John Rodgers (DD 983) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 24 text:

ICE C PADES if f 'O W Iilafgfl, V -Q, . 1 M, ,-51 , 7 f W + My ,333 W X Mya 5 , I. AW. , r, 1 . ,,,,,, , ,,,,, ,,,, - LTV. '- A5 ,,,-ffm 1' yy, V' gm? Q , hyfw' L. I m+- ,ir aw f H M Wt' JN -sm, ,ff.,, 0 'j72Z,:1,,fW f Z ip, fs fffff fff f 1 ' , ff' no WW fw rf f, I ,, W, f M , , W , t X X ff I ff , 1 . ,, f W ,M my f W x NM r ,, ,ffff O 7' C f Z f ,LW K ' L Z ff. V' I W f ,WM ' ' ' ' ' f fi PILOT ICEBREAKER APPROACHING Culminating a Scenic two day transit along the Baltic coasts of East Germany, Poland, and Russia was Helsinki. JOHN RODGERS, accompanied by USS JACK WILLIAMS, arrived pierside Helsinki on 5 April 1985. This picturesque city hosts only two U.S. warships every other year. The off years see Warsaw Pact ships making visits, thus reinforcing Fin- land's staunch neutrality position. The transit into Helsinki was a historic oneas JOHN RODGERS became the first modern U.S. Navy warship to transit 19 miles of pack ice. Towed by an icebreaker, dead stick, the transit through the ice was one of extreme excitement to say the least! TOW LINES ARE MADE UP, THE JOURNEY BEGINS STG3 BROWN STANDS WITH BOWHOOK QMSN OKEEFE CHECKS THE NAv1GAT1oN ON THE FANTAIL TO PREVENT ICE FROM PICT DAMAGING THE SCREWS HELSILNQIEIAHSAJOR HBIQJIEQODGERS APPROACHES

Page 23 text:

OS'S ON PARADE fl.Ol!JEN.BRAU KIEL, GERMANY Having completed the NATO exercises United Effort and Teamwork 84 , the crew eagerly anticipated a well deserved liberty port. After completing a marathon navigation detail, successfully navigating the Kattegrat and Shagerrak, JOHN RODGERS anchored outside the entrance to Kiel harbor. On the morning of April 1984 JOHN RODGERS pulled pierside after 42 days at sea. Kiel, the seaport capital of the state of Schleswig-Holstein is located at the east end of the Kiel Canal, 55 miles northeast of Hamburg. During World War I, Kiel was the headquarters for the imperial fleet of William H. As the chief German naval port during World War H, the city suffered extensive damage. Considerably restored during post World War H expansion, Kiel's famous shipyards are active once again building deep- sea fishing boats. Kiel also acts as a conduit for inland trade and is noted for the manufacturing of precision instruments, ceramics, and the brewing of beer. Kiel remains a major naval base for the German navy. Kiel will be fondly remembered by JOHN RODGERS as a town that provided entertainment, tours, and a wine tasting exhibition that could only be termed First Class . VOILA! A PUB GERMAN FLAG DISPLAY HONORING THE DEAD

Page 25 text:

iff' CDR KMETZ, ENS SWEENEY AND THE FINNISH PILOT KEEP VIGILANCE ON THE BRIDGE WING TUG TOWS JOHN RODGERS INTO PORT TURN AS THE HARBOR IS APPROACHED O TT I f E Us yi gl nf vi fp . Q ff f M, , A , f ,Q 4 THE TUB APU BRINGS JOHN RODGERS IN THE LINEMEN MAN THE RAIL IN MOORED IN HELSINKI. SN PREPARATION FOR MOORING LAMNIN SEOURES A RAT GUARD. I 21