Gridley (CG 21) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 63 text:

I v J- USS BUCHANNAN IDDG-141, GREYHOUND OF THE SEA . K, V V 1 F F A, ' , V V ,Q A ,K ,U V . USS JOHN YOUNG IDD-97.52 AND USS ROBERT E. PERRY IFF- 107.5l, BOTH PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE if WARFARE. ALTHOUGH NOT PART OF OUR BA TTLEOROUP, HMS WZEN fF91J CONTRIBUTED TO KEEPING THE -I I PMCE AROUND THE PERSIAN GULF. - I U S5 LEFTWWCH TDD-9841 USS LONG BEACH ICON-92, LARGEST CRUISER CURRENTLY IN THE U.s. NAVY

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B TTLE GRO P A KEY FACTOR IN THE UNITED STA TES' SUCCESS AS A NA VAL POWER HAS BEEN THE NA VY'S ABILITY TO FUSE A NUMBER OF DIVERSE CLASSES OF SHIPS INTO FLEXIBLE, COHERENT TEAMS. INDIVIDUALL Y, ALL BATTLEGROUP COMPONENTS ARE VULNER-x ABLE TO DETERMINED ATTACK. COLLECTIVELY, THEYARE TRULYA FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, A FORCE THAT OPPONENTS HA VE BEEN ATTEMPT- ING TO REACT TO AND IMMITA TE SINCE 1945. USS MISSOURI IBB-6.51, LARGEST SURFACE COMBATANT AFLOAT s - - '15 E 'CO'7'ER5 FROM H5 14 uss RANGER, usns rmssfa YAMPA, Uss .form Youno -H-i U55 SCHOFIELD If-'FG-51, MEMBER OF THE FIR MISSILE EQUIPPED ESCORT SHIPS IN THE u.?9Tf?r,2?AiS OF USS RANGER ICV'61I' BACKBONE OF BA TTLEGROUP ECHO

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SUBI C BAK PHILIPPINES SUBIC BAY WAS OUR FIRST AND LAST PORT OF CALL DURING WESTPAC 'B7. POSSESSING OUR LARGEST BASE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN USED AS THE SITE FOR INCHOP AND OUTCHOP TO AND FROM SEVENTH FLEET. OLONGAPO CITY, SIT- UA TED ADJACENT TO THE BASE, HAS EVOL VED FROM A ONE-STREET TOWN LITERALLY CARVED OUT OF THE JUNGLE INTO A MUCH EXPANDED SAILOR 'S PARIDISE OF BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND NIGHTCLUBS. AL- THOUGH HIGHL Y DEPENDENT ON THE BASE, WITH AN ECONOMY THAT PEAKS AND TROUGHS WITH THE PASSING OF EACH BA TTLEGROUP, IT IS OF SUFFI- CIENT SIZE TO ACCOMMODA TE THE LARGEST OF LI- BERTY PARTIES. THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERY- BODY AT SUBIC BA Y. IF ONE DIDN'T CARE FOR THE BLARING NOISE AND NEON OF OLONGAPO, THE LA YED-BA CK A TMOSPHERE OF BARRIO BARRETO AND SUBIC CITY WERE BUT A JEEPNEY-RIDE A WA Y. IF ONE WAS INTERESTED IN MORE RESERVED ENTERTAIN- MENT, THE BASE ITSELF OFFERED EXTENSIVE RE- CREA TIONAL FACILITIES. OVERALL, BOTH OF OUR VIS- ITS WERE ENTIRELY TOO BRIEF TO TAKE FULL ADVAN- TA GE OF EITHER THE EXTENSIVE UPKEEP AND REPAIR FACILITIES OF THE BASE OR THE RECREATIONAL FA- CILITIES ON-BASE AND BEYOND, HAVING BEEN CUT SHORT BY A TYPHOON ON ONE OCCASION AND BY THE PRESSING DESIRE TO RETURN HOME ON THE OTH- ER. DANCERS REHEARSINO FOR THE EVENINCTS ENTERTAINMENT , CTL' L I ,IL O J- J x J MARKET PLACES WERE EXCITING PLACES TO BROUSE AND, FOR THE ADVENTUROUS, A GOOD PLACE FORA FRESH AND INEXPENSIVE SNACK. CARIBOU HORNS WERE A HIT WITH SAILORS, AND SAILORS WERE A HIT WITH VENDORS. 2 ..-1 ,l