Gurke (DD 783) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

FOREWCDRD Despite weeks of preparatory training, March 20, l953 found us departing for WestPac with a general feeling of uneasi- ness. F or half of us it would be our first attempt to inflict dam- age on an enemy who was just as eager to destroy usg for the other half an opportunity to repay? a debt for the hits at lnchon. There would be no observers standing by with stopwatches and scoreboardsg no safety observers to correct mistakes before they were made. School was out, and we were on our own. Our first view of Korea was from Wonsan Harbor. Two weeks of operating in its restricted and unfriendly waters dis- pelled all doubts as to our ability to give and take. Departing Wonsan our confidence boarded on smugnessg we knew we were equal to any task we might be given. The remainder of the cruise presented no major difficulties after our shakedown in Wonsan. As the days passed our confidence continued to grow and experience erased our earlier smugness. These pages record the day by day activities of the Gurke. Some of the work was monotonous, but all of it was satisfying. For each of us this book recalls many memories. Among them are a few which we shall hold in common with all our ship- matesg memories of a period in our lives of which we have every reason to be proud. Tl-IE CAPTAIN

Page 6 text:

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE U55 OURKE QDD-7831 The USS GURKE tDD-7831, built by the Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington, was com- missioned on 12 May 1945. She is named in honor of Private First Class Henry Gurke, U.S. M.C, of Neche, North Dakota, who was killed in action on 9 November 1943, on Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands. For his extraordinary heroism, Gurke was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Secretary of the Navy designated his mother, Mrs. lulius Gurke, as sponsor. After fitting out, the GUHKE joined Destroyer Division 51 of Destroyer Squadron FIVE, where she is serving to the present date. The ship first saw duty in WestPac from VI Day until her return to San Diego in February 1946. The GURKE again departed for the Western Pacific on 4 September 1947. This tour lasted until 28 May 1948 when she returned to her home port of San Diego. After this tour of duty, GURKE made a reserve training cruise to Wrangell Island, Alaska, via the Inland Passage to celebrate the 50th Anniver- sary of the Yukon Gold Rush. Another reserve training cruise followed, this time to Pearl Harbor, after which the ship carried out routine operations until leaving once again for WestPac on 5 Febru- ary 1949. This time while in Far East waters, she was Admiral Womb1e's flagship at Yokosuka, taking him to the Admiral Perry Day celebrations. She returned to ConUS on 28 November, and shortly afterward entered Hunters Point Navy Yard, San Francisco for a three month's overhaul. On 5 August 1950 the GURKE again headed for WestPac. This time she took part in the Inchon Invasion as a unit of the Sitting Ducks, and sustained three hits. Though two men were in- jured there were no fatalities. For this action the GURKF. received the Navy Unit Commendation, and the officers and men a Commendation by ComCruDiv Five CAdmiral I. M. Higginsl. The ship proceeded to take part in the Chinese Neutrality Patrol around Formosa, and finally returned to San Diego in April 1951. Following tactical exercises out of Pearl Harbor the GURKE received a six weeks restricted avail- ability at the Mare Island Navy Yard, and a hurried repair shakedown. She then departed once more for the Western Pacific on 4 january 1952. On 25 luly she started the trip home, arriv- ing, in San Diego on 10 August 1952. On 1 Sep- tember DesDiv 51 entered Hunters Point for another three month's overhaul. On 21 March 1953, GURKE headed west again, arriving in Sasebo on 15 April 1953. While operat- ing as part of Task Group 95.2, she received two direct hits. Three men were wounded, but again she suffered no fatalities. While operating as part of Task Force 72 on the Formosa Patrol she en- joyed three days recreation in Hong Kong and seven days in Kaohsiung, Formosa. On 3 October she departed WestPac on the way home, enroute Midway and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, arriving San Diego on 19 October to end her latest and best tour in the battle zone.

Page 8 text:

'fl . I if Captain E. I. Foote, Cdr., USN, currently resides in Coronado, California. Since his graduation from the Naval Academy at Annapolis, class of '39, he has seen action around the world. Captain Foote served in destroyers in the North Atlantic throughout World War II. Here, in addition to routine escort duties, he participated in the occupa- tion of Iceland after taking part in the escort of British Convoys prior to U. S. entry into the war. Later he took part in the invasions of Sicily and Normandy in which latter action the USS Nelson, of which he was executive officer, was torpedoed during a battle with German E-Boats., i I During the latter part of the war Captain Foote commanded the destroyer USS Quick. Captain Foote performed occupational and minesweeping duty as Com- manding Officer of a destroyer-minesweeper from the close of the war until 1947. Next he was assigned as instructor at the Naval ROTC Unit at the Uni- versity of Illinois until 1949, following which he served as member of the Ioint Staff of Commander-in-Chief, Carribbean until 1952. Finally Captain Foote took command of the USS Cfurke in August of 1952 from which time until now he has conned her through all the harrowing ex- periences, never to be forgotten by all of us who have been privileged to serve under him. So from we the crew of the Gurke to Captain Foote go wishes for a long happy life and a continuing long successful Naval career.