Hooper (DE 1026) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER LCDR FRANCISCO ANTHONY VELAZQUEZ-SUAREZ, USN LCDR Francisco A. Velazquez-Suarez was born on May 11, 1931 in Tallaboa, Penuelas, Puerto Rico. After attending the University of Puerto Rico he entered the U.S. Naval Academy. Upon graduation in 1953 he was ordered aboard USS CAVALIER (APA-37) where he served as Boat Group Commander. Since then he has served aboard various destroyer-type ships as well as in various ASVV staff and shore billets. He has served as Gunnery and ASVV Officer in USS BENHAM (DD-796), Operations Officer in USS MAS- SEY (DD-778) and USS BEAL (DD-471), Exchange Instructor for ASW in HMS VERNON and as Executive Officer or USS LEARY (DD-879). LCDR Suarez has also served as Operations Officer with the DESRON 36 staff and comes to the HOOPER from the staff of the Director of Anti-Submarine Warfare Programs. He is authorized to wear the American Defense Medal with a star, Korean Service Medal, United Na- tions Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for duty in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. LCDR and Mrs. Suarez, the former Alice Hendrick- sen of Des Moines, Iowa, are the patents of two daughters, Dina Renee and Michelle, and three sons, Antonio, Ricardo, and Carlos Juan. They reside at 3260 San Carlos Drive, Spring Valley, California.

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the Hooper departed for the Western Pacific. Upon returning to San Diego in June 1963, Hooper started a retraining cycle in preparation for her expected tour of duty in WESTPAC to commence 19 June 1964. During this training period, she received her fourth Commanding Officer, LCDR John W. Walden, USN. Upon returning from the Western Pacific on 16 December 1964 the Hooper began a rest, recre- ation and local operations period that continued un- til she entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard in July 1965. During this period, LCDRC. E. Gumey, USN relieved LCDR Walden as Commanding Officer. It was ako during this period that an enclosed bridge, Drone Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopter hanger and related equipment and advanced electronic counter measures warfare gear were installed . After the yard period. Hooper began an intensive training period preparing for its sixth deplo)Tnent to the Western Pa- cific. After completing a seven months cruise she was awarded the Battle Efficiency E for overall excellence, and her fourth consecutive award for outstanding performance in ASW during the previous competitive period. In October 1966 LCDR Gumey was relieved by LCDR Francisco Antonio Velzaquez-Suarez, USN. Upon completion of a restricted yard availability and DASH qualifications Hooper deployed again to the Western Pacific.

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To the Crew: Whai is a leader? He is a man who always takes the positive approach and presses for accomplishment re- gardless of obstacles or discouragements. To be more specific, it is not the critic who counts: nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of good deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actu- ally in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood: who strives valiantly: who errs and comes short again and again: who knows the great en- thusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause: who at the best, knows in the end the tri- umph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place may never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. A leader is also a man who learns by admitting his mistakes. He realizes that the most serious threat to a persons progress arises from his efforts to keep safe his job. to see to it that he doesn ' t make mistakes. Some- times when we adopt safe altitudes we tell ourselves that we don ' t disagree with the boss because we are loyal to him and the organization. Far be it for me to belittle loyalty, but 1 would rather have a little dis- agreement. I ' d rather have someone give me an argu- ment. Let us remember that when two men in an organ- ization think exactly alike, we can get along without one of them. The outstanding leader so infuses his followers with the desire to be led that they will do everything possible to comply with his wishes and support the policies of the organization whether the leader be present or not. A leader cannot be made from a man who does not sin- cerely wish to be one. or from a man who is unwilling to make the sacrifices required of a good leader. The stu- dent who feels that leadership is all glory with little re- sponsibility will be greatly surprised when he realizes that the glamour and prestige attached to the leader are out-weighed by his worries, work, and responsibilities. To be an outstanding leader requires the hardest kind of work for which very little material credit will be forth- coming. Good leadership is the hardest kind of work. It is attention to the smallest detail that affects those un- der you. It is knowledge put to use practically, so he may guide his men to work efficiently. It is paternalism in its most real form, for he is the father of his family of men to see that all their needs are properly cared for at all limes. His is the responsibility to see that they are well clothed and fed and that they are rewarded or pun- ished for their good work or misdeeds. No unit, however small, can function without a guiding hand, and the leader is the force thet gives direction to the efforts of the group. Without good leadership any group becomes a random thing with effort being dissipated in all directions. Success or failure isdependent upon the man in charge.