Fletcher (DD 445) - Naval Cruise Book

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CRUISE BOOK To: The officers and men of FLETCHER This will be my last deployment to the Western Pacific aboard the Fighting Fletcher. As I complete tenure as Commanding Officer, I depart with great pride and honor, Pride, in the achievements and record established by Fletcher, Honor, in serving with the finest sailors in the United States Navy -- destroyermen. Our assignments this cruise were again a continuing challenge, They varied from operations with aircraft carriers to gun fire support missions for the Free World Forces in Viet Nam. In each and every assignment, all hands responded magni- ficently. I was indeed proud of our accomplishments and the manner and spirit in which they were carried out, To this end, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to all of you for a job well done, LESLIE A. TAYLOR, Jr, Commander, U. S, Navy Commanding Officer USS FLETCHER CDD-1,451 1

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T w E QT I V Q F- T Q 4 1 T .iff f l Length ........ 2 I Beam ......... Standard displacement . T Full load . ....... Guns ......... ASW weapons . . Shafts! Total horsepower Trial speed .... . . STATISTICS . . 376 feet . . 39feet . . . . . ..... 2l00tons . . . . . ..... 3050 tons . . . Two 5 f38 single mounts Two 3 f 50 twin mounts . MK 108 l2.75 rocket launcher Two single MK 23 torpedo tubes Two triple MK 32 torpedo tubes Two fixed hedgehog mounts ............2f60,000 35knots

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COMMANDING OFFICER CDR L. A. TAYLOR, JR. USN Commander Lesl1e A Taylor, Jr , USN began h1s naval career by enhstmg as a Seaman Apprentloe 1n 1942 Dur1ng World War II he served 1n the South Pac1f1c as a torpedoman as Slgned to Motor Boat Squadron Three N1ne and Twenty One Commander Taylor was d1soharged from the Navy 1n 1946 From 1946 to 1949 Commander Taylor attended Eastern Washmgton State College grad uatmg w1th a BA 1n Econom1cs Durmg the Korean oonfhot he was recalled and comrmssloned Ens1gn 1n 1950 Smoe that tune he has served aboard the destroyer USS MCDERMUT QDD 6775 as Operatlons off1oer mstructor, Fleet Sonar School San D1ego Execut1ve offlcer, USS FIRM QMSO 4441 Operatlons off1oer COMCORTRON THREE Operat1ons off1oer COMNAVFOR Ja pan Exeout1ve Offlcer USS HIGBEE QDDR 8061 and Commandmg Offlcer USS FINCH QDER 3289 Just before oomlng to FLETCHER the Commander served ln the Log1st1cs!P1ans D1v1s1on of Commander 1n Ch1ef, Pac1f1o Commander Taylor holds the followmg deoorat1ons and medals Jo1nt SGYVICG Commenda t1on Medal Pres1dent1al Un1t C1tat1on Q1 starb Good Conduct Medal, Amer1can Theater As1at1c Pao1f1o Campalgn Q4 stars! World War II V1otory Navy Oooupat1on SGFVICG Medal 11 starb Korean SGIVICS Medal C4 starsj V1etnam Servlce R1bbon Q4 starsj Un1ted Nat1ons SGTVICG Medal, Korean Pres1dent1a1 Umt C1tat1on and Vletnam Campa1gn Medal . . . . . - 1 , 1 9 ' . , - - 9 ' - . . I . . . . . a 9 s - I . . . . . V - 9 9 I . . . - . . . - 9 3 , . . 1 9 9 s 9 9 s 9 . ,. - '