James C Owens (DD 776) - Naval Cruise Book

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' X One of the' gaillant'W0,rl,d.iW'arA II pilots who did much to turn the tide in the Pacific in our favor was Lieuten.ant james C. Owens, jrifljle lost his life in the Battle of Midway, 3 - 6 June 1942, while attacking a force ofienemy carriers. To thegawards of the Navy Cross and the Presidential Unit Citation, held by Lieutenant Owens was added theghonor of having a ship named after him. This, October 1944-,I at the 2-ethlehem Steel Company's San Pedro, California Shipyards the USS JAMFTSC. OWENS was christeneiafxd in February 1945, she was commissioned. OnEQ105iMay 1945, the OWENS, escorting the Battleship California steamed to Pearl Harbor. OWENS joined Destroyer Squadron 24 andiiproeeeded to Leyte, Philippine Islands where a fast carrier striking force was formed, consisting of light and heavy cruisers. Upon cessation of hostilities, the j.C. OWENS took part in the occupation offwakayama, Japan. Departing the Far East in the fall of 1945, OWENS steamed east through the Panama Canal to her homeport, Newport, Rhode Island. In june 1948 the OWENS made her second Mediterranean cruise. It was on this cruise that she first operated under the flag of the United Nations in patrolling the waters off Palestine. Shortly after her return home early in 1950, she was plucked from the fleet, inactivated and left idle at Charleston, South Carolina, in the ' 'Mothball Fleet . In September 1950, however, she was recommissioned for the Korean Conflict, proceeded to duty in the Far East, and once again operated under the flag of the United Nations. During her tour of duty in the Far East in 1952, while acting as commander of the task element bom- barding Sonjin, OWENS received counter battery fire from enemy shore installations which damaged the forward superstructure and resulted in several personnel casualties. Upon completion of her tour of duty in the Far East in 1952 OWENS returned to the United States via the Mediterranean in company with Destroyer Squadron 22, making a good will tour enroute. The ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia on 19 August 1952. From September 1953 until March 1954 she served in the Far East under the U.N. Flag for the third time. The OWENS operated out of Norfolk for the next three years as part of the Anti-Submarine Force of the Atlantic Fleet. She was deployed to the Mediterranean again from February to May 1957, On 1 April 1958, the j.C. OWENS was officially transferred to Destroyer Squadron 32, becoming the flagship of Commander Destroyer Division 322. From April 1958 to january 1962, the OWENS made tw Cruise to ports in Northern Europe. On 15 january 1962, OWENS had her homeport changed to Charleston, South Carolina, where she commenced a FRAM II C nver ' h Ch ' - o sion at t e arleston Naval Shipyard on 1 February, The conversion was Was Comlflefed OH 5 OC!I0ber at a Cost of over five million dollars, and the ship was transferred to De- stroyer Squadron 4. o seven month Med cruises and one Midshipman

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xXXXlX - TA r x , My 6 N A, 'Y 3' S A ... 'F 6 N :. 9 E V X- 4 1 ,ff I 71, I fix ' lj I I I 3 6 0951 0 fx he wxiuifg' 0 if N. OWEN XM wg Xxxxs iisf W' ess f 5 LLEiEi .b4A4ET s c. ovvslvs fDD-7761 CARE OF FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK, NEW Yoax IN REPLY REFER TO: PA February 1967 gs? From: Commanding Qfficer, USS JAMES C OWENS CDD-7762 eff To: Officers and Men of USS-JAMES C OWEMS CDD-7762 Sig Subj: Mediterranean Cruise, 29 September 1966 to 31 January TL ' Rs s l9o7 Z X , . . , . . . - at i 1. It is witn great pleasure that I dedicate this Cruise Book ri and I do so to the United States Nawy Bluejacketg past, present and future. ln the history of mankind he has had no peer in any era and as long as the United States Navy is blessed by the Divine Providence with men such as you he will have no peer in the future. 2. This book reflects the many facets of shipboard life, from the light hearted and gay to the serious and somber. lbis is c,, as it should be, for, after all you are the spirit of JMWBS C OWENS that indomitable spirit of '76. , 3. Your professional performance and conduct when ineforeigng . ports of call were uniformly outstanding and reflect great credit upon yourselves as well as tbe'United States Nawy. EWELL DONE! I - 1 9 ff ffjififeg Z75i:7gI7L H If 17V W7 . .. BERRY 0 ,.., ..- XS f

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In December 1962, the ship was ordered to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for patrol duties, and returned to her homeport in January 1963. Back in the Med in August 1963, the OWENS operated with the Sixth Fleet, returning to Charleston for Christmas. In February 1964, the ship visited Norfolk, and received her two drone Anti-Submarine helicopters, greatly increasing her ASW hunter-killer capabilities. From june to September, she deployed to the Medi- terranean on a Midshipman Cruise. Five months later in February 1965 the OWENS was in the Med again. In july 1965 the OWENS received the Battle Efficiency E award for Destroyer Squadron FOUR for operations during the previous fiscal year. After returning to the United States in July, OWENS was assigned to a recovery ship station for the launch of GEMINI 5. On completion of this operation, the ship returned to Charleston, and later entered the Naval Shipyard for a four month overhaul period commencing on 2 November 1965. In March 1966, OWENS was back at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for Refresher Training. During this period, the ship was called upon to render emergency assistance to the burning cruise ship, VIKING PRINCESS. After returning to Charleston for a brief stay the ship was again underway in early june to embark Midshipmen for a summer training cruise, and an amphibious landing exercise at Vieques, Puerto Rico. In late August OWENS Was assigned' as the close-in recovery ship for the second in a series of APOLLO unmanned space launches. In late September the OWENS departed Charleston for a four-month deployment to the Sixth Fleet. In December, while operating in the Aegean Sea, the ship with Task Group 60.2 was diverted from its scheduled operations to go to the scene of the sinking of the Greek Ferry HERAKLION. OWENS sighted and recovered two of the twenty-one bodies that were picked up by the ships of the Task Group. OWENS returned to Charleston on 31 january 1967. p STATISTICS Length .......... 376Fr., Mlm. Armamenr: Breadth .......... 41 Ft., Z In. 3-5 f38 Caliber Twin Mounts Speed .......... Over 30 Knots 2-MKII Hedgehog Projectors Crew: 2-MK32 Torpedo Tubes 15 Officers 2-MK25 Torpedo Tubes 260 Enlisted Men Dash Helicopter