Halsey (CG 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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JK.SSb On January 5, 1973. HALSEY departed Bath Maine, the extensive work being completed, for sunny San Diego, arriving there on the 16th of February. Although the yard period was behind her. HALSEY remained very busy, through May 11. conducting many extensive tests of her new weapons systems and engineering plant. During this period. HALSEY became the first U.S. Navy Ship to use the new Combat Systems organizational concept, which divides the ship into five departments. Operations. Engineering, Navigation. Supply and Combat Systems. Two months into 1974, HALSEY once again departed San Diego for Westpac. During this cruise HALSEY operated with the carriers USS ORISKANY (CVA-34), USS KITTY HAWK (CVA- 63), USS RANGER (CVA-61) and USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64). While in Subic Bay. the new Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force Seventh Fleet. Rear Admiral J. D. Watkins paid HALSEY a visit just prior to HALSEY getting underway for a well deserved port call in Hong Kong. HALSEY soon began her trip East, for San Diego, arriving there seven months after she departed. September 26. 1974. On the 22nd of November 1974. the bunting was brought out and the crew put on their dress blues as Captain William F. McCauley became HALSEY ' s new Commanding Officer, relieving Captain Joseph D. Nolan. Midway through 1975, On July 1. HALSEY was redesignated as a Cruiser. Guided Missile (CG) from her old designation as Destroyer. Leader Guided Missile (DLG). The rest of 1975. from July 16 to December 21. was spent in the Western Pacific, operating with the USS ORISKANY (CVA-34) and the USS HANCOCK (CV-19). HALSEY received her third Battle E on March 27. 1976 at the end of a five day inspection by Commander Cruiser Destroyer Group THREE (CCDG-3), RADM Briggs. HALSEY ' s next Westpac began November 22 of 1976 and ended May 15, 1977. During this deployment. HALSEY provided intercept control of all incoming Soviet aircraft, for the carrier task force she was steaming with. Also during the cruise, HALSEY received her second consecutive Battle E and fourth such award since she joined the fleet. March 18, 1977. Captain Stephen J. Hostettler relieved Captain W. F. McCauley. while in Yokosuka. Japan. On August 15, 1977. Halsey entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard for a 13 month regular overhaul. During this overhaul. HALSEY traded in her three inch fifty AA guns for the Harpoon Missile System, which greatly increased her surface warfare capabilities. May 19, 1979, Captain Richard R. Tarbuck became HALSEY ' s tenth Commanding Officer, as he relieved Captain Stephen J. Hostettler. Four months later, Captain Tarbuck took HALSEY on her eighth major deployment. During that deployment, HALSEY assumed the duties as Force Anti-Air Warfare Commander during Iranian Contingency Operations. Late in March of 1980. HALSEY returned to San Diego after spending the holidays away from family and friends. A year later, on April 1, HALSEY departed for Westpac in company with the KITTY HAWK battle group. About one month after departing San Diego. Captain Richard R. Tarbuck handed over the reigns of HALSEY to Captain Richard L Wyatt, in ceremonies in Subic Bay on the 12th of May Less than a week later, the HALSEY rescued 24 Vietnamese refugees who had been at sea for ten days, seeking their freedom. The 23rd of November HALSEY returned from Westpac after traveling over 80.000 miles in just under seven months February 6, 1982 HALSEY and the KITTY HAWK were underway again, but this time for READIEX 82-2, in which HALSEY acted as Force Anti-Air Warfare commander. Two months later. RADM Ramsey presented HALSEY with her fifth Battle E . Three days later. HALSEY was inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard for a baseline overhaul, in which she received an update to her Terrier Missile System, the Phalanx Close in Weapon System (CIWS). Super Rocket Blown Chaff Launchers, the AN SLQ-32 electronic warfare equipment and a new sonar. On the 27th of May 1983. Captain Paul D. Moses relieved Captain Richard L Wyatt as Commanding Officer, USS HALSEY. Captain Moses guided HALSEY through her last month of baseline overhaul and on the 23rd of June, HALSEY departed for San Diego. March 16. 1984. HALSEY departed for the Westpac that every sailor dreams about, but few have the money for. Between HALSEY ' s departure and her return from Westpac on October 2, 1984. HALSEY hit 17 ports. Her longest unbroken underway period for this cruise was 20 days. HALSEY spent the next 26 months close to home, during that time Captain Dennis R. Conley became HALSEY ' s new Commanding Officer, relieving Captain Paul D. Moses in a ceremony held on August 29. 1985 On the 5th of January 1987. Captain Conley led HALSEY out past Point Loma for the last time for the next six months as HALSEY joined up with the USS KITTY HAWK and ten other ships, to form battle group BRAVO Battle Group BRAVO headed west, which is the general direction the battle group stayed in as they sailed around the world The USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) joined the Battle Group in the Mediterranean and upon return to San Diego. HALSEY was chosen to escort the NIMITZ in a day early, because of her superior performance on the cruise. HALSEY later was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her outstanding performance on the world cruise. Eight days after the start of 1988. Captain Robert D. Pacek became HALSEY ' s fourteenth Commanding Officer as he relieved Captain Dennis R. Conley. February of 1988, HALSEY received her sixth Battle E as well as her 13th consecutive Engineering E , 12th consecutive ASW A and 14th consecutive Missile E . Scarcely ten months after returning home from her World Cruise, HALSEY saw herself underway for her 12th major deployment, this time to the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, led by Captain Pacek, a veteran of the Gulf HALSEY ' s outstanding abilities in sorting out the potentially hostile air threats in the Gulf ' s busy airspace, earned her a superb reputation in the field of AAW and her ability to steam long periods of time with little or no outside help proved that her Engineering department, could always be depended on. On the 20th of July. While on station in the Arabian Gulf, HALSEY marked 25 years of service to her country the way she has spent most of her career in the fleet, actively furthering the goals of her country and helping to maintain freedom of the seas. matXK MOIO-MIM TKCMAJIS, SflCHAT CAR DOLM, KB. CHQUUCA

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25 YEARS OF SERVICE In 1959. the United States Congress authorized construction of DLG-23. a LEAHY class destroyer. This ship, later named after the illustrations and aggressive Fleet Admiral William F (Bull) Halsey. would, through her successful service to her county, live up to the legacy of the man she was named for On the 25th of September 1959. San Francisco Naval Shipyard was awarded the contract to build DLG-23. which was to be named in honor of Fleet Admiral Halsey who had died that year. Work began on the ship in early March of 1960. with the keel being laid on August 25th of that same year. Work steadily progressed and on January 15, 1962. DLG-23 was christened HALSEY , by two of FADM Halsey ' s granddaughters. Mrs. Spruance Denham and Miss Jane Halsey, with a third granddaughter. Miss Ann Halsey. acting as Maid of Honor, On the third of February 1963. HALSEY ' s prospective Commanding Officer. Captain Herbert H Anderson, reported on board for duty. Finally, after three years, construction was completed on July 8. 1963 and HALSEY was commissioned on the 20th of July. At her commissioning, then Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Fred Korth. was the principle speaker, with Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz and Mr William F Halsey III also speaking The day of the commissioning ceremonies, included an almost total eclipse of the sun. as if to underscore that this was no ordinary ship. HALSEY departed San Francisco on November 25. 1963 for ASW tests and acoustical noise surveys Completing these tests, she arrived in her new homeport of San Diego December 11. 1963 and was honored with a Welcome Aboard ceremony, hosted by the USS Hamner (DD-718). HALSEY became Destroyer Squadron Seven ' s newest member and was placed in DESDIV 71. with the HAMNER. BUCK and POWELL. Shortly after joining the Fleet, HALSEY had occasion to prove her Anti-Air Warfare prowress when she acted as screen commander in a special Sea Power demonstration for the Secretary of the Navy, HALSEY participated in her first large scale Fleet exercise, UNION SQUARE, over a ten day period, from September 28. 1964 to October 6. The very next day. HALSEY saw her first Change of Command Ceremony as Captain George W Rmgenberg relieved Captain Herbert H Anderson Three months after assuming Command. Captain Ringenberg took HALSEY and her crew and departed home and family for her first major deployment (WESTPAC), in which she operated with the U S Navy ' s attack carrier forces off the coast of Vietnam In addition to duties as rescue destroyer and Anti-Submarine Warfare assignments, she employed her advanced Combat Information Center (CIC) and endurance on station, to conduct AAW operations. For her service. HALSEY earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. She returned home to San Diego m August of 1965. Shortly after returning from Westpac. Captain G.W. Ringenberg was relieved as Commanding Officer, by Captain J J LeBourgeois. in a ceremony held on September 10 Less than a year after returning from her last deployment, HALSEY departed on July 2, 1966 for what was to be a very eventful and noteworthy second deployment Arriving on station in the Gulf of Tonkin, HALSEY was assigned to the Southern Search and Rescue (SAR) station, off the coast of North Vietnam The first of HALSEY ' s rescues came on the 18th of August when LCDR Demitrio Verich had to parachute from his damaged F8C Crusader, just one and one quarter mile from the North Vietnamese shore Within three minutes, HALSEY ' s helo proceeded to the scene and despite being taken underfire from the shore, successfully hoisted the pilot aboard and returned to the HALSEY The very next day. a Vigilante RA5C was hit over Vietnam and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, where the HALSEY ' s helo picked up the pilot. Later, on August 28. an A1H Skyraider took a hit and the pilot, CDR Gordon Smith, bailed out very close to shore With a USAF Albatross decoying fire. Halsey ' s helo again made the rescue On the fifth of October, the HALSEY experimentally refueled the USS COLLETT (DD-730), the first time anything like this had been done by a LEAHY class destroyer Eleven days later. HALSEY received a message that there was a helo that had been badly shot up. was short of fuel and was not able to return to her ship She homed in on HALSEY ' s TACAN, made an approach on HALSEY ' s flight deck, lost control and crashed into the sea HALSEY ' s helo and motor whale boat were immediately dispatched to the scene and succeeded in rescuing ten people from the helo, just before the helo capsized and sank. Eighteen days later, HALSEY picked up a distress signal from a downed F4C Phantom, dispatched her helo and picked up the Phantom ' s Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer before they even had a chance to light a distress flare. Right before she was to be relieved by the USS REEVES (DLG-24). on November 6. HALSEY had the greatest test of her rescue capabilities. Captain Victor Vizcarra, USAF was forced to eject from his F105 deep over North Vietnam, near the Laotian border. HALSEY immediately launched her helo and directed her helo to the scene as she proceeded down the coast at high speed to shorten the return flight of the helo. As nightfall approached. HALSEY ' s helo spotted the downed pilots flare and picked up the pilot The helo, low on fuel, raced back to the HALSEY and Cooper ' s Gray Ghost landed on HALSEY ' s flight deck with a scant two minutes of fuel remaining After five and a half months of hard work. HALSEY returned to San Diego on the 21st of December, just in time to enjoy Christmas at home During 1967. HALSEY was awarded her first Battle E and was also presented the Navy Unit Commendation for her actions during the Westpac of the previous year On July 6. 1967. HALSEY saw the Command change hands as Captain Vincent L Murtha relieved Captain J J LeBorgeois After spending all of 1967 in the U.S.. HALSEY once again departed for Westpac on January 2, 1968 in company with the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) and the USS TRUXTON (DLGN-35) While crossing the Pacific, the three ships encountered very heavy seas, sometimes as high as 30 feet, which produced a tragic event While walking along the signal bridge. ETR3 William W. Francis Jr.. was swept off his feet and over the side Four hours of searching by the three ships proved fruitless as Petty Officer Francis was never seen to surface During the deployment. HALSEY ' s actions on the SAR stations resulted in the recovery of seven downed pilots In addition to using her two helos for SAR operations, HALSEY recovered a special purpose aircraft from the water and later the same day. a Jolly Green Giant helo made an emergency landing on the fantail, with little margin for error For her actions on the deployment, HALSEY earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation On the 14th of October 1968, Captain Vincent L. Murtha completed his tour of duty and was relieved by Captain Wyatt E. Harper, Jr. Just over a year later on December 10. HALSEY saw another Change of Command ceremony as Captain J A Hooper relieved Captain W E Harper Jr March 2nd through the 10th of 1970 HALSEY participated in Readiness Operational Evaluation, with Vice Admiral Isaac Kidd, Jr embarked C Later on that year, on the 22nd of October. HALSEY once again set sail for the Western Pacific, p. v this time with the USS HANCOCK (CVA-19). ) On the 15th of December 1970. HALSEY received a message telling of the sinking of a Republic of Korea ferry HALSEY rushed to the area and became on scene commander, but no survivors or bodies were found While in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. HALSEY proudly painted on her second Battle E on the day of April 4. 1971 Eighteen days later, HALSEY pulled in to her homeport of San Diego The rest of 1971, up until September 6. was spent readying the ship for her extensive overhaul and Anti-Air Warfare modernization that was to take place in Bath. Maine. Tuesday. September 7. 1971. HALSEY departed Sdn Diego and began her 14.500 mile trek to her new homeport of Bath. Maine. After many port visits along the East and West coasts of South America, as well as ports on the United States East coast. HALSEY moored at the yards of Bath iron Works on October 27. 1971. A few days later on November 4. HALSEY was placed Out of Commission Special for the upcoming modernization. Slightly over a year later, after much work and many changes HALSEY was placed back in commission and Captain Joseph D Nolan assumed command in ceremonies on December 16. 1

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FLEET ADMIRAL WILLIAM F. HALSEY, JR. HIT HARD, HIT FAST, HIT OFTEN! Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey. Jr., was born in Elizabeth. New Jersey on October 30. 1882. FAdm. Halsey was the son of Captain William F. Halsey USN and Anne Brewster Halsey. FAdm. Halsey came from a long line of seafaring men. one of which was Captain John Halsey. commissioned a privateer by the Governor of Massachusetts during Queen Anne ' s War (1703-1713). FAdm. Halsey was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1900 by President William McKinley and graduated in February of 1904. FAdm. Halsey ' s first ship was the U.S.S. MISSOURI, which he served in until December 1905. His first command was the U.S.S. FLUSSER, which he assumed command of in August of 1912. During World War One. FAdm. Halsey. then a Commander, commanded two destroyers, the U.S.S. BENHAM and the U.S.S. SHAW, which earned him the Navy Cross. In July 1934. then Captain Halsey. reported to the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Florida, for flight training. On May 15. 1935, he was designated Naval Aviator at the age of 52. FAdm. Halsey commanded the U.S.S. SARATOGA from July 1935 until June 1937. On March 1. 1938. he was promoted to Rear Admiral and assumed the duties as Commander Carrier Division Two shortly afterwards On the 7th of December 1941. Adm. Halsey was returning with the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE from delivering planes to Wake Island, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. On the morning of February 1, 1942, Adm. Halsey launched the U.S. ' s first offensive of the war, when his forces attacked Japanese installations in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. In June of 1944, Adm. Halsey assumed command of the Third Fleet and Western Pacific Task Force. These forces, under his command, dealt fatal blows to Japanese forces in Palaus, Philippines. Formosa. Okinawa and the South China Sea. Those battles inflicted greater loss upon the Japanese Fleet than had ever been suffered by any fleet. On August 29, 1945. Admiral Halsey. flying his flag in the U.S.S. MISSOURI, entered Tokyo Bay and anchored off Yokosuka Naval Base. On September 1, 1945, aboard the MISSOURI, the Japanese signed the formal surrender that ended the war in the Pacific. On December 11, 1945, Admiral Halsey took the oath of Fleet Admiral. He was transferred to the Retired List of the Navy on March 1, 1947, after over 43 years of service to his country Fleet Admiral Halsey died on August 16, 1959 and was buried with full military honors four days later, in Arlington National Cemetery.