William C Lawe (DD 763) - Naval Cruise Book

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d dj tied tb the spirit and piititt-ssitiiigilimn ut thi- ottitfi-its and This Cruise Book is e ca W Crew who sailed aboard USS WILLIAM C. LAWIC I'l'Ulll 1 NUX'!'lllIN'l IEHIJ lllltlillfll 14 .lum- 1973 In her twenty'seven vears ot' active service 1..AWl'I has in-vet l't'!Yf'!H 'fI with 'HHH' - - f - US, St-vi-nth I- le-ct. Nu asaigti- enthusiasm and gusto than the four months spent with thi ' I LAW!-I, Without at dtitilit hut ment was too large, too arduous tor record speaks well for itself in every 1 pt the lllt'Il oi VlIl,l.lAM L 1 is wt 01' destroyer' tipvrtitiuiir-. Con ratulations are in order for every ineinber ot this in-vrg 'iii thc i'iipiiit-we who S steamed LAWE's twenty-seven year old plant some 53,.i5Li miles nitliotit gi siiiplv iiiissiuii- d radin casualty, to the weapons depa.rtnient personiicl who iiiziintiiiin-ii and tire-c.i ee S LAWE's five-inch guns with accuracy and iiever-taiiliiig l'UllSlSIt'llt'y,tU Um t-tiiiiiiiiiiiicziturs, navi ators, and operations specialists who gave LAW!-I ai t'1cte-t-with i-t-piitatitiii tin pm- 3 ficiency and operational excellenceg to our supply dt-pzirtiiiciit who pi-ovititwi ns with the rompt and quality support and services absolutely item-ss4i,i'y for titiiitiiitit-ti nptfiaitioiis D . and stability of morale. Every last lllllll on this ship was tiii-wily it-sptiiisililt' ttir Wll,l.lAM C. LAWE steaming into the Pacific with at sinzirtiicss :hid piotcssitiii:i.lisiii that was recognized as her Seventh Fleet trademark It is articularly appropriate that LAWIC will bring hi-r twuiity-svvcii yvzitw ot' :it-tivc P ' t a close with our return to Mivpurt 'l'hv mt-ii oi Wll,l.lAM C. commissioned service ,o' ' .' , , LAWE displayed the traditional Navy Cari lilo spirit thioiiixhtmt this dvployiiiciit :ind won for her a reputation that hefits her yotiiigur f1:iy:+. thily tlimit- wliti :wrvti aboard at twenty-seven year old destroyer can truly apprmxiatv the swrfqit, lttirattzititiii, :ind pzilivttvt' that goes into making her run and perform with the bust ot' thc ricvvt-i, more much-rin prey- hounds. With this additional effort must tzotritc a cle-cpm puifgauiizil :iizttir-aizivtiuit :atciiiiiiitig from a realization that LAWE steamed for five :intl a. halt' ttitititlirta with that lwrvzt - and never once fell behind. All LAWE sailors throtigh this yffpirg., tmvfi t,.-1-U 5,,,,,,.i .tg tim,- iS3lViFk:12ix0Y:1irt0C?g15l,fgatgggilgaiaiforts, and this crew is im t!Xf'f'IlIlIlll. l,AWl-1 ir. im tiinrv, no ion and professionalism. luvtery igiat vit-vt' nie-inlwt min ht- UUIY PI'0l1d Of the Daft he Played in LAWE's ability to hulp carry mit mir f-iitiiitix :- ptiliiiivs in Southeast Asia. A It is sincerely hoped that this Cruise Book will sffrvf- aria. ai lzintiiii: iii:-xiii-into nt your part in what we have chosen 1,0 Call - The Last Utlytiswy ni WIl,l,lAM if I,AWl'I.' Silttwiitily, .fti.iii-:tri wi. llAYl'1S, .iii titiMMANIil1lti that-J tZtiMMAi 15IilFiJt3 tiiryir tgp USS Vt'il,l,lAM t' t.AVi't,

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USSWi11iamC.Lawe DD- esp The Master Shipwright has but one dream - and that being the worthiness of his creation, opposed as it muSt always be to unrelenting seas and time immortal. And so it follows, the Master Shipwright of WILLIAM C. LAWE, when surveying the two decades and seven years of her attainments, must be filled with a gratification known only to his trade. For LAWE has routinely entered the contest area with the elements of nature and repeatedly the forces of wind, wave, and rain have yielded to her stubborn persistance to push on. While the mighty sea has no equal in her savagery - so also has LAWE no rival for courage and perseverance. The Shipwright's dream is realized, but his prodigy has served well, served long, and her soul is weary from the fight. Province beckons, now is not the time for repose for there exist tasks unfinished. Fate dictates skirmishes ahead, barriers to circumvent, and antiquity to cheat. With the advance of Autumn comes the seasonal rains and inward turning of man's deepest thoughts. Secure in her moor, an illusive calm shrouds the gallant lady. But deep within her soul dwells a gnawing realization - destiny is at work, obligation summons, and LAWE has yet to submit her contributions.Now from the troubled West arrives a messenger with petition. HLAWE, your homeland is locked in battle, her sons are held captive, and her allies are besieged. You have served well. you have served long, but your supreme test remains yet unaccomplished. 'l'irne's death song you have postponed, the savageness of the seas you have mastered, the evil designs of a mortal enemy remain to be con- queredf' Her soul is now rekindledl Dissolved are illusions of tranquility' The impossible. the insurrnountahle is but food for her driving hunger. Her mooring lines are taut, are strained. she anticipates the battles ahead. She' is reciiivenated. her aging frame rex'ived.refurb1shed. Her rifles are rr-adied, her vrigirws tuned - she resists further delays. At last the moment draws nigh. Lingering etnhraries are parted. final farewells uttered. Her strained mooring lun-s loosvd, her sails filled, the seriiirity of departed berth fades in her wake. Undvrwgiv' llvstniv. iirivvrtairity pertiivatvs her spirit. hut deep in het aging keel .ind supports rvsnlvs the r'e.1.liAatxori - tliv..L.astUQdysses' of the WILLIAM C. LAWE has hvuun . . . ,Ai ' l l 'Mft qqf' .idx i .X . X, .lx l A 5 ri lil 1 Xxx l . Xi gi illxf ff' .f xx.,,NNwL xi '

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I f 1 R 1 i I , FL ....-L.. . 1, . awrfv, .4 Fralllcllgtfllmlli lllf?i1vlI,llJjlJlA,M Liiwld wasulaid in the yards of the Bethlehem Steel Company, San , ' H 'Nt 'N W 'r U 'UU 'l f'U'1Yr.i was launched in May 1945. William Clare Lawe late Aviation Melalsinitln 'l'llll'fl tlluss, U.S. Navy, for whom thc :ship was named had been 10st Ht gtgttgtl under heroic virvumstaiices at thi- Hattie of Midway, while flying in a plane of lforpedo Squadron Eight. LAWE waswassigm-d :uid operated as si llllll of the Pacific Fleet for almost three years, where her homeport wasxbaii Diego. In January 1948, LAWE together with three other destroyers and the aircraft carrier VAL'l.l1.Y lf Olttilv. were oiwlciw-rl to make around-the-world cruise for training and good-will purposes. The task force steamed at-ross the Pacific with ports of call at Sidney, Australia, Hong Kong, and Tsigntao, China where the :ship was awarded the China Service Medal. After China, LAWE proceeded to other Asian and Mideast ports before transiting the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, and the Straits of Gibraltar to the Atlantic Ocean. LAWE returned to San Diego 12 June 1948 after steaming over 46,000 miles. In October 1949, LAWE was assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and immediately proceeded to Newport, Rhode Island, her new homeport. She left Newport the same month to join Destroyer Squadron 2 in cold weather operations in the Arctic Region. During the fiscal year 1949, LAWE again excelled in gunnery, and was named first in the Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, Competition. LAWE escorted USS ORISKANY around the Horn in 1952, and operated with various South American Navies enroute. In August 1952, LAWE joined a task force which operated with other navies in the major exercise MAINBRACE, off Norway and Denmark. On completion of MAINBRACE, LAWE operated with the British Joint Anti-Submarine School at Londonderry, Northern Ireland. In 1958 LAWE deployed to the Mediterranean for a tour with the Sixth Fleet. In June 1959 LAWE departed Newport, Rhode Island for Mayport, Florida, her newly assigned homeport. In 1960, LAWE participated in Operation SPRINGBOARD during January and February. May found LAWE acting as rescue destroyer along the President's route to the 1960 Summit Conference. Upon her return to Mayport in September, LAWE was chosen to commence the FRAM program in Charleston, S.C. FRAM is an acronym for Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization. Eleven months later LAWE once again joined the Fleet as a nearly new ship. On 1 January 1962, LAWE became a member of Destroyer Squadron 16. In July, LAWE again won the Battle Efficiency Award for the fourth time since her commissioning. In October LAWE returned to Mayport for an anticipated at home period after almost seven months away from the States. But on 22 October the ship along with numerous other units of the U.S. Second Fleet, headed for the Caribbean Sea to assist in the Cuban Quarantine. ln early December, at the com- pletion ofthe Quarantine, LAWE again returned to Mayport. 1963 saw LAWE in port for shipyard availability, followed by assignment in March to the Fleet Sonar School in Key West. Later, in May, LAWE went to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for refresher training. On 11 August, LAWE once again deployed to the Mediterranean for service with the Sixth Fleet. She returned to Mayport on 23 December. In April 1965, while undergoing refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, LAWE was ordered to the Dominican Republic and was the first ship on station. After a brief stop in Mayport, the ship returned to the Dominican Republic in August. In October, LAWE deployed with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and then via Suez to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. As Flagship for GOMMIDEASTFOR, RADM Maurer, she participated in the four day Ethiopian Naval Academy graduation ceremonies with British, Russian, French and Ethiopian ships, winning top honors in International Navy Sports Day events. Returning to Mayport in February of 1966, LAWE crossed the Atlantic four times as part of Gemini recovery forces. Various tours as Sonar School Ship completed the year. During the summer and fall of 1968 LAWE was in regular overhaul. Shortly thereafter, LAWE was placed in Reduced Operational Status, there to remain until July 1969. In July LAWE was once again returned to fully operational status and completed refresher training and naval gunfire support qualifications in preparation for a Middle East Forces deployment. Upon completion of the six month mid-east deployment in May 1970, LAWE rounded out the year with upkeep and a new occupation that was later to become her specialty - Soviet Naval Force Surveillance in the Caribbean. 1971 marked LAWE's 26th year of commissioned service and commenced with vigorous training during Operation Springboard in' which LAWE requalified as a naval gunfire support ship. LAWE became the flagship for Commander Destroyer Division 82 in March 1971 and commenced preparations for her second MIDEASTFOR deployment in as many years with a drydock availability at Jacksonville Shipyard. In April LAWE commenced her five month deployment and in September upon her return joined the newly formed Destroyer Squadron EIGHTEEN. The primary mission of DESRON 18 was Caribbean surveillance and LAWE saw considerable action that fall, surveilling Soviet and Cuban naval units. 1972 ushered in LAWE's first yard availability of major proportions since 1968, when she was assigned a restricted overhaul at Jacksonville Shipyards in January. Upon successful completion of dock trials in late March, LAWE commenced ASW weapons systems tests and refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Operation PINKLACE a NATO exercise in June and an ASW exercise in September highlighted the summer. On 10 December 1972. LAWE experienced her first combat action inher 27-year history in a darin ni ht raid on North Vietnamese coastal defense sites in which she received hostile return fire 8 S ' LAWE rang in 1973 with gunline duty off the coast of South Vietnam. After an upkeep period in the Philippines, LAWE returned to gunfire support duty up until the very moment a general cease-fire went mtg effect throughout Vietnam. LAWE remained in the Pacific in support of American prisoner of war releases and troop withdrawals through February. She departed the Western Pacific in May 1973, returning to Mayport on 14 June 1973. In July LAWE joined Destroyer Squadron 14 and in August 1973, ended her active service being transferred to the Naval Reserve Force with her homeport of New Orleans.