Charles P Cecil (DDR 835) - Naval Cruise Book

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V... , X . wx sl g ' llrl I .l C, lil FX lit- lftflir 5705 4151012 r The U.S.S. CHARLES P. CECIL IDDR-8351 was launched at Bath, Maine, Sunday, 22 April 1945. The sponsor was Mrs. Charles P. Cecil, widow of the late Rear Admiral Charles P. Cecil, USN, for whom the ship is named. Upon her commissioning, 29 June 1945, the CHARLES P. CECIL completed her shakedown at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and proceeded through the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean. While the CHARLES P. CECIL arrived too late to participate in the war with Japan, she was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies, and was engaged in the occupation. Homeward bound during the summer of 1946, she performed duties as a plane guard and search and rescue vessel during the atomic bomb test at Bikini. Arriving back in the States during August 1946, the CHARLES P. CECIL was en- gaged in routine maintenance and exercise at sea until August 1947 when she departed in company with Destroyer Division ONE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO for China. During the CHARLES P. CECIL's tour of duty in Chinese and Japanese waters, she visited Txingtao, Ting Hia, Chingwantao, Chefoo, Shanghai, Hongkong, Formosa, Okinawa and Yokosuka. After returning from China in the spring of 1948, the CHARLES P. CECIL spent a year operating off the west coast until April of 1949, when she was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet as a part of Destroyer Squadron EIGHTEEN. In September, 1949, the CECIL visited the Mediterranean as part of the Sixth Task Fleet. Ports visited were Gibraltar, Solonika, Athens, Istanbul, Venice, Trieste, Tripoli, Messina, Toulon and Oran. The ship returned to her home port of Newport, Rhode Island on January 26, 1950. The CECIL participated in operations PORTEX and CARI- BEX in the Caribbean during March 1950. During the month of May, the CECIL embarked Naval Reservists on a two week training cruise, visiting New York City over Armed Forces Day Weekend. Two groups of Midshipmen were embarked in the CECIL during the summer of 1950. I In September of 1950, the CECIL again visited the Med- iterranean as a part of the Sixlh Fleet. Ports visited were Aranci Bay, Argostoli, Leros Island, Suda Bay, Augusta Messina, Cannes, Athens, Iskenderon, La Spezia and Gibraltar. The ship returned to her new home port of Norfolk, Virginia in December 1950 for her regular Navy Yard overhaul. She was transferred to Destoyer Squadron TWO in January 1951. Upon completion oflloverhaul the CECIL underwent re- fresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, returning to Norfolk in July. She operated from that port prior to sailing for a Mediterranean cruise on 3 September 1951, as a temporary addition to Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-TWO. While in the Mediterranean the CECIL visited Gibraltar, Oran, Messina, Palermo, Trieste, Rhodes, Salonika, Athens, Golfe Juan, Leros Island, Barcelona, Naples, Augusta and Suda Bay. Upon her return to Norfolk, Virginia, on 4 February 1952, she resumed operations with Destroyer Division 21 of Squadron TWO. ,On 14 May the CECIL was made a temporary addition to Destroyer Division 22. As a member of Destroyer Division 22, the CECIL departed Norfolk on 26 August 1952, and in company with a fast carriers task force crossed the' Atlantic, arriving in Greenock, Scotland on I0 September 1952. The CECIL then participated in the NATO Operation Mainbrace during which she crossed the Arctic Circle. At the end of Mainbrace, the CECIL visited Cardiff, Wales prior to sailing for Lisbon, Portugal, and the beginning of her regular Sixth Fleet Mediterranean cruise. The CECIL' visited the following ports: Palermo and Augusta, Sicily, Golfe Juan, France, Istanbul, Turkey, Phaleron Bay, Greece, Naples, Italy, Messina, Sicily, Cannes and Marseilles, France, Vql- encia, Spain and Gibraltar, BC-C. From 3 to 14 November the CECIL took part in Operation Longstep, a NATO amphib. ious operation. The CECIL returned to Norfolk on 4 February 1953,