Sylvania (AFS 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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' U. S. S. SYLVANIA lAFS-Zl Fteer POST ormce New Yonai ossox T0 THE SYLVANIA FAMILY, An extended deployment or cruise overseas provides unparalleled opportunities for the recording of interesting events in the life of a ship and her crew. The excitement of foreign ports and different cultures, long hours of hard work, and the separation from loved ones are qualities certainly characteristic of the de- ployment, and probably form the basis of the mental picture most people associate with a cruise overseas. This representation is accurate enough but rather incom- plete, as I view the same circumstances. A singularly distinguishing feature of the six month deployment overseas is the change in the ship and her personnel. While stationed in the continental United States the ship is largely getting ready for deployment. Training is stressed and the various exercises representative of the ship's mission are conducted. Shortly prior to deployment a period of weeks is spent under rigorous conditions at Guan- 5 Qu 'lofi-e r -w ' tanamo Bay, Cuba perfecting all aspects of the ship's operations. Of course, at the same time all personnel are concerned with the myriad problems of a separated family and ties ashore, and these problems occupy a.large portion of the Navy man's thoughts . When the last line is cast off from the pier, the change is rather dramatic for the professional demands of a Navy man's life at sea are such as to brook no less than complete dedication. The resulting concentration of efforts welds the ship into a cohesive unit with the single minded purpose of getting on with the job. As the days and weeks pass the ship is honed into a finely tuned instrument capable of responding to the extremely demanding requirements of fluctuating operational schedules. On occasions the work day extends for as much as thirty-six hours, to be followed by a brief respite and a repetition of the same. At this point, with the end of the cruise in sight, the results of the long hours of training and preparation are clearly evident. Regardless of the problem or nature of the assignment, this crew has accomplished the objective without re- gard for the hours or efforts expended. Their performance under these conditions cannot be understood or appreciated by anyone who has not served at sea in a similar environment. In my opinion their conduct has been nothing less than heroic and it reaffirms my faith in today's youth who can and do perform splendidly as a matter of routine. I trust that you will be able to glimpse this magnificent spirit of SYLVANIA and her crew emanating through these pages. Sincerely, Gerald G. ROBERTS we Captain, U. S. Navy I . L , , 4 i Lf-,en Com anding Officer as ? !ZLi

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