Decatur (DDG 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ta ble of Con ten ts The Ship .............. ..... 5 The Command ..... ......... 7 The Crew ................. ....... 1 1 Navigation 14 Engineering 15 Weapons 27 Operations 35 Supply 43 5portsfPicnics ........ .... Q . 50 Ports 0' Call ......................... 55 Hawaii 56 K wajeleinfGuam 59 Japan 60 Korea 62 The Phillipines 65 Hong Kong 68 Papua-New Guinea 74 Australia 75 New Zealand 78 5 Pago Pago 80 Crossing The Line ................ 70 Tiger Cruise Homecoming .... 81 7 5 Staff ............. ......................... 8

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Dedicated to all our families and friends

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Underway' Men and the Sea To the raw recruit just out of boot camp and coming onboard his first Navy ship the word underway carries with it tinges of thrill and expectation blue water sailing life aboard ship unmet challenges strange new lands - manifest themselves in that one word causing it to epltomize best all of the reasons why he joined the Navy and indeed why man throughout the ages has always felt beckoned by - and apprehensive of - the mysterious sea From the moment the ship heaves in her lines and the boatswain pipes Underway shift colors the inexperienced sailor joins the fraternity of sea-faring men whose bonds transcend history and national border and whose affair with the sea IS timeless For the sea in its eternity laps all shores It is impartial to creed race religion and the color of your flag It cares not for the transient troubles of man his social upheavels and economic oscillations his summits detente and coups d etat The sea is without tariff rather- man meets the sea on her own terms his natural land-lubbing civilized self left ashore and pits his guile and his guts against an ocean of unswerving meanness and oblivious contempt. A sailor green from basic learns quickly to approach the unfathomable sea with utter humility to do so otherwise cocksure and proud would give to the sea a miniscule house edge and eventually lead to defeat Yet even so and despite modern technology aimed at erasing his vulnerability man s struggle is timeless his defeat inevitable For he knows he can never fully conquer the sea only continue to accept its ceaseless challenge It is this acceptance I believe which flows so strong in the blood of seafaring men It is a drawing of the sword to meet a dumb brute foe It is hoisting your sails high and shouting into the wind Sea you are mighty but I am both ready and worthy It is this which flows in the hearts of true sailors the unwillingness to submit the eagerness always to strive to seek to find and not to yield i 5 I I i