Epperson (DD 719) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 10 text:

RONALD F. LEHR Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy In writing this message I considered using a clever saying or quotation and I'm sure I can think of many that would be appropriate for the 1966-1967 cruise of Epperson. But at the risk of being prosaic - to the officers and men of the Epperson who make her go, for the many hardships overcome, for a truly professional performance that is second to none in the Destroyer Force - a heartfelt UATTA BOY!

Page 9 text:

f If 59 W' 4 in rating. FROM THE SKIPPER'S DESK John Paul Jones is reported to have said, Give me a fast ship for I intend to go in harms way . I have been greatly honored to have commanded a fast ship and we have gone in harms way. Epperson is every inch a destroyer and her crewall destroyermen. What is a destroyer? She is a medium sized ship designed to act offensively in protection of the major units of the fleet against surface, air, or submarine attack. She has the necessary speed and stamina to stay up with a strike fleet or interpose herself betweenifriendly units and the enemy. She is able to use her weapons decisively against any enemy she encounters. She is ready and enthusiastic to perform any mission assigned no matter how mundane or seem- ingly unimportant. She has a small close knit crew who live in 'cramped quarters under difficult conditions and love it. A destroyer also operates with ap dash and spirit that cannot be found in any other type ship. A Bone In Her Teeth and White Water Under The Counter . Unfortunately most of our cruise has been spent on missions that appeared to be mun- dane and unimportant. Lengthy periods were spent screening the attack carriers on Yankee sta- tion while other destroyers were engaged in more exciting duties against the enemy. There were reasons for every assignment and our jobs though perhaps less exciting were none-the less as important. Destroyers had to remain with the attack carriers to protect them and assist them in many ways including aircraft crew rescue ifrequired. VVe did participate in six days of action providing naval gunfire support against the enemy and our battle' ensign flew proudly on those days. ' Our ship has remained ready for any assignment throughout the deployment because of the technical skill and devotion to duty of our officers and men who are her heart and soul. Our crew have worked long hours without complaint with their only' reward the .knowl- edge that a piece of equipment was fixed or that they were serving their country in the cause of liberty and peace. p VVe have proved the accuracy of our guns. The excellence of our communications' and ability of our CIC team to perform in any environment has been proven and recognized by the award of the green operations for excellence. Mfe have caught and held nuclear submarines wit-h our ASW team and been awarded the ASVV A for excellence. Our supply department has kept us in food and clothes and spare parts for our equipment. We have steamed at high speed in the wor1d's first and only nuclear task group and made less smoke than the jet air- craft. VVe can be proud that we have met the test and Epperson is really Best East Or W'est. . va. l ? M I l ..... X ff'i One of fhe many pleasant jobs of being CO IS fhaf of congrafulafinfg personnel fusf advanced

Page 11 text:

BANG! BANG! BANG! Our super XO never misses - well maybe once in a while - during small arms pracfice on the fanfail. - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH LCDR LEHR was born in Britton, South Dakota on 5 February 1932. Although spending much of his life in the midwest, he currently claims Denver, Colorado as home. Graduated and commissioned through the regular NROTC program at the Univer- sity of Colorado, Boulder, in 19521, he spent his first thirty-six months of service on the San Diego based Radar Picket Destroyer USS DUNCAN QDDR-8745. During three West Pac deployments his primary duties included that of Engineer Cflicer. Leaving DUNCAN in June 1957 he assumed duties as an assistant professor of naval science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This tour was shortened as he was selected by Admiral Rickover for nuclear power training in March 1959. Now a Lieutenant, he trained at the advanced nuclear power school in New London, Connecticut, and the large ship reactor prototype near Idaho Falls, Idaho. Leaving the prototype in May 1960, LT LEHR jointed the commissioning crew of the nucl.ear powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE QCVA fNj65j and subsequently served thirty-three months as Main Propulsion Assistant, during which time the big E made two Mediter- ranean deployments and participated in naval operations in conjunction with the Cuban Crisis. Upon completion of his tour on ENTERPRISE he returned to Idaho as Engineer Oflicer of the prototype plant in which he trained three years earlier. Completing an ex- tended tour at the prototype and promoted to Lieutenant Commander, he received orders to the USS EPPERSON as Executive Officer and relieved Commander R. L. DODD in June 1966. ' ' LCDR LEHR is married to the former Carolyn McKibbin of Buffalo, New York and has five children, Bruce, Karen, Ellen, Mark, and Barbara. LCDR LEHR and his family currently reside in Honolulu, Hawaii.