Holder (DD 819) - Naval Cruise Book

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On 30 December 1967,HOLDERset out from Norfolk, Va. on a six month cruise as the United States representative to NATO ' s newly authorized Standing Naval Force Atlantic, (STANAVFORLANT). This force was established as a permanent international squadron, composed of ships from NATO countries which normally operate their Naval forces in the Atlantic basin. All units are assigned on a rotational basis. After fueling stops in Bermuda on New Years day and Ponta Delgada, Azores six days later, HOLDER arrived in Portland, England on 10 January 1968. The first Multi National. Nato Standing Naval Force in historv took shape on 11 January when Holland ' s HOLAND, Norway ' s NARVIK and England ' s BRIGHTON sailed into Port- land to join HOLDER. On a cold and snowy 13 January, 1968 STANAVFOR- LANT was commissioned with Commander G. MITCHELL, RN as squadron Commodore, the squadron without a home, was now an operating force. Departing Portland. England in heavv fog on 13 January, the men of HOLDER began to learn the ways of this NATO Squadron in the fast tempo of operations that followed. In ' perparation tor upcoming ASW excercises. STANAVFORLANT visited Londonderrv. North Ireland for a week commencing 16 January. Here the ASW teams of each ship attended the actical school at HMS SEA EAGLE. Londonderry also witnessed the begining of a social comradship between the crew members of the squadron that was to build and flourish until these initial members were releived to return to their respective home ports. After extensive ASW training with Norwegian and British naval and air units in the Irish sea, STANAVFORLANT paid a short visit to Gree- nock Scotland from 3 to 6 February. Prior to departing from this first oper- ation, the squadron and HOLDER were visited by the Commander in Chief Eastern Atlantic, Admiral Sir John Bush RN. Departing Greenock on 6 Februarv. HOLDER and her Nato squadron mates steamed north for three weeks of ASW and gunfire support exercises plusa nevertobeforgotten visittoInvergordon, Scodand. After this through shake down that completed two months of operations in waters north of Eng- land, HOLDER men began to look forward to the western transit that would carry them to the warm waters of the Caribbean. A midnight fuel stop at Scapa Flow had to be completed before the western transit could begin. The end of this first phase saw the departure of KNM NARVIK as she returned to Norway.

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V PREPARATIONS FOR GETTING UNDERWAY S m -. underway:

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OUR LEADERS ... OUR SHIPMATES ...