Blue Ridge (LCC 19) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

Commander Christenson began his Naval Career in 1952 when he entered the Navy Reserves. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1953 to 1957, graduating as an Ensign. His first duty was as Communications Officer and First Lieutenant of the Radar Picket Destroyer USS WILLIAM WOOD (DDR-715). Early in 1959, he attended the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut and then reported to the submarine USS SEA OWL (SS-405) where he served as Com- munications Officer and Assistant Engineering Officer in a two and a half year tour. Commander Christenson attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, from March 1962 to June 1964, graduating with a Master ' s Degree in Environmental Sciences. He then served as Communications Officer and Assistant Plans Officer for Submarine Squadron ONE and Submarine Flotilla FIVE. He followed that with a two year assignment as Communications Officer and Intelligence Officer for Sub Squadron FIFTEEN. In October 1966, he went aboard the submarine USS CHAR (AGSS-328) where he was the Operations Officer and Navigator. Then in December 1967, he assumed the duty as Executive Officer of the sub- marine USS BAYA (AGSS-318). Following that tour, Commander Christenson moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where he worked in the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy for one year. From 1970 to 1971, he attended the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. His last tour of duty prior to becoming Executive Officer of USS BLUE RIDGE on 15 September 1973 was as Executive Officer of the Naval Ordinance Engineering Facility at Keyport, Washington. Commander Christenson is married to the former Mary L. Johnson of Mineapolis, and has three sons, Kurt, Jon and Grant. He is the son of Mrs. Virginia Warnhoff Christenson of Minneapolis.

Page 13 text:

BETWEEN CRUISES We spent the better part of a year in San Diego between cruises. During that time, we returned to sea for periods of training. There were always new men reporting aboard, and they required hands-on ex- perience before they could be integrated into the crew. There were also exercises involving other ships and the Marines — Operations Bell Cannon and Bead Ring up at Camp Pendleton. In short, the months were not idle. BLUE RIDGE also visited San Francisco during a two week period. A hard week of exercises on the way was rewarded with a week for visiting one of America ' s most beautiful cities. The highlight of the period between the second and third WestPac cruises came during our first, and to date only missile shoot. Newly installed Sea Sparrow surface to air missiles of BLUE RIDGE ' S Basic Point Defense Missile System roared aloft to defend her from attacking drones from the Pacific Missile Test Range. Three launches, one, a spectacular night firing resulted in two confirmed kills. The third missile followed a malfunctioning target drone into the ocean — a moral victory at least! On 20 September 1974, we said goodbye to an old friend and welcomed a new one as Captain J. D. Butler turned over BLUE RIDGE ' s command to Cap- tain W. D. Hart. And then, WestPac III. kml r.