Coontz (DDG 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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Saying goodbye was a very hard thing to do! Foreign lands, indeed, were in store for the crew. To start things off, COONTZ was underway with her first destination, one of several ports along the coastal areas of West Africa. For the majority of the crew, this was' a first. However, into the Mediterranean was a different story. A good number of COONTZ sailors had travelled into the Med before. So, COONTZ had much in store for her this trip. As intriguing and curious as it seemed, it was still that much harder to say goodbye to those tear-filled faces and waving arms. Six months is a long time, but COONTZ would make the best of them, working hard at her assignments, trying hard not to think of what they were missing at home, but what lay in ahead for them when the good ship CUONTZ returned. Shift Colors! We were at sea! ' t t 'Qf!1iEiEis 1 N

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,,7:,Q1 T K fr -- -'i:1,.g1V. .,.2.'ff.s- Underway, boomed on the IMC ln 9 AA ' new o . . A H ' a ff' ' ' Q . rz, V N 0 , V g: m i I wif. Y, be 'N f -gf: 'A J ' 'xjsa-a: '4 A, n . 'ly Q. ' . ' s'IQ 'gift l' nf y M f Q ,.lV4':f. X T we . 53 'XX 31 ,NW hiv, Q Ah Nt Q 1x,Xl f For many of the old seadogs and careermen, it was just the beginning of another cruise. But for several of the COONTZ sailors, it was the beginning of something entirely new, intriguing. The hardest part of a cruise, no matter where it may be, is saying goodbye to the loved ones. Seeing loved ones standing on the pier waving farewell for the next six months is very sad, and touches the emotions of even the most stern Navyman. Within the next six months, there would be new additions to the family, a new car, a new house, something which would be different about the old familiar scene come the return day. And as the seafarers have done in the past, and probably will continue to do so in the future, COONTZ' crew sucked in their breath and behind some of the saddest eyes one can image, said goodbye and were on their way to foreign lands. . ng. QE., 1.44. - - 1 Y .we T,,g,,.iz13-:,,:.,4-+.'1e,-ff3:Q.,4,e:'-,5':.f?2I,-..' I c -, --F-L-. ---Zvtsllf-X-k'ns'-ef-f-2'e2 v2f' 'fee 1 r- J , ,.,.-w ' iii, xx, i .2-.fi-:V - ' ' -J, - - L 1 1- .1' V 'Y W: -:. -1 ' .:If-112'.1.u:1vff:L4?ri,g:gsgvJ+lisgafwryiasc.4-15.

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Ocean Venture '81 Looking straight ahead after her sad departure, the officers and crew of COONTZ became a part of the naval exercise, Ocean Venture ' 1981. Working with other U.S. units, a series of drills and exercises began to test and improve the capabilities of the multi- faceted naval ships. ln company with the KALAMAZOQ CONYNCHAM JOHN RODCERS, and several other ships, COONTZ played her part in many various areas, for example: receiving supplies by helicopter, refueling a helicopter from shipboard fuel lines, transferring personnel and equipment to other ships via high line, assisting fire-fighting control from ship to ship, not to mention flag hoisting drills, commun- ications drills and ship manuevers. Not an area or work section of the COONTZ system was missed while participating in the Ocean Venture - 1981. And to put it point blank with out sounding brag' gingly, COONTZ did it all, all of the exercises, drills and manuevers very well, very well indeed. ,aa Q- , '1 3N' MW -r ,Ms 9 ' 5.3 fl elm-'-2Qg,4F if 'N ' M- L' ' 1. .f : .fl ...gh N .,,,,,y -A A W dwg, Y' '- ' ,,-.4useWk'8i.gg..,., .. . M --ii, g