Epperson (DD 719) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIPfS I-lls'roRv The U.S.S. EPPERSON CDD 7195 was commissioned in March of 1949, at the Boston Naval Shipyard. In September of 1950, she arrived in her current home-port, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she now operates as a Lmit of Destroyer Flotilla Five. The EPPERSON participated in the Korean Con- flict in 1951 and 1952, and the Korean Patrol in 1954, and was with the testing of thermo- nuclear devices in the Marshall Islands in that same year. From 1955 through 1957, the ship deployed to the Western Pacific to operate with the hunter-killer group of the Seventh Fleet. In 1958, she participated in the High Altitude Nuclear Tests at Johnson Island, and four years later, in 1962, she was stationed in the Mid-Pacific as a re- covery vessel for Colonel John Glenn's -historic orbital flight. In October ofthe same year, the EPPERSON operated with the U. S. Pacific Fleet Recovery Force during Astronaut Walter Schirra's successful six orbit flight around the earth. The U, S. S. EPPERSON completed a Fram I conversion in December of 1964, acquiring a new configuration as well as receiving the very latest in ASW weapons and electronic sensing gear 5 enabling her to keep pace with the highly technological modern Navy. Her versatility and potential in Anti- Submarine Warfare, with her ASROC Canti- submarine rocketb and DASH Cdrone anti- submarine helicopterj is such that she can find and destroy any sub-surface threat in the world. Some of thy ship's vital statistics consist of her length, 390 feet and a full load dis- placement of 3460 tons. She is capable of attaining speeds in excess of 30 knots. Her armament consists of two twin 5 inch mounts and torpedoes fired conventionally or from her ASROC and DASH weapons systems. The EPPERSON has a complement of 16 officers and 294 men.

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0 1Il.3.I1d.Ii.11g' Officer Paul K Clausen Commander USNavy Every Commanding Officer worth his salt becomes attached to his ship and many feel it is the best they have ever served on. This cruise has removed the possibility of any doubt in that evaluation--the EPPERSON is the best. Don't take my W01'd for it --- ask any officer or blue jacket on board. The EPPERSON Kudo file is heaped with well done letters and messages from Commodores to CNO It . reasure them because they were meant to laud the ship, and the officers and men who had the will, desire, and ability to make her perform as the truly great destroyer she is. The Saga of the new EPPE MARU began with a multi-million dollar conversion and the arrival of a new crew in late '64- The transition from helpless hulk to f t l igh ing ady was a challenging achievement made possible by the Spirit that was S302 to make EPPE famous. Like Lobo, King of the Pack, it appeared that she would soon lead the way and set the standal' 0 cunnin d f g an per ormance for others to follow. Each obstacle was met with enthusiasm and determination ---- refresher training, qualification trials in ASROC and DASH, shore bombardment training, type training, and finally the toughest Check' off of all The Operational Readiness Eval at' , u ion with an ASW task group where EPPE out-did them all with her Seek Out and destroy technique. But don't let me preempt the Wonderful story of this cruise for it can only be told by the men who were there ---- H19-king history in the proud tradition of the new EPPE MARU , -HU , . ,.., p f, ,. - 4 ' Q ef' -4 ' i,4,..- A If ' - 4.1.7 V- -- 'I . 0 t c f