Croaker (SS 246) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

Commanding Officer ' LCDR E. A. KUHN Captain Kuhn was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 7, 1929. He received his commission in June 1951. He served aboard USS RICHARD B. ANDERSON IDD 7861, USS VOLADOR ISS 4901, USS SEA FOX ISS 4021, and took command of USS CROAKER ISS 2461 on June 26, 1962. He attended Submarine School in 1953, served on Co-m Sub Pac Staff in Pearl Harbor in 1957, had a tour of duty in BuPers in 1958 and attended the Naval War College in 1961. . N, 'ge '- ei ' M W 217:55 . 1 'Sr . r Q. H45 Executive Officer LCDR R. A. HELGEMOE LCDR Ray Helgemoe was born in Duluth, Minnesota. We was commis- sioned in 1953. He served aboard USS NEREUS, USS CHOPPER, USS CERO, USS TAMBOR, USS CORSAIR, USS CROAKER. if

Page 6 text:

After serving a tour with the Commander Submarine Development Group TWO and participating in several fleet exercises which included a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, she was reassigned to Submarine Squadron TEN. S-he subsequently operated locally from New London, Connecticut. LCDR Dean l. AXENE, USN, assumed command of CROAKER on 14 September 1955. In 1956, after participating in fleet operations in the Caribbean area, and visiting Caracas, Venezuela, she was deployed to the Mediterranean where she operated with the SIXTH Fleet. Her overseas itinerary included stops in Gibraltar, Cannes, Monaco, Malta, and Rhodes. In early 1957, she again went south to the Caribbean for a refresher training cruise. St. Thomas, V.I., and Havana, Cuba were among her ports of call. LCDR Walter S. DELANEY, USN relieved as Commanding Officer on 20 Febru- ary 1957. LCDR John R. POTTER, USN relieved him on 7 August 1957. For the remainder of the year CROAKER operated extensively, participating in an ASW exercise, Hunter!KiIler operations, a N'ATO exercise, and local operations. During these exercise-s, she visited Dieppe, France, Portland, England, and Bermuda. In 1958, after several weeks of local operations, CROAKER participated in Operation Springboard in the Virgin Islands operating areas. She visited San Juan, P.R., and St. Thomas, V.I. In April she participated in an AS-W exercise. In July she commenced an extended cruise which took her to Portsmouth, England before returning home in late September. The remainder of the year was devoted to local operations. In the spring of 1959, CROAKER participated in two separate fleet exercises off the Atlantic Coast and had' local operations near Nfew London. After a regular shipyard overhaul, from May to September, she devoted most of her operations to refresher training. LCDR Jack G. GORDON, USN, assumed command of CROAKER on 2 July 1959 during overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. From 19 January to 4 March 1960, CROAKER participated in an extensive ASW exercise in nothern waters. Before returning home she visited Avonmouth, Englandzln April she participated in a special ASW exercise and a convoy exer- clse. During the summer months she operated locally while making preparations for her Mediterranean deployment. In -IUIY 1960, CROAKER was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award E and the Green Communications C for her outstanding operations in fiscal year 1960. Mefggefrgemztembeh1,9x6c?AlCREJAKER departed New London, Conn., enroute to the . on an I e ast areas. Operating with units of the SIXTH Fleet NATO, and CENTO FORCES, CROAKER visited ports from Rota, Spain to Karachi, Pakistan, including Gibralter, B.C.C.: Aden, Protectorate: Muscat, Oman, Massawa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Naples, Italy. During this trip, CROAKER was commended by the Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Navy for her outstanding performance in MlDLIN'K Ill exercises with the CENTO Forces. On 18 December, CROAKER returned to New London, Conn., having steamed a total of 18,989 miles through the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean and back. With this trip behind her, CROAKER' rested for the last few days of 1960 decked out in festive holiday trim at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. 1961 found CROAKER completing an extended upkeep period. In February CROAKER began local operations in the New London area with a cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia the highlight. On June 23 1961, LCDR H.N. -LARCOMBE, Jr., USN assumed command of CROAKER. The period of July to 8 September was spent in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for battery renewal. In July 1961 CROAKER added a hashmark to her E for the Battle Efficiency Award for fiscal year 1961. The period from September through December was spent in local operations in the New Lo-ndon area rendering services, training future submariners, and testing and evaluating new equipme-nt. January 1962 found' CROAKER enroute to the Caribbean to participate in Operation Springboard 1962, and visiting such ports as San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Willemstad, Curacao. A brief upkeep period and in April CROAKER proceeded to Philade-lphia Naval Shipyard for a regular over- haul. On 26 June 1962, Lieutenant Commander Edwin A. KUHN, USN assumed com- mand of CROAKER. Upon completion of the yard overhaul CROAKER completed refresher training and then rendered services to submarine school trainees and participated in local exercises. Late December found CROAKER decked out in holiday trim to see the year out. January 1963 found CROAKER proce-eding southward to participate in Spring' board '63. Among the ports visited were San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. In May and June CROAKER participated in CANUSf- SLAMEX '63 and visited Halifax, Nova Scotia. On 1 July 1963, CROAKER WGS awarded the Battle Efficiency E for outstanding performance during the pre- ceding twelve months. On 16 July CROAKER departed New London Connecticut enroute for Operations with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean.

Page 8 text:

THE WARDROOM THE GOAT LOCKER I IIII LTJG JOHN IBig JohnI MCGINN IEMOI If2jI LTJG LAWRENCE Iof New Lo-ndonI McEWEN I ICommisscIryI II3fI ENS BOB ICCIDVGS Bc1ckI BEERS II4II mo DEAN IDENIOI KIESS ISuppIyI LEFT TO R'GHT If5jI LTJG ROD IMooseII FRIEIDMANN IAss'I Eng.I CHIEF BOUCHARD IFrenchyI, TMCISSI I,6II LTJG WALT ITop Wrenchl SMITS IEngI CHIEF CLARK IChief of The BOCIII, I,7fI LTJG BOB IHof, Straight 8E NIormaII McKe-an EMCISSI IGunneryI MISSING: LCDR RAY IHey RcIyI HELGEMOE IXOI LTJG JIM IO'FLEAI O'FARRELL ICommuniccIfionsI N CHIEF MILLER IPQIDPYI, ENCISSI LEFT TO RIGHT CHIEF PASCOE IBoy Chas-+I, RMCISSI CHIEF THEEUWEN ITweeIyI, EMCISSII CHIEF ZIMMERMAN IZimI, QMCISSI