Comte De Grasse (DD 974) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 86 of the 1982 volume:

J wish it was in my power to eicpress to Congress how much J feel indebted to the Count de Qrasse and his fleet Qeorge Washington October 19, 1781 1 ' mM. (• 9k Hattle Off VirgiHia Capes September 5. 1781 tsUK THE COUNT VhfV- .It -:).. 1981 1982 USS COMTE DE GRASSE (DD-974) ARMAMENT Two 5 inch 54 cal Guns Mk 112 ASROC Launcher Mk 32 Torpedo Tubes Error NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System HARPOON System USS COMTE DE GRASSE (DD-974) is the twelfth SPRU- ANCE class destroyer to join the Navy and was designed and built by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. COMTE DE GRASSE is a member of the first class of major combatant ships in the U.S. Navy to be powered by marine gas tur- bine engines. Four gas turbines generate more than 20,000 shaft horsepower each to drive the ship at speeds in excess of 30 knots. The twin reversible pitch propel- lers give the ship an exceptional degree of maneuverability. COMTE DE GRASSES primary mission is Anti -Submarine War- Sans Precedent fare and she has one of the most advanced underwater detection and fire control systems. The main ASW sensor, the SQS-53 sonar will detect, identify, and track multiple underwater targets, and with its high power and signal processing equipment, is the first in the Navy to be linked directly to a digital computer, ensuring swift and accurate information. In company with other ASW surface platforms and the SH-2 SEA SPRITE helicopter, COMTE DE GRASSE is a first rate battle group asset. STATISTICS Length ... 563 FT Beam ... 55 FT Draft ... 30 FT Displacement . . . 7800 Tons Max Power . . . 80,000+ SHP Max Speed ... 30 + KTS Complement . . . 287 Commissioned 5 August 1978. - w .-- jij Nfc r oT « Sfc -Jflk. QB)2 FNS DE GRASSE D-612 ARMAMENT Two 100mm Guns MALAFON ASW Rocket Thrown Torpedo Two Torpedo Tubes CROTALE SAM System EXOCET Missile System FNS DE GRASSE (D-612) is the third of the TOURVILLE class ASW frigates. She differs from other TOURVILLE class frigates in that the original 100mm gun aft has been replaced by the CROTALE surface-to-air missile system. DE GRASSE was built by D.C.A.N. in Lorient, France. Like her American counterpart, DE GRASSE ' s primary mission is Anti-Submarine Warfare. She has a bow- mounted sonar, as well as a variable depth sonar aft which can be lowered from the fantail. She is a twin screw ship powered by steam driven turbines and is capa- ble of speeds in excess of 32 knots. DE GRASSE carries two W.G. 13 Domine Responde Pro Me LYNX ASW Helicopters which can be armed with air dropped ASW torpedoes or AS- 12 Anti- Surface wire -guided missiles. DE GRASSE possesses a Tacti- cal Date System -identical in many ways to that found on American Warships — and which allows DE GRASSE to link with other simi- larly equipped vessels making the exchange and processing of urgent battle information between war- ship Commanders practically in- stantaneous. In sum the two DE GRASSES are remarkably similar in armament and missions. STATISTICS Length . . . 152.5 M Beam . . . 15.3 M Keel depth ... 4.5 M Displacement . . . 5800 Tons Max Power . . . 57,300 SHP Max Speed ... 32 KTS Complement . . . 332 Commissioned 30 November 1974. r j ' ' ' is Li v £ ' i NOW MAN YOUR B A T T L E S T A T I O N THE COMMANDING OFFICER COMMANDER PHILIP A. DUR Commander Philip A. DUR was commissioned in 1965 from the NROTC program at the Uni- versity of Notre Dame. His initial assignment was as OR Division Officer and Radio Officer in USS LITTLE ROCK (CLG-4). He then served as Assistant Fleet Schedules Officer on the Staff, Commander SIXTH Fleet until August 1968. Following a tour at the Naval Intelligence Command Headquar- ters and assignments on USS STICKELL (DD-888) and USS C.H. ROAN (DD-853), he re- ported to USS KNOX (FF-1051 as Operations Officer. In August 1972, Commander DUR was as- signed to Havard University where he earned the PhD Degree in Po- C0MM iNDm,G litical Economy and Government. From 1974-75 Commander DUR attended the Naval War College in Newport, RI. Following this tour, he served as Executive Officer on USS WADDELL (DDG-24) until May of 1977. He then served successive tours in the office of the Chief of Naval Oper- ations and the office of the Secre- tary of Defense. Commander DUR has been awarded the De- fense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Navy Commenda- tion and Navy Achievement Med- als. He is married to the former Kathleen Donovan of Concord, Massachusetts. Commander and Mrs. DUR have two children, Courtney (13) and Philip IV (9). THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER CDR WILLIS GAY PLACES WE HAVE BEEN r:. ' z:h i.z . -• !■■■ r III ±r DUMMili PEOPLE WE HAVE MET 10 SMITHWICKS -ti n ALL THE COUNT ' S MEN 13 LIEUTENANT DE VAISSEAU EMERY FUSTIER LT, FN THE FRENCH CONNECTION THE COUNT Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse was a French admiral whose tactical success at the Battle of The Virginia Capes in 1781 made a major contribution to the American victory in the Revolutionary War. By inheritance, he was Marquis de Grasse -Tilly and Comte de Grasse. Born at Chateau de Bar, near Grasse, on September 13, 1722, he entered the Navy in 1738 and served with distinction throughout the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748), in which he was wounded, and the Seven Years War (1756-1763). During the American Revolution, de Grasse served in the West Indies against the British; in 1781 his fleet of 20 ships of the line escorted about 200 merchant ships to Cape Francois, Haiti. There he received a request from George Washington to cooperate in the Yorkto.wn campaign. On August 20, 1781, he arrived inside the Chesapeake capes with 28 ships and 3,300 troops. Meanwhile Admiral Thomas Graves with 19 ships had sailed from New York to rescue General Charles Cornwallis ' army, which had retreated to Yorktown from North Carolina. On September 5 de Grasse engaged Graves for two hours off the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, inflicting such heavy damages and casualties that the British were forced to return to New York. On September 14 Washington began the siege that forced Cornwallis to surrender about 8,000 men on October 19, a decisive victory made possible by de Grasses aid. De Grasse returned to the West Indies. While his fleet of 35 ships was escorting 150 merchantmen, the convoy was attacked in Saints ' Passage on April 12, 1782, by Admiral George B. Rodneys fleet of 36 ships. A sudden change of wind caused confusion in the French column, permitting Rodney to break through and win a decisive victory. De Grasse himself and his flagship VILLE DE PARIS were captured. De Grasse was treated with honor in London, but on his return to Paris he found public opinion and the court so critical that he retired to the Chateau de Tilly, near Mantes. He wrote a defense of his command, ' Memoire justificatif (1782). In 1783 he was awarded a gold medal by the Society of the Cincinnati. He died at the chateau on January 11, 1788. 15 ;1 i. o O ' I 16 17 I A-. , f ' . v, N X ¥ y t 1 y N 1 li :y !fcM i 3 ■T i ' if Hh ] 9 3  -arr 18 19 NORTH ATLANTIC AUG. 20-OCT. 7 SCAPA FLOW 20 BREST n PLYMOUTH T J- -r ,}{ .f(! .; . HlH 21 GUESTS OF THE COUNT • -A — - 23 DRY DOCK 24 UNDERWAY MED 2-82 30 NOV 81-25 APR 82 WHEREVER WE WENT 26 J E WERE ALWAYS IN THE NEWS -JS ' ; ' S ' 27 SHIPS PASSING St U::: 4 -iiji -V- «b IN THE NIGHT THESE ARE THE GOOD OL ' DAYS ' 30 SANS PRECEDENT 32 ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING OFFICER LT STAFFORD MPA LTJG - nLLS - ELECTRICAL OFFICER LT ENGLEHART DCA LTJG FIXLEY AUXILARY OFFICER ENS PAGGI 33 M DIVISION GSM3 HALLER, FN OVERSTREET, GSM2 TEEKA SINGH, GSM3 MOORHEAD, GSM2 DRISH, GSE MILLER, FN SANFORD, GSM2 DENNING, GSM2 JUN KINS, GSMl ROONEY i uv.f iiui i „ A-DIVISION EN3 TAYLOR, FN SNOW, ENl RAUB, EN3 SIMMONS, ENFN TYSON, EN3 CHIFULIO, EN3 BLOODGOOD, EN3 PRENETA, ENS PAGGI, EN2 FAYETTE, EN2 WORTH A-GANG 35 E DIVISION EMC JIAO, FN TUCKER, ICFN WATSON, ICS WILSON, LT ENGLEHART, EM3 WARREN, FN WARD, YN NEAZOR, EM2 LEONTOVICH, IC2 EDLIN. 36 R DIVISION FIRST ROW: FN ENGLERT, HT3 SCORBOROUGH, SECOND ROW; HT2 COWER, HTl ZACHERY, HT2 DONALDSON, HTFN LECONTE, MR3 COMELLA, HTFN NOFTZGER, HT2 MOULTON LT PILOSOF 37 WEAPONS DEPARTMENT w ' ' Weapons Officer LT. Gooding ' Weapons Officer LCDR Warren 1st Lieutenant Lt Galbraith 1st Division BMC Fallen ASW Officer LT Hill Fire Control Officer LTJG Juergens 2nd Division STGCS Cattrell Fox Division FTGl Richardson Gunnery Officer LT Goree G Division GMGl Ivey 39 1st DIVISION .,R -t f  « K Hi ij ' 4 1st ROW: L to R: BM3 DESHOTEL, BMl RIGG, SN HILL, SN ALEX, SA LEWIS, BM3 BRYANT 2nd ROW: SA McBRIDE. BM3 McCARTHY, SN MACKEY, SA TURNER, BMSN FOWLER, SN ECHOLS, SA RIGGINS, SA JONES, SA DUBBS, BM3 SANTILL, SN BERRY, SN KING, SN WRIGHT. BM3 HOWARD, SA BATTEN DECK 2nd DIVISION 1st ROW L TO R: STG 3 JACKSON, STG3 VINDEOLA, STG 2 McNElL, STG 3 BUTSON, TM2 SOLOMON, STGSN GIBSON. 2ND ROW: STG2 TRAINOR, STGSA SPARKS, STG3 DAVIDSON, STG3 SMITH, STG3 TOWLE, TMSN WILSON, STG3 DETWILLER, GMT2 FOSTER. STG3 WARNER, STG3 JUAREZ, GMTSN REATH, TM3 WILKINS, GMT2 ROBERTS SHOOTERS .__ 41 OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OPS BOSSES LT Brado LCDR O ' Neill LCDR Furst Electronic Material Officer P? F _ •  :-. LTJG Weis CIC Officer y i LTJG Melhuish Communications Officer 45 1st ROW L to R; ET3 GALLIANT, DS3 LOVETT, ET2 BATTS, DS3 DENNINGHAM, DSl HAMMACK, DSl LUXARDO, 2ND ROW: ETC ERICKSON, ET2 MYERS, ET3 TREMBLEY, ET2 BROWN, DS3 AVERY, EW3 WRIGHT, DS2 AKIN, ET2 SAVAGE, DSl IZZO, ET3 LEE, ET3 CONGLETON, EW2 JACKSON, ET3 GIVEN, LCDR FURST, EWC KELLY 46 OI DIVISION 1ST ROW L to R: LTJG WEIS, OSSN PATTONMOORE, OSSN BROWN OS2 ARNOLD. 2ND ROW: OSC DICKEY, OSSN WALSH, OSSN WALSH, OSSN LeCOMTE, OS3 STEVENSON, OSSN POWERS, OS3 DRABZYCK, OS3 GRAFFIUS, OSSN WRIGHT, OSSN ALLERT. OC DIVISION 1ST ROW L to R; AMI MASON, RMl MERZ, LTJG MELHUISH, RMl MOVE 2ND ROW: RM3 SPRINGWATER, SM2 McLEAN, SNSN WILLIAMSON, RM2 MERRITT. DS3 DENNINGHAM, DSl HAMMACK, DSl LUXARDO, ' , ET2 BROWN, DS3 AVERY, EW3 WRIGHT, DS2 AKIN, ■ETON, EW2 JACKSON, ET3 GIVEN, LCDR FURST, EWC NAVAGATION ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT 1ST ROW L to R: PC? CLAMPIT, NCl ROBINSON . ' NSN VALENTINE. HMl HETZKO. FN? FERR ' i ' 2ND RO X-: YNC SRINSK ' . QM: IL- ' AXOOD. QMSN SNEED. NL C JOHNSON. HM3 GOTZKEL. QMSN PULASKI. QMSN McNOLLAX, PN2 CH, MBERS. ' NSN KARL, LTJG FERGUSON. i x y SUPPLY DEPARTMENT Supply Officer Lt Kenney Senior Chief Petty Officer Of Command SKCS Classen L to R: SHSN MOXLEY, SHSN THORP, SH3 DOSWELL. ENS SZABO, SHSN SIMMONS, SHl WALTON, SH2 FIELDS, SH3 TURNER. X 51 HSL 32 FLYERS OF THE COUP DE GRACE 53 LIFE AT SEA I -.f- .f ■ II 54 OPERATIONS AT SEA 56 pr WW -J v ' TJH 57 PALMA DE MAJORCA Dec 21 -Jan 3 58 GAETA ITALY Jan 5 -Jan 17 59 VILLE FRANCHE Feb 2-12 U m- AM S • ■ ■ ■ W l£- ' f --r-I. -ic-jr-.T -: 1TJ ' - w 60 -J ., t otm m rm . . rTiirr ■ -- - - .r::::?!. ' ' ;;- •■• ' •s .-- ' -i? - -IfeiErt-.x i , «S ' — - - wnj - CANNES UMIRALoiCRiSSf. 1722 t.. Feb 20-26 f ,v bl -o 62 s,JV , k ' X -:.■ ■ . - _ . J j p — kd « 1 at F B fl 63 TUNIS, TUNISIA MAR 10-15 - w CARTEGENA, SPAIN MAR 20-23 aft iP rsI (p- J 64 EXERCISES AT SEA NATIONAL WEEK ' 82 SARDINIA ' 82 CORK IRELAND APR 1-6 66 67 AMSTERDAM Apr 8-12 68 L i i 69 OUR SOCCER TEAM: AMBASSADORS OF THE STATE 70 71 ANTWERP APR 13-16 SEC. GENERAL LUNS ' S VISIT 72 THE CREW ! 73 (l ABOUT READY TO LOSE HIS CRACKERS INk M tf Tw fr HU- i v 74 READY, AIM, FIRE 75 DUCK HUNTING IN THE MED 76 ri ' i THIS IS MR. GOREE, I HAVE THE DECK 77 AWARDS Navy Commendation Medal RECIPIENTS: CDR GAY LCDR HARRY SKCS CLAASSEN GSMl MCMILLEN Navy Achievement Medal RECIPIENTS: LCDR WARREN LCDR FL ' RST LT STAFFORD LT KENNEY LT CALBRAITH LT KLOPE AEC MCGUIRE EMC JIAO BMC PALLEN AMSl FREER DSl IZZO EM2 BEATY OS3 DRABCZYK f A LETTER FROM YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER COMMANDING OFFICER U S S COMTE DE GRASSE (DD-974) PeoA Couyvt SaltoA , A4 you took tiviougk tkL6 CJouJiQ. book, I hopd JJ: b- ng imch and zveAyom o{ you ond mmofilu o good timu and pfioad momtnti in the. Coun ' i iujitoKy. It ha faeen a fiimoAkable. and vzAy iucu uZ ytoA { OK thd i,lvip, ooK Navy and tka itMong attiancz we 4 uw.e mXh T jincQ.. Vou have been i,ple.ndAji ambai,4 adoA and KzpKi antaXlvu o{, ouA gfizat navaZ tAadAjtion. ffiom Mafitintquz to Vo ktoim and thzn to CanrnA you. have, made youA counXfiy p oud. JhJji, hoi) been unquestionably , the bej t tiw yejiu o{ my c.aAQ.eA. Vou have been a 6plend.id and capable cieiv, and in ouA hea. i-t6 we know iuU well that the Couyvt woi and is SANS PRECEVENT . NeveA { ongeX thtd past yeoA.. T tnaly hope we tan agouin be Shipmates one day. W-ct i g eat Aespect I am youAS Sinc Aely VlilUpfK. PUR COR USU 79 ' t JOHN PAUL JON. 80 « flt ■nPir ' Ir ini . • I u 1 I I --r-fr W rz n: i GRA: 5: 3t .: : Ki fm ' J (A Ipes marimmes). . . . J consider myself infinitely happy to have been some service to the United States . . . reserve me a place in your memory ... Comte de Qrasse J ovember 3, 1781