Epperson (DDE 719) - Naval Cruise Book

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Corn mending Officer ., 4 M , as f . W 9 ff' Leighton Dale Snnith,CDR, USN 3 May 1970 Commander Leighton Dale Smith was born 6 june 1931 in San Antonio, Texas. When he was quite young, his family moved to Illinois where he completed public schools and attended the University of Illinois for one year before entering the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated from the Academy and received his commission as Ensign in 1954. His first tour of duty was as Gunnery Officer of the USS R. B. ANDERSON IDD-7861 followed by a tour as Combat Information Officer on the the USS NORTHAMPTON KCC-11, at the time Flagship of Commander Second Fleet. Other sea duty includes tours as Executive Officer of the USS CROMWELL CDE-10541, Commanding Officer of the USS SKILL HMSO-4711, and Executive Officer of the USS OZARK fivics-25 where he served until reporting to USS EPPERSON. Shore duty assignments include a tour at the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C. and attendance at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. After graduation CDR SMITH remained on the Staff of the War College during which time he earned a Master of Science Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University. He is married to the former Rose Marye Smith of Newbern, Tennessee. They have three children: Deborah, Lisa, and Steven.

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t 1 A+ 1 'filll V f , , fy, lv , .,,.2' . , . fl, 41 Y it ll a, USS EPPERSON DD- 719 EPPERSON lDD-719j is a Gearing Class Destroyer whose primary missions are anti-submarine and anti-air warfare. She measures 106 feet from waterline to mast tip, is 391 feet long, 40 feet wide at her beam and has a speed in excess of 30 knots. She has a crew of approximately 18 officers and 260 enlisted men. The construction of EPPERSON was originally approved during World War ll. Her keel was laid in june 1945 at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearney, New jersey. Construction was stopped at the end of World War ll and the uncompleted hull was towed to Boston Naval Shipyard where it remained until she was completed by Bath lron Works, Bath, Maine, and commissioned on 19 March 1949. The ship is named after Private First Class Harold Glenn EPPERSON, USMC, who won with his valor and his life the Nation's highest decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, on Saipan during World War ll. Extensive sea trials were conducted in the Key West, Florida area September 1950 at which time EPPERSON was transferred to Pearl Harbor. ln 1951 and 1952 she saw service with the United Nations Forces in Korea and in 1954 with the U.S. Seventh Fleet Formosa Straits Patrol. Routine deployments to the Western Pacific with Anti-Submarine Warfare Groups have been made by EPPERSON since 1955. She participated in the 1958 High Altitude Nuclear Tests at johnson Island, and in 1962 she was stationed in the Mid-Pacific as a recovery vessel for Colonel john Glenn's historic flight. ln October of the same year she was part of the recovery force for Astronaut Walter Schirra's successful six orbit flight, and later in 1963 for the recovery of Astronaut Gordon Cooper. Since 1965, EPPERSON has completed six deployments to the Western Pacific. During these operations with the U.S. Seventh Fleet she has participated in extensive gunfire support missions in support of U.S. Forces in South Vietnam, and as a unit of Operation Sea Dragon, EPPERSON made numerous raids against enemy installations along the coast of North Vietnam. The successful completion of these gunfire missions, along with search and rescue missions, and support of Attack Carrier Forces has indeed kept EPPERSON, a unit of Destroyer Squadron 25, on the move . V 3 4- -f . fy V . .1 f.f:-- my.,,,..g-,',es..'f1J:f1 .we---1-nae-1.-:.:z:gQr:.-:.escapes:-:ca-1,.f,,-..sf-1,-was-5L-is-rv.-.1-5.1Las.,-1:-fr , . . Y-.1,.'. .- 1 - 1 . - 1. - J.-4 V

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,Q A C 5 f U51 Quiz, LCDR Gary W. A'lylike Yeager, USN Lieutenant Commander Gary Wayne MIKE Yeager was born 8 October 1935 in Los Angeles, California, He attended public school in Compton, California, including Compton junior College. His undergraduate study was completed at San lose State College in 1958 with a B.A. degree in Business Administration. He graduated from Naval Officers Candidate School, Newport Rhode Island, and received his commission as Ensign in May, 1959. His first tour of duty was as Damage Control Assistant and Gunnery Officer of USS TERRELL COUNTY lLST-11571 followed by a tour with the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam. Other sea duty includes tours as Main Propulsion Assistant in the USS COLUMBUS lCG-121 and Operations Officer of the USS IOHN A. BOLE QDD-7551. Shore duty assignments include a short tour as Administrative Assistant at U.S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California, attendance at the U.S. Naval Destroyer School in Newport Rhode Island, and a tour on the Staff of Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet where he served until reporting to USS EPPERSON. He is married to the former Margaret Connally of Bremerton, Washington. They have two children: Michelle and Michael. 5-vrrr5 n M2475 1 W 1 n,Z'wfIaM,.,t, V. - M f Executive Officer gym 5 We