McCloy (FF 1038) - Naval Cruise Book

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Lieutenant Commander JAMES A. WOODS JR. COMMANDING OFFICER JULY 85-AUG. 87 Lieutenant Commander James A. Woods, Jr. was born in Norfolk,,Virginia, on 13 September 1949. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1968 as a fireman recruit. In the Spring of 1971, while serving as an instructor at the Nuclear Power Training Facility, Windsor Locks, come-cricur,l he was accepted in the Naval Enlisted Scientific Education Program and attended Auburn University. In March 1975 he was awarded a Bachelor of ,Science Degree in Materials Engineering, was commissionedan Ensign,andf received orders to USS HENRY B. WILSON QDDG-75 as the main propuision assistant. He was accepted into the Carrier Readiness Improvement Program and reported to USS CONSTELLATION QCV- 64j in February 1978 via Steam Generating Plant Inspector School. From March to August 198O he served as a member of the Pacific Fleet Propulsion Ex- amining Board. Aiter attending the Department Head course at Surface Warfare Officer School Command, Newport, Rhode Island, he reported to USS REA- SONER QFF-1063l in June 1981 where he served as Operations Officer for thirteen months and Weapons Officer for six months. Upon relief in December 1982 he reported to the Staff of Commander Carrier Group SEVEN as the Assistant Surface Operations Officer. During his sea duty assignments Lieutenant Commander Woods has made all or part of three Western Pacific deployments on USS HENRY B. WILSON IDDG- 7I, two on USS CONSTELLATION QCV-649, one on USS REASONER QFF-1063l and one with Commander Carrier Group SEVEN in USS RANGER QCV-615. HG has been awarded two Navy Commendation Medals as well as numerous unit and service awards. Lieutenant Commander Woods has received orders to OP-0950 in the Pen- tagon in Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Commander Woods is married to the former Linda Ann DeNearing Scif Lirgdenwood, New Jersey. They have four children: James, Lisa, Patti and aco . v

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USS NIcCLOY FF-1038 NORTH ATLANTIC 1987 TABLE OF CONTENTS CO'S ..................................... PAGES 2, 3 SHIP ......... --------- 4 , 5 WAFIDFIOOM .... ---------- 6 CPO MESS ........... ------ 7 PORT VISITS ............ ----- 8 -26 CHANGE OF COMMAND .... .---- 2 7, 28 cNo VISIT .............. ------- 2 9 AWARDS ............. ------- 3 0 BWENOSE ...... ----- 3 1' 32 33-36 LIFE AT SEA ...... - ' MCCLOY MUGS ...... .... 3 ON THE BEACH ..... .... - . . . . 48-61 CREW SECTION .... 62, 63 ...64 HOMECOMING ...... ' SHIP'S HISTORY ..................... ----

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I E Lieutenant Commander JOSEPH A.BENKERT COMMANDING OFFICER AUGUST 87-PRESENT Lieutenant Commander Benkert is a Ken- tucky native and a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and several academic and l leadership awards. Upon commissioning, he re- F SS WADDELL DDG 24 serving successively as First Lieutenant ported to U t - 5, , Gunnery Officer, and Fire Control Officer. During his tour, WADDELL completed an extensive overhaul, conducted two deployments to the Western Pacific, and won the Destroyer Squadron SEVEN Battle E and applicable departmental awards. , . While assigned to WADDELL, Lieutenant Commander Benkert was selected as CNO Scholar and an Olmstead Scholar. Following temporary duty at the Mas- sachusetts Institute of Technology as an NROTC instructor, he began graduate study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard University. In 1979, he received a Master of Public Policy degree and completed requirements for the Ph.D. degree except for dissertation. ln June 1980, Lieutenant Commander Benkert was assigned to the precom- missioning detail for USS KIDD QDDG-9931, served as Prospective Combat Sys- tems Officer, and Acting Executive Officer for the precommissioning functions in Pascagoula, Mississippi. After KlDD's commissioning in June 1981, he served as Combat Systems Officer until April 1984, during a period of extensive operations and deployments including operations in support of the Multi-National Force in Lebanon and the Grenada rescue operation. During his tour as Combat Systems Officer, KIDD established a Naval Gunfire Support qualification record with a score of 99.8 won the Battle E and all applicable departmental excellence awards, and was nominated by COMNAVSURFLANT for the Battenberg Cup as the most outstanding surface combatant in the Atlantic Fleet. From May 1984 through January 1987, Lieutenant Commander Benkert served as Assistant for Strategy on the staff of the CNO Executive Panel lOP-OOKi, an element of the personnel staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. He provided support to two CNOs on projects and topics involving national and maritime strategy, political-military affairs, and Navy long range planning, including as- sisting or directing the drafting of three CNO Posture Statements. Lieutenant Commander Benkert's personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal. He is married to Gail Jean DeVeuve of West Springfield, Massachusetts. They have two children, Suzanne and Stephen. 3