Meredith (DD 890) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE SHIP USS MEREDITII DD- 90 a USS MEREDITH QDD-8903, constructed in Orange, Texas in June 1945, is the fourth destroyer to be named in honor of Sgt. Jonathon MEREDITH, USMC, who was killed in action in the Battle of Tripoli on August 7, 1804. In 1948 the NIEREDITH served with UN. forces off Palestine and in 1958 saw action with Task Force 26 off Suez. In August of 1953, as a result of a habitability survey, MEREDITH WaS modified at Norfolk Naval Shipyard to demonstrate what could be done with the aid of paints of softer tone, better lighting, more comfortable living equipment and a smaller crew. From 28 June 1960 to 1 May 1961 MEREDITH underwent a FRAM MK I con- version at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. She received a redesigned super- structure, ASROC, DASH hangar and flight deck, new radio, radar, and ECM equipment, as well as the best sonar equipment the Navy could supply. ln March 1969, for the first time in her 24 years of commissioned service, while steaming off the Republic of Vietnam, MEREDITH fired her guns at enemy positions. ln Nlay 1969 when the North Koreans shot down a U.S. EC-121, MERE- DITH became one of twenty-two destroyers assigned to Task Force '71, the largest and most powerful armada that had been floated by the U.S. since the end of the Korean War. Since her FRAM, MEREDITH has deployed to the Mediterranean with the SIXTH Fleet four times and has made a 'YW month WESTPAC cruise. 4 T ii C Q 2

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DEDIC TED T0 THE E IIE IDITII SAI L0ll We are considered just 4 handful of men. lf one was to count, the exact figure would he two hundred seventy one. with il small number like that you would think there would be mam overlapping coincidences, but there are very few indeed. These men hail from two countries, the lnited States of America and the Republic of the Philippines. 'Those from the touted States represent 48 of the 50 states. We must not forget the 200 cities them live in, or the 27l high schools and l8'! colleges that were .attended hs these men. Yes. these are men' l'hev weren't .ilvnivs men. Sometime between the four Naval training centers at San Diego, Great Lakes, Newport, or Orlando and one of the one hundred forty two service schools. our home town hoys became men. Now we are together. serving under 25 rates in .i multiplicity of ranks. But how are we one? Simple. We are the men of the ISS WFZRPZDITII UID-8903 during her MED Cniise l970-1971. A cross section of American men doing our duty for our God and our Countrv. We are Americans but even more than that we are American Destroyer Sailors. the strongest and most dedicated to the call of Navy life. We therefore dedicate this Cruise Book to ourselves. We have proven to ourselves and to those who command us that the 'FSS NIEREDITII KDD-8903. because of these 271 men, is the 'best damn destroyer in the United States Navy!

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