Damato (DDE 871) - Naval Cruise Book

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AND THIS CRUISE . . . On 26 August 1952 the DAMATO departed Norfolk, Virginia to participate in a triduum of history making exercises with the military forces of other nations, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The first of the three operations, Gannet was with ships of the Portugese Navy, the second, Mainbrace , which was widely hailed throughout the democratic world as a great step toward unified Naval Defense, started after a three day layover at Gourock, Scotland, where the Firth of Clyde was crammed with ships of Her British Majesty ' s Navy, the Navy of the Netherlands, and the Navy of France. Landing forces of these nations joined in a gigantic assault on the shores of Norway. At the completion of this exercise the ship proceeded to Southampton, which afforded the crew members an oppor- tunity to visit London. Their experience in Glasgow and Greenock while the ship was in Gourock, Scotland, assured them of a splendid welcome in the ports of the British Isles. They were not disappointed. Then on to Tangier where the never ceasing hospitality of the resident Naval Es- tablishment and members of the American Colony was thoroughly enjoyed. Tea, formal dance, and as a culmination of nearly a week of delightful experiences, a genuine bull fight with Rear Admiral Frank T. Ward of the U. S. Navy as honorary president of the Interna- tional association sponsoring the affair. From Tangier to Gibraltar is but a short trip and then liberty in La Lenia, Spain, for most of the men while some of the people journeyed to Seville, and Malaga. Naples and the neighboring historical cities of Rome and Pompeii were the next spots to be visited. Departing Naples the ship traveled to Augusta, in Sicily for replenishment. The French Riviera ' s beautiful city of Cannes was hostess for our next period of Shore Leave . One day tours of the Riviera to the border town of Menton attracted a number of the men who were on their second and third trips to the Riviera, and had friends scattered through the towns of Nice, Ville France, and Monte Carlo in the principal of Monoco. The novices made pilgrimages to Paris and Switzerland. The start of the third exercise was from Cannes and consisted of a trip through the Mediterranean with amphibious craft in our wake to simulate a landing in Turkey. This was operation Longstep . After Longstep we called at the port of Algiers from whence a few members of the crew took a trip across the Atlas Mountains, the Northern Border of the Sahara Desert in Algeria to the Oasis Bou Saada and the holy city of El Hamel . All the ships in com- pany joined in entertaining the children of The Methodist Mission at La Palmerie, Al- giers, on Thanksgiving afternoon — leaving a carload of American toys for the children ' s greater enjoyment of the Christmas holiday. A sprint to Gibraltar and then started the Long Voyage Home to Norfolk, arriving in the States on 6 December, just in time for Christmas leaves. Christmas Eve was marked by a Christmas party for underprivileged children of Norfolk and vicinity. Their hosts were the children of the DAMATO ' s ships company. During the month of December both our Commanding Officer and our Executive Offi- cer were relieved. Commander Meadors by Commander Victor F. Wadsworth, Lieutenant Commander Beck by Lieutenant Commander Robert J. Sammons. Commander Meadors is now attached to CINCLANT Staff, and re- siding in Norfolk, while Lieutenant Com- mander Beck has returned to inactive duty, practicing law in Boston, Massachusetts and residing in Canton, Massachusetts. On 6 January 1953 the DAMATO was again underway as Flagship for Rear Ad- miral Chester C. Wood, Commander De- stroyer Flotilla FOUR, who rode as an ob- server during operation Springboard . With the Carribean as an operating area, we were also treated to a few good liberty ports; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas and Port of France in Martinique. . . . And so of the future we know not. . . . Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known . Psalms 77-19.

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DDE-871 Hunter-Killer exercises in the Mediterranean. After making the usual Southern European ports of call she returned to the States for Christmas Holidays. One of her major opera- tions during 1952 was her participation in Convex III , as a unit of Hunter-Killer Forces, United States Atlantic Fleet. During this fleet- wide exercise Hunter-Killer and Convoy Es- cort exercises were held in areas from the New England coastline to the coast of Mexico. In August 1952 the DAMATO was award- ed the Battle Efficiency Plaque for fiscal year 1952. ■ i DA JATO m rfiovER »l! fiSRP. MfiJfiii PETSfi L i ' HM .1. g ' , ' . f rvri - ri. t tJ :T tdrAU I. iiiiiiJilirr AniiiMltillfrM FOOTNOTES— The DAMATO has three times been awarded the NAVY SERVICE OCCUPATION MEDAL with European Clasp for service with NELM Forces. ... In May, 1951 the DAMATO broke the Philadelphia Navy Yard Blood Bank record wi ' th contribution of 140 pints of blood given in one day. ... In June, 1951 the DAMATO was declared by the Commander-in-Chief of the ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY, to be ... the cleanest ship I have ever been aboard . This was received as a high tribute from the head of a Naval Organization whose own policy is the very essence of cleanliness and sanitation. ... In Jun3, 1952 the DAMATO was saluted in the syndicated column of Walter Winchell for its generous contribution to the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund. . . . On September 18, 1952 the DAMATO officially crossed the Arctic Circle in position 66 degrees 33 minutes north and 03 degrees 55 minutes east, the first in traditional Navy line Crossings by this ship.

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THE CAPTAIN ... WILLIAM WINFIELD MEADORS, Commander, United States Navy Born March 21, 1920, the son of the late Mr. Irby Meadors and Mrs. Meadors of 522 2nd Avenue, Albany, Georgia, Commander Meadors was educated in the Public Schools of Albany. A graduate of North Georgia College in Dahlanega, Georgia, in 1940, he entered the Navy as an Ensign. He has served in the Gunnery Department of the U.S.S. Anderson (DD 411), as Gunnery Officer of the U.S.S. Heermann (DD 532), as Executive Officer of the U.S.S. Claxton (572), as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Foss (EDE 57) and as Operations Officer and Navigator of the U.S.S. Fargo (CL 106). He reported aboard the Damato as Commanding Officer in January 1951 to be vi ith us for almost two years and was relieved by Commander Victor F. Wadsworth as our Skipper on 20 December, 1952. Commander Meadors is now serving in the Planning Department of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia.