Coontz (DLG 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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Histor of USS COONTZ On 1 March 1957. the keel of the Guided Missile Frigate COGNTZ WHS laid in Puget Sound Naval Shipyafdf just thirty nine years after ADM. Robert E. COONTZ, USN, left his post as shipyard Commander. The second ship to bear the name of the U.S. Navy's first Chief of Naval Operations, COCNTZ was christened by Mrs. Robert J. COONTZ, wife ofthe Admiral's grandson, on 6 December 1958. Commanded by CDR. H.H. RIES, USN, COONTZ was commissioned on 15 July 1960 , completed shakedown training in April 1961 , and reported for duty as a unit of the C r u i s e r-Destroyer F o r c e, U.S. Pacific Fleet, homeported in San Diego, California. Departing from San Diego on 10 August 1961, COONTZ joined the U.S. SEVENTH FLEET as a unit of the Fast Carrier Attack Force and steamed 55,000 miles, visiting ports in Japan, Korea, Republic of the Phillipines, Hong Kong, Australia and American Samoa. After returning to the United States on 23 March 1962 to rejoin the U.S. FIRST FLEET, COONTZ became the flagship of Commander Destroyer Squadron SEVENTEEN on 1 April 1962, and of C om mande r Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla ELEVEN from 1 August to 11 November 1962. ?iii::Ef:f - ,,..,,,fw - I .1 .- ' - ' ,E ,l . . -. ,, . Lg l -' r A V' A ' - T ' -- V ' .,. rLf,:v-iii-H-.,' '. 'i,..-.,,.,' V, f ,. 'i -'wi'-14 '- . ,v',,., . if. 1. ,Hui . , 2aL5,,a1. . , ' 513-gli gawmx f- f 5 L, y ffgmzf-.y+.f-ff ly . gl. . . A - - ' ' . . 4,.,s,Zf f ici' F ' , ' , ,'?Wg:1efW4 .. .. A , - L- A X , .W s x r, ,A V'-2',,,,,..ir-g,jT.:gA',. if-,J 5- -N' - - 1 'ri if: F.,-.35 'L - -.. D 'X' M . taxa-H2 f -1 -ml- .. .,- Ma-W, ,nr-'swf i .Y f....,.,- . mr f ,sam 1,5 4 ,, . 4 kk 2 ., f.,,,, ,,,q-ff-.f- 4,411 A ' ' ,V n L W A' W-f' W Hffwf ff' , , X . ..5f.,-fy ' ' 'i2:f.,1.,.Q -f 7'7 7'N 'f ,,.- w',41,-M. : f -f .aw A -if -A Y M f'-'Y'-:Q -fffftr' . as-f-A---.-.-... N V - Under Commander James R. Collier, USN, COONTZ departed San Diego for a second tour of duty with the SEVENTH FLEET in Asiatic waters, returning in May 1963. In June COONTZ was privileged 'to demonstrate the kill capability of the Terrier Surface-to-Air Missile in a Sea Power demonstration for the President of the United States. COONTZ was overhauled and her weap- ons systems extensively modernized from October 1963 to April 1964 at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Prior to departure for the Western Pacific on 5 August 1964, COONTZ, under CDR. Eugene C. Kenyon, Jr., USN, was awarded the Missile, Gun- nery and Engineering E awa1'df0I' COmbat excellence in these areas. In December 1964, COONTZ was a- warded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for support of Vietnam operations in the South China Sea- Operations in FIRST FLEET followed, including participation in the 1965 summer Midshipman Training Cruise.

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Executive Officer Lcdr. ,Joseph S. Donnell, III, USN, reportedkj-aboard COONTZ in November 19664 Previous duty has seen him aboard USS LEARY QDDR-8795, as Commanding Officer of USS KINGSBIRD QMSC-1945, as commisioning Engineering Officer on USS SELLERS QDDG-llj, and on the staff of COMCRUDESFLOT 4. He graduated from the Regular NROTC Program at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and since then has attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and earned a Master's Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University. Lcdr. Donnell has served on the staff of CINCNELM in London and was the Future Operations and Scheduling Officer on the Staff of COMCRUDESPAC just prior to joining COONTZ. Friends among the flyboys

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The E , C , and A award: were received during this period for excellence in Engineering, Communications, and Anti- Submarine Warfare. On 14 August 1965, CDR. Charles W. Cummings, USN,relieved CDR. Kenyonas Commanding Cfficer. During ecember 1965 and January 1966, while in San Diego, CCONTZ was the first ofjher class to receive a Heli- copter Landing and Handling capability and now ,boasts the addition of a Heli- copter to her many facited capabilities. COONTZ departed San Diego in January 1966 for a regular deployment as a unit of the U.S. SEVENTH FLEET. In March COONTZ was- awarded the Navy Commen- dation -Medal and in December the Unit Commendation Ribbon for her WESTPAC performance. ln September 1966 COONTZ again en- tered the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for a regular overhaul, during which her weapons systems were modernized even further. After departing Long Beach, COONTZ returned to San Diego and com- menced Refresher Training. On 25 July 1967 COONTZ departed San Diego for her fifth regular deployment as a Lmit of the U.S. SEVENTH FLEET. While enroute to Hawaii, Commander E. Dale Geiger, USN, relieved Commander Cummings as Commanding Officer, on 27 July 1967.