Decatur (DDG 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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The Ship: Always in the Right Our Country' In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right but our country right or wrong Stephen Decatur April 1816 DDG-31 is named in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, a famous naval hero of the early ninteenth century. It is the fifth Navy ship to carry the title, but was originally comissioned as DECATUR IV CDD-936D in 1956: following a severe collision with an aircraft carrier in 1964, DD-936 was converted to the first of a new class Guided Missile Destroyer, and was recommissioned as DDG-31 on 29 April 1967. The primary mission of DECATUR is to operate offensively with a fast carrier strike force, providing anti-air and anti-submarine defense. Another mission is to provide shore bombardment in support of amphibious assault operations. Associated tasks include the protection: and screening of support forces and convoys against submarine, air and surface threats. USS DECATUR is 420 feet in length, with a maximum beam of 45 feet. The ship's draft is 23 feet for a displaycement of 4200 tons. The ship is powered by four 1200 psi boilers that drive two steam turbines, creating 35,000 shaft horsepower each. Under full power, the ship can maintain speeds over 30 knots for an extended period. Armament includes a single arm TARTAR CAAWJ missile launcher, an anti-submarine rocket CASROCJ launcher, two triple-tube torpedo launchers, and a single 5-inch 54 caliber gun mount.