Antrim (FFG 20) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER CDR THOMAS H. CARSON, m UNITED STATES NAVY Nonh lA iti- M). Moser ■lf Hi. to at ffdas Mroni in the College m ' Office was m isthe aieni, ,Navy taion efense finam son of Mren, Commander Thomas H. Carson, a native of Greenville, South Carolina, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in 1971. Duty as Damage Control Assistant in USS RICHARD E. KRAUS (DD-849) was followed by assignment as Com- munications Officer is USS WILLIAM H. SANDLEY (CG- 32). From 1975-1978 CDR Carson served in New Zealand in the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP). His duties included NBCD Officer for a Major Afloat Staff. Following the Department Head course at SWOS, CDR Carson served as Operations Officer in USS W. S. SIMS (FF-1059) and Material Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron TWELVE. Prior to reporting to ANTRIM, CDR Carson completed a Master of Science in Computers at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. Commander Carson holds the National Defense Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. Commander Carson is married to the former Susan Shircliff of McLean, VA. They have two children, Cynthia and Susan.

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COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT RONALD B. MOSER UNITED STATES NAVY CAPT Ronald B. Moser, USN, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and was commissioned in 1964. Duty as Communications Officer on USS ORLEANS PARISH (MCS-6) was followed bv assignment as Anti- Submarine Warfare Officer on USS MORTON (DD-948). After attending Naval Destroyer School, CAPT Moser served as Operations Officer on USS BRUMBY(FF-1044). This tour was followed by assignment as a student at Duke University where he received a Master Degree in Business Administration. CAPT Moser then ser -ed as Commanding Officer of USS ALACRITY (AG-520) from 1972-1974 followed by assignment as a student in the Command and Staff course at the U.S. Naval War College where he graduated with Highest Distinction in 1975. He then served as Comptroller in the AEGIS Project Office (PMS 400) in Washington D.C., followed bv a tour as Executive Officer of USS BARBEY (FF-1088) from 1978- 1979. Prior to reporting to ANTRIM, CAPT Moser served in the Office of the Comptroller of the Navy as the Financial Management Officer for the Other Procurement, Navy appropriation. CAPT Moser holds the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious LInit Citation, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal. CAPT Moser is married to the former Diane Patterson of Durham, North Carolina. They have three children, Katherine, Kristin, and Michael. ; iL,t

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SHIP ' S fflSTORY The ship was the first unit of Destroyer Squadron Eight to be built in the Todd Seattle shipyards. After commis- sioning and loadout in October 1981, she moved south to the Panama Canal and east to her new homeport of Mayport, Florida. Enroute visits to San Diego, Mazatlan and Manzanillo, Me.xico and Rodman, Panama provided rare sightseeing opportunities for an east coast unit. Shortly after arrival in Florida, ANTRIM rescued three Mayport fishermen whose boat had capsized and left them stranded in high seas for two days hanging on to floating debris. The winter of 1981-82 was spent in the Caribbean conducting shakedown training with FTG, Guantanamo Bay and undergoing other new combat systems ' trials. Virtually every evolution from missile firings to underway replenishment to helo operations were tested in detail. The crew enjoyed port visits to Nassau, Fredricksted, St. Croix and Ocho Rios, Jamaica before returning to Mayport. The summer of 1982 was spent in Bath, Maine for a post shakedown availability (PSA). Throughout the first year, a warm relationship developed between the ANTRIM crew and the small town of Antrim, New Hampshire. Members of the town council attended the ship ' s commis- sioning ceremony in Seattle. From Bath, the ship ' s crew made many forays down to Antrim, and toward the end of PSA, a three-day festival called USS ANTRIM Days saw some 120 crewmen participate in a summer sports fete. Highlights included a parade, a traditional fireman ' s muster and town dance. The friendships have continued throughout the following years and no mailcall is complete without receiving letters from the town. From I ' SA, the ship returned to Mayport by way of Boston, Norfolk and Charleston. The winter of 1982- 83 was spent undergoing Refresher Training in Guan- tanamo Bay and participating in the predeployment READEX 1-83. In April 1983, ANTRIM departed Mayport on her maiden deployment, commencing seven months of service in the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas. One of the highlights of the cruise was a diplomatic visit to the Romanian seaport of Constanta on the Black Sea, an opportunity afforded only two Navy ships each year. In addition, the ship was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for operations off the coast of Lebanon in support of the Multinational Peacekeeping Forces there. Some of the other ports visited were Valencia and Rota, Spain; Catania and Augusta, Sicily; Gaeta, Italy; Antalya, Turkey; and the French Republic of Djibouti; Karachi, Pakistan; and the island country of Bahrain. In February, 1984, ANTRIM deployed to the Eastern Pacific for Special Operations. Despite the tedious tempo of operations, ANTRIM ' S crew was able to enjoy such port visits as Puerto Cortez, Honduras and Rodman, Panama. On 11 March. ANTRIM ' S first Shellback initiation was conducted as the ship crossed the Equator. In April, 1984, ANTRIM was named SWOSCHOLCOM School Ship in Newport, Rhode Island. In May, she was detached from her duties and commenced transit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for her second ANTRIM Days Festival to be enjoyed with the people from the town which adopted her, Antrim, New Hampshire. The first week of May, 1984, found ANTRIM involved with a Training Readiness Evaluation (TRE) and then in June, was underway enroute the AUTEC range during which the ship participated as as platform for ASW School Ship. Shortly thereafter, after a brief stay in her homeport. ANTRIM again found herself underway enroute Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for Interim Refresher Training (IRFT) which involved various exercises evaluating the crew and ship in Combat Systems and Damage Control readiness. On 26 September, 1984, ANTRIM celebrated her ,3rd Birthday. The remainder of the month and on through October, ANTRIM was involved with post SRA sea trials and weapons onloading in Charleston, South Carolina. On 1 November, ANTRIM set sail for COMPUTUEX 1-85