Acadia (AD 42) - Naval Cruise Book

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1- f gr . I . L X Q I THINK THE MOST REWARDING THING ABOUT BEINGA COMMAND- ING OFFICER IS WATCHING AND OBSERVING THE EFFORTS OF A WIDELY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON GOAL AND MAKING A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION LIKE A SHIP RUN. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CREW OFACADIA HAS BEEN UNSURPASSED. THERE 'S NOTA THING THIS SHIP HAS BEEN ASKED TO DO THAT IT HASN'T DONE WELL. I'VE FOUND THERE TO BE A REMARKABLE LEVEL OF SKILL AND DIVERSITY ON THE SHIP. l'LL MISS ACADIA AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE CREW CAPTAIN FINCH IN A PENSIVE MOOD DURING THE CEREMONY. PERHAPS HE IS REFLECTING ON HIS 23 YEAR CAREER AND HIS TOUR ON ACADIA, WHICH HE REGARDED AS HIS MOST MEMORABLE ASSIGNMENT. COMMODORE BUTCHER PRESENT- ING CAPT FINCH WITH THE LEGION OF MERIT. CHAPLAIN DODD, CAPTAIN HAR- NESS, COMMANDER, TASK FORCE SEVEN THREE, COMMODORE BUTCHER AND CAPTAIN FINCH ON THE DAIS AS THE CHANGE OF COM- MAND CEREMONY BEGINS. COMMO- DORE BUTCHER WHO WAS OUR IM- MEDIATE SUPERIOR IN COMMAND WHILE ON DEPLOYMENT, ACTED AS GUEST SPEAKER. ' ,f s. N 3-ui . ..- I , :Ili , I N. .--Y:- I- ff... ,III

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8 1 :Eg 'S-as THE CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY COMMENCES WITH THE PARADING GUESTS AND CREW MEMBERS HONSSQJSE HOST NATION OF SOUTH KOREA A OF THE COLORS. ALL PHOTOS BY JO3 VINZANT. NATIONAL ANTHEM IS PLAYED' THE CQLQE GU.'xRD:GW1T ,f HILL T 3 REED. MR3 HCJLDT, TMSN RENHEMA, AND GMT1 P Q 2'- Q

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COMMANDER THOMAS R. GILLESPIE WAS BORN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. IOWA, ON JANUARY I2, I946, TO BURKE MONTROSE AND MARJORIE WILBUR GILLESPIE. HE ATTENDED ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AND IS A I969 GRADUATE OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY. COMMANDER GILLESPlE'S FIRST DUTY ASSIGNMENT AFTER RECEIV- ING HIS COMMISSION IN I969 WAS IN PHILADELPHIA, PA, ABOARD USS C.S. SPERRY IDD697I. FOLLOWED BY A TOUR WITH THE USS VREELAND IDD-IO68I. HOMEPORTED IN CHARLESTON, SC, AFTER HIS TOUR WITH USS VREELAND. HE SPENT A TOUR AS SHORE PATROL OFFICER, NAVAL STATION, CHARLESTON. HE THEN ATTENDED DESTROYER SCHOOL IN RHODE ISLAND IN 1975. COMMANDER GILLESPlE'S NEXT TOUR OF DUTY WAS AS WEAPONS OFFICER ONBOARD LISS TRIPPE IFF- 10751, ALSO HOMEPORTED IN CHARLESTON. IN 1977, HE SPENT TWO YEARS AS THE OPERATIONS OFFICER ON DESTROYER SOLIAD- RON 34 STAFF. IN 1981, COMMAND- ER OILLESPIE ORADLIATED FROM THE NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL, MONTEREY, CA, WITH A MASTERS DEGREE IN ENGINEERING SCIENCE. PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER, USS ACA- DIA QAD-421, COMMANDER GILLESPIE WAS ATTACHED TO THE USS LONG BEACH ICGN-91 AS THE WEAPONS OFFICER. COMMANDER GILLESPIE HAS BEEN AWARDED THE NATIONAL DE' FENSE SERVICE MEDAL, MERITORI- OUS UNIT COMMENDATION AND THE .NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL- HE IS MARRIED TO THE FORMER DONNA M. GOHLINGHORST AND HAS TWO CHILDREN, MICHAEL, I0 YEARS OLD, AND SUSAN 4 YEARS OLD. THEY PRESENTLY RESIDE IN SAN DIEGO, CA.