Damato (DDE 871) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIP ' S HISTORY Named in honor of Corporal Anthony Peter Damato, United States Marine Corps who was awarded the Con- gressional Medal of Honor (posthumously) for action at Eniwetok Atol, Marshall islands on 19 February 1944, the USS DAMATO ' s keel was laid on 10 May 1945 at Bethle- hem Steel Company, Staten Island, New York. After being launched on 21 November 1945 and com- missioned on 27 April 1946, the DAMATO operated inde- pendently until December 1947 when she joined Destroyer Squadron EIGHT as a full-fledged member of the Atlantic Fleet. In August and September of 1949, the Damato made a midshipman cruise to England and France. During the month of Nove mber the DAMATO went north to participate in cold weather operations in Arctic waters. In 1950 as a unit of Hunter-Killer Group ONE she made a Mediterranean training cruise. The cruise consisted of many fleet exercises and, of course, liberty in Mediter- ranean ports. By the end of October the DAMATO with Hunter-Killer Group ONE was homeward bound, exercising enroute, in operation CONVEX , an amphibious exercise. The DAMATO was then reassigned to Escort Destroyer Squadron FOUR and with the Squadron, took part in Hun- ter-Killer Operations in the South Atlantic. In September 1951 she departed for a short cruise to the Mediterranean returning to the United States by December of the same year. mained there until late December when she returned to the United States. 1957 began with Hunter-Killer operations for the DAMATO. One two week trip took her to Bermuda and an- other cruise made New York City a part of call. On 12 June 1957 the ship participated in the International Naval Review at Hampton Roads. During the summer of 1957 the DAMATO was a part of Midshipmen Training Cruise ALFA that made goodwill visits to Santos, Brazil, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. On 24 March 1958 the ship departed for the Medi- terranean. After visiting Athens, and Iskenderun the ship became part of the Levant Patrol. She transmitted the Suez Canal and joined Commander Middle East Forces in the Persian Gulf. During this tour the DAMATO visited Bahrain, Aden, Ras Tanura, Das Island, Abu Bhabi, and Massawa. On return from this patrol the ship visited Cannes and Genoa. The Genoa visit was ended abruptly by the Leb- anese Crisis. The ship remained off the coat of Lebanon until September when she returned to the United States. In January 1960 the DAMATO participated in Opera- tion Springboard in the Carribbean Sea. Between opera- tions and exercises the ship found time to visit San Juan, Ciudad Trujillo, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. This cruise was followed by operation PHIBEK , a major amphibious ex- ercise off the coast of North Carolina. By June the DAMATO was again ready for her regular overhaul in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The DAMATO participated in CONVEX III in the begin- ning of 1952 consisting of Hunter-Killer and Convoy Escort exercises held in an area that stretched from New England to the Coast of Mexico. In August 1952 the Damato was awarded the Battle Efficiency Plaque for fiscal year 1952. This award, made by Commander Destroyers U. S. Atlantic Fleet, is made annually to those few ships which, on the basis of competitive exercise scores, performance of as- signed combat, fleet exercised missions, and general repu- tation, show superior qualifications of battle readiness. In 1953 the ship was once more sent to Europe, this time the DAMATO was attached to the Hunter-Killer Group that took part in NATO ' s Operation Mariner . From September until November she made good will stops at Plymouth, Algiers, Izmir, Naples, Athens, and the Azores. In January of 1954 the DAMATO once again partici- pated in operations in the Carribbean. This was followed by a cruise through the Pillars of Hercules to the Mediterranean Sea. Here, as before, the ship underwent rigorous training with the fleet and also participated in operation Key- stone , the largest naval operation of the year. Various exercises and operations kept the ship busy until August of 1956 at which time she departed again for duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. She re- It was during this yard period that the present Com- manding Officer, CDR V. L. Cassani, Jr., reported aboard. Upon leaving the shipyard the DAMATO proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for another round of refresher training. January 1961 was ushered in by operation CONVEX for the DAMATO. This was an ASW convoy protection ex- ercise which was to be followed by Operation Spring- board . On 23 January 1961, just as Springboard com- menced, the ship was advised of the piracy aboard the SS SANTA MARIA. The DAMATO then took part in one of the strangest sea sages of our country, the Pursuit of the SANTA MARIA. The officers and men of the DAMATO were instrumental in the search for the final disposition of the SANTA MARIA. After the pirate chase and some liberty in Recife, Brazil the ship was assigned to Task Force Bravo whose mission is to develop ASW Tactics. The DAMATO like all U. S. Destroyers, is a deadly weapon in war and a strong deterrent for peace It is our hope that our weapons will remain powerful deterrents and not become the powerful killers they were designed to be.

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.V ,J S VINCENT L. CASSANI, JR. Commander, USN Commanding Officer Commander Vincent L. Cassani, Jr., United States Navy, the present Commanding Officer of the USS DAMATO (DDE 871 ), was born in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts on 16 December 1921. After receiving a public school education in Chelsa, Massachusetts he attended Severn School, Severna Pork Maryland for one year prior to entering the U. S. Naval Academy in June of 1940. Graduating from the Naval Academy in June 1943, Ensign Cassani ' s first tour was as on aerial observer with the Naval Air Technical Training Command at Jacksonville, Florida. Reporting to the USS TRIPPE IDD-403) early in September of 1943, he soon sow action at the invasion of Salerno Italy followed thereafter by the Anzio landings Notable other experiences during World War II included the sinking of o German Submarine U-73, Atlantic and Mediterranean conveys and Ulithi Siapan-Okinawa convoy. Moving up successively from Assistant Gun- nery Officer to Gunnery Officer and Navigator, lieutenent Cassani assumed the duties of Executive Officer of the TRIPPE in August 1945 and as such participated in surrender negotiations and occupa- tion of various islands in the Marians and Bonins In the summer of 1946 he participated in Opera tion CROSSROADS as the TRIPPE was one of the target ships for the first atmoic tests at Bikini In November 1946 he assumed the duties of Executive Officer and Navigator of the USS JEFFERS (DMS-27) ond participated in Fleet Op erations in the Atlantic area. After a 14 month tour on the JEFFERS, lieutont Cassani reported to the Staff of Commander-in-Chief, U S Atlantic Fleet and for 3 years served as the Assistant Readiness and Training Officer. Lieutenant Cassani assumed his first command in October 1950 when he re-commissioned the minesweeper USS SEER AM- 112) as Commanding Officer at Orange, Texas. After participating in various exercises in the Atlantic Fleet, he was ordered to duty as Commander Mine Division THIRTY-THREE based at Sasebo, Japan. Assuming these duties in April 1952, he served in this capac- ity for 14 months and in so doing participated in combat minesweeping operations in Korean waters in support of the United Nations Blockade of North Korea. During this tour he also performed brief temporary additional duty as Commanding Officer of the USS CHIEF (AM-315) and as an observer with British Minesweeping Squadron SIX at Singa- pore. For performance as Commander Mine Div- ision THIRTY-THREE, Lieutenant Cassani was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation In July 1953 Lieutenant Cassani reported to the Fleet Training Group Key West, Florida for duty as Training Officer and Chief of Staff Officer After a 2 year tour in this capacity he was assigned to the Naval War College Newport, Rhode Island as a student in the Command and Staff Course. Completing this course in June 1956 he then re- ported to the USS NORTHAMPTON (CLC 1) as Navigator. Detached from the NORTHAMPTON in March 1958 Commander Cassani was then as- signed to the Fleet Training Group, Guantonamo Boy, Cuba and served successively as the Asistant Training Officer. He was detached from this duty in June of 1960 and on 13 July 1960 relieved Commander H. G. Wynne as Commanding Officer of the USS DAMATO (DDE-871 ). In addition to the Bronze Star ond Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Commander Cassani has been awarded nine other area and campaign med- als for service during World War II and the Koreon War Commander Cassani is morried to the former Catherine McColgan of Chelsa, Massachusetts who was a Navy Nurse from 1944 to 1947. With their three children, Vincent III, 11, Paul. 7, ond Jane, 5. They presently reside at 6419 Glenook Drive, Greenhill Farms, Norfolk, Virginia.