Little Rock (CLG 4) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 12 text:

THE MAN . . .

Page 11 text:

The crest portrays the figure of Talos, ivho, in Greek mythology, was ' ' the last man of the ancient bronze race, a creature made of bronze . . . terrible to behold . . . who threatened to crush ships with ... a pointed crag if they drew nearer. ' ' Terrible to behold . . . Indeed no hollow slogan, for the principal armament of the LITTLE ROCK, the Talos missile, is the Navy ' s newest and deadliest surface-to-air weapon. Talos is the end product of years of research con- ducted by the Navy and the Applied Physics Lab of John Hopkins University. Fired from the launcher on the fantail of LITTLE ROCK, the Talos missiles are directed to their tar- gets by means of a two-stage guidance system. The 3,000 pound missile is steered to the target vicinity by means of a beam-riding system operated from the ship. When the missile nears its target, control is automatically transferred to a homing device which guides the high explosive warhead pointblank into the attacking aircraft. The 30-foot Talos is powered by a 40,000 horse- power ram- jet engine, propelling it to speeds greater than 800 miles-per-hour. LITTLE ROCK has been awarded the Efficiency E for her missile firing performance ; proof of her ability to accomplish her mission. -LUik

Page 13 text:

The power of the Talos missile is represented in this figure, who stands straddling the cruiser, protectivehj, his arm poised in readiness to hurl the weapon against an unknown and menacing aggressor. Talos, symbolic of LITTLE ROCK ' s missile might, is likewise indicative of her dedicated crew— the TALOSMAN. For in this age of missiles and rockets, human beings certainly haven ' t become outmoded. Consider push button warfare aboard LITTLE ROCK. What would be left after you removed the men? A complicated missile system composed of electron tubes, wires and steel ; a steering wheel on the bridge, guns in need of directors, and thousands of other inanimate equipments. What would happen? Nothing. Even in this tech- nological age, LITTLE ROCK is still dependent upon the officers and men to accomplish her missions. Indispensable are the nuclear weapons men, the guided missilemen, the quartermasters, the radar- men, the communicators, the engineers who make her mobile, everyone including the storekeepers and cooks who keep LITTLE ROCK supplied and well fed. For in this day of push buttons , the buttons don ' t push themselves. Only with the addition of the Man does LITTLE ROCK mature into a thmkmg, powerful implement of National security.