Lloyd Thomas (DD 764) - Naval Cruise Book

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Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Michael D. BICKEL graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., in june, 1961, and reported to his first duty station, USS TAYLOR CDD- 468J. Between june,'1961 and April, 1964, he served as Main Propulsion Assistant, Dam- age Control Assistant, Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, Gunnery Division Officer, and finally as Weapons Officer. LCDR BICKEL served next as Executive Officer, USS PLUCK CMSO-4641, until May, 1966. Later in May, he was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel CPERS-B21 in Washington, D.C. Following his assignment in BUPERS, in july, 1968, LCDR BICKEL relieved as Commanding Officer, USS HICKMAN COUNTY QLST-8251. After twelve months in Vietnam on the HICKMAN COUNTY, he returned to Washington, D.C. to serve as Special Assistant for Naval Personnel, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy tManpower and Reserve Affairsi, from August, 1969, to September, 1971. This was his last duty before reporting aboard LLOYD THOMAS. LCDR BICKEL is originally from Fort Worth, Texas, and is married to the former Monika Schulte of Hamburg, Germany, and Sydney, Australia. They have two children: David - 8, and Tracy - 5.

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This Is The Captain Speaking... This book pictorially describes life onboard LLOYD THOMAS much better than the thousands of words it would take to fill these pages. Life onboard will be best remembered by people and events, and here you are, the men of LLOYD THOMAS. This Western Pacific cruise tried our very fiber, as we were first tested by unique operations and finally by the ardors of actual combat. Every event during this cruise required the proper actions of many men working in concert in order to be successful. Moorings, anchorings, underway replenishments, carrier escort, trawler surveillance, naval gunfire support and gunfire strikes within the coastal waters of North Vietnam are the major events and evolutions we will all long remember. The minor ones of cookouts on the flight deck, liberty in foreign ports, and just plain old comradeship onboard underway are equally important in understanding what makes a group of men living and working together become a crew of a U.S. Navy ship. That we indeed were successful as a crew in doing our job has probably best been said by our 'lboss, Commander United States SEVENTH Fleet, upon completion of our deployment. I am quoting the following words with pride from his farewell message: NSAYONARA I As LLOYD THOMAS completes her last and finest deployment ever before decomission- ing at Pearl, the log of her final VVESTPAC tour can be reviewed with pride. Your cruise extended despite a shortage of personnel and upkeep, you nevertheless saw action early in Freedom Train operations off the North Vietnamese coast and performed with distinction. Equally as well accomplished in gunline operations, trawler surveillance and attack carrier escort, your indomitable fighting spirit was best symbolized by the Stars and Stripes photo- graph showing your ship speeding through a hail of enemy gunfire. To a proud, venerable lady and her outstanding team of officers and men, SEVENTH Fleet says farewell and well done. The pride I feel is for each and every man assigned to LLOYD THOMAS, and to you I can truly say how happy I am to have been privileged to serve with you as your Commanding Officer. I know that I have been blessed in having such a fine crew. Now with the imminent decommissioningof LLOYD THOMAS upon us, I am saddened to watch you all leave, virtually being scattered to the Four Winds and the Seven Seas. May God's blessings be with you and a warm Aloha always in your heart as you depart. Remember LLOYD THOMAS - it was more than a ship - it was you.

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ma., Department Heads ,,, CLeft to Right? - LT. Frederick T. WARBURTON Cweapong Office1f'D, LT David M LEE CE1'1gineering Officerb, LT James R. CLARK COper'ations Officerel, LTJG Scott ROBINSON CSupply Officer?