Briscoe (DD 977) - Naval Cruise Book

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. i7 Ij1'T.f':ft'?t'fZ ?- 11311, . fv'lf'U' I ', iffy ffl' . fi' S f . xp . all f . I . 3 gf Y., Y Q-I fp, Q. 7,1 1 fp lf 'I xx Y. II 7. Q' If I W az, v. A I: f .- Y E. 1 . ,gi Q Q A 1 if ,F '.,:, , i F. il I f,,' V. . I f V .i ' IFJ ' if ld' is utvl f . ,L L .. . ,LA YQ-if 'augur- E+ 'D q fi t 1-3. IU ,riff V ff- 42 if -5' Coat of Arms As unique and colorful as its namesake, the ship's coat of arms is a proud reflection of the distinguished naval career of Admiral Robert P. Briscoe. Standing boldly at the base of the shield is the Lion of St. Mark which refers to the Admiral's leadership as the Commander in Chief of Allied Southern Forces Europe. The fess and wavy bar directly above the Lion of St. Mark suggest flowing Water, passing Warships, and small land areas reminiscent of the Northern Solomon Islands Where Admiral Briscoe commanded the USS DENVER in WWII. It was here, during a thirty six-hour bat- tle With enemy naval forces, that the Admiral's skill and courage as a ship's Captain were most significant. He assisted in the sinking of five enemy Warships, damaging four others and routing the enemy's surface forces. DENVER'S guns had barely fired their last salvo when sixty seven dive bombers attacked her. Under the Admi- ral's command, the ship reacted efficiently, downing seventeen enemy planes and thvvarting the raid. Atop the shield is a crest symbolic of further achievement in a long and successful career. The trident, sym- bol of Triton, ruler of the seas, refers to the U.S. Naval Academy, Where the Admiral served as midshipman, instructor, and department head. The flash represents Prometheus' gift of science to mankind and alludes to Admiral Briscoe's pioneering and development of modern electronics in the navy. The cross refers to the Navy Cross Admiral Briscoe received for his actions in the North Solomon Campaign. The crest is completed by the Taeguk, which denotes the Admiral's Far East Naval Command. The entire coat of arms is aptly summed up by the ship's motto, EFFICIENCY AND VALOR, given to the ship by former Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Robert Carney as a tribute to his close friend. It is this proud tra- dition which serves as a standard for the USS BRISCOE, and its destroyer sailors today.

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fi! M A f'?i4 ENT MA P I 3 Agfa 2005 'IFN'

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ADMIRAL ROBERT T PEARCE BRISCOE .7 - Q fn? ' LL f re W-Mafia, ,, fu, ' 0 ., f A native of Centerville, Mississippi, Admiral Briscoe graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1918. Dur- ing World War I, he served on the battleship ALABAMA of the Atlantic Fleet and on the destroyer ROE, oper- ating from Brest, France. At the end of hostilities, he made the first postwar Midshipmen cruise on the USS KEARSARGE and in 19 19, returned to destroyer duty as Engineer Officer of the USS HUMPHREYS stationed in Near East waters at Constantinople. During the Turko-Greek fighting in 1920-1921, he commanded a Naval landing force at Derindge, Turkey. After further destroyer duty onboard the USS FLUSSER and USS HENDERSON, and recruiting duty at Lit- tle Rock, Arkansas, Admiral Briscoe served as Senior Assistant Engineer of the battleship WEST VIRGINIA C1926-19291. He then returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor of Mechanical Engineering. In 1931- 1933, he was on China Station, assigned first as Executive Officer of the USS EDSALL, which was tasked with Yangtze Patrol during the Japanese occupation of Woosung and Manchuria. His second assignment was Communications Officer of the USS HOUSTON, flagship of the Commander in Chief Asiatic Fleet. He again returned to the Naval Academy in June 1934, and served three years as head of the department of chemistry. Sea duty as Navigator of the battleship MISSISSIPPI preceded a tour during the prewar period as Assistant Director of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Navy Department Liaison Officer with the National Defense Research Committee. Admiral Briscoe was identified as one of the pioneers of modern electronics development in the Navy. In May 1942, he assumed command of the USS PROMETHEUS, a recommissioned World War I repair ship. Under his command, she joined the THIRD Fleet at Noumea, Caledonia, where he detached to command Destroyer Squadron five and operated as escort commander for Task Forces 67, 68, and 70. In the intervening periods when the battleships and cruisers were not at sea, Admiral Briscoe oper- ated Commander Task Group 675 lCactus Striking Forcel in Guadalcanal waters. He was transferred to com- mand the USS DENVER in July 1943, and returned that cruiser to the United States after she suffered severe battle damage off Rabaul in November 1943. In February 1944 Admiral Briscoe .joined the Staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, as Head of New Developments. With the promotion to flag rank in April 1945, Admiral Briscoe assumed command Of Amphibious Group 14. V-J Day found him in Manila working on plans for the invasion of the Japanese home- land. In September 1945, he took command of the Operational Development Force Atlantic Fleet, with head- quarters at Norfolk, Virginia. After two years of command and a following tour of duty as Assistant Chief of Ngggl Operations lReadinessJ, he became Commander Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, on November 1, Ordered in January 1952 to command the SEVENTH Fleet in Korean waters, Admiral Briscoe retained this command until June of that same year when he was designated Commander Naval Fgrces Far East. 'Iwo Years later, he 1'eP01'tCd HS Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, for Fleet Operations and Readiness. On July 2, 1956, beca-me Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe. For exceptional meritorious service fin that CHP-HC1'Cyl fr0rr1 July 2, 1956 to December 31 1958 he was awarded th D' t' ' h d Service Medal- O J 1 1959h Q , e 1S1I1gLl1S e . H anuafy , e was transferred to the Retired List of the U.S. Navy. He died on October 14, 1958 ln Libefty, Mississippi. 4-A