Midway (CV 41) - Naval Cruise Book

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or , ' ' . , . 4 5 - . ' Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN departed San Diego, California in October 1971 to degloy to Yokosuka, japan as part of the Navy Overseas Family Residence Program. Ships and families arrived in Novem er 1971 and began to exp ore their new japanese environment. In December, the squadron left Yokosuka to participate in an exercise when hostilities erupted over the independence of East Pakistan. The exercise was canceled and DESRON FIFTEEN ships and staff steamed to the Indian Ocean where they stayed through the early weeks of 1972. Throughout 1972 Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN ships sp'ent most of their time in the Gulf of Tonkin, either on the gun line off the Vietnam coast o escorting aircraft carriers. COMDESRON FIFTEEN was the Gun Line Commander or the magmrity of the llyear. Followingfthe cessation of hostilities and the pullout of U. S. Forces from Vietnam in early 1973 ESRON FIF: EEN returned to a training and readiness posture. This consisted of emphasis on material and training readiness and a transition from gunfire sugwort glatforms to well-rounded ships - Ready Power For Peace. During 1974, the ships were able to visit several EST AC ports, operated with various aircraft carrier groups and participated in fleet or combined exercise with our japanese, Korean and Taiwanese allies. One DESRON FI TEEN unit, the USS GURKE, visited Australia. However, early 1975 found the ships and staff of DESRON FIFTEEN again off the coast of Vietnam to assist in the evacuations of Cambodia and Vietnam. In Agril, a new era began for D SRON FIFTEEN with the arrival of USS LOCKWOOD fFF-106-tj, the first of four KN X class frigates to join DESRON FIFTEEN. September brought the final departure of three thirty Lear old sctuadron ships, USS GURKE, USS ROWAN and the Rl HARD B. AN ERSON and in November 1977, the SS BAUS Ll. lDD-945i departed. These ships have since been decommissioned. USS FRANCIS HAMMOND lFF-1067i and USS KNOX igined the DESRON FIF EEN as their replacements. ln November 1981, the USS TOWERS fDDG-93 arrived to relieve SS PARSONS fDDG-33l which ggpraigreld for San Diego in December. This addition has further updated the combat capabilities of DESRON In December 1979, DESRON FIFTEEN entered a new ghase of caperations when the Middle East Crisis erupted. DESRON FIFTEEN ships and staff shifted to the Indian cean as edicated members of the USS MIDWAY battle group. With the New Anti-Submarine capabilities formidable surface ASW groups in the Pacific Fleet. Throughout 1980 and the first half of 1981, Commander Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN acted as the Anti- Submarine Warfare Commander for MIDWAY battle group Indian Ocean deployments. Relaxations of lndian Ocean requirements allowed MIDWAY battle group to operate again in home waters around japan. Commander Destroyer FIFTEEN served as OCE for japanese exercises, Battle Group Alpha warfare command- er for North Pacific and Sea of japan operations and as the Battle Groug Commander during a contingency operation in December 1981. Ships of the squadron operated as escorts for U S MIDWAY and continue training and maintenance requirements to stand ready to particwated in Battle Force and surveillance ogerations. H Currently COMDESRON FIFTEEN consists of SIX S lps. USS TOWERS IDDG 9j USS COCH ANE CDDG 21j, USS OLDENDORF lDD-972l, USS FIFE lDD-991l, USS CURTS lFFG-38l and USS RODNEY M. DAVIS lFFG-60l. Additionally, COMDESRON FIFTEEN operates as an integral part of the United States Seventh Fleet. The USS FIFE, USS CURTS and the USS R. M. DAVIS joined DESRON FIFTEEN during the summer of 1988, replacing the USS FRANCIS HAM- MOND, USS KIRK, USS KNOX and USS LOCKWOOD. COMDESRON FIFTEEN plans and participates in numerous multinational exercises involving naval, air and ground forces from the Republic of Korea, Singapore, japan, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of the Philip- pines and Thailand. COMDESRON FlFTEEN's staff consists of approximately 24 people. The staff personnel meet daily challenges in the ever changing environment of the Seventh Fleet operations. ..A. ..-. -

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