Chikaskia (AO 54) - Naval Cruise Book

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I think of all the Engineering problems we had with boiler tubes carrying away and the generator coupling stripping: and I think of the boilermen like Chief COOPER and IVlcLEOD-dirty, bleary-eyed, yet smiling calmly just hours before getting underwayg VVe'll be ready. And I think of Chief FISH, ever-confident that there is nothing which cannot be fixed. The thought of LT ADCOCK always cheerfully prefacing his visits to the bridge with: No problem: just need a little more organi- zation, also comes to mind. The efforts of Chief GREEN ancl'his men keeping those winches going on blood and sweat, and the dedication of ENS MASON and Chief STAHL to getting fuel on and off properly are well-remembered, ' The wardroom and his department were held tightly together with the wit, pleasant demeanor, and professional competence of LT BOUGHTON. BIG CHIK could do anything in his book, and no other ship could possibly rise to occasions which faced CHIKASKIA. Our radios and radiomen were the best due to him and his right hand, Chief EVERHART. Radioman KAPPLER could fix a teletypewriter to work in the laundry if necessary. Signalman IVIACGREGOR, as our only rated SIVI during our initial'SILENT UNREPS, had a right to feel proud that our signal watch was more 'alert than any cruiser's because he spent all of his breathing hours on the job. And yeoman VVASHAIVI with his invaluable assistant, yeoman WATTS, kept us out of paperwork trouble and did an unbelievable amount of work, always with a cooperative smile. ' Although we ne .er ate on time during operations, Chief STETSON always provided the best. The-rem.-Q never a concern for good food regardless of when the meal was, if Commissarymant IBETZ was on watch-and thatwas most of the time. LTJG IVIANGIN could- always juggle the books to squeeze a few more dollars out for any 'need we hadz' ' ' And I think of the Executive officer, LCDR HENRY, administering, dovetailing. integrating, consolidating, and scheming in every way to meet the needs of the men and the ship within'thle constraints of our unpredictable operational requirements. I think of all of the others who were crew members: who realized that a ship doesn't run, you run it A: who lacked sleep, but not sweat: who made a twenty-five year old lady the p or SIXTH FLEET Service Eotce. Each deserves a nod. 'I 'S CHIKASKlA'S CRUISE BOOK DEDICATED? TL 'IO DEDICATED THEIIASELVES TO CHIKASKIA T. ..l, HUGHES ' 'ISN D diczzfiou It 5

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o . '- ' Al' ' l -hs ' .. 4' 1 llleiieel States Ship Hlzikezekiez 4,40-54 L- ' H M ediferremeem Depleymezef 4 September 1968 30 january 7969

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, . r Offiwr i i CAPTAIN THOMAS J. 'HUGHEs, USN . COMMANDING oFF1cER Captain Thomas J. Hughes was born in Brooklyn, New York, on 14 October 1926. He attended- St. Teresa's Grammar School and Boy's High School before enlisting in the Navy V-5 Program in December 1943. After attending Williams College and Franklin and Marshall College, Captain Hughes transferred to the active NROTC at Harvard University where he received a B.S. Degree and vvas commissioned on June 6, 1946. Captain Hugheslserved as a Junior Officer on Amphibious and Service Force ships, attended General Line School and became Engineer Officer of USS MASSEY CDD-7781, which operated for ten months off the coast of Korea in 1950-51. From 1952 to 1955, he served as a nuclear supervisor insfarmed Forces.:Special Weapons Project fnovv Defense Atomic Support Agencyj. After a tour as Engineer Officeriin USS WILKINSON CDL-52, he became Executive Officer of USS BRADFORD CDD-5453. Captain Hughes attended, the Armed Forces Staff College and the Operations Analysis curriculum at the U. S. Navy Postgraduate Schooh where he received a Master of Science Degree. He also served as Assistant Officer in Charge of the Naval Guided Missile School at Dam Neck, Virginia. ln 1962, Captain Hughes was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This duty was followed by command of USS JOHN KING CDDG-37 and a tour in the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group in the office of the Secretary of Defense which required him to spend much time inSo.utheast Asia. Captain Hughes also commanded the USS THUBAN QAKA-191. He assumed command oft, ai , 1,1-IKASKIACAO-541 in November 1967. it I i Fr , 'si . Captain Hughes and Mrs. Hazel fKoblit2J Htigiiat 'rot 0' 'have eight children ranging from thirteen to tvventyyears of age. The family ff ide T . W- ' lil, H3:'i'q l r.i1 'Il,rl if' 4 c Homrmzmlilrg