Conyngham (DDG 17) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 56 of the 1975 volume:

ill fit ' iSKI k, === f§i if YARDBOOK USS CONYNGHAM DDG-17 IN NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD 1974-1975 WHY A YARDBOOK? When a ship from a long voyage returneth, With signs of the sea showing plain, They put her in ' dock for a season, And her speed she regaineth again. —Anonymous The unknown poet ' s words describe why a ship goes into the shipyard, but fail to describe the experience itself. It is like a rebirth— in the manner of a butterfly, the ship spins a cocoon of cables, hoses, and scaffolding around herself, finally emerging again— new. Involved in the metamorphosis are millions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of man-hours, ton after ton of paint, late hours and hazardous, noisy working conditions. In an almost year-long yard period, the crew turns over about sixty percent, as new faces appear and old ones are gone almost daily. Now CONYNGHAM is an active member of the fleet again— better than before. The shipyard trials and accomplishments are behind us all. Yet, something should remain— a reminder of the job well done. This book, we hope, will serve as that reminder. The Yardbook Staff LTlJg] KEITH E. MURRAY, USN Editor, Photographer, Lay-out, Illustrator SM3 DAVID CHASE, USN Cartoonist EW3 PAUL HARRIS, USN Photographer Photo Credits: Norfolk Naval Shipyard Photographic Arts Staff [Front Endsheet, Pages 3,4,17,20,25] Fleet Audio-Visual Command, Atlantic (Pages 16,48, Back endsheet, All picnic shots, developed negatives and proofs of all black and white photos) USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA-67) and USS AMERICA (CVA-66) (Awards ceremonies, reenlistments, retirements] All other photos taken by Yardbook Staff Printed by Liskey Lithograph Corporation, Norfolk, Virginia 1 - kSH it -• ■ wmk ;s, -. ' v;  ,- I i ■■■■■- ' .V ' i 1 COMMANDER A. ROBIN BAHAGLINI UNITED STATES NAVY COMMANDING OFFICER USS CONYNGHAM DDG-17 Commander A. Robin BATTAGLINI, a native of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, is a graduate of the Class of 1 959, U.S. Naval Academy. Following graduation and commissioning he reported to the USS MANSFIELD (DD 728) where he served a Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer and Weapons Officer. In addition to the USS MANSFIELD, Commander BATTAGLINI has served in the following afloat commands: Boiler Officer in USS BENNINGTON (CVS 20); Executive Officer in USS ENGAGE (MSO 433); Weapons Officer in USS LUCE (DLG 7). He reported to CONYNGHAM from USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG 23) where he served as Executive Officer. Commander BATTAGLINI ' s duties ashore have included the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, where he earned graduate degrees m Physics and Electrical Engineering; Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer in MY THO, Republic of Viet Nom; Weapons System Manager for the Mark 68 Gunfire Control System Modernization in the Naval Ordnance System Command in Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Veronico St. Ruth of Devon, England. They have two children, David, and Julio, and currently reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MACK C. GASTON UNITED STATES NAVY EXECUTIVE OFFICER WARDROOM OF USS CONYNGHAM SHIPYARD CHRONOLOGY 1974 16 OCTOBER 1 NOVEMBER 1975 19 FEBRUARY 5 JUNE 13 JUNE 17 JULY 18 JULY 8 AUGUST 11 AUGUST 14 AUGUST 16 AUGUST 5 SEPTEMBER 15 SEPTEMBER 17 SEPTEMBER 18 SEPTEMBER - Cold iron transit to Norfolk Naval Shipyard— Com- menced complex overhaul. - Cold-iron transit to drydock no. 3— 1113over sill— 1425 resting on blocks. - 0923 Commenced flooding drydock no. 3—1200 floating— 1310 over sill. - 0630 Underway cold iron transit to drydock no. 2 to inspect sonardamage— 071 6 over sill— 0940 resting on blocks. - 1340 Commenced flooding drydock no. 2, sonar damage repaired— 1422 floating— 1530 underway— 1550 moored pierside. - Propulsion Examining Board light-off examination. - Lighted fires in boilers— crew moves back aboard ship from Dale Hall (barracks) — mess-decks opens. - Dock trials, test of main engines. - Zone inspection. - Sea trials (1): test fired guns, tested electronic gear, performed engineering trials. - Moored Norfolk Naval Shipyard. - Zone inspection. - Sea trials (II): conducted satisfactory full power trials, boiler flex tests, economy run, test fired guns, tested electronic gear. - AMMO loadout, Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. - Moored pierside, Destroyer Submarine Piers- overhaul completed. I w i I I , , S. THE Painting a Chipping More Painting Waiting « f-r . -t ' r ' 1i ' 1 ■tr! ' Hove A Nice Trip! ' Oh well, I suppose that is a pretty silly rule about security badges. Fire Drill Airing Bedding Launching The Motor Whole -Boat LOADING AMMO c H R I M f a  The Big Question Is: Who Was Santa? Re -enlistments and Retirements AWARDS CEREMONIES Wetting Down Some New Surface Warfare Officers Advancement In Rote Promotions And Special Awards THE DANCE i i H t 1 ■ j THE PICNIC ' Out?! Heavy Hitter :f t|| THE SHIP The first CONYNGHAM (DD 58) was lounched 8 July 1915 by William Cromp ond sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvanio ond commissioned 21 Jonuory 1916, LCDR AW. JOHNSON in command. CONYNGHAM (DD 58) had o displacement of 1 090 tons; length overall 3 1 5 feet 3 inches; extreme beam 30 feet 7 inches; draft 9 feet 5 inches speed of 29.5 knots; complement of 99 officers ond men; and armament of four 4-inch guns, ond eight 21 -inch torpedo tubes. On 24 April 1917 CONYNGHAM sailed from Boston with her division for Queenstown, Ireland, the first destroyers to join English forces for duty after the entry of the United States into World War I. This force patrolled off the Irish coast - on oreo where German submarines attacked in force. When the British ship KARIANA was torpedoed ond sunk 17 August 1917, CONYNGHAM sped to her assistance ond rescued 39 survivors. A similar distress coll from the British ship HARTLAND on 29 November resulted in the rescue of her 30 mon crew by CONYNGHAM. When the British ship ORMA was torpedoed CONYNGHAM mode depth charge attack which brought debris to the surface. Her commending officer was commended for his prompt ond effective oction. After the war she remained at Boston in reserve until 1921 . She wos decommissioned at Philodelphio Novy Yard in 1922. Transferred to the Treasury Department in 1924 for use by the Coast Guord, CONYNGHAM was returned to the Navy in 1933 but remained in non-commissioned status until sold for scrop in 1934 in occordonce with the London Treaty. THE SECOND CONYNGHAM The second CONYNGHAM (DD 371) wos lounched 14 September 1934 by the Boston Navy Yard ond commissioned 4 November 1936, COR G C. Hoover in command. CONYNGHAM (DD371) hod a displacement of 1500 tons; length overall 341 feet 4 inches; extreme beam 35 feet; draft 9 feet 10 inches, speed of 36.5 knots; complement 158 officers and men; ond ormoment of five 5-inch guns and twelve 21 -inch torpedo tubes. After her commissioning she conducted training exercises and operations along the West coost, in the Hawoiion Islonds, ond in the Coribbeon These continued until she sailed from Son Diego for Peorl Harbor and duty with the security patrol in 1940. On 7 December 1941 during the Joponese ottock on Pearl Horbor she joined in splashing several enemy aircraft. Her eorly wartime activity consisted of escort duty. With all available forces orgonized for action as the Joponese threotened Midwoy in June 1942 CONYNGHAM ossisted in escorting oircroft carriers in the Bottle of Midway - the turning point in the wor of the Pacific and a decisive victory for the United States. During the ensuring wor years CONYNGHAM porticipoted in o host of Pocific engogements including the Battle of Santo Cru7, the invosions of New Guinea, New Britain, Soipon, Luzon, ond Borneo, ond the Marianas and Leyte Gulf operations. She was at Subic Boy in the Philippines for overhoul when the wor ended CONYNGHAM wos decommissioned 20 December 1946 and wos utilized in atomic weapons tests in Bikini She wos destroyed by sinking 2 July 1948. CONYNGHAM received 14 bottle stars for World War II service. USS CONYNGHAM DDG-17 USS CONYNGHAM (DDG-17) was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey. Her keel was laid 1 May 1961 . The ship was launched 19 May 1962 and was commissioned on 13 July 1963. USS CONYNGHAM is assigned to the Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She has conducted extensive operations in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea in the pursuit of her mission of keeping the world ' s commercial sea lanes free and open to all nations. In this regard CONYNGHAM keeps herself ready to join the forces of other nations in maintaining the freedom of the seas. To accomplish her mission CONYNGHAM is equipped with a missile system which uses the Tartor guided missile weapons system to engage surface targets, supersonic aircraft, and missiles. To counter sub-surface foes she is equipped with anti-submarine rocket thrown torpedoes, depth charges (ASROC) and torpedoes which can be fired from two triple-tube mounts. Two 5 54 gun systems provide anti-air and anti-surface fire power. These weapons are supported by updated sensor systems, including surface and three dimensional air search radars, and sonar. The ship is powered by four high pressure, oil fired boilers which drive twin screws, producing a top speed in excess of thirty knots. STATISTICS Length 437 feet Beam 47 feet Draft 22 feet Displacement 4500 tons Officer complement 19 Enlisted complement 320 £ m. C 19 FEBRUARY 1975 r--: L 1l m in CONYNCHAM r-.j: i 1 1 OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT wish those % i . — ? Signalmen would quit that % !? i chipping! ' ' 1 f f •?s m r DEPARTURES WEAPONS DEPARTMENT That, sir, is NOT a 5 inch 54 mod W il::- ' tUl r ' A ■ ' -- ss ' It ' J A Bringing the GIG Aboard MT52 - Before After Calibrating The Mount % _A ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT V k 4 4 Light -Off m p. E. B. SUPPLY DEPARTMENT ' ' Hello this is GSK . . . Could you come down and pick up your order ASAP?! SUPPLY DEPARTMENT Galley Mess Deck A Couple Of Pork -Chops FOOD SERVICEMEN 17,11 PAINTING OUT AFTER OFFICERS ' COUNTRY FINALLY . . . UNDERWAY - SHIFT COLORSI s- 1. IsijBilj ' : 0itt J