Davis (DD 937) - Naval Cruise Book

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y . USS DAV S CDD-9375 IDDLE EAST CRUIS 20 ocr. 77 - 2 MAY 78 To the Officers and Men of USS DAVIS CDD-9375, For six and one-half months we have shared an experience only those of us in the Sea Service can understand and appreciate. We have sailed new waters, visited remote lands and most importantly, accomplished all missions. We have done our job and done it well. We can and should take great pridevin ourselves and in DAVIS. I Think back to the beginning, back to September and October 1977, when we were conducting the OPPE and preparing for deployment. It was a most difficult time. Long hours every day, numerous inspections and doubt in some minds that DAVIS would deploy. But that's the time we became the crew we are. We did what had to be done, overcame the obstacles and on 20 October 1977 we left our wake on the Cooper River. We had become the DAVIS. Are you still remembering? We left our mark, our American Brand, as we steamed those thousands of miles to West Africa, the Mediterranean, Suez, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, East Africa, Persian Gulf, and back across the Atlantic. Do you recall the names: Conakry, Lagos, Rota, Cagliari, the Canal, Aqaba, Djibouti, Hodieda, Mombasa, Muscat, Bahrain, J idda, the Azores and Bermuda? Will any of us forget Djibouti... 12 BSF's! Nor should we forget the swim calls, the Crossing the Line ceremonies, fantail fishing, the whale on the bow, the beer on the pier, the bagpiper, beach parties, deck cookouts, Las Vegas nights, St. Patrick's Day cocktails, and the great Aqaba Gig Race. We made our own fun because we had to. We spent seventy-eight percent of our time underway. Our liberty except in Mombasa, was very limited. We were heavily involved in supporting Commander, Middle East Force, RADM Samuel Packer, whose flagship we were for two months, in operations in the vicinity of the Horn of Africa. We suffered material casualties and repaired some. We were self-sustaining and we did all that was required and more. AS Captain, I am most grateful and extremely proud to be part of this- crew. Officially, you render honors by calling me, DAVIS. Now, I say to each of you who have shouldered the burdens of this cruise, who have stood the taut watches, who have been my shipmates .... You are DAVIS! A.B. FLANAGANAA. Commander, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer

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THE HISTGRY GF USS DAVIS QDD-9371 USS DAVIS was commissioned on 6 March 1957, bearing the name of World War II hero Commander George F. Davis who, as Commanding Officer on the USS Walke CDD-723Jbrave1y gave his life in a victorious duel with four Japanese Kamikaze aircraft. Davis arrived 1n her homeport Newport Rhode Island on 10 MAY 1957 She became flagship for Commander Destroyer Squadron Twenty after intensive shakedown cruises rn the Caribbean and North Atlantic and in the fall of 1957 she sailed for the Mediterranean and Jo1ned SIXTH Fleet operations Returning from the Mediterranean she deployed to the Caribbean spending the 1958 59 w1nter there and then went to Boston Naval Shipyard for her frrst regular overhaul In March and April 1960 the ship pa1nted gunnery E s on each gun mount for outstanding shooting and then on 5 July 1960 she was awarded the Battle Efficiency E In 1961 Davis made her second Mediterranean cruise and won her second Battle Efficiency E the ship also spent two weeks operating in conjunction w1th the Mercury Space Program Late in 1962 Davis took part 1n the Cuban Blockade and ln May 1963 USS Dav1sjo1ned the recovery operation group for Astronaut Gordon Cooper Later that summer she made a Mediterranean Midshipman cruise ' 9 9 ' 9 9 ' 9 9 - ' ' A - ' cc 999 ' ' 9 ' ' cc 99 ' ' ' 3 - 9 . ' ' ' ' sc 99, ' A 9 9 9 9 9 - 9