Davis (DD 937) - Naval Cruise Book

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,J r :dll r if 9.11 3, 7.2,-. - ,.,,.... I UpOI1 hel' fefllffl ff0I1f1 the SIXTHFLT on 14 March 1965, DAVIS was at home for only a short while, when she waS Called UPOI1 IH June to take up patrol in Caribbean waters during the Dominican Republic crisis. In-the fall of 1965 DAVIS was awarded 'the Admiral Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for being the most im- proved 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 inithe Vietnamese Conflict. Transiting the Panama Canal, DAVIS headed west arrivirigioff Vietnam in early March With duties many and varied the ship lived up to her fine reputation on both rescue destroyer Fifi iduty with attack carriers and duringithe long arduous hours she spent providing Naval Gunfire Support. .r t is - 1 L1 ,. 4,-1 El .ly 1,9 Ti il ull el ble dl: all Skill 0' 1' . A . pf yr s 0 I. r jill 19' , . FOF her CXCCPIIOIIQI performance of duty in South Vietnam, three members of DAVIS were awarded the Re- public 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 Cochin, 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 vvg notified that She had won the Squadronr Battle Efficiency E as well as Departmental E awards for Operations and Weapons for the 1966 competitive year. DAVIS departed Newport on 28 November for the annual Fall LANTFLEX exercise which included all aspects of Anti-Submarine, Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Surface warfare. DAVIS' achievement in this competitive operation won Commendation for superior performance from Commander Task Force TWENTY. DAVIS returned to her homeport on 16 December for a Christmas respite and participated in local ASW exercises in the area in illanuary. Following this, DAVIS participated in SPRINGBOARD, the largest Fleet exercise of the year, in t e Caribbean during February and March. Q V. ' Upon comple'CiOI1 of SPRINGBOARD, DAVIS Visited San juan and Miami, Florida before returning to Newport where preparations continued for a May deployment to the Mediterranean..Before departure, icon- firmation was received that all three.main-battery five inch guns earned additional E awards for accuracy. This was the fourth year in a row that mount 53 had qualified for this award. ' USS DAVIS departed Newport, R.I. on 2 May enroute the Mediterranean and duty with the U.S. SIXTH Fleet. After having spent three days in Gibraltar, our first, stop, DAVIS responded to a call from USS LIBERTY which had been strafed and torpedoed off the coast of Egypt. Reaching the point of attack early on 9 june DAVIS' officers and crew members rendered the badly needed assistance teams which repaired damage, re--established vital ship functions, provided medical services and lent guidance to the crew. Through DAVIS' efforts LIBERTY was able to enter port for further repair. Between operating assignments the ship visited Souda Bay, Creteg Valletta, Malta, and Golfe juan on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice. While in Civitavecchia, Italy a Change of Command Cere- mony was held welcoming Commander Edward MOUNTFORD, of 1 Simmons Terrace, Middletown, R.I., as DAVIS' new Commanding Officer and wishing continued success to Commander Robert P. HILTON who was ordered to the National War College, Washington, D.C. Durin de lo ment DAVIS participated in Anti-Submarine and Anti-Aircraft. exercises as well-as plane 3 P Y guard duties for the Aircraft Carrier. Rear Admiral Paine, Commander of Cruiser-Destroyer Fqlotrlla TEN, . . . H . . . d sent a message to USS DAVIS expressing appreciation for the impressive performance, ent usrasm, an ASW expertise shown by her men, and wished her good luck, having set goals in reliability and per- formance toward which newer and larger ships can aspire. Before final preparations for the return trip to Newport were made, liberty of particular enjoyment was spent in Ibiza, one of the Balearic Islands of Spain, and Palma de Mallorca, another Spanish port. DAVIS went on to sweep the Fleet-wide efficiency- competition by capturing the coveted Squadron Battle Efficiency E for the second consecutive year. In addition, DAVIS earned Departmental EPS for both Engineering and Operations. Her Weapons Department celebrated the month of August, which coincidentally was Naval Ordnance month, in fine tradition by painting a Gold E on mount 53 as Well as a hash mark on mounts 51 and 52. DAVIS' gunnery score for this award is the highest ever recorded for a 5 f54 type mount. ,, t . After a successful and enjoyable cruise, DAVIS passed Brenton Reef Light of Narraganset Bay with f f N val Forces in the knowledge of a job well done. Admiral john S. McCain, Commander-in-Chie o 3 0 p Europe, stated that the ship's accomplishments were indicative of a state of readiness which can only if 'ci' .be.achieved by exemplary effort by all hands. 7 I .,'c,.,',,,.sFK' Y - ' ,hid 1

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i Ships History USS DAVIS was commissioned 6 March 1957, bearing the name of World War II hero Commander George F. DAVIS WhO, 218 COIT1rHaI1diI1g Off1C6f of the USS WALKE QDD-7235, bravely gave his life in a victorious duel with four japanese Kamikaze aircraft. On 10 May 1957, DAVIS arrived in her newihomeport, Newport, R.I. 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 TWELVE, and sailed to the Mediterranean for operations with the SIXTH Fleet. Arrivin back in Newport in April 1958, the DAVIS embarked a complement of Midshipmen and returned to Europe For the summer. The winter of 1958 - 59 was spent on ' ' OPERATION SPRINGBOARDH in the Caribbean followed by a regular shipyard overhaul in Boston Naval Shipyard. During the summer, while undergoing refresher training off 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 I-2 s for outstanding, competitive shooting and on 5 july she was notified that she was the recipient of the Battle Efficiency- E . DAVIS deployed to the Mediterranean in the fall, returning to Newport in February 1961. She wasf awarded her second Battle Efficiency E , and following shipyard overhaul returned to ASW work, in- cluding two weeks participation in a Mercury Space Shot. In February 1962, DAVIS returned to the Mediterranean for a six months cruise followed by participatit - in the blockade of Cuba. In May 1963, DAVIS participated in recovery operations for Astronaut.Gordf.' Cooper, and then spent the summer on a Midshipman cruise in the Caribbean. The period from late fa 1963 to March 1964 was spent in ASW operations, and on 27 March DAVIS departed Newport for 0-,fel-bf at Boston Naval Shipyard. Subsequently, she engaged in training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and der' to the Mediterranean Sea again on 27 November 1964.

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COMMANDER ROBERT P. HILTON, USN Commander HILTON was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Schley County High School, Ellaville, Georgia, and attended North Georgia College for a term before gn- listing in the Navy in March, 1945. After his discharge, he became an NROTC student at the University of Mississippi. Commander HILTON graduated from Mississippi in June 1948, receiving his commission at that time. Since commissioning he has served in USS NOA CDD-8411, USS ROANOKE CCL-1451, USS HAYNSWORTH QDD-7001, and on the staff of Commander Blockading Escort Force, Pacific Fleet during the latter phases of the Korean Conflict. Commander HILTON was Commanding Officer of USS CAMP QDER-2511 from july 1961 until duly 1962. His last tour of duty was in Was ington, D.C. where he served as Executive Assistant and Aide to the Director, joint Staff, joint Chiefs of Staff for 18 months and then as Assistant Head, Western Hemisphere Branch, Politico- Military Policy Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations for another 18 months. Conmander HILTON attended the Russian and French Language courses at the Navy Intelligence School, qualifying as Interpreter! Translator in both languages. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Government QRus- sian Affairsj from Georgetown University, and has done further graduate study at the Sino-Soviet Institute, George Washington University. Commander HILTON wears the Bronze Star, joint Service Commendation Medal, American Area, World War II Victory, Navy Occupation, National Defense, Korean Ser- vice, Vietnam Service and United Nations Medals. He also wears the ROK Presidential Unit Citation and ROK Chung Mu with Silver Star, and as Commanding Officer of USS DAVIS QDD-9371 he was awarded the Cross Of Gallantry with Silver Star by the Re- public of Vietnam. Commander HILTON presently holds orderS to the National War College in WashingtOI1, D.C. He is married to the former joan Madef of Miami, Florida. They have two children, 8 son and a daughter. 1