Nitro (AE 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ivieo cnuisiz- 1976 QI W liii !' After a series of what seemed countless setbacks, NITRO got underway as scheduled on 15 April 1976 for her 13th Mediterranean deployment. Stopping at Rota, Spain for her lvled load, she proceededto Naples, Italy for tender and industrial availabilit . Upon completion of that tender availability, NITRO set sail to rearm various units of the SIIXTH Fleet operat- ing inthe Eastern lVled, with brief stops at Augusta Ba , Sicily and Douda Bay, Crete. On 25 June NITRO again anchored in Naples harbor for upkeep and for partici ation in tae cele- bration of the 200th birthday of the United States. Departing Naples on lll. July, NITRO again spent many days and nights servicing SIXTH Fleet ships. 0n 19 July, NlTRO crewmembers arrived at their first R 81 R port, Kusadasi, Turkey, for five days. After a quick stop at Augusta Bay for fuel, she continued on to Brindisi, Italy, arriving there on 26 July. 0n 30 Juliy at Brindisi, CDR JENKINS was relieved as C0 by CDR DOOLITTLE at a ceremony hel on board, with Commodore C. W. TAYLOR, COIVI- SERVFORSIXTHFLT, as Guest Speaker. Setting out again on 1 August, NITRO arrived at Palermo, Sicily on 3 August, for an upkeep period. NITRO departed Palermo on 18 August, again for a stop at Aug-usta Bay to rendezvous with numerous other SIXTH Fleet ships for participation on the 2 st National Week exercises. After the exercise critique at Augusta on 27 August, NITRO headed for another liberty port, Palma de IVlallorca, Spain, for a well- deserved rest period, arriving there on 30 August. 0n 5 September she departed Palma for Augusta Bay to onload ammo and stores, demarting there on 10 September for a rigorous period of CONREP and VERTREP exercises. ITRO again stop ed in Augusta for onload, to set out once more for some restnand relaxation at Ibiza, in tlle Ballearic Islands, arriving there on 25 September. Weighing anchor on 3 Octo- ber NITRO began a more than three-week eriod at sea, servicing a seemingly endless num- ber of shi s. lVlooring in Rota, Spain on 28 October, NITRO offloaded her lVIed load for our relief, usls SURIBACHI CAE-219, then de arted for Rota for Glen Douglas, Scotland, to onload ammunition for delivery to CONUS. ll'he crew enjolyed extended libertiyl in Glen Doug- las, also visiting various other cities in Scotland. Final y on 4 November, lTRO's crew happily manned their sea detail stations for the trip home. 0n 16 November, after bad weather and heavy seas, NITRO crewmen proudly lined the rails. to greet loved ones who had been waiting the long seven month and one day period. 0nce the brow was put down and dependents came aboard, the bad parts of the cruise were almost in- stantl forgotten. Then an anxious crew waited for those two words sailors love most - Ll- BERW CALLI.

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IRA I I I I 1 I I I I E I I I I I A W CRUISE STATS 0 M X XR NX STATS THROUGHOUT THE CRUISE 10AFS OF BREAD ................ 9001 MILES TRAVELED . . . - 26000 0A110IIIS OF IVIILI4 ...... 0009 CRASH KITS ....... ....... I. 012 00zEIIIS OF EGGS .... ........ 1 500 BASKETBALLS ......... NYS 0A110IxIS OF FUEL .... ..... 4 00000 TIIvIE AT SEA .... ,.-.107 DAYS WATER ............. ............. I PI TIIvIE IN PORT .... ....... 7 4 DA R CIGARETTES ...... ...... 1 000000 SHOWERS ...... .... S EE WATE 2 .. -'sf-.,.-f.I..--. ,-E-1-11. W--1 ff- '