Harry Hill (DD 986) - Naval Cruise Book

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ESWS QUALIFIERS The following personnel earned their EnHsted Surface Warfare Specialist pin on Westpac 97-98: RMC(SW) Barnett HT2(SW)Burcher ET2(SW)Beaudrault MAKSWMacias DKl(SW)Sigua RMl(SW)Smallwood DCl(SW)HyIton BM2(SW)Wainwright BM2(SW) Grandsard SHl(SW) Holmes ET2(SW) Novak STG2(SW) Boucher PNC(SW AW) Slemons SK2(SW) Poindexter EN2(SW) Shays SKC(SW SS) Dodd MS3(SW) Lopez MS3(SW)Marisigan BM3(SW) Brown HM2{SW)Villareal YN3(SW)Pena RMKSW) Fletcher ETl(SW)Wong EN3(SW)Delarosa SK2(SW) Costin SK3(SW) Mpacko RMl(SW)Whisenant SH2(SW) Catugas EN2(SW) Lopinto EM2(SW) Penaflor SK2(SW) Montesramirez

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USS HARRY W. HILL (DD 986) served the United States Navy as the twenty-fourth SPRUANCE class destroyer, the twelfth to join the Pacific Fleet. Designed and built by the Ingalls shipbuilding division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula. Mississippi. HARRY W.HILL is a member of the first major class of surface ships in the U.S. Navy to be powered by gas turbine engines. Four General Electric LM-2500 engines, a marine version of those used on DC- 1 and C-5 aircraft drive the ship at speeds in excess of 30 knots. Twin controllable-reversible propellers provide HARRY W. HILL with adegree of maneuverability unique among warships of her size. Since Commissioning on 1 7 November 1 979. HARRY W. HILL completed nine Western Pacific and Middle East Deployments as a unit of cairier Battle Groups and Surface Combatant Task Groups. During her 1 988-89 Deployment, the ship participated in EARNEST WILL ( merchant vessel escort ) Operations in the Arabian Gulf. The ship then perfonned 53 days of combat operations in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Stomi during her 1 990-9 1 deployment. Completing her final WESTPAC Arabian Gulf Deployment in February 1 998. HARRY W. HILL participated in Maritime Interdiction Operations in support of continuing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. As a Middle East Force asset, she conducted sixteen boardings and deftly apprehended the Merchant Vessel J AN AN and her illegal cargo of Iraqi gas-oil and dates. This successful interdiction at sea provided authorities with the tlrst diversion of a sanctions violator in over four months. HARRY W. HILL also participated in and intense nighttime operation against a non-compliant merchant vessel, becoming the first U. S. Naval Warship in the history of Maritime Interdiction Operations to fire shipboard warning shots in the Arabian Gulf. Teaming up with the Lonewolves of LAMPS Helicopter Squadron 45 Detachment SEVEN. HARRY W. HILL conducted more than 500 mishap free flight hours and rapidly gained a reputation as the can do team in conduction Maritime Interdiction Operations. Surface Sur eillance and Coordination. andCarrierplaneguard escort duties. The ship also served as flagship for COMDESRON 50 and was the cornerstone of the U. S. Navy ' s participation in NEON FALCON 98, a multinational exercise conducted with militaiy forces from Great Britain and Bahrain. Additionally. HARRY W. HILL was recognized as the COMDESRON SEVEN Self Sufficient Ship of the Quarter while on station in the Arabian Gulf HARRY W. HILL has been well decorated throujjhout her nineteen years of distinguished service. She has received the auspicious James F. Chezak Award, the Golden Anchor Aw ard, numerous Battle E A wards, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Seventh Fleet Unit Commendation. H.VRRY W. HUJ screvv, past and present, has alw ays lived up to the ship ' s reputation for meeting every challenge with characteristic SPEED, SURPRISE, and, SUCCESS. 10