Northampton (CLC 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Northampton, in October l954, ended her period of basic equipment evaluation and put to sea with the rest of the Fleet. Her first duty was to carry the Flag of ComPhib- Lant, which she did until I9 November l954. Then, on 29 November, l954, she sailed for the Mediterranean to hoist the Flag of Commander Sixth Fleet, Vice Admiral Thomas S. Combs, USN. This book is concerned with our time in the Med, lt's purpose is to span that period, from November l954 to March l955, in such fashion as to keep alive the strange sights and sounds which we experienced, to remind us of the good friends made abroad, to let us bring back to our families and our loved ones something of the flavor of this memorable experience and, not least in importance, to keep alive in our minds the professional competence learned to make an effective fighting unit in a mobile fleet. As we recall the pleasant aspects of this trip let us also keep in mind the need and value to our friends, our Allies and our- fselvespyoyfx an effective naval fighting force in the blue wa- ters of ,rthekhlediterranean sea lanes. WithfQthis,5thought in view, l dedicate this book to the fine Ship's'Cornpany of the USS Northampton. Q ..,1... I

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I I COMMANDING OFFICER During the Mediterranean cruise, and two months pre- ceding, Northampton has been under the command of Cap- tain Charles E. Weakley, USN. Born in St. Joseph, Mis- souri, Captain Weakley has brought Northampton more than 25 years experience as an officer in the Naval Ser- vice, having been commissioned an Ensign upon gradua- tion from the Naval Academy in 1929. That same year witnessed another entry into the Naval Service and at his first duty station Captain Weakley be- came a plank owner of the newly commissioned cruiser, USS Omaha. He was assigned to the USS Lea in 1933 and assisted in putting that ship in the ready reserve. Later that same year he was transferred to the USS Talbot where he served as Engineer Officer until 1936. A tour of post- graduate schooling in Engineering Design at the Naval Academy followed by a special course in Engineering at the University of Cambridge in England brought more en- gineering know-how. After his postgraduate work, Captain Weakley went to the battleship USS New Mexico where he served from 1939 until 1940 when he was transferred to the USS Samp- son. He was Engineering Officer and subsequently Exec- utive 'Officer of the Sampson. In 1942 he took command of the USS Goff. ln 1944 Captain Weakley became Execu- tive Officer, to become Commanding Officer later that year, of the Atlantic Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit.- This type duty continued with his assignment to the Chief of Naval Operations as Naval Advisor, National Security Council Staff. Captain Wegakley came to Northampton from, the USS Cambria where he had served as Commanding Officer since 1953. EXECUTIVE OFFICER A Kansan by birth, Commander Richard A. Waugh was grad- uated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1937. As on Ensign, Commander Waugh served aboard the Tuscaloosa un- til 1939, when he went to Submarine School in New London. From 1940 until 1942, Commander Waugh served in the S-36 in the Asiatic Fleet. ln 1942- 1943, he served aboard the USS Spearfish, and in August 1943 he became Executive Officer of the USS Piranha. ln 1944 through 1945, Commander Waugh was the Commanding Officer of the USS Saury. ln 1946, he was the Commanding Officer of the USS Dentu- da, and he served, additionally, as Commander Submarine Squadron 11 at Operation Cross Roads. ln January 1947, Com- mander Waugh reported to PacResFlt at Mare Island, where he remained for three years. Commander Waugh was a student at the Armed Forces Staff College in 1950, and that same year he became Chief Staff Officer on the Staff of Commander Transport Division 22. He remained in that billet until 1952, when he reported to the Staff, Commander Amphibious Force, Atlantic, where he was the Administrative Officer. Commander Waugh reported aboard as Northampton's Ex- ecutive Officer in August 1954.