Cimarron (AO 22 AO 177) - Naval Cruise Book

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Later, she supported the force which defeated the Jap- anese in the battle of Midway, the Solomon Islands operation, the Guadalcanal campaign, the occupation of New Georgia, the Wake Island raid, the Gilbert Is- lands campaign, the attacks on Truk, the Marianas op- eration and the Palau operation. After the war, she supported the occupation of Japan. CIMARRON served three tours of duty during the Korean War, participated in the 1959 Quemoy-Matsu Island crisis and made three Western Pacific deploy- ments during the Vietnam War. She received ten battle stars for World War II service and four for the Korean War. Referred to as the most dependable oiler in the Pacific Fleet, CIMARRON provided outstanding ser- vice throughout her distinguished career. She was de- commissioned on 30 September 1968 and transferred to Portugal the next day. The third CIMARRON, (AO 177), is the first of a new class of fleet oilers. She was launched 29 April, 1979 at Avondale Shipyards Incorporated, Avondale, Louisiana. CIMARRON then homeported in Oakland, California where commissioning took place 10 January, 1981, at Naval Supply Center, Oakland. In 1981, CIMARRON had a busy schedule including Light-Off Examination, Systems Qualification Trials, Fin Availability, Shake- down Training, Fleet Operations and Exercises, Final Contract Trials and Post Shakedown Availability. CIMARRON shifted homeports March 1, 1982 to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she successfully complet- ed commitments prior to deployment. The highlight of the year was her participation in RIMPAC ' 82 with the USS RANGER (CV 63) task group. CIMARRON departed Pearl Harbor on November 11, 1982 for her maiden Western Pacific deployment. She visited such ports as: Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; Sasebo, Japan; Hong Kong; Pattaya Beach, Thailand; Guam; Pusan, Korea and Singapore. During her deployment, she welcomed aboard her new Com- manding Officer, Jerome A. Peschka Jr., of Roswell, New Mexico, who relieved Captain Robert S. Black in a change of command ceremony held January 7, 1983, at Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. During the months of July, November and December 1983, CIMARRON successfully participated in MID- PAC Mobile Team Training (MTT). From August to September 1983 she completed a two-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). In 1984 CIMARRON be- gan gearing up for a second Western Pacific deploy- ment by passing her Operation Propulsion Plant Recer- tification Examination (OPPRE) in February 1984, and Command Inspection and Refresher Training (REF- TRA), both in March 1984. Prior to deployment, CIM- ARRON treated her dependants and friends to a de- lightful weekend cruise to Maui. On May 14, 1984 CIMARRON departed on her sec- ond Western Pacific deployment, which included 101 consecutive days underway in the Indian Ocean. Port visits during her six-month cruise included: Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; Singapore; Perth, Western Australia; Melbourne, Victoria; Hobart, Tasmania and the South Pacific Islands of Tonga and American Samoa. She returned home to Pearl Harbor on November 12, 1984, after successfully meeting each and every one of her commitments. X

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BFJ L U vM t ' xiMAnnoN IS USS CIMARRON (AO 177) is the third United States Navy ship to bear the name Cimarron. The first CIM- ARRON was a sidewheel, double-ended gun boat built by C. S. Merchon of Bordentown, New Jersey. Launched 16 March 1862, she provided active support of Civil War Army operations and gave excellent ser- vice as a member of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. CIMARRON returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 8 August, 1865. The second CIMARRON, (AO 22), was launched 7 January 1939 by Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Com- pany, Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned 20 March 1939. Prior to World War II, CIMARRON oper- ated on both coasts and also supported convoys to Iceland. When the war began she was in the vicinity of Capetown, South Africa and operated from Brazilian ports to Iceland until March 1942, when she was trans- ferred to the west coast. CIMARRON ' S first duty on the west coast was with the task force which made the first air raid on Tokyo.

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C® Al4Dlk,G COMMANDER JEROME A. PESCHKA, JR. Jerome Aloysius Peschka, Jr., was born August 13, 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico, to Jerome A. Peschka and Lucille M. Peschka. Upon graduation from New Mexico Military Institute, he enlisted in the Naval Re- serve and continued his studies at Oregon State Uni- versity. Upon graduation and commissioning in June 1965, he was ordered to USS MCCAFFERY (DD 860) where he served as Electronics Material Officer and Navigator. Subsequently, Commander Peschka reported to Coast- al Squadron One in Danang RVN where he served first as Officer-in-Charge of a Swift Boat and later as Offi- cer-in-Charge of Chu-Lai Detachment. In 1969 Com- mander Peschka attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he received a Master of Science in Management. Following atten- dance at the Naval School of Transportation Manage- ment, he assumed duties as Commanding Officer, Mili- tary Sealift Command Office, Pusan, Korea. In January 1976, he reported to USS PAUL REVERE (LPA 248) where he served as Engineer Officer until January 1978. Subsequently he served as Executive Officer, USS SF1ASTA (AE 33). Most recently Commander Peschka completed a tour on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, Ships Maintenance and Modernization Di- vision (OP 43). Commander Peschka ' s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy Commenda- tion Medal (with Combat V ) with a Gold Star in lieu of second award. He is married to the former Mary Porter Frese of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and they have two children, Mary Porter and Patrick Finney.