Galveston (CLG 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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., . ..- M.. ., 1 . - - f -: - I . g -- Ol-1 DIVISION OI-1 DIVISIONAL HISTORY ince I have been deemed a Qualified Collector of facts' let ni: take you back about two YQQYS when Orders Vgerfnsggg from the guts of the Navy machine drawing H1612 ffl man Fleet, shore duty, and the bafflement of boot training about the newest missile cruiser GALVESTON. These Irrlleg, NOB a thousand strong were berthed near the Beer a , mt , NORVA, for PreCom training. Of this thousand, some Y- odd were needed to fill the first half of OI Division. This was designated OI-1 Division and the radar gang came about . . . . . . Before meeting the ship in Philly we spent several weeks in Norfolk, Virginia, in associated CIC Training courses at Dam Neck, Fleet Training Center, and attaining practical factors in deception and evasive maneuvering in the Naval Station Cafeteria. We first met the Gal as a group in May and were appalled by the disorder of the frenzied shipyard work. We all agreed that our CIC layout was unique and had some function, but visualizing was hard since most of the equipment was crated, and walking minus deck plates was severely trying to even a mountain goat. But, working as closely with civilians as Navymen can, and while still trying to exhaust the east coast's variety of CIC courses, we were, by the end of November, functional both equipment-wise. and personnel-wise as can be noted by our efficient assist in controlling a distressed aircraft alongside and thus effecting a rescue in December. . Our first Christmas found the duty section joining a va1n.24-hour alert over the .AA Co-ordination net for radar or visual sightings of St. Nick with the other ships berthed in Norfolk, Virginia. ' The three months following the holiday period were

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CDR R. H. WELLER OPERATIONS OFFICER OPERATION If-559 NA -ff . I

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gui----'--ya' spent at General Quarters together with Weapons Control Stfltlpn to complete the first successful firing of the Tales m1ss1le from a ship at sea. . Our in-port time found each man happily pursuing the diversions of San Juan and various other Caribbean ports. We returned to the blustery spring of Philadelphia sun- burned and happily looking forward to another summer of school1'ng'and Philly liberty. The schooling was accomplished and several of the division entered willingly into the emo- tional entanglements of marriage. Short-Timers left and new men arrived to be indoctrinated into our group during Gitmo training and WSEG operations in the fall of '59, Our previous training allowed us to satisfy the Gitmo Observers and we entered WSEG for our baptism under fire with enthusiasm. C WSEG was a new thing for all of us, being an operation as close to actual warfare as possible without shooting. Again, our training and pre-WSEG briefing came in handy and this, coupled with the latest contermeasures equipment, increased our combat efficiency a hundredfold from the first scheduled raid to the last. We have now seen another Christmas and completed more time in the Caribbean bringing us up to date, where Philadelphia Naval Shipyard is once again in sight, Here, as before, short-timers will leave and be replaced, and the radar gang will strive in the future, as we have in the past, to make the USS GALVESTON what she is. In so doing, we will satisfy our own individual pride. A