Arthur W Radford (DD 968) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commanding Officer William R. Williams Commander William R. Williams is .1 native ol North Syracuse, New York and graduated from the U.S. Naval Vcaderrt) in 197 1 . I lis sc.i assignments include Gunner) Office] in USS BASILONE (DD-824). First Lieutenani and Missile Fire Com,,,! Office] in USS DALE (CG-19), Engineei Officer in USS TALBOT (FFG-4). Executive Officei aboard USS AUBREY FITCH (FFG-34). and Commanding Office] in USS CONYNGHAM (DDG-17). Mis service ashore includes instructoi .11 the U.S. Naval Academy, Militan Personnel Policy Coordinator in the )II ' k • I the Chiel ol Naval Operations (OP-13), .iihI as the Intelligence Plannei to the Directorate l n Operations J3), he [oinl Staff, while assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency. He is a graduate l the Nadonal Wai College, Wash- ington, DC, and taincd a Master ol General Administra- tion Degree from the Universit) ol Maryland. Comman- dei Williams ' awards include tin Defense Superioi Ser- vice Medal. Meritorious Service Medal (with t w Gold Stars), Navj Commendation Medal (with Gold Star), and various seme e medals. I he son nl Mr. and Mis. Edward Williams oi North S i a use. ( lommander Williams is married to the formei Karen mi Halse) ol Syracuse. I he) reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia w 1 1 li then children Rebecca, Sarah, and Matthew.

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.Q trike Destrove R USS Arthur W. Radford With an overall length of 563 feet, beam of 55 feet and displacing 9000 tons. USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD is a monolith next to her tiny tin can predecessors. This formidable warship features two 5 54 caliber gun mounts. Nato Seasparrow and Harpoon missiles, Phalanx Close-in Weapons System, Mark 46 Torpedoes, and the Vertical Launch System, capable of storing and launching 61 Tomahawk cruise missiles against land or sea targets, combin- ing Anti-Submarine and Strike Warfare on a single surface platform. The engineering plant uses four LM-2500 Gas Turbine Engines on two shafts. Channeled through enormous reduction gears, the 20,000 horsepower of each engine can propel the ship from dead stop to 30+ knots in a very short distance; reversible-pitch propellers allow her to stop in less than one shiplength. Admiral Arthur W. Radford Admiral Arthur W. Radford was bom in Chicago, Illinois on February 27, H H , and served in three wars. He was onboard USS SOUTH CAROLINA, a battleship in the Ail. mm Fleet, and was Aide and First lieutenant to Commander, battleship Division ONE during World War I. He served in the Navy Department ' s Bureau of Aeronautics and Naval Personnel and in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations early in World War II; as Commander, Aircraft Pacific, during the latter part of that war. At the outbreak of the Korean hostilities, he was serving as ( lommander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, later being given the responsibility of the Marianas Bonin area and the Philippines Formosa area. In December 1945, he became Deputy Commander of Naval Operations (Air) and after a year in command of SECOND TASK FLEET, returned to the Navy Department as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. In June 1953 he was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired on 01 August 1957.

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Commanding Officer om December 19, 1991 James E. Pledger Commander James E. Pledger, from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, graduated from the U.S. Naval Acadeim in 1972. His sea assignments include Electrical Officer, Navigator and Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer in USS STRIBLING (DD-867); Weapons Officer in USS DUPONT (DD-941); and as commissioning Executive Officer aboard USS HALYBURTON (FFG-40) which was constructed at Todd Pacific Shipyard in Seattle. Washington and subsequently homeported in Charleston. South Carolina. His service ashore includes a tour as Combat Systems officer on the staff of Commander Destroyer Squadron TWO; Deputv Plans and Programs Manager lor the AEGIS Shipbuilding Project (PMS 400) at the Naval Sea Systems Command; and Head Sea Control Analyst in the General Plans and Programs Division of the Chief of Naval Operations Staff (OP-80). Commander Pledger served for short periods on the staff of the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare (OP-0. ' . He is a graduate 1 Destroyer School in Newport. Rhode Island, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Financial Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he specialized in the shipbuilding industry. Commander Pledger has been selected for promotion to the rank of Captain. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and three N.iw Commendation Medals. Commander Pledger and his wife Donna have three children. Ted, Edward and Donna.