Coontz (DDG 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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'R FLECTICNS: TIME T0 A WAYS REMEMBER Middle East Force Cruise 2-87 has ended, a thing of the past, existing only in the thoughts, feelings, mem01'i and experiences of those who endured it. In the years to come, as we grow older and wiser, we will undoubted reflect back in our oum seperate but special ways to the MEF 2-87 Cruise. To each of us it will mean somethin different. It is important to always remember the positive aspects of the cruise as well as the negative. Reflect f a moment and try to remember: -The seemingly endless days of preparationjinspections prior to deployment. -February 5, 1987 -COMDESROH 14 and his stall' -The crossing of the Atlantic and the dark days full of high winds, heavy seas and 55 -40 rolls. -The CASREP to W1 evaporator in Rota, Spain -COMDESRON 14 departing -The passage through the Straits of Gibraltar -The transit of the Mediten'anean Sea -The passage through the Suez Canal -The passage through the Straits of Bab Al Mandeb -The passage through the Straits of Honnuz, traveling outbound at 215 knots with GQ set -The Captain's fishing trips -The Great Raft Race -The Great MEF Run-out -Bingo and Casino nights -Boredom, loneliness, heartache, uncertainty and despair -High humidity: hot, Sticky days and dust everywhere -The change of command -The early morning sea details -The unreps in 10 ft seas -The thick, insidious fog of the Persian Gulf -May 17, 1987 fThe attack on the USS Starkl -Fighting the fires onboard the USS Stark and assisting in the clean-up -The memorial service for the USS Stark at the Bahrain lntemational Airport -Water hours -Ho water at all -Steel beaches and the unoflicial ship's band tEW2 Gibbs, FC2 Comer, ETSN Campbelll -Wild Bill Cranney from Baaston tBostonl -Cro-Magnon Man Chet Nash -70 watch bill assigments and only 40 people to fill them fDouble watches - Getting doggedl -The tum-over with USS O'Bannon -The tum-over with USS Kidd -The man from Moyers, W. Virginia -PN1 Hassle ftlassel l Y Q ES O l' if F.- pf' I, gif as ir l ,Mi W T-J' y-:J l. Xp! .:7 .41 .wig ,Citi .SHN -mf ,fv .27 . j .Hb- -Tin' ilk! -'22 , 5: Vit' Wg: yww il? , it lf, w,' is

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wi it 'fm I. -The look on LCDR Lindner's face when no meal evaluations were done -The flamboyant gold and perfume shops of Bahrain -Malaria pills and the risqu'e place called Djibouti -The honorary salute to USS Stark and USS Stephen W. Groves during the Atlantic crossing thomewardj -LTJC1 Bamett's vivacious appetite -The Suez Canal Coontz 500 -Desert Duck and mail call -Days when we didn't receive mail -The day the quartennasters forgot to compute sunrise -The Sassan Gil fields A -The forecastle, fantail and mine watches -The water taxis and days at anchor -Raghead Joe's store on Mina Sulman pier and two dinar for a cab ride to the Suk -ENS Barpee CBurpeeJ -The Supply Officer and his inherent rack bums -CDR Cobb's question and answer nights on SITE-TV -SWO boards -ESWS boards Running the Hash The video the XO made us make The Russian convoy The Haze Grey Show lstamng Richie Bob St Vincent and Eddie Lombra The show ran for 8 weeksj The Purple Haze Show fproduced after Richie Bob became a civilian Starnng Al Klein and Eddie Lombra Pulled off the air after its first shovnng J The Morning Sickness Radio Show The man overboard dnlls Vice Admiral McCauley s visit The day of amval Norfolk VA Without any of us realizing it all ofthese things became a part of our lives dunng the MEF 2 87 deploy ment merely thoughts and memones that we will remember with a feeling of ambivalence Each time you look at this crulsebook you will be able to reflect upon these things Remember the times the places the people and the experiences For a brief period of time we became a special and important part of hlstory Let no one say that we did not do our jobs well We believed in our mission and we endured and persevered under tough and arduous circumstances We stood on the leading edge of freedom protecting our democra cy and ideals Fear despair loneliness pam and uncertainty became an acceptable part of our lives We met the challenge Always be proud for Coontz IS a good ship ln an intangible way we will always be an etemal team proud men of warship Coontz of MEF 2 87 It is a part of us we should never forget C D WRAY LT USN - 1 -i E..