Dyess (DD 880) - Naval Cruise Book

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' Dyess Mis tor y DD880 is named in honor of Lt COL Aquilla J. DYESS, USMCR, who was posthumously awarded our nation ' s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for conspicuous gal- lantry above and beyond the call of duty during the invasion of Kwajein Atoll during World War Two. Constructed by Consolidated Steel Corporation in Orange, Texas and commissioned DD880 on 21 May 1945, DYESS saw no action during World War II but was sent to Norfolk almost im- mediately for conversion to a radar picket destroyer (DDR). With her special radar and addition- al anti-aircraft armament she joined the fleet with a basic mission of long range detection and destruction of hostile aircraft; this was her purpose for the next 19 years. After her initial deployment to the Western Pacific in 1946 DYESS returned to the Atlantic Fleet to serve. During her fourteen de ployments prior to 1964 she visited the Mediterranean and Northern Europe and steamed the waters of the Mediterranean, North and South Atlantic, Cari- bbean and Arctic Ocean. In 1947 she acted as escort for President Truman, and in I960 she was awarded the squadron ' ' E for battle efficiency. In 1966 and 1967 the DYESS was a close runner-up for the squadron E .

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CommandiHg Officer CDR Frank C. Mead, USN When CDR Frank C. Mead took command of the DYESS on January 7, 1966 he brought to the position a fine education in addition to a well-rounded military background. He majored in Government at Wesleyan University and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from there in 1947. He then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Laws degree from New York University Law School in 1951. CDR Mead came to DYESS from the Joint Staff of CINCPAC. His position was Assistant Head of Plans and Policies for all Military Assistance for the Government of the Republic of China. Prior to serving with CINCPAC, CDR Mead served as: Communications Officer aboard USS PC -800 and USS LEARY (DDR -879), Gunnery Officer aboard USS COLLETT (DD-730), Executive Officer of USS HARVESON (DER-316) and USS WADLEIGH (DD-689), and Com- manding Officer of USS WILHOITE (DER-397). CDR Mead also served ashore as part of the Administrative Staff of the Naval War College. For outstanding service as Commanding Officer of USS DYESS (DD-880) during her very successful 1966 Vietnam deployment, CDR Mead was awarded the Bronze Star with combat V . CDR and Mrs. Mead and their two children, Jeffrey age 18 and Stacey age 8, reside in Middletown, Rhode Island.

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In 1964 DYESS was withdrawn from active duty for one year to undergo FRAM I (Fleet Re- habilitation and Modernization) overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard. For the second time In her career DYESS was to receive a new mission due to changes in her hull and superstructure. In 1965 when she was released by the yards she assumed her original designation DD880, her primary mission now being anti-submarine warfare. Armed with her new weapons, ASROC and torpedoes and with the newest and most powerful sonar available she was enabled to operate effectively against even the most modern submarines. The basic mission of DYESS is the same today as it was in 1965; however, that has not hindered her from performing equally well in other areas such as rescue at sea, anti • air warfare, and gun fire support. In 1966 DYESS served well in the waters off Viet Nam in support of U. S. Forces there. During this period she spent 80% of her time underway while steaming some 48,000 miles, and fired nearly 3,000 rounds of five- inch ammunition at targets from Danang to the Saigon River Delta. This was the first time she had ever fired her guns in anger. She proudly returned via the Equator and the Suez Canal to complete her seven -month around the world cruise. Following her leave and upkeep period DYESS found herself plagued with engineering dif- ficulties which forced her to remain in Boston Naval Shipyard for most of the winter of 1966-67. Upon completion of repairs DD880 once more put to sea, this time with a complement of men many of whom had not been to sea in months and some who were sailing for the first time. Car- ibbean waters and the nearby gunfire support range on Culebra became the proving ground for that new team of DYESS sal lors who were to take their ship to sea again on 2 May 1967 enroute th the Mediterranean -Middle East areas. The remainder of the history of USS DYESS (DD-880) is found within these pages in phot- ographs and narrative — memorable moments of those who ride the ' ' Steaming Demon .