Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 60 text:

' ' 'Qian .l -:ff ' , ,muy I Wvwsmgawmuum Norfolk C0 Meets Friend in Chile Visit A USS NORFOLK - As his de- stroyer leader berthed at the Na- val Base at Talcahuano, Chile, the skipper, Capt. Parker B, Arm- strong, caught a glimpse of an old friend moored nearby. She was the Chilean cruiser O'Higgins, the former U.S. cruiser Brooklyn, and Armstrong's first assignment after graduating from the Naval Acad- emy in 1941. During a visit to the O'Higglns, the U.S. officer told Capt. Augusto Geiger Sthar, commander of the ship, of his four years service in the ship's gunnery and operations departments in the Mediterranean during World War IL , It V 1 E Vice Admiral Parker B. ARMSTRONG, USN Kretl , 28 June 1937 until 1 July 1978, 41 Years Naval Service. Decorations, Distinguished Service Medal ' Legion of Merit with 3 Gold Stars Secretary Defense Commendation Medal Navy Unit Citation. World War ll, Korean and Vietnam Campaign Ribbons. Vice Admiral Parker B. ARMSTRONG was born 13 November 1918 in Hartford, Conn. He married Jean Carol Bulick of Forrest Hills, Long Island, on 23 April 1943. To this marriage was born, Carol on 18 September 1945. She is now married and has two children. To the ARM- STRONGS a son, Daniel, was born 10 July 1949, and a daughter Alice on 25 June 1952. The ARMSTRONGS now live in Annapolis, Maryland. Admiral ARMSTRONG entered the Naval Academy in July 1938 and was graduated with a B.S. degree with the class of 1942 in December 1941 because of the immedence of the war. He attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Annapolis, Maryland, from January 1946 until June 1948.. The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C., from August 1958 until July 1959. The Admiral enlisted as a Seaman Apprentice USNR, 28 June. 1937 and was Honorably discharged to accept the appointment as a Midshipman, U.S. Naval Academy, .1 July 1938. He was graduated and Commissioned an Ensign 19 December 1941, and advanced through the grades to the rank of Rear Admiral, 1 August 1968 and on to V106 Admiral, 1 May 1975. His first assi nment was January 1942 to the USS BROOKLYN. Serving in the Gunnery Department and the Operations Department with Operations during World Wai II in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He was advance from Ensign to Lieut. Cdr. From BROOKLYN to the cruiser Macon and further on to serve 15 years in all 9135595 of Destmyers and Destroyer Escorts. July 1964 until July 1965. was Commanding Officer, USS Norfolk CDL lt Makmg the annual UNITAS V cruise around S015

Page 59 text:

BROOKLYN AVIATORS 1943 Somewhere in the Mediterranean standin left to ri ht S E 5 D.F. WEAVER, G.G. HERRING, D.A. LIANE Kneeling: M. PICCARD, N. JOLLIFFE, C. AIKENS, H. ECKHARDT. BROOKLYN AVIATORS with CREWS. 1943. Somewhere in the Mediterranean Standing left to right: M. PICCARD, N. JOLLIFFE, H. ECKHARDT, D.F. WEAVER, D.A. LIANE, C. AIKENS. Kneeling: 3rd from left - Joe GISH ARM3 2nd from right - Joe SWAN, ARM1, 2nd from left: M. PICKARD. tunable to identify the othersj BROOKLYN AVIATORS 1944 Flying Army Air Corps P-51 Mustangs on Temporary Additional Duty in Italy and also 'X Southern France. Lower left: R. SIKES Lower Center: H. ECKHARDT Center Lower right and upper right: Elmo MOSS ,n 5 i I if

Page 61 text:

i America working with each Navy in succession. In Chile the USS Norfolk tied up alongside the cruiser O'HIGGINS tex-USS BROOKLYNJ. The Admiral had the privilege of touring the O'HIGGINS with the Chilean Captain and then eperating with her at sea a few days later. fHis own words That was quite a thrilll J He served as Destroyer Squadl-Oli 36 and from there to Match Maker II Squadron, a four National Squadron which participated in many operations to emphasize newly formulated and existing NATO tactics, March 1969 after being made a Rear Admiral he was Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 10 and then Commander Service Force Pacific. In SERVPAC there were 61 support ships Civil Engineer Force Pacific, All Navy Supply Centers and all Ammunition Depots under PACFLT. Also as Deputy Chief of Staff CINCPACFLT flogisticsl supervised the upkeep, maintenance, repair schedules and problems of all Pacific Fleet Ships. Shore assignments were all in the Navy Department Headquarters, Washington, D.C.: A tour in Naval Personnel, Functional Section, Training Division, A tour as LT jg!Ensign Detail Officer, and OPNAV as Executive Assistant and Administrative Aide to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, fDevelopmentJ. In July 1966 his next time ashore to the Office of Secretary of Defense as Deputy Assistant Director Sea Warfare Systems, Office of Defense Research and Engineering. Then to Director of the Underseas Warfare and Strategic Development Division Office of Deputy Chief of Naval Operations fDevelopmentJ. Further as Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Systems Project Officer, where he managed all ASW Systems across Navy Material. He was Deputy Director, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation and was deeply involved with Aquisition matters. The Admiral worked across all Warfare areas in the Operating' Navy and all System Commands in Navy Material. He was also deeply involved with NATO, OSC and Congress. Admiral ARMSTRONG retired 1 July 1978 after 36 V2 years otQACommissioned service and 41 years of total service US N VY. Since retirement he is making his home in Annapolis, Md., and has set himself up in the Defense Consultant Business and is president of Parker, Inc. CAPTAINS MASS The Captain, having had several Commands during a lengthy Navy Career, had had to hold his share of, Captains Mass . He had just about heard all the excuses possible from the many Sailors to appear before him on one charge or another. On one such occasion he told. this Young Sailor to tell him a new story, one that he had never heard before. The Sailor was a chronic Overleave Case? His story was different and did impress the Captain. The Sailor had gone ashore with his Buddies . They would take care of him, but just to a point. And they made It back to the ship on time, always. They observed the Sailor having a few beers, and they knew he already had a Hotel room close by, and they knew he had stopped.at the store and purchased an alarm clock, wound and set it. to awaken himself to get back before the expiration of Liberty. HIS Buddies knew he would keep going for quite sometime Yet, and they knew he would need his sleep after such a Good Liberty , so they went up to his room and turned off the alarm clock to enable the Sailor to get the much needed rest Result, AOL again. The Captain had to agree, it was one he had never heard, and let the Sailor off with a warning, but he was to P1'9m1Se to make an occasional trip up to his room while on Llberty to See that His Buddies , didn't do this to him again- iEd1torJ A .ae E. ffm - it Qi? f ' se-Ms-v ,X 1 ,- JY' A . sc I a.e.li,s'fiT. .fe 1 ff Q xmr ' f - , , ' : . 5. , ,V if . ' - WW ' , f . J .rre . ji . .... i 'V ' 1 -u 'ki' ' . fWMrfgi2, :2r. a, .,.-f X 1. S'4'ff7E'.fL-f1:r':,wwf' - frfzawr A ...rf faiwr .f . -N . ' sf'-- ...,. , ,.,- 4 - . ' Relaxing somewhere in the Mediterranean are Lt. Ray Washburn, Lt. Armstrong, Lt. Connett ,V is xl 3,70 I 1 ! X L' X ,FE x' , Vice Admiral and Mrs. ARMSTRONG at home enjoying retirement September 1979. ii t 2. 6 '.f.1 1 swf , ii