Wichita (AOR 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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f , mf, . , W., f f . k I ,,,VV , Fifi- t. t. 2 ,x 2 M .. . ' . lwiffw . .f Mn ,iffff ' . ,fm 1 ,N I V, ryrfr 11,1 I , 'Viz' 'f . . ,f', wx .. , , T QTL if 1 - C V T uf- ' , ' my , ' ' T a f. ,X , , 4 ,, , ,, ,, K f ,l ,.,' f f 'f,, , , s AUX . If . f , 1 f h pififfff' 75 2'- X xvvsv w.' ff . ,ff M W W f J If 1 X , 4' X 'ravi ,. - 2 V 1 3, ,,,,, IH PAST CD. CAPTAIN J. F. VARLEY A commanding officer undoubtedly feels a certain amount of grief when he has to leave behind a crew which he has lead for 21 months in meeting every commitment in the finest tradition of the Navy. lt is with such a heavy feeling that Captain James F. Varley left his adored crew on WICHITA for duty as Commander, Service Squadron Three QCOMSERVRON-35 in the San Francisco Bay area. The crewmembers themselves were somewhat sullen that day also, and even after several months had gone by, continued to speak of the inspired leadership of Captain Varley which had urged the crew to win the Battle Efficiency award fthe EJ, still proudly displayed on WlCHITA's bulkheads. Although Captain Varley seemed to fit right in as CO of an oiler, few had known of the breadth of his 23 year career during which he had served in various positions ashore and aboard five submarines. Few, if any, knew that he had been XO and CO on the USS VOLADOR QSS-4905 and the USS CATFISH QSS-3395 respec- tively, or that he had participated in the first submerged launch of the only Polaris missile with a nuclear warhead. Rather, the crew knew Captain Varley as that warm and affable gentleman who could play volleyball or drink beer with his crew and easily maintain or boost WlCHlTA's fine reputation as an outstanding ship. His parting words on WlCHlTA's overall performance were There was not a single casualty in our ability to perform any job. And l think that speaks most highly of what the ship is capable of doing. He added, l'm leaving this ship when it's in peak condition, and I think all future commitments will be met. . . 2 r

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EXECUTIVE CJFFICER COMMANDER W. L. ZANZUT The fifth deployment of WICHITA to the western Pacific was one requiring the flexibility, ingenuity and initiative that onlyihe best can produce. You, the men of WICHITA certainly demonstrated this by providing reliable support to the Seventh Fleet. Without missing a single commitment you performed in heavy seas, adverse weather and shortages in manpower thal would have significantly hampered men of less fortitude. To participate in such an effort and see you continually rise tothe challenge has been a special privilege that I will always remember. Now that we have returned for a long awaited reunion with oul loved ones, I am certain that those traits demonstrated during the deployment will manifest themselves in continued outstan- ding performance ln EASTPAC operations. W. L. ZANZOT Commander, U.S. Navi

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CHANGE OF CGIVIIVIAND Captain Roger E. Sheets, U.S. Navy, relieved Captain James F. Varley, U.S. Navy, as commanding officer of the USS WICHITA AOR-1 in ceremonies onboard WICHITA on Tues- day, 27 May 1975 at ten a.m. The ceremony began with the playing of the National Anthem. Following the invocation by Captain S. L. Roberts, CHC, U.S. Navy, the departing CO, Captain Varley, made remarks con- cerning WlCHlTA's fine efforts in meeting commitments dur- ing his twenty one months of command. Afterwards, both Captain Varley and his relief, Captain Sheets read copies of their orders. ' Captain Varley was presented with the commissioning pen- nant by Master Chief Petty Officer Russell L. Spencley. The ceremony was concluded with the benediction offered by Chaplain Roberts. f Captain Sheets comes to WICHITA having completed a tour as assistant Chief of Staff for operations with Commander Task Force 77. Captain Sheets is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a veteran of over four hundred combat missions, during which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross nine times. Among the most notable of his achievements was that he lead the initial mining of Haiphong Harbor in lVlay of 1972,