Firedrake (AE 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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As the following messages will attest, this tour wasn ' t a pleasure cruise. F1REDRAKE and her men provided in their usual fine tradition. USS FIREDRAKE AT SEA, DEC 5 (CNP) NEARING THE 21ST ANNIVERSARY OF HER NAVAL SERVICE THE USS FIRE- DRAKE WAS FLANKED LAST NIGHT BY TWO OF THE NAVY ' S NEWEST NUCLEAR SHIPS DURING RE-ARMING OPERATIONS OFF VIETNAM. THE FIREDRAKE, FIRST COMMISSIONED ON DEC. 27, 1944, SUPPLIED AMMUNITION TO THE USS ENTERPRIES AND USS BAINBRIDGE IN A TRANSFER IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA NEAR THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE COAST-LINE. AS THE SHIPS CAME ALONGSIDE, THE FIREDRAKE RECEIVED A HELICOPTER FROM THE ENTERPRISE ON HER NEWLY ACQUIRED HELO PLATFORM. DURING THE NIGHT REPLENISHMENT OPERATION, FIREDRAKE TRANSFERRED MANY TONS OF AMMUNITION WHICH WILL SOON BE CARRIED BY THE ENTERPRISE AIR GROUP TO VIET CONG POSITIONS IN VIETNAM. THE FIREDRAKE AND BOTH NUCLEAR SHIPS ARE NEW TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC. FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, USS HANCOCK CVA-19) 1. PERFORMANCE OF FIREDRAKE DURING FIVE ALONGSIDE PERIODS WAS OUTSTANDING IN EVERY RESPECT. THE ENTHUSIASM, PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND COOPERATIVE SPIRIT OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF FIRE- DRAKE PERMITTED MINIMUM ALONGSIDE TIME AND TURNED A RATHER TEDIOUS JOB INTO A PLEASURE. 2. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER AGAIN. FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, USS IWO JIMA LPH-2) 1. THE FIRST PHASE OF OPERATION DOUBLE EAGLE ENDED AFTER TWENTY-THREE CHALLENGING DAYS SINCE THE INITIAL LANDING. I WISH TO CONVEY MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE THIRTEEN SUPPORT SHIPS THAT PROVIDED US V ITH THE FUEL, AMMUNITION, FOOD AND HARDWARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE OPERATION GOING, AND TO CARRY OUT THIS LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION TO DATE IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT. 2. I WAS MOST IMPRESSED WITH THE STEADY, DEVOTED RELIABILITY OF THE SUPPORT SHIPS ASSIGNED, THEIR CAN DO SPIRIT, AND SKILL IN ALL ASPECTS OF REPLENISHMENT OPERATIONS AND MOST OF ALL IN THE DETERMINATION TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST ORDER OF SUPPORT. DUE TO THE TEMPO OF OPERATIONS AND CHANGING DEMANDS, OFTEN ON SHORT NOTICE, PRECISELY PLANNED REPLENISHMENTS WERE IMPOSSIBLE, HOWEVER SUPPORT SHIPS CAME THROUGH SEVENTEEN TIMES WITH VERT PHIB UNREPS AS AND WHEN REQUESTED, DEMONSTRATING AGAIN THE REMARKABLE READINESS AND CAPABILITY OF OUR LOGISTIC AFLOAT SUPPORT CAPABILITIES. FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, USS HANCOCK CVA-19) 1. YOUR FINE PERFORMANCE DURING AMMO UNREPS EXCEEDED ONLY BY THE OUTPUT OF YOUR EVAPS. PLEASE CONVEY TO YOUR OFFICERS AND MEN OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. 2. WE SINCERELY HATE SEE YOU GO. OUR SWIMMING POOL NOW WILL PROBABLY ONLY BE OPEN 18 HOURS VICE 24. NOW I CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP MY POTTED PALM HAPPY THOUGH. FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, USS PRINCETON ' LPH-5) 1. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE SMOOTHNESS OF OPERATION JACKSTAY WAS THE SUPERIOR [LOGISTIC SUPPORT FURNISHED BY THE FIREDRAKE. NOT ONLY DID SHE PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED BULLETS, BUT SHE ALSO HAD TO ALTER A BUSY SCHEDULE TO PROVIDE US. MANY THANKS. FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, USS TICONDEROGA CVA-14) 1. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE OPERATING WITH YOU DURING OUR TOUR IN WESTPAC. YOU HAVE AN OUT- STANDING OUTFIT AND HAVE ALWAYS DISPLAYED A SUPERB DEGREE OF PROFESSIONALISM DURING OUR UNREPS. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE OPERATIONS. With messages praising our performance tucked away in our back pockets, we wrap up our 1965-66 YVestPac cruise with many memories . . .