of some of the sharpest looking individuals, they rendered honors RODGERS was deployed. With the high number of visiting ■ ' brass to many VIP ' s. On a couple of occasions they even had to shift the the call for All previously designated Sideboys muster in the helo site from the helo hanger to the boat deck at a moments notice, hanger with the First Lieutenant. was passed almost as often. Made Permanent Sideboys for the Med deplovment: Back row L to R: BM3 BROWN, OSSN SUPE. EMFN PITTS FN BROWNHOLTZ OSSN LLITERAS. Bottom row: GTMSN PEREZ. SN TETLOW. YNSN JONES. SHSN MURTLEY. VISITING VIP ' S JOHN RODGERS hosted some of the most influential people in the entire United States Naval community during our operations off Beirut. Our high visibility ' , operational tempo, and fine reputation made JOHN RODGERS The Destroyer for all to see. The Secretary of the Nav ' , the Honorable John Lehman, visited August 17th and was extremely impressed with the crew. After touring the ship he addressed ship ' s company on the foc ' sle, commending us for a job well done. During one of the most tense times in Beirut, the President ' s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Robert McFarlane, flew to JOHN RODGERS. The first cease fire agreement had just been signed and he made the point that our highly accurate gunfire a few days earlier had convinced the warring factions to attempt the road to peace. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral James D. Watkins, also paid us a visit off Beirut. His strong praise for our fine performance was inspirational to all and for many of us it was our first glimpse of the Navy ' s highest ranking officer. Other dignitaries included the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Paul X. Kelley, and Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, Vice Admiral Briggs. Chief of Naval Operations receives the ship ' s plaque Captain Morgan France, COMPHIBRON 8, on the signal bridge with the CO and SMSN Karasak while JOHN RODGERS was flagship off Beirut. 1 ... ffl Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James Watkins Secretary of the Navy The Honorable John Lehman Commandant of the Marine Corps General Paul Kellev Commander Cruiser Destroyer Group Two Rear Admiral Ming Chang Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic Vice Admiral Briggs Commander Sixth Fleet Vice Admiral Edward Martin with SecNav -J ' J .■-■ ■ -lyrs - 1. imtM-i fi! -. . S ' ' ' mm I '  r BEIRUT, LEBANON The USS JOHN RODGERS spent a]most three months steaming up and down off the coast of Lebanon, in close proximity to Beirut. We operated along with a wide variety of ships from many different countries to provide Naval Gunfire Support and to show the flag. To the right is shown the USS IWO IMA (LPH 2) and below is the USS NEW JERSEY IBB 62). The French, Italians, and British also had ships operating in the area. One of the routines was the twice daily arrival of the Beirut Bus. This small landing craft made a giant circle stopping at each ship of the force to pick up dental patients, cargo, outgoing mail, and pas- sengers. Later in the day it would return loaded (we hoped] with mail, sodas, and returning patients. The USS JOHN RODGERS and crew, along with the other ships in the force, were awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for our services in this hot spot. it If fr While here the JOHN RODGERS participated in many heUcopter evolutions. Pictured here are some of the many members of the Crash and Rescue Team. The helicopter is a Cobra, used in a close in support role with the U. S. MARINES. They landed often on our ship to refuel before returning to assist in spotting gunfire and escorting other helos and fixed wing aircraft. On a couple of occasions the USS JOHN RODGERS would join the Amphibious Task Force at anchor. This allowed us to do tests and maintenance on equipment that was running while we were underway. It also provided the various watchstanders a chance to change the monoton ' . The Amphibs. referred to as Gators. remained at anchor during the day. but got underway at night. The picture at the bottom left shows part of the Beirut skyline. The stripped tower is Beirut Light. The airport is south of this point, while the American Embass ' was off to the north. The city was often covered with a haze caused by shelling and fires. The sounds of artiller - were common and at night the beach was laced by the glare of flares, tracer rounds, rockets, and explosions. NAVAL GUNFIRE SUPPORT 1 Airport. _ cs from shelling in the xicinity of the Beirut International GMG3 BEACH describing part of the o ' guns to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. JOHN RODGERS spent alot of time off the coast of Lebanon. After the longest stretch we stopped in Ashdod. Israel. We pulled out of Ashdod and were headed to Corfu. Greece for some good libert - when we were ordered back to Beirut. The day after we returned, the 17th of September, we fired our first rounds. The rounds were fired in response to the shelling of the American Ambassador ' s residence and the temporary American Embassy. USS BOWEN joined us in this action. On the 20th of September the Druse attacked the town of Souk El-Garb, a strategic position overlooking Beirut. In what was described by some as the largest American X ' aval action since ' iet Nam. L ' SS IOH RODGERS and USS VIRGIXIA. a nuclear powered guided missile cruiser, fired shells into the hills. This action caused a great deal of concern over the US involvement in Lebanon. News from home filtered out to us slowly, but soon letters from home contained newspaper clippings of pictures and articles of fOHX RODGERS in action. They were passed around and eagerly read. The week was one of the busiest we had experienced since leaving the states. It was certainly the most memorable. We fired over 250 rounds into the hills in support of both the .Multi-national Force. JOHN RODGERS ' t%vo 5- 54 Light- weight Gunmounts enabled us to fire a round nearly thirteen m.iles. A high explosi e shell will make a hole approximately 5 feei deep and 10 feeUv ide. The Mark 86 Gunfire Control s stem allowed us lo designate and assign two targets at one time. We were the first Spruance class destroyer to do this. SEPTEMBER 17-23 JOHN RODGERS ' SELF DEFENSE FORCE - Front row L to R: GMG3 ADAMS, EN3 HARRISON, BM3 MARTIN, FTG3 WALTMAN, SN GEICE, SN ANDERSON. Back row: GMG2 BAKER, HM3 BURR, OSSN SUPE, FTM2 DANN, FTM2 SCHLEGAL, BM3 RICKETTS, ENS HAYES, DS2 GROWCOCK. CRUISE SUMMARY Sailed over 35.000 miles Conducted 32 Underway Replenishments and Vertical Replenishments Conducted 210 helicopter recoveries Shot over 250 rounds of ammimition in support of the Multi Xational Peacekeeping Force in Beirut Qualified 40 Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists Qualified 3 Surface Warfare Officers Visited seven ports in five countries CRUISE BOOK STAFF LT Andrew PARR Editor-in-Chief LT Mark SWARTHOUT Layout Editor CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS LTIG Kent GRIFFIN LT Mark SWARTHOUT OS2 Chris POWELL LT Peter McDONNELL LCDR Charles WILLIAMS 0S2 Michael FRANCIS LT Andrew PARR LT Karl GILLETTE OS2 Gary PAVONE A Special Thanks To: LT Karl GILLETTE - Who got the ball rolling. XERXES the XEROX — For all the words he helped process The MESS COOKS — Who kept the reefer stocked and the coffee hot. -ftisiie ' .tr- ' ,_- «aw. ( « i? ' ' -tii; : «l j « ?«««iai r ' 5 ;;.