Henry Tucker (DD 875) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 64 of the 1955 volume:

1955 CRUISE BOOK of the USS HENRY W.TUCKER (DDR 875) EDITOR: LTJG J. G. Redfern STAFF: S. W. Richards, RDl J. J. Wodarczak, YNSN MIRRO GRAPHIC YEARBOOKS Produced by THE JACK DAVIDSON SHIPS CRUISE PUBLISHING CO. 932 Indio Sireet Son Diego I. California COMMANDING OFFICER Commander Robert M. Ross took command of the Tucker on 29 March 1954 after having served in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. During World War II he served as Commanding Officer of a coastal transport, after which he proceeded to duties aboard the battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin. He later became Executive Officer of the U.S.S. McKean, a sister ship of the Tucker. During fourteen years of naval service Commander Ross has attended various naval professional schools, including the U. S. Naval General Line School at Newport, Rhode Island, and has participated in such naval oper- ations as the now famous Submarine Battle of Redondo Beach on Christmas Day, 1941, as well as the Solomon Island and Guam campaigns of World War II. f f mm ' i ' h ] EXECUTIVE OFFICER Commander Sam H. Moore became Executive Officer of the Tucker in October 1954 after having served on the Staff of COMINPAC. Previous as- signments include duties on the Joint Staff, Head- quarters Sixth Army; attendance at the U. S. Naval General Line School, Monterey, California; command of the U.S.S. Adirondack and U.S.S. Density; and duties as COMINRON 102. He com- manded the eleventh ship to enter Tokyo Harbor after World War II, followed by participation in extensive minesweeping operations in the Inland Sea. A veteran of the Okinawan Campaign, Com- mander Moore participated in Third Fleet activi- ties in the East China Sea during the spring and summer of 1945, where operations Juneau and Skagway set records as the biggest minesweep- ing operations ever conducted. ' It all happened very last. The tanker was steaming in calm Pacific waters during the dark days of 1942 when a sudden enemy attack left her in flames and sinking. Ordered to abandon ship, the men had no choice but to risk the oily, flaming water in one last effort to save their lives. Severely burned, many men had little hope of making their way to life rafts lost in darkness. A swimmer carrying supplies of tannic acid treated a victim, shoved him aboard a raft, then swam off into the night, carefully holding his vital supplies above water. He treated many other men rapidly and thoroughly, always managing to put them aboard rafts, yet refusing a place for himself while others were still in need. Almost completely exhausted now, he again moved away into the night to treat the last few men. This time he did Henry W. Tucker not return. For his distinguished service in action, the Navy remembered the young swimmer in two ways: first, by awarding him the Navy Cross posthumously; and second, by giving his name to a United States Ship: Henry Walton TUCKER (DDR 875), commissioned in 1945. After a brief shakedown cruise, the TUCKER reported to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for conversion to a radar picket ship. She then participated in radar and anti-aircraft experimental exercises during which her gun crews set an all-time record by shooting an 80-foot pattern with her combined guns at a distance of 10,000 yards. After spending Navy Day in St. Petersburg, Florida, the TUCKER was assigned to the Pacific Fleet, arriving in Tokyo Bay on 22 December 1945. From then until the outbreak of the Korean conflict, she conducted training exercises in West Coast and Pacific op ' erating areas. When Korean hostilities broke out, the TUCKER was operating in northern waters with Task Force 77. For her action in Korea, the TUCKER received a well done from Commander Task Force 77 for her alertness and valuable assistance as screening and escort vessel. The claim of being the first radar picket destroyer to perform duties in combat since World War II also belongs to the TUCKER. , TUClffiK (DDK -T • ' - c o neet f,,xifornxa San Frances 6 jM y 29 July JCOD - ' ' Hal e all 1 BeacV.. CaliJ - , in tons Reveille  - ' - t - -- 1 a a. an - -- .e S.1P- - - ' 1 .ear «-. - -- and ty? ° - _ aecessary. ,3 . Refnel and . e tV e ' °° ' ° ,ir.er ao« f- . ., „or. i = ' ' „3 Carry Turn o tirvdoc c snxp japai - for ® ' --- : all .e ..«--:::;.-- ,3, .erore .- ,,. California. Hoor a .- 5 February u N N E LTJG C. H. WHITELEATHER — GUNNERY OFFICER The gunners and deck-hands join forces to be The biggest department aboard the old T . With sonar technicians and fire-control men They all show their know-how, again and again. Where gun-shoots, or subs, or typhoons are concerned There ' s not much these men have not already learned. They showed us this year how a rescue can be Of a man overboard in the Philippine Sea. If a tow plane comes out, it ' s not long till he leaves — When these men get together he runs out of sleeves. Just look at the record and see what they ' ve done To keep H. W. TUCKER — Tin Can Number One! D E P A R T M E N T LTJG R. D. DAVIS ASW OFFICER LTJG I. F. MOORE FIRST LIEUTENANT LTJG P. S. LEWIS FIRE CONTROL OFFICER ENS R. V. WALL SECOND DIVISION OFFICER I V  FIRST DIVISION GUNNERY Row One: Bitze l, Davis, Sitton, Sues, Livingood, Hann. Row Two: Trosclair, Coward, Spriggs, Peairson, Simons, Badeaux, Mannering. Row Three: Driver, Ri ' ' =, Henthorne, Willoughby. Row Four: Davis. FIRST DIVISION DECK Row One: Krantz, Kelly, Du- fresne, Felder, Hoit. Row Two; Hyman, Budlong, Renfro, Gar rison, Droker, Wood, McFad den. Row Three: Owen, McLes ter, Moshburn, Davis. Row One: Schillianskey, Whit- aker. Row Two: Crow, Onken, Cordell, Dougherty, Robinson. Row Three: Degraff, Talley. SECOND DIVISION GUNNERY Row One: Stoner, Fitzgibbons. Row Two: Smith, Stacey, Rob- inson, Thompson, Power, Barry. Row Three: Knapp, Jordan, Jor- dan, Dragoo. SECOND DIVISION DECK Row One: Leshe, Pessani, Wil- liams, Miller, Davis, Salo. Row Two: Berry, Salo, Gibbs, Demo- poulos, Galindes, Jenkins. Row Three: Paxton, Anderson, Davis, Peak. Row Four: Pope, Berk- house. Row Five: Brain, Yenter. FIRE CONTROL Row One: Dulin, McGrady. Row Two: Ferraro, Lindmark, Smith. Row Three: Runions, Saline, Manion, Becerril. } 1 D i P i E A LT W. H. VEIT — OPERATIONS OFFICER i T T I The Operations Gang is to an operating can |y| Like wings to a bird or like blades to a fan. Through green eyes of radar they watch day and night h Spotting vessels and aircraft which lurk beyond sight. L The radio men keep the messages scored NBy transmitting, receiving, and routing the board. mM ET ' s keep the equipment, wherever we roam. In top shape, while singing: There ' s No Place Like Ohm. C With OM ' s these men work together as one, I And get any job done, through troubles and fun. Ask them: Who keeps the T on the ball, in the pink? They ' ll say: We do! And maybe they ' re right, don ' t you think? y §fc JW ' ? ' Tk ' - !V ;?SfR f r -i ( ' f f t RADIOMEN Row One: Graham, Grant, Ben- ham. Row Two: Campbell, Beers, Lee, Boone. RADARMEN Row One: Mann, Schatz, Thompson, Tucker, Daggs, Van- dersall, O ' Jonnell. Row Two: Kerkhoven, Applegate, Dear- born, Mangan, Felder, Murray. ET ' s Row One: Meadows. Row Two: Roe, Benson, Milne. Row Three: Backiel, Raber, Ruberg, Kline. QUARTERMASTERS Row One: Dempsey. Row Two: Hill, Hopkins, Riedling. Row Three: Storrs, Christopher, Dean, Alford. SHIP ' S OFFICE Row One: Wodarczak, Finch- am, Wallace. Row Two: Myers, Jenkins. 13 LTJG G. M. CARR CIC OFFICER ENS J. M. WILL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER E N G I N E E R I N G LTJG J. C. WILLIAMS — ENGINEERING OFFICER A can might shoot perfect, have radars work fine, And look like the best, from spit, polish, and shine. But unless the black holes have some engineers there This red-hot tin can isn ' t going nowhere. So I give you the snipes — the gauge-readers, valve-turners, A-gang, Electricians, R-gang, fuel oil burners. Few know of the jobs they fulfill down below While becoming experts in their rates as they go. When sea-time is over for cold-iron they pray, To cool off the plant till we get underway. Sometimes while ashore they have heated debates When they try to prevent cross-connecting their dates. But, once back to the ship, they again form a team; When they get the bells, brother, they ' re ready to steam. Their outstanding work has caused top brass to say That the TUCKER ' s the hotrod of PACFLEET today. D E P A R T M E N T 15 LTJG T. P. SHELDON MAIN PROPULSION ASSISTANT LTJG J. G. REDFERN ELECTRICAL OFFICER ENS R. D. GRIFFITHS DAMAGE CONTROL ASSISTANT A-GANG Row One: Lujan, Hatcher, Sylvia. Row Two: Christenson, Cote, Free, Stiasny. 16 FORWARD ENGINEROOM Row One: Chanies. Row Two: Longford, Dewitt, Bittermnn, Aiiiinson, Wermers. Row Three: Moore, Davis, Gardner, Daniel. AFTER ENGINEROOM Row One: Marks, Lee. Row Two: Barron, Hardin, Knopp, Garman, CottrelL Row Three: Smith, Jones, Rouse, Hawley. f- L- J -: r J R-GANG Row One: Simpkins Row Two: Cotton, Desmond, SmaU, Eb- ster. Row Three: Smith, Coch- ran, Moyer, Reitzes. 17 FORWARD FIREROOM Row One: Titus. Row Two: Jordan, Van Brocklin, Brown, Rome, Dickey. Row Three: Har- rington, Powell, Robinson, Jenkins. AFTER FIREROOM Row One: Bandy, Chauvin. Row Two: Romero, Austin, Kel- ley, Dickinson, Hart. Row Three: Beaver, Cobb, Waller, Brown. ELECTRICIANS Row One: Mouer. Row Two: Boyer, Shipp, Nelson, Bailey, Butterfield. Row Three: Whit- more, Louis, Hoffman, Cardin. s u L LTJG I. T. GRIESER — SUPPLY OFFICER Most landlubbers say: How does Navy provide Many things that civilians get on the outside? In Supply you will find the cooks, barbers, and bakers. The laundrymen, storekeepers, medicine-makers. Disbursing clerks keep all our pay records sound And fork over the greenbacks when payday rolls around. Though the bakers and cooks work by dawn ' s early light. They ' ve been known to fix up some swell snacks late at night. The stewards, the barber, the laundrymen fight To keep hair cut and clothes washed and Wardroom just right. The corpsmen will give you two whites and one blue As a sure-fire relief for whatever ails you. These services fill all our needs, you can see, And the best part is that we can get them for free! From our regular chow to the geedunk we buy — Every day we depend on the men in Supply. D E P A R T M E N T 21 . , ' ■•- ir. HM and SH COMMISSARY Row One: Quackenbush. Row Two: Sanders, Smith, Reimer. Row Three: Serraino, Lucas, Hill, Boger. Row One: Loria. Row Two: Norman, Denton, Grossman. Row Three: Kipping, Haid, Berg- strand, Miles. STEWARD ' S MATES DK and SK Row One: Kemp, Murray, Avis. Row Two: Williams, Dennis. Row One: Lucero. Row Two: Bohn, McCormick, Hooper. 22 PEARL HARBOR Our tour in the Far East is underway and we stop 2,233 miles from Long Beach for a breather in Pearl Harbor, grim reminder of the fated December 7, 1941, situated on Oahu, one of the most luxuriously beautiful islands of the Pacific. Famous for hotels, countless natural beauties, and mild tropical weather, we lost no time starting our own exploration. Some of us visited the University of Hawaii or toured the famous Dole Pineapple Com- pany in Honolulu. Others rented convertibles, circling the island in sunshine and style, snapping colored photographs, sampling fresh fruits, or stopping for a dip in the crystal-blue waters along the way. Souvenirs of aloha shirts, hula skirts, leis of brilliant flowers, hand-carved wooden bowls, and native jewelry were boxed and mailed for the enjoyment of families back home. We sat under the famous banyan tree, sipping some- thing exotic and cool, surrounded by pink and white hotels, tropical musicians, and tanned surfboard riders skimming into the white arch of Waikiki Beach. In a blast of color the sun dropped into the sea. It wasn ' t easy to put aside these pleasures for the more important business of getting underway. ' ■ ' ■ ' S i AND MIDWAY The hand of fortune one day pushed a crest of coral reef fourteen feet above Pacific waters; bluegreen waves encircled it with a ring of white sand; tiny seeds, carried thou- sands of miles by tradewinds, deposited themselves and soon covered the island with extravagant tropical growth: thus was born Midway Island, outlying U. S. Naval Base located almost on the 180th meridian which divides East and West. We have only a few hours to spend here. Time enough to grab a cold drink, visit the Ship ' s Service, go for a short swim, or just sit and take pictures of gooney birds. These comical birds never fail to entertain us with their squeeky voices, awkward balance, and mysterious mating dance. Protected by law, they roam the island at will and are undoubtedly the most photo- graphed group of birds in the Pacific. Sea- going anglers with a yen for rare fish can find them along the piers or darting beneath the vessel. After the ship has refueled, which is actually why we stopped at Midway in the first place, we cast off all lines and say good bye for seven months to the last of the trop- ical islands of the mid-Pacific. Beneath majestic sweeps of the sacred Fuji-san lies Japan, land of cherry blossoms, quaint dark houses with paper windows, geishas with great wigs, girls in kimonos and wooden clogs. Where school children wear black uniforms, and old folks write with a brush, and families enjoy a meal of octupus, rice, and sake.. Where soft gongs call worshippers inside rich temples, mysterious to the outsider, to lay humble offerings befo re brilliant images of many gods. 26 The post-war occupation and the Korean conflict brought thou- sands of American sailors to the shores of Japan: to Yokosuka, to Sasebo, Nagasaki, Hakodate, Yokohama, Kamakura, Tokyo. Exposed to a culture so unlike the American one, they proved amazingly adept at picking up the language, habits, and cus- toms of the Japanese. Ask them if they prefer Japan to the United States, and they will say no. But ask any one of them if he has forgotten all about Japan. And he will smile. Of all the ports in Japan, we spent the most time in Sasebo, located on the southernmost island of Kyushu. Arriving the fifteenth of December, we were in for twenty days of ice-cold weather — it snowed lightly several times. Seeing that we were going to spend the Christmas and New Year ' s holidays here, most of us lost no time laying plans for parties and celebrations. We received most of our Christmas boxes in the mail at this time, which did a lot toward making it seem more like the holidays at home. We all chipped in a quarter to finance a Christmas day party for fifteen deaf and dumb Japanese children from a nearby orphanage. We decorated a tree, cooked extra turkey, bought candies and nuts, and wrapped an individual package for each child, consisting of an article of clothing and some toys. Unable to express their grati- tude in words, they made themselves fully understood through gestures and smiles, making all our efforts to entertain and please them very worthwhile. The Supply Department won the Compartment Decoration contest here and were awarded a special forty-eight for their excellent display. Downtown Sasebo was decorated as elaborately as any American town, B even if all the Merry Christmases and Happy New Year ' s were written in red and green characters meaningless to us. White Christmas, Jingle Bells, and Silent Night rang out through the town provided by loud, and sometimes scratchy, recordings of the songs by American and Japanese singers. Even the ships in the harbor erected large Christmas ornaments that could be seen from the shore. The Tucker ' s elec- tricians made a large cross of white lights which, fastened to the top of the mast, made an impressive display. 1 doubt that we ever had a more enthusiastic New Year ' s celebration — even in the States it would be hard to beat the excitement, fun, and good times enjoyed by sailors ashore in Sasebo. Even the arrival of several thousand Marines a few days before New Year ' s did not curb the enjoyment — they were simply absorbed into the crowd. Three weeks in a good port plus two major holidays is enough to discourage any man against wanting to leave, yet the day of de- parture arrived as inevitably as it had in any other enjoyable port. So we got underway full of lasting memories of Sasebo and great expectations of our next visit. SUBIC Subic Bay houses the largest U. S. Naval Installa- tion in the Philippine Islands and is located in the southern part of Luzon less than one hundred miles from the capital city of Manila. Second only to the typhoon nuisance was that of the extreme heat typical of Subic Bay. Although the Naval Base is situated fairly distant from any large city, most of us went into the nearby village of Olongapo where there were souvenirs and trinkets to be purchased as well as week-end cock-fights which won many aficionados from among Tucker men. Those who thought their high school Spanish would be of value to them in Olongapo were sadly disappointed, since native tongues are used almost exclusively through- out the Philippines except in Manila where pure Spanish, as well as a half dozen other European languages, are spoken by large groups of people. ' jr - BAY Probably the most popular commodity offered in Olongapo was the San Miguel beer, especially so since purification systems are under-developed, making general use of local water unsafe. Some took a liking to the long, black, cigar-like cigarillos which, while much stronger than the American cig- arette, still offer something different and enjoyable. Tropical routine was the order of the day here, getting up at 0500 and knocking off ship ' s work at 1500. To experience the daily temperature of this port only nine hundred miles above the Equator, where the temperature often passes 100 degrees by 0900, is to understand the necessity for these hours. In spite of this, Subic Bay looked awfully good after a couple of hard weeks with the Task Force or a bout with a typhoon, and what we lacked in enter- tainment we made up for m enjoyable relaxation. The sea may look calm, but when a destroyer goes alongside a tanker or aircraft carrier for fuel powerful waves are generated which toss the destroyer ' s 3800 tons aound like a feather. The mighty carriers, entirely unaffected by the rough- weather dif- ficulties experienced by tin-can sail- ors, often capture the struggles of the hardy small boys in photographs such as appear here. Aside from the dangers encountered while rigging heavy fueling hoses, there are risks of oil spills, or of sudden waves sweeping down the deck to dash some unwary sailor against a steel bulkhead or carry him overboard in an instant. Let no one say that the men who take active part in refuel- ing-at-sea operations do not know their business. They ' ve all learned from the best teacher — experience, and you can bet each one has tasted a fair amount of salt water. • % ii TASK FORCE Operating with the Task Force is a round-the-clock job, and one which we were assigned often during our tour overseas. Keeping the ship suppUed with fuel and provisions meant entire days spent rigging high lines and fueling hoses, transferring stores, personnel and observers, and sending patients to the carriers via helicopter. The safeguarding of the bi g force required constant alert- ness — by lookouts, by officers, and men alike. False maneuvers would jeopardize too many vessels, especially when oper- ating at high speeds while carriers landed or launched their aircraft. Here we saw the real heart of today ' s Navy, where the work of thousands is funnelled into a single purpose, within whose power rests much of the vast responsi- bility of our nation ' s safety. •I- KAOHSIUNG Duty in waters near Formosa is invariably a part of the WESTPAC routine; this year was no excep- tion. Toward the southern tip of Formosa lies the port of Kaohsiung where we saw ships of many countries, including two Russian tankers which had recently been confiscated by the Chinese Nation- alists and brought there for safekeeping. We spent two days conducting training operations in coop- eration with several Chinese Nationalist destroyers. The Naval Installation was small, yet liberty here was among the most enjoyable anywhere overseas. Souvenir sellers were constantly on the alert for buyers, night clubs and entertainment were plenti- ful, and food (although not generally recommended) was sampled by some and found to be good. Here prevailed the singing intonations of the Chinese language and music. The people were in good spirits and made many efforts toward genuine hospitality. fc j -il:  i ( i I •- ji-pC HONG Hong Kong — highlight of every Far Eastern cruise! We planned, dreamed, and saved for weeks in preparation for our three holidays here, and we were not disappointed. This glittering city of two and one quarter million people offered sights, wares, and enjoyment to suit every taste. Touring Victoria Island, location of the fabu lous city, a visit to the Tiger Balm Gardens, famous for the extensive array of grotesque human and animal forms, was com- parable to a walk through a story-book. The Peak Tramway ' s steep trip rewarded us with a breath- taking panorama of the great harbor, teeming with the endless line of commercial vessels that make Hong Kong truly one of the crossroads of the world. Fine beaches and swimming resorts provided many hours of enjoyment, followed by a quiet dinner in any one of the world-famous restaurants scattered throughout the city. Shopping claimed many hours, both in Hong Kong and in Kowloon across the har- t ' ' ' ' v7;,,-V ' t KONG bor, where modern designs in gold, jewels, pure silks and intricate lacework — basic elements of centuries of oriental trade — continue to attract with their perfect craftsmanship and low prices. Here we saw the rich in fine cars; the large colony of British civilians and military personnel; poor beggars sleeping in the streets; slender young women, sty- lishly attractive in the characteristic split skirt; and the continuous flow of thousands entering and leav- ing Hong Kong daily. All this produced a fascin- ating combination of exotic, friendly people, living happily together, apparently oblivious to the dark shadow of the nearby mountains to the north — mountains of Red China. Not without regret did we finally thread our way among hundreds of junks and sampans (where many natives spend their entire lives) toward the open sea once again, our lockers laden with oriental treasure and our wallets very empty. U I July 1954: The USS Henry W. TUCKER (DDR 875), under the command of Commander Robert M. Ross, USN, departed Long Beach, California on 6 July with Destroyer Division 32 en route to Yokosuka, Japan, via Pearl Harbor and Midway, on another WESTPAC tour, arriving in the Far East on 29 July for 8 days availability alongside the USS JASON. Halfway between Mid- way and Yokosuka the skills of the Division Medical Officer and the tucker ' s Chief Hospitalman and Corpsman were suddenly put to the test when an emergency appendectomy became nec- essary and was performed in the Wardroom of the TUCKER, a Third-Class Disbursing Clerk acting as instrument handler. The complete success of the lengthy operation was evidenced by the man ' s speedy recovery and subseguent return to duty. August 1954: The TUCKER got underway on 8 August to rendezvous with the Task Force in the Philippine Sea for 13 days of busy operations, including daily air operations, exercises at General Quarters, inter-ship exercises, and a visit near the Tachen Islands. After 5 days of upkeep in Subic Bay, the TUCKER rejoined the Task Force for 6 more days of heavy-weather operations. It was on 26 August that the TUCKER, called in just after midnight from her picket station 17 miles away from the formation, successfully rescued a 2 1 -year-old seaman who had fallen overboard from the USS PHILIPPINE SEA, after spending 65 minutes in a moder- ately choppy sea west of Luzon, a story later developed into a script for COMCRUDESPAC ' s weekly radio program. September 1954: After 2 days in drydock to effect hull repairs, the TUCKER de- parted Subic Bay with Destroyer Division 32, conducting type training while en route to Japan and a brief stop at Sasebo. Passing through the Shimonoseki Straits and the Inland Sea, the TUCKER came almost face to face with typhoon JUNE on 12 September, a meeting which subseguently cost her II days at Ship Repair Facility, Yokosuka, to repair hull cracks and sprung hatches. The ship then proceeded to Kaohsiung, Formosa, for duty. October 1954: Starting off with 8 days on Formosa Patrol, during which time the CINCPACFLT Combat Camera Group came aboard to film on-the-spot TV interviews of 50 personnel, the TUCKER then re- turned to Kaohsiung where training exercises were conducted in cooperation with several Chinese Nationalist destroyers. There followed 3 days of excellent liberty and recreation in the British colony of Hong Kong. The TUCKER returned to spend 5 more days on Formosa Patrol, during which time she neared Chinese Communist coastal waters in search of a downed Chinese Nationalist aircraft, then entered Subic Bay for 9 days of avail- ability alongside the USS FRONTIER. November 1954: The first 20 days of the month were spent with the Task Force in the Philippine Sea, interrupted only by a 2-day upkeep period in 38 Subic Bay. Various types of training, General Quarters, air oper- ations, and typhoon evasion operations were conducted during this period. The Commanding Officer of the TUCKER presented commendations to 9 men who were primarily responsible for a commendatory message received from the Commanding Officer of the USS NAVASOTA on 7 November praising the TUCKER ' s speed and good seamanship during heavy-weather refueling as the best I have ever seen. During Task Force operations, the TUCKER ' s radarmen received a well done from the Screen Commander for having initially detected the greatest number of unidentfied surface and air contacts at especially long ranges. Special plane guard duty in company with the USS YORKTOWN and 8 days in Subic Bay, where minor typhoon damage was repaired, completed the month of November. December 1954: After a 2-day briefing at Okinawa, the TUCKER took part in a Fleet Exercise between Okinawa and Tsushima, after which 4 days of Hunter-Killer operations were conducted until a serious steering casualty forced the vessel into Sasebo on 15 December. While in Sasebo, Commander Robert W. McElrath, former Execu- tive Officer of the USS LOS ANGELES, relieved Captain Thomas D. McGrath as Commander Destroyer Division Thirty-Two in ceremonies aboard the TUCKER. The Christmas holidays were highlighted by a party given by the crew for 15 Japanese orphans, all deaf and dumb, which included Christmas dinner, movies, a tour of the ship, and a Christmas tree with individual presents of both clothing and toys for the needy children. Addi- tional holiday spirit was occasioned as divisions view for 48-hour liberty in a compartment decoration contest. All remaining non- holidays were spent making necessary repairs during avaih ability alongside the USS JASON. January 1955: Having welcomed in the New Year, the TUCKER got underway on 5 January in company with Destroyer Division 32 for 2 weeks of type training, i ncluding many observed Gunnery, Engineer- ing, and CIC exercises, interrupted by a v eek-end visit to Naga- saki. Four days of voyage repair at Yokosuka concluded the TUCKER ' s tour in WESTPAC, after which she proceeded to Long Beach, via Pearl Harbor, in company with Destroyer Divisions 32 and 131, arriving there on 6 February, five days before entering Long Beach Naval Shipyard for her regular 3-month overhaul. In spite of evasive action against rough weather, the TUCKER was caught by 10 typhoons of various intensities, namely: Grace, Ida, June, Kathy, Lorna, Nancy, Pamela, Ruby, Sally, and Tilda. Timely action and good seamanship prevented the rougher ones, with gusts of wind exceeding 50 knots, from causing damage in excess of a few hull cracks and sprung hatches. Considered one of her hottest, roughest, yet most colorful cruises, the TUCKER has visited ports in China, Japan, Formosa, Mid- way, Hawaii, the Philippines, and Okinawa, steami ng approxi- mately 40,000 miles and expending more than one and one-half million gallons of fuel oil. 39 40 KCWG-. THE cHiEF m«5Tei2- £-- eq-ns UJitL rnftKE -, TnCROUGH H5P£CTJOH Of 1 Ht St ' P TO ' WSdRE . THE GlAKjr BuDDHfl ' 5 E y S oF OLD A( E OPEN WIDE PLL DRVj ' m TOLD Except ujhen ev l comEs hvs ♦ y ftWD THEN HE CLOSED THEl ALU Ofi . S o -n E Tucker, SpiuoftS luent to SHftP 9i PlCTVj«?.E OF -THE HDL-y CHAP ,..dOT fR eNOS f LL CALL mE NO i libff Hi- fa ' Ul THE BEST DAMN DESTROYER IN THE PACIFIC FLEET 52 ■I '