Grand Canyon (AD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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Front row, left to right: Sabol SN, Smith, G. SN, Shue SN, Shue= mate SN, Woifrum S.N, Royse SN, Zidwick SN, Vanroy SN, San= tore SN. Second row: Sorenson SN, Vannortwick SN, Stuckey SN, Schmidt SN, Cooper SN, Dolcart SN, Rosario SN, Stefinica SN. Third row: Nolz GMC, McCuen FC3, Gilbert GMl, Mims QM3, Farrington GM3, Harrison GMSN, Veazie, E. E., GAISN, Fov QM3, Spellacv GMSN, Wahler GMSN, Veazie, S. F., GMSN, Griggs FCSN. liofsess, SN. Front row, left to right: Solensky SN, Woodward SN, Stites SN, Krokowski SN, Russell SN, Sharp SN, Kellv SN. Second row: Seek- nger SN, Penn SN, Quick SN, Aldrich SN, Thielbar SN, Kobylus SN, Poirior SN, Kesling SN. Third row: Noble BMC, Dooley BM2, Keith BMl, Thomashefski BMl, Schrodle BM3, Lekes BM3, Kra= jecki BM3, Yielding BM3, Jones, E. Q., BM3. SECOND DIVISION Under the consistent managinf; of Keith BMl, the Canyon Softball team continued on its winning ways on the ' 52 cruise. In the Med. the team played 15 games, having its three year winning streak in the iled. stopped in the 15th game for a record of 14-1 for the cruise. It had previously taken on all comers and an unbeaten record since the ' 49 cruise. Most of the credit can be given to Keith who got the team under- way early in the ' 51 season and after a shaky start took second place in the Norfolk City League, won the Deslant Championship and went down to the last straw to become run- ners-up for the Atlantic Fleet Championship, losing the final game to Servlant. It was the consistent pitching of ace Walt Latawiec and the heavy bats of ] Ioose Merusi, Dad Darcy, ilac ]McDermott, and Bill Jones that led the way to the championship. Latawiec earned a respect- able 19-5 record for the year and !Merusi and Darey led the batters with a batting average of .365 each. The team now comes back to the states to defend the Deslant Championship with only three regulars from the 51 starting lineup. Good luck to them.

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Uintorff o Ihp II S S« «ii K A . D r A . Y O . ( A D - 2 « ) The GRAND CANYON is a dastreyar tander of tha AO-Sd class, named after the beautiful wattern landmark. Autherixad 17 June 1943, the ship was built by tha lake Washington Ship- yard, Houghton, Washington. The keel was laid 23 November 1944. Under the sponsorship of Mrs. W. L. Mann, she was launched on 27 April 1945, and first commissioned S April 1946. The mission of the GRAND CANYON is to provide logistic support to destroyers. Under the command of her first com- manding officer. Captain H. D. HOOVER, the GRAND CANYON left Washington in June of 1946, for Son Diego and a brief shakedown period off the sunny coast of Southern California. In July, the ship was underway for Newport, Rhode Island, via the Panama Canal to start on her assigned task of keeping destroy- ers in operating condition. September of 1946, saw the start of the first cruise to the Mediterranean. The itinerary included o short visit in Palermo, Sicily, followed by a four and a half giving 1949, saw the GRAND CANYON back in Norfolk until tha end of February 1950, when a run was mode to Key West, Florida to render tender services to the destroyer-escorts based there. From the beginning of May until the middle of July, the GRAND CANYON underwent its second yard overhaul at Boston, Massachusetts. While in the Naval Shipyard in Boston, Captain CONNELLEY was relieved by Captain FEE on the 7th of June. Then, except for a short period of Individual Ship Exercises, the ship remained alongside the dock at Norfolk until departing once again in October 1950 for Mediterranean duty. The GRAND CANYON ' S log shews that she visited Italy, Greece, France, Gibraltar, Crete, Sicily, Turkey, and North Africa. The vessel touched at such historic ports as Naples, Athens, Augusta, Ismir, Bixerte and Oran. Once again, the GRAND CANYON returned to Norfolk in March 1951, after successfully completing her Mediterranean mission of Good Will and defense. During the stay in her home port, the tender was honored with the award of the Navy BoHle EfRciancy E , issued by Com- mander Destroyer Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet on IB August 1951. While she won awards for hard work, the ship proved she could also sustain herself in the field of athletics. Her crew won tha Atlantic Destroyer Force Softball Championship at Norfolk, 16-20 August 1951, and then went on to finish runner-up in the Atlantic Fleet Championships. The GRAND CANYON also presented tha Destroyer Force with the runner-up cup in the Atlantic Fleet swimming meet, held at Norfolk, 9-10 July 1951. On 7 September 1951, Captain G. E. FCE, USN, was relieved by Captain J. D. SWEENEY, USN. In February, the GRAND CANYON returned to the Mediter raneon with her new Captain and her new laurels. Since her arrival at Naples, Italy on II February 1952, the ship has sailed