Davis (DD 937) - Naval Cruise Book

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arse. team rap- H371 U- - -Destroyermen have always been a proud people. They have been the elite. They have to be a proud people and they have to be selected, for Destroyer lite is a rugged one. It takes phys- ical stamina to stand up under the rigors ot a tossing dog-dog. It takes even more spiritual stamina to keep going with enthusiam when you are tired and you feel that you, and your ship, are being used as a work horse. It is true that many people take Destroyers for granted and that is all the more reason why the Destroyer Captains can be proud of their Accomplishment. ADMIRAL ARLEIGH A. BURKE

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eete 6 Ili tor USS DAVIS was commissioned 6 March 1957, bearing the name of World War II hero Commander George F. DAVIS who, as Commanding Officer of the USS WALKE CDD-7235, bravely gave his life in a victorious duel with four Japanese Kamikaze aircraft. On 10 May 1957, DAVIS arrived in her new homeport, Newport, Rhode Island. The summer, which was spent in intensive shakedown training, included visits to ports in the Caribbean and Northern Europe. In the fall, following her final acceptance trials, she became the flagship for Commander Destroyer Squadron TWEl.VE,- and sailed to the Mediterranean for operations with the SIXTH Fleet., Arriving back in Newport in April 1958, DAVIS embarked a complement of Midshipmen and returned to Europe for the summer. The winter of 1958-59 was spent on 'IOPERATION SPRINGBOARD in the Caribbean followed' by a regular shipyard overhaul in Boston Naval Shipyard. During the summer, while undergoing refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the ship was assigned a surprise patrol off Haiti under Commander Caribbean Sea Frontier. January 1960 saw the DAVIS again in the Caribbean for operations, returning to Newport in mid-February. In March and April the ship received seven Gunnery H E s for outstanding competitive shooting and on 5 July she was notified that she was the recipient of the Battle, Efficiency UE . DAVIS deployed to the Mediterranean in the fall, returning to Newport in February 1961. She was awarded her second Battle Efficiency ll E , and following shipyard overhaul returned to ASW work, including two weeks participation in a Mercury Space Shot. In February 1962, DAVIS returned to the Mediterranean for a six months' cruise followed by participation in the blockade of Cuba. In May 1963, DAVIS participated in recovery operations for Astronaut Gordon Cooper, and then spent the summer on a Midshipman cruise in the Caribbean The period from late fall 1963 to March 1964 was spent in ASW operations, and on 27 March DAVIS departed Newport for overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard. Subsequently, she engaged in training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea again on 27 November 1964. Upon her return from the SIXTHFLT on 14 March 1965, DAVIS was at home for onlya short while, when she was called upon in June to take up patrol in Caribbean waters during the Domin ican Republic crisis. In the fall of 1965 DAVIS was awarded the Admiral Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for being the most improved ship in the Atlantic Fleet in Battle Efficiency for the year 1965. On 19 January 1966 DAVIS, in company with Destroyer Squadron TWELVE left Newport for duty with the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Vietnamese Conflict. Transiting the Panama Canal DAVIS headed west arriving off Vietnam in early March. With duties many and varied, the ship lived upto her fine reputation on both rescue destroyer duty with attack carriers and during the long arduous hours she spent providing Naval Gunfire Support. For her exceptional performance of duty in South Vietnam, three members of- DAVIS were awarded the Republic of Vietnam's second highest decoration, the Cross of Gallantry. On 6 July 1966, DAVIS began the trip back to her homeport. She continued heading west from the Pacific stopping in Penang, Malaysia and Cochinj. India. Once through the Suez Canal, DAVIS crossed the Mediterranean and the Atlantic terminating her seven month world cruise on 17 August 1966. While enroute to Newport, DAVIS was notified that she had won the Squadron Battle Efficiency E as well as Departmental U E awards for Operations and Weapons for the 1966 competitive year I I H I Il 0 -I .. ,. . . .. . , .... S- . .fy -rr.A-.- -A.. .--I--A--A-t-----1-A-M--H . Q , , , . . , .t ,