Jack Williams (FFG 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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JACK WILLIAMS REFLECTS The USS JACK WILLIAMS (FFG-24) under the command of CDR Edward F. Mann Jr., returned to Mayport last month after a highly successful Th- month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. The Cruise proved to be an exciting and challenging one for the crew of the JACK WILLIAMS, which spent almost 75 percent of the deployment underway, including 31 and 42-day perio ds at sea within the first 2 ' months. JACK WILLL MS set sail from Mayport on Oct. 2, 1985 a day later than scheduled due to Hurricane Gloria. During an extensive initial at-sea period, various shipboard drills and underway replenish- ments were conducted, as well as participation in Fleet Exercise Display Determination ' 85 after joining the Sixth Fleet. The first port call for the JACK WILLL MS was a 12-day stay in Haifa, Israel where 80 percent of the crew participated in a two day tour of the Holy Land. The biblical sights visited included Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, Capurnaum, the Jordan River and Jerusalem. The ship ' s whatever it takes motto was exemplified by two Helping Hands projects, in which volunteers sacrificed their liberty time in order to help those less fortunate than themselves. The first recipient was a 106-year-old Arab woman living in squalid, inhuman conditions. Not only was her residence totally reno- vated, but fresh linen, a new mattress, blankets and food were provided. The helping hand was next extended to the children ' s ward of Haifa ' s Rothschild Medical Center, in the form of painting 15 rooms. Many brine- encrusted sailor ' s hearts were softened by the grate- ful smiles of the children. Departing Haifa. JACK WILLIAMS continued east, joining up with the USS SARATOGA (CV-60) Battle Group for the transit through the Suez Canal enroute to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Sailing through the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, which marks the end of the Red Sea, operational control was shifted from Commander Sixth Fleet to Commander Seventh Fleet. This, the longest at-sea period for the crew, was most interesting. While conducting anti-submarine exercises in the North Arabian Sea, JACK WILLL lMS was called upon to aid an ailing officer on board a U.S. sub- marine. Arriving at the scene, the ship ' s boat was put in the water to pick up the sailor and bring him aboard the JACK WILLIAMS, after which he was flown to the Saratoga. It was later learned that the officer had an appendectomy and was doing well. The day before Thanksgiving, the battle group anchored off Masirah Island, east of Oman. The ships were treated to the 1985 Thanksgiving Celebrity USO Show, featuring Lorrie Mahaffey of television ' s Happy Days, Cynthia Rhodes of the motion picture Flashdance and Staying Alive, and Brian Mitchell of Trapper John, M.D. An invitation to the performers for a personalized tour of the JACK WILLIAMS was dispatched and accepted, and the group was shown the ship from stem to stern. The tour culminated in a cake-cutting ceremony and photo session. The anchorage off Masirah Island also allowed time for a few crew members to enjoy a Thanksgiving luncheon aboard the HMS JUPITER (F-60), which had joined the battle group for the day. That evening, the JACK WILLIAMS hoisted anchor and got underway once more. Midway through December, on Friday the 13th, one of the oldest traditions in the Navy— the Shellback initiation for crossing the Equator for the first time- was conducted on board. More than 70 percent of the crew was initiated into the realm of King Neptune, earning the coveted title of Shellback. Late in December, 42 days after leaving Haifa, JACK WILLIAMS dropped anchor off the beautiful tropical island of Phuket, Thailand, for a six-day Christmas port call. The crew discovered that the buildings of the Patong Beach Elementary School had never been painted, and quickly volunteered their liberty time to make things right. At the end of the day, the students were treated to a popular American pastime: a barbecue. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings were served and quickly devoured. After the meal, the children showed their apprecia- tion by entertaining the crew with renditions of traditional Thai songs played on instruments con- structed of bamboo. Another highlight of the visit was a soccer match between the crew and the top school team in Phuket. Symbolizing the friendship between the crew and Thailand, this event was played in the city stadium, and was attended by the governor and other Thai dignitaries. Leaving Phuket, the JACK WILLIAMS set sail for Subic Bay, Philippines. This two-day port visit was a first for the ship and most of the crew. After departing Subic Bay, she headed for the South China Sea to conduct a brief exercise with two vessels from the People ' s Republic of China. This was the first time U.S. Navy ships had operated with units from the People ' s Republic, and it was quite an honor for the Mayport-based Frigate. The JACK WILLL MS then returned to Subic Bay.

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USS JACK WILLIAMS MED-IO-WESTPAC CRUISE OCT 85 - MM 86

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ON 71 2-MONTH DEPLOYMENT Shortly aflt-r getting underway, JACK WILLIAMS was ordered to the Persian Gulf to augment the Middle Eastern Forces due to the Iranian boarding of a U.S. merchant ship. Assigned escort duties, the first vessel escorted was the President Taylor, the ship which had been boarded while pulling into port in the United Arab Emirates. Escort duties lasted through early February, when the JACK WILLIAMS once more sailed through the Suez Canal, this time back to the Mediterranean. In Mid-February, the JACK WILLIAMS visited Catania, Sicily, and from there to Gaeta, Italy. In Gaeta, the ship underwent a long-awaited Inter- mediate Maintenance Availability (IMAV) alongside the USS SHENANDOAH (AD-44). In the short time allotted, minor repairs were completed throughout the ship. While in Gaeta, CDR Mann assumed Command of the JACK W1LLL MS from CDR Da id J. Grieve, who departed for dut - with the Middle Eastern Forces. After a brief underway period, JACK WILLIAMS pulled into Genoa, Italy, where many crew members participated in tours to such places as Geneva, Switzerland; Nice, France; and Monte Carlo. Many of the men also volunteered their liberty time to provide assistance to the U.S. Consulated School in Genoa. Refurbishing a gymnasium floor, repairing wooden window shades, and painting three rooms were just a few of the jobs perfomied there. Two days were spent in this venture, and the smiles on the faces of the children said that the crew ' s efforts were most appreciated. Departing Genoa, JACK WILLIAMS joined up with the battle giTJup once again and commenced steaming for the second of three operations off the coast of Libya. The week spent there earned the battle group, including the JACK WILLLAMS, the Navy Unit Commendation. A brief respite from the long hours of battle readiness watches was provided in the form of a five day port call to the French Riviera. The ship arrived in Cavalaire, France, in time to help this quaint town kick-off their Nautical Days Festival, which included demonstrations of lifesaving techniques, a boat show and tours of the JACK WILLIAMS. The ship then sailed once again for the coast of Libya for another week of combat operations before sailing for her last Mediterranean port, Taormina. Sicily. With homeward bound preparations already well underway, the crew was able to unwind and look forward to the day. A two-day isit to Rota, Spain, followed during which the final outchop was con, -ted. Ten days later, the JACK WILLIAMS was pu ide at Mayport, welcomed home by the many frienu and loved ones who had endured the cruise from afar. T! . lughout the deployment, many ships and individu.ii mile- stones were achieved. The Combat Systems Department during training and operations, expended 5,689 individual rounds of ammunition, including 165 76mm gun projectiles fired from the main battery. Small arms training by the self defense team, boarding search and salvage crew and the general quarters teams expended 5,405 rounds, and 87 line-throwing gun cartridges were used to provide initial connection to replenishment ships. The ASW team conducted more than 70 hours of active time and 30 hours of passive time while operating with both U.S. and Australian aircraft during a single month. Combat Information Center personnel stood 2,197 hours of port and starboard watches per man 10,710 surface contacts and 15,655 air contacts were tracked with an estimated 5,000 tracks during the two major Libyan operations. The radiomen received more than 27,000 messages throughout the cruise, and provided numerous copies. Engineering was responsible for making more than 1,300,000 gallons of fresh water, issuing more than 11,391 gallons of jet propulsion fuel (JP5) during 42 helo refuelings, while the ship ' s engines consumed more than 2,232,510 gallons of diesel marine fuel. The Disbursing Office paid out 875,753 to officers and $689,211 to enlisted men. This amount represents what was paid during regular paydays, and does not include re-enlistment bonuses received. The Ship ' s Office sent out more than 700 official letters including 296 Letters of Appreciation or Commendation. There were 2, 150 copies of the ship ' s monthly familygram mailed, and 11,515, copies of the ship ' s plan of the day distributed. Of course, not all milestones were work-related. For example, there were 1,824 movies shown on the ship ' s SITE TV system, and during a two-hour fish call in November 120 dolphin fish were caught. JACK WILLIAMS returned to Mayport very proud of their accomplishments while attached to the SIXTH and SEVENTH Fleets. Each and every crew member brought home memories of the months past, and much gratitude to family and friends at home who provided the love and support which helped them through the deployment.