Connole (FF 1056) - Naval Cruise Book

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MARAUDERS OF THE MED The year 1986 was an arduous (me for the men of IJSS CONNOLE. We were aivay from Neu port for 255 days through the year. e departed Newport in the snow on Januan 3 for two months of CarU)bean operations. Operating from Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, we fired our missiles and torpedoes and checked our sonars. Early in Febritaiy, I ' SS CO.WOLE began fire difficult weeks of Refresher Training in the island paradise of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After surriring the gauge-glass fiasco, fuel oil valve leak-off affair and other tests of character, we departed (iitmo and arrived in Newport on March 18. Upon arrival, we learned that our Mediterranean deployment departing in late August was now an Indian Ocean deployment leaving in late June. Prior to this early departure, we participated in Fleetex 11-86 in April. Finally, a frantic three week IMA V resulted in a ship and crew primed for overseas operations. Leaving the I nited States at a time of high tension in the Mediterrcmean, we sailed with some doubting whether the lO ' was our final destination. In April, the United States had undertaken Freedom of Navigation exercises against Lilrya resulting in the destruction of Libyan Gunboats in the GulfofSidra. Many of us relished the thought of another action. USS CONNOLE left Newport on the morning of June 4. At that time, most of us believed we were headed for the Indian Ocean with a Battle Group consisting of USS FORRFSTAl. (CV-59), CSS llAIN- W RIGHT (CG-2H), USS MACDONOCGH (DDG-39), USS SELLERS (DDG-I I), USS THOMAS C. HART (FT- 1092), USS MIL WA UKEE (AOR-4) and USS SU RIB AC HI (AE-26). Joining the seven ship Battle-group in the western Atlantic on a brilliant June day, USS CONNOLE left on her four thousand mile journey to end two weeks later in Augusta Bay, Sicily. STAGGERING STATS ' ' WE STEAMED REPLENISHED BURNED . • Til AT COST QUR HELICOPTER I ujs: ATi 24.940 miles 2. ' { times .5 milt m gallons Boit 1 .2 miUion do m FLEW 482 H LANDED 558 fimc BURNED 5 1,000 Gallons :iS.()00 Dollars l,2S7lbs.Grouni

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER LtCdr, Bruce E, Belden USN Part-time signalman, part-time literary critic, part-time stock consultant and full-time XO, LtCdr. Belden is a true-blue Marauder of the Med. XO! a

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USS CONNOLE (FF 1056) FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK 09566 March, 1987 .986 through November 1986 you manned the finest has to offer - the USS CONNOLE. During this ve sailed across the length and breadth of the ' aneXj meeting challenges, responding magmficently, and hcnorably. have helped ensure that our freedoms acy flourishes, and that the world continues to for internatiDnal leadership. cruise book will bflrfg back fond memories of and the role you played on a valuable team. •rt and professionalism I am profciundly gratefuL