David Ray (DD 971) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER LCDR Patrick A. Tracy COMMAND SENIOR CHIEF ETCS(SW) Richard S. Foster This is ' the year that was ' . We will all look back at 1990 as the year: accelerated workups, a thousand DC discrepancies to correct before REFTRA, MEFEX, MEFEX and more ME- FEX, the Persian Gulf, and DESERT SHIELD. It was the year of, for most of us, our first real GQ. And the first boarding in the Gulf of a suspi- cious vessel. For some, the first local San Miguel beer. From those doing the salt water washdowns of the TACAN platform, to the guys cleaning the bilges, each shipmate gave his best effort to get DAVID R. RAY through the long, hot summer and safely home again. We grew together as a team, faced some very tough challenges, and were always ready to answer the call. I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve among such a fine crew. WESTPAC 90 was my first opportunity to experience the challenges of a Middle East de- ployment. I enjoyed serving as the Command Senior Chief and the experiences of visiting with the Secretary Of Defense, flying to Dahran, Sau- di Arabia to be on the TODAY show, the invasion of Kuwait, and Operation Desert Shield. My first encounters with Far East countries in Thailand, Singapore, and Bahrain will long be remem- bered. Crossing the equator and becoming a Shellback gave the crew the opportunity to even their scores. The reunion with my wife in Hawaii and the support from the people across America gave me a strong feeling of pride in the accomplishments of the crew and the USS David R. Ray.

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COMMANDING OFFICER Commander Wesley A. Bergazzi iWlKi tai i I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY PERSONALLY THANK- ING ALL THE CRUISE BOOK COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CREW MEMBERS THAT ASSIST- ED PUTTING TOGETHER THE FINEST CRUISE BOOK I HAVE SEEN. THIS CRUISE BOOK HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AND DETAILS IN PICTURES AND WORDS A MOST MEMORABLE, HISTORIC DEPLOYMENT. THE HARD WORK AND DED- ICATION TO DUTY BY EVERY CREW MEMBER WAS THE FO- CAL POINT OF MY REFLEC- TIONS ON THE PAST SIX MONTHS. YOU CAME THROUGH A RIGOROUS 10 MONTH POST OVERHAUL PERIOD OF INSPEC- TIONS AND TESTING TO PRE- PARATIONS FOR OVERSEAS MOVEMENT IN APRIL. BEING TASKED AS A MIDDLE EAST FORCE SHIP BROUGHT BACK VIVID MEMORIES OF THE GULF WAR OF THE 80 ' S BUT TODAY THE ENVIRONMENT WAS DIFFERENT AND PEACE WAS AT HAND ... OR WAS IT DISGUISED AS SOMETHING ELSE? AS THE REFUELING OFF KUWAIT FINISHED ON 31 JULY LITTLE DID WE KNOW WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR US AND THE REST OF THE WORLD IN THE DAYS AHEAD. WHILE ON PA- TROL IN THE NORTHERN PERSIAN GULF ON 2 AUG THE EARLY MORNING CALL SENDING US TO GENERAL QUARTERS SHOOK US FROM STEM TO STERN. THE UNTHINKABLE AND UN- IMAGINABLE HAD HAPPENED ON OUR WATCH! KUWAIT HAD BEEN INVADED AND SUDDEN- LY THE GULF ONCE AGAIN WAS ON THE BRINK OF WAR. THE PROFESSIONAL, ENTHUSIASTIC, WELL ORGANIZED RESPONSE BY ALL WILL BE RE- MEMBERED BOTH ON AND OFF THE SHIP, AS YOU WERE READY FOR BATTERIES RE- LEASED FROM THE FIRST MOMENT. YOU AS A CREW WERE SUPER IN THE WEEKS TO FOL- LOW AS THE SHIP EVOLVED INTO MERCHANT SHIP INTERDICTION OPERATIONS. YOU LED BY EXAMPLE BY INTERCEPTING OVER 220 MERCHANTS AND BOARDING 1. THIS OUTSTAND- ING RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HAR- MONIOUS WORKING RELATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE SHIP, HELO DEPARTMENT AND GULF WORKHORSE OCEANLORD 20. THE HELO DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED 298 DAY LAND- INGS AND 210 NIGHT LANDINGS WITH OVER 430 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS SAFELY CONDUCTED. I WISH TO THANK EVERY MEMBER FOR THEIR UNSELFISH DEVOTION TO THEIR SHIPMATES AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE BRAVE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ON THE HOMEFRONT WHO HELPED US THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES AND THE HOT GULF SUMMER. YOU ALL HAD AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN A DEPLOYMENT THAT WILL BE READ ABOUT IN THE HISTORY BOOKS FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL. RESPECTFULLY,

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