Diachenko (APD 123) - Naval Cruise Book

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D6dlf'Fi iICd naval officer,-uCan do spirit-sincere and 'devoted to his job-champion letter-getter al:-cards shipg all are phrases that have been used tion. time to time by the DIACHENKO crew to describe our much respected X.O. Lieutenant B... D. Smith. Although his entire tour on board will be less than one year, lVIr. Smith's enthusiasm, organizational ability and Warm personality will long be felt after his departure for Nuclear Power School in the near future. A graduate of the Naval Academy in 1957, Mr. Smith spent his first tour of duty aboard USS RICHARD B ANDERSON QDD-7865 where he was ASW Officer, First Lieutenant and Weapons Officer. After ANDERSON lVlr. Smith went to lVl.I.T. Where he obtained his lVl.S. degree in Naval Construction and Engineering, and a Pro- fessional Degree as a Naval Engineer. The forthcoming year will be interesting and cer- tainly profitable for our X.O. After six months at Mare Island learning how nuclear energy reacts, he will spend another half-year at a reactor site studying nuclear processes in further detail. And after that, maybe an-other tour aboard DIACHEN- KO, when they make us a unukief, that is. LT. B. D. SMITH EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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LCDR E L SAUL COMMANDING OFFICER On 15 June 1963, Lieutenant Commander Elmer L. Saul became DIACI-IENKO's Commanding Of- ficer. Under his leadership we have taker. pai. in numerous large amphibious operations, .Wen flagship for Commander Amphibious Forces Sev- enth Fleet and completed a successful and profit- able WESTPAC cruise. A native Texan, LCDR Saul first served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Pharmacists Vfate. After the war he finished his formal edu- catio-n at Baylor University and rejoined the fleet in 1950. He has served on the USS WINSTON QAKA-940, USS ORISKANY QCVA-345, USS SWENSON QDD-7295 and USS WILKINSON DL-55. Just prior to taking command of DIA- CI-IENKO he was on the staff of Commander Ser- vice Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet. LCDR Saul is the proud father of five children ranging in age from three to seventeen, and he and his family reside in the Long Beach area. Well done to all handsw was the phrase Captain', Saul used after Operation Backpack and on sev- eral other occasions during the cruise-a phrase he says with pride to a crew who are always working their hardest to please him. A ' ' J

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MR. MAEHL MR. KULA MR. GREEN MR. PATTERSON MR. BURWELL MR. LUNNEBERG MR. GUTHRIE MR. CARPENTER