Briscoe (DD 977) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMAND AT SEA Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an entire ship reflects the personality and ability of one individual, her Commanding Officer. To a landsman this is not understandable and sometimes it is even difficult for us to comprehend, but it is so! A ship at sea is a different world in herself and in consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units the Navy must place great power, responsibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea can turn to no other man. There is one who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is the ship! This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligations is ludicrously small; nevertheless command is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders. It is duty which most richly deserves the highest, time-honored title of the seafaring world . . . CAPTAIN. ik GET ( E THE c io= EAiwutte, a»j -m£ toooki ' .t The Soul Of A Ship Now, some say that men make a ship and her fame as she goes on her way down the sea That the crew that first man her will give her a name Good, bad or whatever may be. The recruits coming after them soon fall in line and carry tradition along. If the spirit was good, it will always be fine if bad, it will always be wrong. The soul of the ship is a marvelous thing. Not made of its wood or its steel. But fashioned of memories and songs that men sing, and fed by the fashions that men feel. It ' s built of ambition, of jealousy, strife, Of friendship, of love and of fear. It includes almost all the making of life, It ' s natured on grumble and cheer. The soul of a ship is a molder of men Her spirit lives on through the years. As she started her life, so is she to end; She shares each recruits hopes and fears. And each man who joins feels the breath of her life As he stands up and takes heart again So he takes to himself the old sea as his wife And the ship ' s made a man among men.

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Commander GIFFIN wtis born in Bronxville, NY, on November 16, 1945. He is the son of Mr and Mrs Henry C. GIFFIN. Commander GIFFIN was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1967. He earned a Masters degree in Industrial Personnel Management from the George Washington University in May 1977. Commander GIFFIN has served sea tours aboard USS STICKELL (DD 888) as Communications Officer; USS WARRINGTON (DD 843) as Operations Officer; USS BLANDY (DD 943) as Executive Officer and USS DOMINANT (MSO 431) as Commanding Officer. Commander GIFFIN ' s shore duty assignments have included the Naval Advisory Group, Republic of Vietnam; the Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, RI; The U.S. Naval Academy in the Physical Education Department and Candidate Guidance Office and the Naval Military Personnel Command, Washington, DC as an Assignment Officer. He assumed command of the USS BRISCOE (DD 977) in July 1984. In addition to various service medals, Commander GIFFIN has been awarded the Navy Commendation with two Gold Stars a nd the Vietnam Honor Medal First Class. He is married to the former Steven CRAMLET of New York and has three children; Aaron, Ryan and Paige.

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CDR James A. BOLAND LCDR Richard H. STRINGER OFFICERS