Duncan (DDR 874) - Naval Cruise Book

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DUNCAN: A FANIILIAR FIGURE IN WESTPAC Today's DUNCAN is a product of the feverish shipbuilding race of WW Il. She was constructed from the keel up in less than 13 months in 1944-45. She began her history by sailing directly to the Western Pacific to participate in the August 1, 1945 assault on Wake Island. Though the war ended shortly afterward, she remained in WestPac for several months and began a tradition of deployments there that has lasted until the present time. Including her several peacetime trips, DUNCAN visited WestPac three times during the Korean Conflict, and this deployment marks the DUNCAN'S third combat tour off the coast of Vietnam. From 1961 to 1964, DUNCAN was homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. DUNCAN is commanded by CDR C.R. Stephan, the 16th. Commanding Officer in her history.

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I COM R C ARLES R. STEP CDR Stephan entered the Naval Service during World War II, serving on USS IOWA QBB-615 as a radarman and electronics technician. Returning to the Navy during the Korean Conflict as a Lieutenant Junior Grade, he served first on USS MISSISSIPPI QEAG-1281, participating in TERRIER missile test and evaluation program. His first destroyer tour as Operations Officer of USS SHIELDS CDD-5963 was followed by General Line School and a three-year tour in the Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. He returned to destroyers as Executive Officer of the USS LYMAN K. SWENSON CDD-7295, homeported first in Long Beach and later in Yokosuka, Japan. While in Japan he commanded the tank landing ship TOM GREEN COUNTY QLST-11591. After two years in Washington, D.C., again in the EBM program, he was ordered to Vietnam as senior Naval Advisor in the I Corps area to the Vietnamese Navy and commanded the U.S. Navy Coastal Surveillance Group QCTG 115.12 in that area. In addition CDR Stephan was instrumental in establishing the I Corps River Patrol Group and was assignedto be its operational commander. -The Vietnamese government awarded him the National Order of Vietnam and the Cross of Gallantry with Palm for commanding the task unit which captured a North Vietnamese resupply trawler attempting to infiltrate arms into the I Corps area. The United States government awarded him the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V for his service in Vietnam and the Meritorious Unit Commendation for commanding the staff of the I Corps Coastal Surveillance Center at Danang, one of his duties as CTG 115.1. CDR Stephan became Commanding Officer, USS DUNCAN on 8 March 1968.