Davis (DD 937) - Naval Cruise Book

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DAVIS began 1971 with a shakedown cruise to the Caribbean. In April the ship departed on a North Atlantic cruise making port calls in Germany, Den- mark, The Netherlands, and the Azores. une 1971, DAVIS once again returned to On 25 the Naval Shipyard for post Shakedown availability. retu departed the yards on 4 October 1971 Newport. In mid-October DAVIS was partici ate in a U.S. Naval Destroyer ad just one week to complete this cruise. The two weeks of d lls, gunnery practice, engineering W exercises were broken up by a Nova Scotia. 1972 found DAVIS, underway for at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During I DAVIS made to the re was DAVIS got expected, but until 4 June not for the ship's third the world cruise were crushed for Sitra, Bahrain and Midlink XV volving British, Pakistani, Iranian, and The trip home included visits to Bander Mombassa, Kenyag Recife, Brazil, Po Trinidad, and Roosevelt Roads, in Newport, Rhode Island on 22 DAVIS completed her third tour of rt After a thirty tran- at Subic AVIS took ne near the rou d forces in Region c Bay in first liberty of making

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The destroyer USS DAVIS was commissioned 6 March 1957, bearing the name of World War ll Commander George F. DAVIS who, as Com- Officer' of the USS WALKE IDD-7231, brave- his life in a victorious duel with four Japanese aircraft. Although mortally wounded, Com- mander DAVIS rallied his men to save the heavily damaged snip. To honor him, the Navy named one of its finest Destroyers after him. Built in Quincy, Massachusetts, DAVIS arrived in her homeport of Newport, Rhode Island, on 10 May. During the next months, the ship underwent intensive shakedown cruises, molding a new ship and a new crew into an outstanding fighting unit. Finally, that summer, she was ready to join the fleet. DAVIS deployed to the Mediterranean as flagship for Com- mander Destroyer Squadron Twelve. The winter of 1958-59 saw DAVIS in Caribbean waters for Operation Springboard . After this annual exercise, the ship entered Boston Naval Shipyard for a regular overhaul. After the overhaul DAVIS in Caribbean waters for several months STDRY OF THE USS DAVIS navigating the world. DAVIS finished this eventful year by capturing another Battle Efficiency E and the departmental awards for both operations and engineering. I Early in 1967, DAVIS deployed to the Mediterra- nean and duty with the United States' Sixth Fleet. Dur- ing this cruise, the ship saw action in the Arab-Israeli confrontation in June of that year. Returning to Newport in November 1967, DAVIS headed for Boston and a yard overhaul. Beginning the new year in the yards, the ship finished her overhaul and steamed south again to take ,part in Springboard exercises. DAVIS spent part of March on a Confidential mission near Cuba followed by ma- jor ASW operations off the coast of Florida. In May, it was back to Newport in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Vietnam. During the summer months, the crew worked many long hours getting DAVIS ready for her second WESTPAC cruise. DAVIS continued her tradition of excellence. On 15 August, 1968, the ship received three major returning to Newport in February of 1960. In April, the ship received 7 Gunnery Awards outstanding competitive firing, and on 5 July she received the Battle Efficiency symbolic of the state of battle readiness in her squadron. the first for the ship, were the begin- ofa DAVIS tradition. Throughout the ship's consistently maintained her high 'won countless awards in awards: The Destroyer Squadron Twelve Battle Ef- ficiency E , the Weapons and the Engineering This was the third consecutive Battle Efficiency E for DAVIS, and the second Engineering These awards made DAVIS the most in the Atlantic Fleet. Then on 20 August yet another honor - The Atlantic Fleet concluding the snip of the proudest com VIS

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COMMANDING OFFICER COMMANDER LOREN M. LEWEDAG Commander LEWEDAG was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on September 5, 1932, After moving to Minnesota, he attended Southwest High School in Minneapolis. He entered the Freshman class at the University Of Minnesota in the fall of 1953, and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with the Class of 1956. Commander LEWEDAG enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1950, and was commissioned an Ensign on graduation through the ROC Program. He initially served in several Postal Affairs Assignments at the Fleet Post Office, New York, Naval Communications Facility, London, England and later as Assistant Head of Postal Affairs, OPNAV. ln 1962, he was assigned to USS SPIEGEL GROVE QLSD-32l as that ship's Chief Engineer. Com- mander LEWEDAG left SPIEGEL GROVE to join the nucleus crew for commissioning the Guided Missile Frugate USS BELKNAP QDLG 26y the first of thatclass ship While attached to BELKNAP he served as First Lieutenant and Damage Control Assistant from 1964 until 1966 This assignment was followed by a tour of duty as Officer In Charge COMNAVPHILDET Hong Kong BCC until 1969 He subsequently served as Ex ecutive Officer on board USS GYATT QDD 712l and then USS BORIE QDD 704t Most recently Commander LEWEDAG was assigned to the USS WASP QCVS 18l where he per formed duties as Chief Engineer. ln March, 1972, he was ordered to USS DAVIS QDD-937l as its Comman- ding Officer. Commander LEWEDAG is married to the former Miss Liela J. Dormer of London, England. They have three children, Mark, Lance, and Vanessa. He is authorized to wear the Navy Commenda- tion Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, 'Naval Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.