Spruance (DD 963) - Naval Cruise Book

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RA YMOND AMES SPRUANCE was a profes- sional naval otticerg a WARRIOR who com- manded the most powerful t1eet in the history of the world. His battleground was the Pacific Ocean, where he fought the sweeping na val cam- paigns of World War II. He began the war as an unknown Rear Admiral in command of four Pa- citic Fleet cruisers. By an act of fate, he was given command of two of the three aircraft carri- ers that won the Battle of Midway, the victory that stopped the offensive momentum of the Jap- anese navy. His Fifth Fleet became enormous: hundreds of ships, thousands of aircraft, hun- dreds of thousands of sailors, marines, soldiers, and airmen. His na val campaigns were fought over millions of square miles of ocean. His objec- tives were separated by vast distances. Spruance first seized the Gilbert and the Marshall Islands, two thousand miles from the main American base at Pearl Harbor. He envied no man, regarded no one as rival, won the respect of all with whom he came in contact, and went ahead in his quiet way winning victo- ries for his country . Spruanceis chief through- out the war was Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nim- itz. It is given to few Americans, said Nimitz, to serve their country so effectively and at such high levels as did this man. Fleet Admiral Er- nest J. King, the wartime Chief of Naval Oper- ations, considered Spruance the most intelligent flag officer in the United States Navy. The Navy has honored Raymond Spruance by giving his name to our ship, USS Spruance DD-963. This cruise book we dedicate to THE QUIET WA R- RI OR . ' f-VXI? - 9 , 1 lf i,f.iLei? A F4 J'-Eli?-' V , V X14 '33 Laiavgg-9:7 a I W 5,37 h inf -, -V-,fp-. ' '73' 'YF 'ii':j:'Qi - .. ' ff T, 1 5- S1 ' f - ' x-3,.'!:-fag, ' 1--'Aff 1 -1531. -.IQQV ' 1 1 .As . .Q if' 112,52 -f 6- A -,,.-,l..,,- I f: 1-V-' -A. . : 4 From the Marshalls his fleet leaped to the Mar- iana Islands, thence to Iwo Jima. Spruanc-e's ti- nal campaign was the invasion of Okinawa, an undertaking equal in magnitude to the Norman- dy invasion. Okinawa was adjacent to Japan - the American invaders were almost seven thou- sand miles from home. Spruance remained al- most unknown to the American public at war's end. He was shy and reticent and avoided public- ity. History, he felt, would judge his performance in war on the basis of what he did, not what he said. Spruancek leading characteristics were attention to detail, poise, and power of intelli- gent decision, wrote Samuel Elliot Morison.

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X CONTENTS: 4 CHANGE OF COMMAND 6 GOMMANDING OFFIFER 8 EXECUTIVE OFFIFER 9 FOMMAND SENIOR CHIEF I0 THE FINEST GREW I2 ADMIRAL RA YMOND A. SPRUA NCE I6 SUPPLY 22 OPERATIONS 30 ENGINEERING 38 NA VIGA TION 44 COMBA T SYSTEMS 52 HELO DET 65 OUR SPONSOR - SANDERS OF NASHUA 81 HISTORY - THE UNITED STA TES SHIP SPRUANFE 95 ON THE ROAD AGAIN 97 FLEET OPERATIONS I08 SMOKERS - SPR! IA NF E STYLE H3 LIBERTY FALL 128 I0 BATTLE GROUP I29 MORE SPONSORS I35 G03 LETTER U I36 HOMEFOMING L38 THE STAFF I40 A PRA YER I 1