Cochrane (DDG 21) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 12 text:

' Y :uf Ei ' Ti '

Page 11 text:

CAPT RDW N G. F RANCH ITED STATES NAVY Ardwin G. FRANCH was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania on August 24, 1925. He entered the Navy V-12 Program at Pennsylvania State College in 1943, and was commissioned Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve, April 6, 1945. He subsequently advanced in rank to that of Captain to date from june 1, 1966, having trans- ferred from the Naval Reserve to the Regular Navy in early 1946. After receiving his commission in 1945, he reported on board for the commissioning of USS BROWN- SON QDD-8681 as Torpedo Officer. Detached from BORWNSON, he joined the USS AGERHOLM QDD-8261 for commissioning and served as Torpedo, First Lieutenant and Damage Control Officer. He attended General Line School, Newport, R.I., and in June 1948 reported to USS CARMICK QDMS- 331 as Gunnery and Minesweep Officer. Following this, he served as Fire Control, and Assistant Gunnery and Air Defense Officer in USS JUNEAU from 1950 to July 1952. On board JUNEAU he participated in four campaigns in two tours of Korean action. Detached from JUN EAU, he reported as an Instructor in Strategy and Tactics at the CIC Team Train- ing Center in Boston, Massachusetts. He remained there until September 1954, then in October returned to the Pacific and became the Gunnery and Operations Officer of the USS MCKEAN QDDR-7841. While in MCKEAN he participated in two WESTPAC cruises. During the period October 1956 to March 1958 he was assigned to the G-3 Section of Headquarters of Army Forces Far East and 8th Army QRearj in Camp Zama, Japan as Liaison Officer for Gunfire and other Naval matters. In April 1958 through August 1959 he served as Executive Officer USS CHEVALIER QDDR-8051, which included a tour of duty in the Far East. He participated in the QuemoylMATSU Island operation earning the right to wear the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In September 1959 he assumed command of USS TIOGA COUNTY QLST-11581, and the next month returned to the Western Pacific. Detached from TIOGA COUNTY in July 1961, he attended the General Warfare Course at the Naval War College, Newport, R.I. Upon completion in june 1962, he reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations for duty as Assistant Coordinator for ,ICS matters and special staffs and activities. He assumed command of USS HANSON QDD-8321 in October 1961. While in command of that destroyer, she was engaged in Rescue Destroyer and Bombardment operations off South Vietnam. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and cited as follows: F or meritorious achievement While serving as Commanding Officer, USS HANSON QDD-8321 from 12 May to 29 October 1965. Commander FRANCH displayed outstanding leadership and attention to duty in achieving consistently high performance and a continual state of readiness of HANSON . . . While serving as a Task Unit Commander in direct support of operations against the enemy in Vietnam, he was instrumental in obtaining most effective utilization of the destroyers of his task unit through a proposal that they be used as Naval gunfire support ships in addition to their primary duties .... Detached from HANSON in March 1966 he assumed command of Destroyer Division 92, and in April changed homeport to Yokosuka, Japan. In June he was promoted to Captain. He commanded various Task Units in extensive shore bombardment operations in North Vietnam and gunfire support against the enemy in South Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star for these operations and cited as follows: .... Captain FRANCH operating in the hostile waters off the coast of North Vietnam, was responsi- ble for the planning, tactical employment and effectiveness of the units in disrupting the flow of war materials south . . . His courage under fire, skilled maneuvering of his units and delivery of extremely effective counterbattery fire saved his units from destruction or serious damage on several occasions. . . Throughout his assignment to these demanding tasks he exemplified himself to be an outstanding combat commander. . . In addition, he was awarded a second Navy Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation and Navy Unit Commendation. In October 1967 he was assigned as Chief Staff Officer to Commander ASW Group ONE, embarked in USS YORKTOWN QCVS-101 and in December returned once more to the Western Pacific. During this period he participated in operations in the Sea of japan resulting from the seizure of USS PUEBLO. From these operations he was authorized a second Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In September 1968, he was detached from ASW Group ONE and reported as Head of the Contengency and General War Plans Section on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet where he remained until June 1970. In July 1970 he assumed command of Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-FIVE in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In addition to the previously mentioned decorations, Captain FRANCH has the Vietnamese Navy Distinguished Service Order Second Class, American Defense Service medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Medal, Asia Clasp, China Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, United Nations Medal, Korean Service Medal with 4 bronze stars, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Viet- nam Service Medal with silver star ffive campaignsj, and Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device. He is married to the former June Underwood of Phoenix, Arizona, and they have one daughter J. Dani'l F RANCH.

Page 13 text:

COMMANDER Commander Stephen J Hostettler IS a natlve of Evansvxlle Ind1ana He was graduated from the U S Naval Academy Class of 1953 Upon comm1ss1on1ng CDR Hostettler served two success1ve tours 1n Pac1f1c Fleet destroyers The flrst was 1n USS Eversole DD 7891 as Flrst Lreutenant The second was 1n USS ames E Kyes fDD 787D where he was asslgned Gunnery Off1CCf In 1956 CDR Hostettler was asslgned to USS St Clalr County LST 10961 as Executrve Off1cer whlch was followed by a tour as Asslstant Operatlons Off1CCI Staff of Amph1b1ous Operatlonal Tralnlng Un1t PaC1f1C Injanuary 1961 after two and one half years of graduate stud1es at the U S Naval Postgraduate School Monterey Cahfornla CDR Hostettler was awarded the degree of Master of Scrence 1n Electrlcal Engmeermg He then served 1n the comm1ss1on1ng crew of USS Lawrence QDDG 41 as Weapons Offlcer unt1l February 1963 CDR Hostettler was ordered to Staff Commander Crulser Destroyer Force Atlant1c Fleet for a two year tour as Gu1ded M1ss1le Offlcer Upon completlon of the course of mstructron at the Armed Forces Staff College 1n 1965 he was ass1gned to USS Conyngharn DDG 171 as Executrve Offrcer He served 1n the Bureau of Naval Personnel 1n the Offlcer D1str1but1on D1v1s1on from 1967 to July 1969 CDR Hostettler IS marrled to the former Lucy Ann Ingalls of Bedford Ind1ana and they have two chrldren Kathryn and Stephen Jr 73- , 7,114 6 iv Aff ' 1 X V sz f' f Q' STEPHE J. I-IQSTETTLER