Jonas Ingram (DD 938) - Naval Cruise Book

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On 19 July 1957 the JONAS INGRAM was commissioned at Quincy, Massachusetts. By 6 September she was ready for sea, and departed for the Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Shakedown training in Cuba was followed by a Caribbean and South American shakedown cruise, including visits to the Dominican Republic; the Virgin Islands; the Canal Zone; Lima, Peru; Kingston, Jamaica; and Miami, Florida. In August of 1958 USS INGRAM made a brief visit to the Boston Naval Shipyard prior to her deployment in the Mediterranean. Before departing from Newport in September, INGRAM was made Flagship for Co- mmander Destroyer Sguadron FOURTEEN. The Mediterranean proved to be a hospitable area for INGRAM, and while on her first operational fleet duty with the Sixth Fleet, and in two joint exercises with NATO countries—Operations Straightedge and Cressent Hinge, the reputation of the ship came to be that of one of the best in the Fleet. Hospitality also included many interesting ports of call, such as Barcelona, Spain; Cannes and Golfe Juan, France; Ajacoio, Corisca and Gibraltar. Upon returning to Newport INGRAM entered a tender period which lasted until 27 April 1959, after which the INGRAM conducted operations out of Newport until Destroyer Sguadron FOURTEEN was transferred to Mayport, Florida. The ship left Newport 16 June 1959 and arrived in Mayport on the 19th. Upon arrival in her new homeport INGRAM was designated recovery ship for an experimental Project Mercury nosecone which had been dropped. The recovery eguipment placed aboard in Newport was put to good use, and the pickup operation was successful. The big event of 1959 was the designation of INGRAM as flagship for Commander South Atlantic Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Rear Admiral E.C. Stephan, USN. This assignment sent INGRAM into waters which had previously been under the command of her namesake Admiral Ingram who was Commander South Atlantic Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet from 1942 through 1944. On the 24th. of August the ship sailed from Trinidad, BWI where Rear Admiral Stephan and staff boarded. From Trinidad, INGRAM sailed to Africa on a cruise designed to foster good relations between America and her African friends and to promote understanding between, our Navy and the Navies of the various countries visited. Between August 1st. and 17 October 1959, INGRAM visited the following ports and countries on both the east and west coasts of Africa; Dakar, French West Africa; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Banana, Belgian Congo; Pointe Noire, French Eguatorial Africa; Walvis Bay, South West Africa; Cape Town; and Durban, South Africa; Lourenco Margues, Biera and Nacala, Mozambigue, Port Louis Mauritius and finally Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika. The new year of 1960 saw INGRAM taking part in the annual Caribbean Operation Springboard. Later she was designated the Flagship for the Search and Rescue Force assigned to cover President Eisen- hower ' s flight to the Paris Summit Conference and return. Flying the Flag of Commander Destroyer Flotilla Six, RADM F.L. Johnson, INGRAM went into the North Atlantic dodging ice bergs in the fulfillment of this mission. Soon after returning to Mayport INGRAM commenced preparations for her first regular shipyard overhaul since commissioning. The reguired Board of Inspection and Survey inspection was undergone, and on the 13th. of June INGRAM entered Charleston Naval Shipyard for repairs, modifications and alte- rations which took over four months to complete. Shortly after returning to Mayport, the INGRAM partici- pated in a Project Mercury shoot and plane guarded for the USS FORRESTAL (CVA 59) for 10 days. The INGRAM returned to Mayport to make preparations for her forthcoming return to Africa as part of Task Force 88. On the 1st. of March Captain. P.O. Middleton assumed command and Commander Destroyer Division 142 in a formal ceremony held on board. On the 15th. of March the ship departed for Africa via Trinidad, BWI. For nearly six months the INGRAM participated in company with four other ships in an extensive people- to-people program as part of SOLANT AMITY II. Ports such as Sao Vicenti, Cape Verdi Islands; Bathurst, Gambia; Contonou, Dahomey; Diego Suarez and Tamatavo; Malagasy Republic; Mombasa, Kenya; and Aden, protectorate of Aden gave the Officers and men of the ship an opportunity to meet the natives of Africa and tell them about Americas. Ports such as Santa Cruz De Tenenfe, Canary Islands; Rota and Cadiz Spain; Simonstown, Capetown and Durban, South Africa; Port Victoria, Geychelles Islands; and Trinidad West Indies Federation. While the ship was in Cape Town Commander Robert Kirk relieved Captain Adrian as Commanding Of- icer of the INGRAM, and got a chance to join in the task of being a good-will ambassador aboard. On 18 October the INGRAM left the United States for two months training with NATO forces in Northern European waters. The INGRAM was warmly received in Portsmouth, England and Belfast, North Ireland. INGRAM returned to the United States in December 1961 in time for Chnstmas.and a well earned rest. After a three week tender period inMayport, and a brief tour at sea the INGRAM entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a two month overhaul. INGRAM rejoined COMASFORLANT on the 7th. April to continue ASW exercises. On the 3rd. of August the INGRAM deployed on this Mediterranean Cruise.