Grand Canyon (AD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain James W. Hayes Jr. Commanding Officer 12

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Named after the great natural wonder in the Southwestern United States, GRAND CANYON was com- missioned April 5, 1946 and has seen continuous service in the active fleet of the US Navy since then. The ship was built by the Todd Shipyard in Houghton, Washington, and launched under the sponsorship of Mrs. W.L. Mann on April 27, 1945. Under her first commanding officer, Captain H.D. Hoover, she had a brief shakedown in the Pacific, transited the Panama Canal in July 1946 and has been a vital part of the Atlantic Fleet ever since. Herpres- ent commanding officer, Captain J.W. Hayes Jr., assumed command on April 7, 1970. In October 1970, GRAND CANYON sailed on her sixteenth deployment to the Mediterranean, a series of not Only cruises which dates from September 1946. Between these long Mediter- CQI1 QO ranean deployments were many shorter ones, such as the one to but Scotland for six weeks in the fall of 1968 to participate in a NATO Will d.0 exercise and the many working visits to cities along the eastern seaboard of the United States. During her 16 deployments to the Mediterranean, GRAND CANYON has visited nearly all the pictur- esque port cities of this historic Sea. GRAND CANYON has been flag- ship for Commander, Cruiser- Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet; Commander, Service Force, Sixth Fleet, and for the Commanders of Flotillas Two, Six, Ten and Twelve. GRAND CANYON weighs 14,683 tons and has an overall length of 492 feet. Her beam is 69 1 2 feet and her draft is 27 1 2 feet. With a range of 10,500 miles, she is able to maintain a maximum sustained speed of 17 knots. She has a wartime complement of about 800 men and in peacetime will normally carry about 650. To enable her to accomplish her mission of repair and upkeep, she has 23,200 square feet of shop space.

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dedication The Mediterranean deployment we have just completed marks a turning point in the Navy Career of GRAND CANYON. We will leave Cruiser -Destroyer Force Atlantic Fleet after nearly 25 years of service to join the Service Force Atlantic Fleet. In most cases, Cruise Books are dedicated to families and loved ones of the ship ' s company. We in GRAND CANYON cherish the de- votion and support of our families during this past deployment from continental United States. At the same time, we also cherish the many years spent with Cruiser- Destroyer Force Atlantic Fleet. All who associate with Destroyermen are impressed with their esprit de corps, dedication to duty and their adherence to the tra- ditions earned by their predecessors over the past 50 years. However, we look forward to our new role and its challenges and we are pleased that part of our new mission will still be serving Destroyers. Thus as we change our Type Commanders, it is fitting at the completion of our 16th deployment to the Mediterranean as a Des- troyer Tender that we in GRAND CANYON dedicate this Cruise Book to Destroyermen - Past, Present, and Future. Sincerely, J.W. Hayes Jr. Captain USN Commanding