Decatur (DD 936) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 4 text:

. . . Beginning . . . s A crew begins Trolining. MosT ouT' of booT comp ond schools, ond .seolsoned wiTh experienced peTTy officers, The new crew who will soil ond TighT The new ship meT olT NewporT, Rhode lslolnd. They will soon nneeT Their new ship . . . All The resources of The U.S. Ncivy indus- Trioll esTolblishrnenT begin To burn ond weld TogeTher ol new idenTiTy Tor Cl ship. Also welded is C1 rnore imporTolnT row rnoiTerioiI noT obToiin- olble Trorn ToicTories or shipydrds . . . BUT wiTh iTs Types of skills The BosTon Nolvoll Shipycird does The physicoll building.

Page 3 text:

The End 0fAShip... I Wm ?i2,1:fff ' NP ' , iv MAY I964 . . . AN UNTIMELY END FOR THE DD-936. WHILE CONDUCTING UNDERWAY REPLEN- ISHMENT OPERATIONS WITH THE USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN ICVS-39I A ROUTINE OPERATION BECAME A REALIZATION OF EVERY SEAFARER'S WORST FEARS. SUDDEN EQUIPMENT CASUALTY AND COLLISION CRUMPLED DECATUR'S SUPERSTRUCTURE AND BROUGHT HER BRIEF SEAGOING CAREER TO A CON- CLUSION . . . I

Page 5 text:

And A Commencemeni THE UNITED STATES SHIP DECATUR WILL PUT TO SEA IN A GOOD AND VVORTHY CAUSE. Joseph C Horsch 29 April T967 These worols, spoken by The well known NBC WoshingTon Corresponolenf oinol senior foreign policy reporTer seT The Tone of cornmissionin cincl I Q c1cTeoI os oi Choirge To The officers ond men of DECATUR. E . 'W ADMIRAL BENSON I ACCEPT COMMAND OF UNITED STATES SHIP DECATUR . . . COM MANDER MCDANIEL SET THE WATCH Lee BciggeTT Jr 29 April T967 WiTh The CopToin's oiccepfoince of his new cornmonol fronn The Commoinoloinf of FirsT Ncivcil DisTricT, onol firsT officioil oroler, ci new ship come To life. WiTh iT come The firsT reoilizoTion of Two yeor's work.