Edisto (AGB 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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commanding officer E 5 Griffith Conrad Evans, Jr., is the son of Pro- fessor CEmeritusj and Mrs. Griffith Conrad Evans, Sr. Professor Evans is a noted mathematician at the University of California. Commander Evans graduated from the University of California, Berk- ley, California, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve August 14, 1942. His date of rank as Commander is January 8, 1957. He first served on district patrol craft having F- quartermaster and signalling duties. InSeptember 1942 he was Assistant First Lieutenant at the :Maritime School. HOFFMAN ISLAND, New York. Commander Evans then returned to patrol craft, first as Executive Officer of the USS YP 449, and in May51943 as Commanding Officer of the USS YP 61. In January 1944 he underwent submarine chaser training in Miami, Florida where he completed the Basic and Prospective Commanding Officer courses. He served as Executive Officer of the patrol craft USS PCS 1383 commencing in August 1944. Com- mander Evans served as Commanding Officer of the USS PCS 1421. - On February 11, 1946 Commander Evans was released from active duty at his own request, how- ever he remained an active member of the Naval Reserve. . On August 20, 1950 he returned to ex- tended activefduty at his own request. gm- He assumed command of the landing ship USS n . L .. LSM 175.. In November 1951 he assumed command of r ,ml gn, 5513! 071 , , the Uss EVERETT qrnsp alternating between the ' V Korean theater and as U.S. Stationship, Hong Kong, I ' from March to August 1952 and from November to March 4 1953. Commander Evans next served as Convey and Routing and Assistant, Operations Officer on the Staff, Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier. In September 1953 he was selected for the TAR program. In February 1954 he reported for duty with Assistant Director Naval Personnel fNaval R S ' ' ' ' eservej taff, Commander Fourteenth Naval District. He then assumed duties as Commanding Officer on the U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center Santa Ana California and was a member of the National Naval Reserve Policy Board for FY 1956 and 1955 Here he, formed th F' Fl . e irst eet Division activated in Country May 13, 1956, and the First Submarine Attack Unit, activated in December 1956. F th ' rom ere he was orderedto the oiler USS KAWISHIWI fAO'46j where he be- came Executive Officer, and later Commanding Officer. On December 7, 1959 Commander Evans assumed command of the icebreaker USS BURTON ISLAND CAGBD. Wh'l h ' ' ' ' 'f ' ' . 1 e e was Commanding Officer the ship participated in the first successful penetration of Bellingshausen Sea during DEEPFREEZE 1960 Also with the sa h' h . re s 1 e established the first ship-launched ice floe station ARLIS I in the A t' ' S m P rc ic in eptember 1960. On November 14, 1960 Commander Evans became Commanding Officer of a second icebreaker, the USS EDISTO CAGB2Q. i Commander Evans is married to the former Miss Arlene Westbo Callahan of Hollister, Cali- forma. They have four children, and the family is currently residing in the Boston Mass. Area.

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Thomas Frank GERECKE is the son of Mrs. Frank Gerecke of the Sag Harbor, New York. Prior to entering the Navy he attended the University of Alabama., He was commissioned an Ensign after gradu. ating from the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School, New York, New York, in November 1945. Since entering the Navy he has received a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, and a Masters Degree in Physics from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California. i Commander Gerecke first served aboard the destroyer escort USS JACK W. WILKE CDE 800j as Gunnery and Sonar Officer. He was promoted to Lieutenant fjunior gradej in 1948, and in January of 1949 he had duty under instruction at the Naval Mine Warfare School, Yorktown, Virginia. ' In May of 1949 Commander Gerecke reported aboard the minesweeper USS PLOVER CAMS 335 as Engineering Officer, and after seven months became the Executive Officer. In December of1950 he as- sumed command of a second minesweeper, the USS LORIKEET QAMS 49D for a period of one year. For further schooling he next attended the General Line School,Monterey, California, where he was promoted to, Lieutenant in 1952, and the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. Here he took a special Physics course and received his Masters Degree. From August of 1954 until June of 1955 he worked at the University of California'Radiation Laboratory, in Berkeley, California. In 1955 Lieu- tenant Commander Gerecke reported aboard the cruiser USS MACON CCA 132, as Fire Control Officer, and served in this billet until July 1957 when he was detached. He worked as a research physicist at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, California from 1957 to 1960 and in August of 1960 he reported as Executive Officer of the icebreaker, USS EDISTO .QAGB 25. , He is entitled to wear the American Theater World War II Medal,Victory World War II Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus in Livermore, California. Lieutenant Commander Gerecke is married to the former Miss Lorraine H. Edwards, of Sag Harbor, New York. Commander and Mrs. Gerecke have three children and live on Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, New York. . ' executive officer Aslwe approach the end of Operation DEEP- FREEZE 61, I can look back on what has been the most memorable cruise of my naval career. While often difficult, and sometimes even peri- lous, it has nevertheless been interesting, throughout. It has been a long cruise,'but, the contribu- tion made by each and every one of you made it, for the most part, and enjoyable one. I appre- ciate very much the superb performances turned in by all hands which served to make my job easier and the operation a tremendous success. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with such an outstanding group of men. I shall never forget it. My own personal best wishes both to those of you who are leaving EDISTO for other duty stations or to pursue a career in civilian life and to those who will make still another cruise on board. Good Luck. T.F. GERECKE LCDR USN . . . and the ,golden nfubloon wen! unclaimed