Firedrake (AE 14) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

Even with all out efforts of the ship's force and the Pacific Ship Re- pair Corp., the list of things to be done - far exceeded the resources needed to accomplish them. Since shipyard plan- ,ning had emphasized repair of equip- ment, little had been done to make the ship more habitable, With the cooperation of all hands a habitability plan was devised and a dedicated Habitability Team was formed, As a result, every living and food prep- aration space has been repainted, tiled, and otherwise remodeled while a Crew's Library and a First Class Mess have been established. All living spaces were air-conditioned, the laundry re-equipped, mattresses and-pillows replaced and a program of unlimited access to clean bedding instituted, With this start and continuous attention to upkeep, the living conditions aboard FIREDRAKE are the best achieved during the ship's life, Our ship, however, does not exist only to be comfortable and in a fine material condition. The ship and crew must com- bine and merge into a single entity, capable of performing its mission. Because of the extended period which FIREDRAKE spent in overhaul and the large turnover of per- sonnel since the ship returned from WE STPAC, much training was needed, During overhaul, individual training aboard and at Navy schools was stressed, but a com- prehensive refresher training period for all hands was essential, Our schedule pro- vided for a week's training readiness evaluation and two weeks of extensive refresher training. The readiness evaluation showed that all hands on FIREDRAKE had prepared themselves well on refresher training. The training itself was just what we needed! Gur early exercises and battle problems were slow and devoted to training. By the end of two weeks, however, FIREDRAKE was a team capable of all its missions which it proved by passing its final battle problem with an excellent mark. Within a few weeks after refresher training, we deployed to WE STPAC ready and anxious to do' our job. I sensed a spirit of willingness to contribute to and pride in the ship which our team experiences and effort had built, From that time on, the task of commanding this ship has become easy and the pleasure of being a part of FIREDRAKE has grown. On the line in Vietnam, FIREDRAKE picked up the tempo in a few days and began to deliver ammunition quickly and safely. Over the years of its commissioning, FIREDRAKE has seen many groups of men develop into fighting crews. None were ever better than this crew! I a 1 f ' Pb AY

Page 6 text:

A W,,1fz7 x:VV A G t-9,35-syn Q . . ,f, ffm 'iw-W, Q. .rs 1,+f-wv4'1U'12VaV MV YVV X X-:.: 1-s X 'XV 4 , . S7 'Q-i. 5 , him-:,V -40: f 'fVVVf zVZi'h --WV.. V , y x.5ggq,5-j,.iL1 Q 5,11 'Vg V6 Y J ' X ,J W W. - ,QW jggg, 1, -'f :..V4fz up , r , fV+414f3f-'?i'312,s5fV9wyVW iZWf'ss1,tfMVV .4 'Vi ' :VV f -Vx V -V , , X 20 V4V4,,,, 'TN -VV'V,t,j:.i1d,V A .t - . ' ,,.xx TV-1 mg wivsizxznfa G?V'V-We-VvVf5.T.ffV5VV in 'V ' . 15:54, NV' W: N 5 lwgqsgjm tffzg.-,Nm VE, Q,-Vfwff iw Xa, ,,,, VV S . N. mfkdw M , , , v i 'wg 4 'fs LTI? 1'-1 wfzsv M ' f VV ,fo 'Ni 'VswkLz,Kt1 L w ' 'V 2,04-VVVAV--V: Uifiiabs Z,A2217 ?'eVt'f1VrV faq. , 5 fhiavgft-X' VVVV. sc- 'WT'-WPLDQ V 0- VQV-.1 5L2VVbvf,Siyy, .NQN2 5 ip? ,' 'ix aa' gQ4'if:5,i::.fvj gs. 'gf'-V,.m,T vi ,ix 234 gl, 1 ,fffifft 1 -V fy Segal V'Q'e,:VVf?V, 1wVVVf'W'f , V , ff 1 , ,- S V, VV, 14 wi . na. . S V24 NV ,,fWfVV , 9 P .,?,,fVM, l.,..,nf,f,V .V tv . -V' ,gags .X 'wa , ai. ,krixag-,uf f- .ff ,yfff V V ff A 1 get V ' XV'v121fw,.,fVw-1 Vfafifz W 7 :nj g REQ A ,JL,:V,,a-, ,YI , si x K , ,ix Xi. gym ' - -V X. ,.'5'3:a',Vf 'Q ' X in im: Ng. V - at -is .. -jgNg1VV,. X ff,,iV-vV,V i 5 gif M V. , N , .,..A-,, ,W ,.si.,, , , ,. V ,.,. 5 VV T5 ' Q, . .P ,,,. -K . Vi tn ,. x , UM? f l , ,fi N ..w Q, Z, A ia, Q, 'ff ,VV -Q 4 tip., :3 1 ii' . ' VVf X712 fifff, ' 5 ,VVVVVA 'ff ggi 5 V 921,14 1535 gi, .Lx - .fx-, 4, abfjfg, V Z, K 51 K Wm -agp, V -Vffgfhffi p ttf ,, V ' V' xl f Vff 6'-79 Z u m, Z , 7, 33 551, N if 'LN , - VV V as-' fs , f :.:. is ,.V ,.. Lp V Q, HP. V f V' J Ulf-55515 .. ,gy-if kg W fr V , V V fffefb - .- 1 mag fy -, V iw -1 - , , .,: X Fw, V 14 me AV , Veg f Sis f i fm VV V V14 ' - VV ,V af? 1 i 1'1 ,ia 'z V .. . K 'V .fa 'Vfz'2'VVx'ei- V V V f',VfwVrfV 1-sfff,:V,22f i'5 , V ,, VV ,V if 44 Vw - V i , .V fmgi .Wa-xvawev - . of TX-phi --1 -fs-VVVVWVX fV A- V 12 J, . ul, V - V i-W., nn Wd.. . -Qy21,i.:,yV.V9,, . V V' -V www. vp? v+,X-wV- . lf U ...-va, ,Vi ix. , N, ,MMM , . V, ,,3,5,f,,,,w , ,, . 7. QA fr, K , 5, '49, Tyr? , A,,4,,, 1 .. , ,L ,Wg-E J .yigy is , 2 , A wv4,.. L, A, l V-1V , ,T 'V V7 V V if V Ag V f i Eff VV V f , ' f1'.f44 34 swf niiawski 'af tif -X i 1 'Vi f i a ' i ' el, H 2 - V ,V X viii f V. , i' V 4-:H 3 W .. sggqq Zta -- .g5,,!K,!y,,V , - I I V .A - .cy . 1 Vw 'ff , ' '- ,' , V K. ' 'ga V 4 V .Q ' ' ' ' Wil l 42:44 Vx - . 1-at V ,1 Yfyfif, i ,ygwq V-'A .15 - K uf , ,f Vfrc st J .ii , V '.ff 'i-Y f V 5.1152 V .:7VV , V A, f 5.4 f -,, .1 V -x . .agp V. . 4,1 , ji ,I Va i , ,V V ,.., V , ., i , it ,V V . mv, .i VVVVS gil Y, ,sm gg ,V 'V'-AS hx if M f fiff 'V wk-5, six ,. Am- V, ,V ,, ,vw , 4'- , - xg:-.gghift p ,Q M ' T ,VV .VM X VZwQF,?VK2Q,1f 1 -f gi 7 it ., NSS x wf11g,.f,QfQ',,iX54, I .z - f ' F9152 . , X f V ji' ' XX A ,,z 'Sn ,rw ' , f.+'V Lf' , an Q Q A ', .. V is W ma xy . V Q W 'Vi' fps X, f . ti , ,Vf 1 X 1 V, ,,V ,ziizfmfkiizgvi-V VV Q3 , V y 441- -Q4fC375VfNwV Vgzfgwj.--XV rifa ., f , ' Q' Q22 fV . , .ifewx 4 f X-1,fV We Vt W, -ff .Safari fW5w!Tff,V VV J 4747 1 'V Wm? V fhmfff yy K ff . ' 'fifgif A 4' Vif' ff 'fffifff if fciffsiff A' pf , ' 14 1 Qs VVVv V V Vf ,I mia, ,,,, V lg, , ff -Rs ff! , rs .- . N .iw , 1, V, VI' M VV VV Mix' 4 f f ' ' ,W4:Liaz7gg,,1.iN5.! 'V V 'QI ' y zfizf Q i , ,gi ,Vi , ' WV-1 , . ', V , -V .,'s-yyfftiast' 'wg :ft -1 , , gf- , ,ff V A K X V. Q g 'gf?3y' , v'r,' 'I 4232.1 X xf ,W4,y3Zff,V j if XV V V121 ,L ' 7.-fwfzVv 14 sf , V . 1 , V ,gy sw Writ ,,,yp-, Vkgswgf 4 g ig ' I 'f V V, ' Pxlf .XVW Vf , hfflf vv, ff V I- Vff' - - iiwf V if ,L - T I, fa -gf, Y ,, ,,VV-,, . V I fi .S xx al 1 11, ,VVVV 1 V - , V , ,,e WI.,4:g1g1 A 5 , af : fgajgg ,,yV v,4,:gwg.a, q:,,5V,,, V Var . ,, V1-gf sm V at V V M,-,v V, ngt?'w4Vfff ,N :W ,V ft ,fi -az. V MN ,Mi .V,ff:JafQ: , QZ7Z V 11', 9Q3'7 4?f QW, gt 3, 4 5,3-J ' V . N . wi-MV gf, E Vs Vx: T 42:52 hgh 56 5 .. VV WW . 125 jg IVV' -1 2,3 'f ,ari?iT2f5? - , 4 it A ' X 4,3135 it Vz ,Q '.n,'--,..Vy.:-ff p yy-V Q' ' ' . 'V MVQMWWM W ,.Ac,, N QWBM VEQM , V - y MV a- KN. 4 , j 1ja-,,- gi,-1 5,53 rvm +V, ..'z937ffg1 V , ff' Y f 'Is Hg 5 ,VV 3 431. Z4, aQg, Q! HV yn., V ' ,af , 2 Wai, .2 ?B'-M7 'P 9 ' ' fa,i1if?'V'-'ffw ft! tx- 7 f N V ,ff ' fu x7,i7,V,: V4 .1 , -- AT SEA ON YANKEE STATION IN THE TONKIN GULF The FIREDRAKE a v , - y ars aval service has had many Commanding Officers of which I am the eighteenth. Each of us has conceived th ' ' ' ' e ship and its crew in a different way in the light of the Shi ' ' ' p s operational commitment and our country's political and military outlook at the time. As a result, our leadership has undoubtedly reflected some variation in emphasis and style aimed at the basic objectives of Operational Training and Material Readiness along with economy and smartness. This is as it should be, for if command leadership were to be stereotyped, it could not accommodate the varied demands th t a time, place, and circumstance impose. eteran of twenty five e N With these principles in mind, I assumed command of FIREDRAKE during its first major overhaul in three years and under the shadow of a long report by the Board of Inspection and Survey which enumer- ated many unsatisfactory and dangerous material conditions.

Page 8 text:

COMMANDING OFFICER 1 CAPTAIN ARTHUR K. BENNETT, JR. Captain Arthur K. Bennett, Jr., came to the USS FIREDRAKE from Washington, D.C,, where he served as Director of Office of Information Systems Planning and Development in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Prior to this position, he served on the staff of the Special Assist- ant to the Secretary of the Navy, Before being assigned to the SASN Staff, Captain Bennett served on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet where he was active in the establishment of a Command Systems Staff, He also or- ganized the Navy Information Center QNAVICQ while on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the field of command and control, He was a member of one of the first groups of naval officers to apply computer systems to the problems of command while in Computer Programming and Operations Analysis in 1959 at the David Taylor Model Basinfin Maryland, Earlier, he served as an Operations Analyst on the staff of the Commander, Second Fleet, A naval aviator, Captain Bennett is a 1946 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and flight training 11949-505 at the Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, Naval Air Stations, He is also a graduate of the Navy's Photo Interpretation School and the Operations Research postgraduate curriculum at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to his Navy Service, he attended the Northern Michigan University and the Michigan College of Mining and Technology qnow the Michigan Technological Universityl at Hough- ton in his home state of Michigan,