Gearing (DD 710) - Naval Cruise Book

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CELEBRATIQN AT SEA.. , 75 , .yy GEARING sailors man the rail as Sixth Fleet LITTLE ROCK. ,1iT-TY Sixth Fleet ships spell out the goal of the U. S. Navy for the future in the Mediterranean a:..1.,a12'1,.,l ,- ,x 1 A 1 .4u.:' WA intein: 13 i l 2 5 E ll 1 M

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Normal operations in the Sixth Fleet call for spending time aalongsidev about once every two days, The some Ommon form of at-sea replenishment is fueling mfzffoflr teams at the forward and after fueling stationg gimme expert at doing the job -quickly and efficiently, B the time we left the Mediterranean, every time Y ht a new record for speed in getting 'd b ug . ilongsittitchjetd and receiving fuel. SCS . . hoN0t0n1y fueling, but every form of replenishment is tickled while underway, sometimes to the detriment of C ' ' an such luxuries as sleep and ' Holiday Routine. Food and ' came from reefer and car o shi s' real or Supplies P , practice,' shells and powder came from the ammunition ships, and movies, spare parts, and observing personnel were traded with anyone interested. Although speed was emphasized in order to be pre- ned for any eventual wartime situation, safety was not orgotten. Lifeyackets were mandatory for all topside nnel involved with the replenishment operations, erso iind bystanders watched from safe positions. The result was a minimum' of 1n1ur1es, and no call of man over- board even though much of our alongside time was tnight or in choppy seas. i Q' CKAh! T We Win ?77 here it iS! Receiving fuel forward-did I . . . E i ' Q S hunks! Nearly anything can bg transferred by highline, from a torpedo to a Commodore. We later lowered the time to 3 rninutCS!

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The shipfs 5-inch 38 caliber guns fire the first known 20-gun salute in honor of twenty years of Sixth Fleet operations in the Mediterranean. in review for flag officers aboard USS june 20 marked the end of two decades of the United States Sixth Fleet oper- ations in the Mediterranean Sea. To mark the occasion, most of the current fleet units put on a traditional American-style celebration, complete with a parade! fu A full day of activity began with a 20-gun salute, the first recorded even- ' numbered gun salute in history, one for each year of the fleet's existence. Then both aircraft carriers, USS SHANGRILA and USS INDEPENDENCE, launched their squadrons which then put on an impressive air demonstration. GEARING acted as plane guard for SHANGRILA, and thus had a ringside seat for the per- formance, which included helicopters, propeller and jet aircraft, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, all closely timed to present a thrilling half-hour. After the carriers recovered their aircraft, an exciting operation itself with interlocking flight patterns, the other units of the fleet prepared for the surface demonstrations. GEARING assisted in a flawless fueling exercise with the oiler NEOSHO, While other units tracked submarines, fired guns and ASW weapOI1S, and flew drone helicoptors. Observing all the activity were Flag Officers o e . . , . da Ch- Countries who rode the Sixth Fleet flagship, USS LITTLE ROCK- C Y axed with a pass in review for all participating units. Two columns headedi - ' ' ortan by the carriers, cruisers, and destroyers, continuing through Var1Ol1S SUPPb h amPhibious ships, and ending with two Sixth Fleet submarines, paSSCd Yt e flagship, rendering full honors to the assembled dignitariCS- f th United States and NATO