William V Pratt (DDG 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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Admiral William Veasie Pratt was born in Belfast, Maine, on 28 February 1869. A veteran of more than 40 years of naval service, he began his career at the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1889. He served at sea during the Philippine Insurrection, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Spanish American War. He attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, from 1911 to 1913, when he was ordered to duty as Aide to Commander, Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet. During his assignment to the Flotilla, he was given command of the USS BIRMINGHAM, as additional duty during the years 1914 to 1915. At the outbreak of World War I, in 1917, Admiral Pratt was assigned as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, where he won distinction for his planning of convoy routes. After the war, he served President Wilson as his advisor, and later served as advisor to the U.S. Commission at the Washington Naval Conference on Limitations of Armaments. This conference culminated in the Five-Power Naval Treaty. In 1930, Admiral Pratt once again filled the role of ADMIRAL WILLIAM V. PRATT SIXTH CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS advisor, this time to the London Naval Conference on Disarmament. In 1925, Admiral Pratt returned to Newport, Rhode Island, to serve as President of the Naval War College. He served in this capacity until his return to the fleet in 1928. From 1928 to 1930, he served as Commander-in-Chief of both the Battle Fleet and the United States Fleet. In 1930, Admiral Pratt was assigned as the Navy's sixth Chief of Naval Operations, a post he held until his retirement in 1933. Eight years after his retirement, Admiral Pratt returned to active duty at the request of President Roosevelt. His task was to design a system of carrier protection for the Atlantic convoys menaced by German U-boats. Upon completion of this assignment in 1941, Admiral Pratt once again retired from active duty, at the age of 72. During World War II, Admiral Pratt worked on the staff of Newsweek Magazine. While working for Newsweek, he wrote a weekly column dealing with the war and international affairs. In 1946, he once again retired from public service. Admiral Pratt retired for the fourth and final time, at the age of 88, on 25 November, 1957. His death brought to a close a long and distinguished life of public service and devotion to duty. Admiral Pratt was, truly, an Admiral For All Seasons.

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CQMMANDING CFFICER USS WM. V. PRATT KDDG-443 'TO' TH-E MEN' or Uses w-ILLIAM vs. uP-RATT The pictures in this cruisebook serve as reminders to all of us of the significant accomplishments of USS William V. PRATT during the 1982 Mediterranean deployment. A demanding schedule of underway commit- ments that included carrier battle group operations, PLO evacuation escort ship duties, Soviet surveillance operations, Lebanon contingency operations and Black Sea operations required each man to perform to his fullest in order to maintain the high degree of combat readiness required. Performance ashore was just as magnificent with every man serving to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the countries visited. This deployment provided all of us with many new and unique challenges. Challenges that could only be met by the true professional, dedicated to his ship and his shipmatesg in every endeavor this challenge was met. As you look back on the deployment, and review this cruisebook with your loved ones, take pride in your accomplishments. You have proven OnCe again that the American sailor is without equal. Well Done!! R. . BELL Commander, U,S, Navy Commanding Officer . nj 3-vim, I 33 1-11-F. Aw .

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SHIP'S HISTORY il It r v is A Lil . Q if O , N .f r n . s iw , . 4' - ,, 1 Y - ails W, T43 ,rl The first ship to bear the name WILLIAM V. PRATT is named in honor of Admiral William V. Pratt. Admiral Pratt, once Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, and former Chief of Naval Operations, served the United States Navy for 44 years before his retirement in 1941. The keel of the Guided Missile Frigate WILLIAM V. PRATT, one of ten COONTZ class frigates, was laid on 1 March, 1958 in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. WILLIAM V. PRATT was launched on 16 March, 1960, and was christened by Mrs. Edward Robbin, a personal representative of Mrs. William V. Pratt. PRATT was commissioned as DLG-13 on 4 November, 1961, and reported for duty as a member of Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet in July, 1962. PRATT was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia until 1965, when her homeport was changed to Mayport, Florida. In February, 1964, PRATT officially commenced the first of her numerous deployments to the U. S. Sixth Fleet. PRATT returned to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard after ten years active service, on 5 October, 1972. At that time she was decommissioned and underwent extensive anti-air warfare modernization. 5K.'!1f,u 5 , h.,..,1'gkkw WF x ' K. 4-In . .fu PRATT continued her modernization after her recommissloning on 6 October. 1973, by moving into Phase III of the program. During this five month period, PRATT participated in missile firing exercises and INSURV underway trials. Upon completion of her modernization, PRATT returned to her new homeport of Charleston, South Carolina, as a unit of Destroyer Squadron Four. PRATT has distinguished herself as s unit of the United States Fleet by her outstanding performance in her many deployments and exercises. In 1962, PRATT served as flagship for Destroyer Squadron Eighteen, the world's first squadron of guiddl missile ships. PRATT achieved a first when, in 1967, she became the first United St8t95 Ship to fire 100 missiles from one Terrier launcher. During the l960's. PRATT particlpaf-Od in several exercises which were to beoomv B part of our natlon's history. ln 1969. PRATT took part ln the Cuban Missile Crisis, vhi0h led to the removal of Soviet missiles from fm island of Cuba. Later ln 1967. PRATT carried out operations as a unit of the Vietnamese Counter-Offensive. Phan III- ln the mldfsevontles the Navy redesignated it's destroyers All DLG! 'W'