John King (DDG 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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ON I8 JANUARY 1968 JOHN KING DEPARTED NORFOLK NA VAL SHIP YARD. ON 28 MA Y AFTER AN EMERGENCY RECALL JOHN KING DEPARTED TO SEARCH FOR THE USS SCORPION CSNN-5891 OVERDUE WHOSE LAST KNO WN POSITION WAS JUST NOR TH OF THE AZORE5 ISLA NDS. AFTER AN UNEVENTUAL JOURNEY, JOHN KING RETURNED TO ITS HOME POR T. NOVEMBER 4th 1968 FOUND JOHN KING UNDER WA Y IN COMPANY WITH USS RICHARD E. BYRD CDDG-232 AND USS CONNYNGAM IDDG-179 FOR THE SIX TH MEDITERRAN DEPLOYMENT WHERE SHE RELIEVED U.S.S. SEMMES IDDG-I8Q. JOHN KING JOINED THE SIX FLEET ON I5 NOVEMBER A T RO TA, SPAIN FOR OPERA TIONS IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRA N. DECEMBER 23 JOHN KING ANCHORED A T BEA ULIEU, FRANCE FOR THE HOLIDA Y SEASON. ON 4 FEBRUARY 1969 COMMANDER OSCAR C. CHISUM, RELIEVED COMMANDER KOSMELA. WHILE IN THE MEDITERRA NEAN THE JOHN KING PARTICIPA TED IN VARIOUS OPERA TIONS SUCH A5 NA TIONAL WEEK ll, DA WN PA TROL 69. ON I5 MA Y JOHN KING LEFT THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ARRIVED IN NORFOLK, ON 27 MA Y. THE REMAINER OF 1969 JOHN KING PERFORMED VARIOUS DUTIES. ONE OF THE MORE NO TABLE IS ON 5 NOVEMBER WITH JOHN KING ACTING A5 OPERA TIONAL EVA ULA TION PLA TFORM FOR THE STANDARD MISSILE, SUCCESSFULL Y FIRING I8 MISSILES. JOHN KING GOT UNDER WA Y ON 5 MARCH 1970 FOR HER SEVENTH MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMEN71 COMDESRON 32 SHIFTED HIS FLAG TO JOHN KING FOR THE DEPLOYMENF DURING THE DEPLOYMENT SHE CONDUCTED OPERA TIONS IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA WHICH CONSISTED OF CARRIER TASK GROUP OPERA TION5. IN AN AT SEA CEREMONY ON 25 AUGUST I9 70 COMMANDER J.K. STORMS III RELIEVED COMMANDER O.C. CHISUM A5 COMMA NDING OFFICER. ON I6 SEPT JOHN KING RETURNED TO NORFOLK FROM HER SEVENTH DEPLOYMENT, COMDESRON 32 SHIFTED HIS FLAG FROM THE SHIP. JOHN KING ENTERED THE NORFOLK NA VAL SHIP YARD ON 8 JANUARY I9 7l FOR HER REGULAR OVERHA UL DURING THIS SIX MONTH OVERHA UL THE WEAPONS SYSTEMS RECEIVED THE TARTAR DIGITAL UPDA TE AND THE ENGINEERING PLANT WAS CONVER TED TO RECEIVE NA VY DISTILLA TE FUEL. THE EIGHTH MEDITERRENEAN DEPLOYMENT FOR JOHN KING CAME ON 23 SEPTEMBER. IT FOUND HER BEING TASKED WITH ESCORT DUTY TO THE USS SARA TOGA AND USS INDEPENDENCE. THE SHIP ALSO PAR TICIPA TED IN NA TIONAL WEEK XI, OPERA TIONS QUICKDRA W WITH ITALIAN NA VAL FORCES AND HELD SURFACE GUNNERY EXERCISES. ON 3l JANUARY l972 THE SHIP WAS HONORED BY A VISIT FROM ADMIRAL ZUM WAL T, CHIEF OF NA VAL OPERA TION5. ON 30 MARCH 1972 JOHN KING RETURNED TO NORFOLK AND BEGAN A STA NDO WN PERIOD WITH A CHANGE OF COMMAND ON 31 MARCH WHEN COMMANDER EUGENE A. SPADONI RELIEVED COMMANDER STORMS AS COMMA NDING OFFICER. 7 SEPTEMBER JOHN KING GOT UNDER WA Y TO PARTICIPA TE IN EXERCISE STRONG EXPRESS IN THE NORTHERN A TLANTIC. HER ROLE IN THE EXERCISE WAS TO ESCORT A CONVOY OF MERCHANTS FROM LIBSON. PORTUGAL TO PL YMOUTH, ENGLAND. UPON COMPLETION OF THE EXERCISE SHE PULLED INTO RO TTERDAM, HOLLAND AND THAN ON TO KRISTIA NSA ND, NOR WA Y. THE SHIP ARRIVED BA CK TO DESTRO YER AND SUBMARINES PIER ON I6 OCTOBER. ON 1 DECEMBER 1972 JOHN KING DEPAR TED FOR HER FIRST WESPAC PASSING THROUGH THE PANAMA CA NAL ON 8 DECEMBER. AFTER A THREE DA Y PORT VISIT TO MA NZANILLO, MEXICO, JOHN KING GOT UNDER WA Y ENROUTE TO PEARL HARBOR, HA WAII. JOHN KING SPENT CHRISTMAS ON PEARL HARBOR, HA WAII ARRIVING ON 23 DECEMBER AND DEPARTING 26 DECEMBER FOR SUBIC BA Y, PHILLIPINE ISLANDS. AFTER A BRIEF STOP FOR FUEL A T GUAM, THE SHIP ARRIVED IN SUBIC BA Y ON 7 JANUARY 1973. ON I5 JA NUARY l973. JOHN KING COMMENCED ITS FIRST TOUR OF COMBA T DUTY. WITHIN MINUTES OF ARRIVING A T THE GUNLINE A T POINT ALLISON EARL Y ON I5 JANUARY, JOHN KING RECEIVED ITS FIRST NA VAL GUNFIRE SUPPORT CNGFSQ MISSION. TWENTY-NINE MISSIONS WERE FIRED BETWEEN I5 AND I8 JANUARY. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT OCCURRED IN THE EARL Y MORNING HOURS OF I8 JANUARY WHEN THE RVN I47TH BRIGADE WAS A TTA CKED BY SEVEN BA TTALION SIZE ENEMY TROOP CONCENTRA TIONS SUPPOR TED BY SEVEN TANKS. OVER SEVERAL HOURS, JOHN KING ASSISTED IN TURNING BA CK FOUR ASSA UL T5 AND BL UNTING THE OVERALL A TTA CK. DURING THIS ACTION THE SHIP RECEIVED HOSTILE FIRE FROM ENEMY SHORE BA TTERIES. FOLLOWING THIS ACTION, COMDESRON I5 STA TED IN A MESSAGE TO JOHN KING, YOUR RAPID RESPONSE TO THIS EMERGENCY AND OUTSTANDING SHOOTING ARE NO TED WITH PLEASURE. WELL DONE. I I -F-6 Y . Yrr, ,..-. .,.. ,....., .,.. ,l,,.,.., ,,,,,,,mV .

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USS JOHN KING CDDG-3 UNITED STATES SHIP HISTORY THE FIRST SHIP TO BEAR THE NAME JOHN KING AND THE SECOND OF THE GUIDED MISSLE DES TRO YERS TO BE CONS TRUC TED BY THE BA TH IRON WORKS IN BA TH, MAINE. JOHN KING WAS CHRIS TENED ON 30 JANUARY l96O BY MRS PAUL J. KILDA Y- WIFE OF A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS. SHE WAS OUTFITTED AT THE BOSTON NA VAL SHIPYARD. U.S.S. JOHN KING WAS COMMISSIONED ON 4 FEBRUARY I96I AT THE BOSTON NA VAL SHIPYARD, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COMMANDER ALBERT M. SACKE TT, OUTFITTING WAS COMPLETED ON 4 APRIL I96I. EFFECTIVE 30 JUNE I96I, THE HOMEPORT OF JOHN KING BECAME NORFOLK. JOHN KING DEPARTED NORFOLK VIRGINIA ON 27 NOVEMBER I96I FOR A SHAKEDO WN CRUISE AND VISITED PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND, AMSTERDAM, THE NE THERLANDS, BERGEN, NOR WA Y, FLENSBURG, GERMAN Y, AND DUBLIN, IRELAND DURING THE PERIOD OF 27 NOVEMBER I96I TO I JANUARY I962. ON I JANUARY I962 JOHN KING LEFT DUBLIN, IRELAND AND S TEAMED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN WHERE SHE JOINED THE SIXTH FLEET. PORTS OF CALL IN THE MEDITERRANEAN INCLUDED ROTA, SPAIM THEOULE, GOLFE JUAN, AND CANNES FRANCE, LA SPEZIE ITAL Y. PALERMO, SICIL Y. THE SHIP RETURNED TO NORFOLK IN APRIL. FROM I0 JUL Y TO I4 JUL Y, JOHN KING WAS IN WASHINGTON D.C. HOSTING VARIOUS CONGRESSMAN AND SENA TORS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND APPROPRIA TION COMMITTEES, AMONG THEM THE HONORABLE MR. ROBERT MCNAMARA, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND THE HONORABLE MR. FRED KORTH, SECRETARY OF THE NA VY AUGUST 8, I962 COMMANDER C.H. CRANDALL JR. RELIEVED COMMANDER SACKETT AS COMMANDING OFFICER. UNDER COMMANDER CRANDALL 'S COMMAND JOHN KING PARTICIPA TED IN THE CUBAN BLOCKADE OPERATIONS BEING AMONG THE FIRST UNITS TO RESPOND TO THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS. JOHN KING DEPARTED FOR HER SECOND MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE ON 6 FEBRUARY I963. JOHN KING WAS RELIEVED OF HER SIXTH FLEET DUTIES ON I4 JUNE AND S TEAMED NORTHWARD ARRIVING IN KIEL, GERMANY ON 23 JUNE FOR THE KIEL WEEK FESTIVITIES. CONTINUING NORTHWARD, JOHN KING VISITED NAR VIK, NORWA Y. AFTER LEA VING NAR VIK SHE SAILED HOME ARRIVING ON JUL Y I7, I963. JOHN KING'S THIRD COMMANDING OFFICER WAS COMMANDER THOMAS J. HUGHES RELIEVING COMMANDER CRANDALL ON I4 FEBRUARY I964. THE FIRST PART OF I964 JOHN KING CONDUC TED INDEPENDENT SHIP EXERCISE AND TRAINING DRILLS. ON 4 APRIL SHE BECAME THE FIRST UNITED STA TES SHIP TO VISIT THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN EIGHTEEN MONTHS BY VISITING SANTA DOMINGO. 3 AUGUST JOHN KING DEPAR TED NORFOLK FOR HER THIRD MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMEN71 SHE JOINED THE SIXTH FLEET ON I6 AUGUST WHERE SHE REMAINED AL TERNA TING BETWEEN AT-SEA AND INPORT PERIODS. JOHN KING SPENT THE CHRISTMAS OF 64 IN LA SPEZIE, ITAL Y AND NEW YEARS IN CANNES FRANCE. 4 JANUARY I965 FOUND JOHN KING UNDERWAY AGAIN FROM CANNES, ENROUTE TO VALENCIA, SPAIN FOR TURNOVER ON I8 JANUARY JOHN KING RETURNED TO NORFOLK 29 JANUARY ARRIVING A DA Y LA TE DUE TO HEA VY SEAS. ON IO SEPTEMBER I965 COMMANDER DEMING W. SMITH RELIEVED COMMANDER HUGHES AS COMMANDING OFFICER. JOHN KING'S FOURTH MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT STARTED ON 4 OCTOBER. DURING THIS DEPLOYMENT PORTS OF CALL WERE LIVERNO. NAPLES, AND TARANTO, ITAL Yi BARCEL ONA, AND PALMA SPAIN, VALE TTA, MAL TA, ATHENS, GREECE, AND BIZERTE, TUNISIA. ON 25 FEBRUARY I966 JOHN KING LEFT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, CROSSED THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND ARRIVED IN NORFOLK ON 7 MARCH. DURING THE SUMMER OF I966 JOHN KING COMPLETED CRUISES TO THE CARIBBEAN AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC WHICH INCLUDED A SECOND VISIT TO KIEL, GERMANY. AFTER A THREE WEEK CRUISE IN EARL Y DECEMBER I966, JOHN KING ENJO YED HER FIRST CHRISTMAS IN NORFOLK IN THREE YEARS. JOHN KINGS FIFTH MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT BEGAN ON I0 JANUARY I96 7. SHE OPERA TED IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN FOR FOUR MONTHS WHERE SHE CONDUC TED OPERATIONS WITH BRITISH, ITALIAN, AND FRENCH NA VAL FORCES. JOHN KING RETURNED TO NORFOLK ON I9 MA Y. DURING THE MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT JOHN KING S TEAMED I9,6I7 MILES, BURNED l. 7 MILLION GALLONS OF FUEL OIL. DRANK l93,430 CUPS OF COFFEE AND 7592 GALLONS OF MILK, BOUGHT 46,5I4 SOFTDRINKS, AND SPENT S55,CXX7 ON FOOD. COMMANDER SMITH WAS RELIEVED BY COMMANDER WAL TER T. K OSMELA ON 26 MA Y l96 7 WITH COMMANDER K OSMELA AT THE HELM, JOHN KING ENTERED THE NORFOLK NA VAL SHIPYARD FOR HER SECOND REGULAR OVERHAUL SINCE COMMISSIONING. DURING THE OVERHAUL JOHN KING RECEIVED EX TENSIVE WORK INCLUDING NEW CAPABILITIES FOR ASROC MISSILE REL OAD, ELEC TRONICCOUNTERMEASURES, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE STANDARD MISSILE SYSTEMS. IN ALL OVER THREE MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK.

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JOHN KING WAS DETACHED FROM NGFS UNITS AT POINT ALLISON AND ON I9 JANUARY WAS SENT TO POINT JOEY. ARRIVING 20 JANUARY. TWO CALLS FOR FIRE MISSIONS WERE FIRED IN SUPPORT OF RVN TROOPS ASHORE. IMMEDIA TEL Y FOLLOWING ORDERED FURTHER SOUTH TO POINT SASHA IN THE VICINITY OF PHAN THIET, ABOUT 90 MILES EAST OF SAIGON, AND OPERA TED IN THAT AREA FROM 2I JANUARY UNTIL AFTER THE CEASE-FIRE ON 28 JANUARY. DURING THIS PERIOD, JOHN KING FIRED 37 MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF RVN UNITS AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY WAS RECEIVING HEAVY PRESSURE FROM LARGE ENEMY CONCENTRA TIONS IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS. TWO DA YS PRIOR TO THE CEASE-FIRE, THE SENIOR U.S. MILITARY ADVISOR, A U.S. ARMY COLONEL, AND HIS COUNTERPART, THE PROVINCE CHIEF CAN ARVN COLONEL j, CALLED BY VOICE RADIO TO EXPRESS GRA TITUDE FOR THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY JOHN KING TO DEFENDING PHAN THIEF FROM LARGE SCALE ENEMY ATTACKS DURING THE PREVIOUS FEW DA YS. THESE TWO OFFICERS CREDITED THE SHIP WITH SUCCESSFULL Y DEF YING THE ENEMY THEREB Y MAKING NEUTRALIZA TION B Y FRIENDL Y FORCES POSSIBLE. THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT OF 27 JANUARY, AND MORNING OF 28 JANUARY JOHN KING FIRED MORE THAN 4617 ROUNDS AS ENEMY TROOPS MADE FINAL ATTEMPTS 'TO OCCUPY TERRITORY AROUND PHAN THIET. THE LAST ROUND WAS FIRED TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE CEASE-FIRE TOOK EFFEC71 FOLLOWING THE CEASE-FIRE, THE PROVINCE CHIEF ONCE AGAIN CAME ON THE RADIO TO EXPRESS GRA TITUDE FOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY JOHN KING IN THE CLOSING HOURS OF THE WAR. FOLLOWING THE CEASE-FIRE, JOHN KING PA TROLLED OFF-SHORE PHAN THIET 28-30 JANUARY AND DEPARTED FOR SUBIC BA Y ON 30 JANUARY. AFTER A ONE DAY ANCHORAGE IN SUBIC BA Y, TO OFFLOAD LONG RANGE BOMBARDMENT AMMUNITION, THE SHIP PROCEEDED TO SASEBO FOR AN UPKEEP PERIOD. THE UPKEEP PERIOD WAS FOLLOWED BY A PORT VISIT TO KEELUNG. ON 28 FEBRUARY, JOHN KING WAS AGAIN IN THE GULF OF TONKIN, IN THE VICINITY OF HAIPHONG AS CTU 78.06 C COMMANDER MINE COUNTERMEASURES SURVEILLANCE UNIT2. THIS TASK UNIT PROVIDES SURFACE SUR VEILLANCE OF THE MCM AREA, PERFORMING NOTIFICATION DUTIES IN CONNECTION WITH MERCHANT SHIPS APPROA CHING HAIPHONG, AND WAS PREPARED TO PROVIDE MUTUAL SUPPORT TO THE MCM TASK FORCE IN THE MR' R M EVFI-,IIS UNTIL 7 MARCH WHEN JOHN KING HEARDED FOR HONG KONG. JOHN KING ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 9 MARCH AND DEPARTED ON I5 MARCH FOR SUBIC BA Y, R.P. FOR ANOTHER UPKEEP PERIOD. THE PERIOD 8 MAY THROUGH I3 MAY FOUND JOHN KING IN THE GULF OF TONKIN, FOLLOWED BY A PORT VISIT IN YOKOSUKA, JAPAN FROM I9 THROUGH 2I MAY. THE SHIP TRANISTED EAST TO PEARL HARBOR ON THE 28TH AND 29TH OF MAY, THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL ON THE NIGHT OF 9 JUNE, AND HOME TO NORFOLK, RETURNING ON THE I4TH OF JUNE FOR A LONG AWAITED STAND DOWN. ON 24 AUGUST I973 COMMANDER E.A. SPADONI WAS RELIEVED OF COMMAND BY COMMANDER R.C. WILEY AS COMMANDING OFFICER. UNDER COMMANDER WILEY'S COMMAND JOHN KING UNDER WENT A OVERHAUL TO HER 2A BOILER AFTER SUFFERING A FLARE-BACK ON 8 MAY I974 WHILE CONDUCTING ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE EXERCISES WITH THE USS CA VALLA. DURING THE OVERHAUL PERIOD U7 MAY - I3 AUGUSTQ THE SHIP ALSO CONDUC TED MUCH NEEDED OVERHAUL AND MAINTENANCE ON THE ENGINEERING AND ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT IN ADDITION TO AN EX TENSIVE 'FACE-LIFTING CONDUC TED BY SHIP'S FORCE. JOHN KING LEFT NORFOLK NA VAL SHIPYARD ON I3 AUGUST AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED SEA TRIALS ON 2A BOILER. THE SHIP RETURNED TO NORFOLK ON 23 AUGUST. AFTER A QUICK WEEK OF INPORT PREPARA TIONS JOHN KING GOT UNDERWA Y ON I6 SEPTEMBER FOR NORTHERN MERGER A NA TO EXERCISE BETWEEN AMERICAN AND BRITISH NA VIES. COMPLETING NORTHERN MERGER ON 27 SEPTEMBER JOHN KING DE TACHED TO PROCEED TO ARENDAL, NORWA Y FOR A FOUR DA Y, PORT VISIT. ON 3 OCTOBER SHE GOT UNDER WAY TO JOIN VARIOUS OTHER UNITS. ON II OCTOBER JOHN KING ALONG WITH USS MCCANDLESS ARRIVED IN GOTEBERG, SWEDEN BEING THE FIRST AMERICAN NA VAL UNITS TO VISIT THIS PORT SINCE I96 7. DURING THIS THREE DAY PORT VISIT THE SHIP WAS VISITED BY OVER SIX THOUSAND GUESTS AND THE CREW WAS HOSTED TO A GALAXY OF PARTIES AND TOURS. ON I4 OCTOBER JOHN KING GOT UNDERWAY AND TRANIS TED THE DOVER S TRAITS FOR A PORT VISIT IN PL YMOUTH, ENGLAND. AFTER A SHORT VISIT, THE SHIP LEFT PL YMOUTH TO JOIN AMPHIBIOUS SQUADRON EIGHT, FOR THE RETURN TRANSIT. JOHN KING ARRIVED IN NORFOLK ON 30 OCTOBER. UPON HER RETURN TO NORFOLK SHE ENTERED A UPKEEP PERIOD PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING OPERATING PLANT PROPULSION EXAMINATION COPPEQ WHICH WAS SUCCESSFULL Y COMPLETED ON I4 AND I5 NOVEMBER. FROM I6 NOVEMBER TO 2 DECEMBER JOHN KING REMAINED IN UPKEEP. ON 2 DECEMBER THE JOHN KING WAS UNDERWA Y FOR TRAINING IN THE VACAPES OPAREAS WHERE SHE SUCCESSFULL Y COMPLETED FIRING TWO STANDARD MISSILES AGAINST A DRONE TARGET. ON 6 DECEMBER JOHN KING RETURNED TO NORFOLK TO COMMENCE HER CHRISTMAS LEA VE PERIOD AND TENDER A VAILABILI TY. IN MAY OF I975 JOHN KING BEGAN A TEN MONTH OVERHAUL WITH THE NORFOLK NA VAL SHIPYARD. WHILE SHE WAS IN THE YARDS ON 2 JUL Y COMMANDER F KELL Y RELIEVED COMMANDER R.C. WILEY AS COMMANDING OFFICER. THE REGULAR OVERHAUL ENDED 20 FEBRUARY I976. DEFICIENCIES NOTED DURING THE POST REPAIR TRIALS WERE OUICKL Y CORRECTED, THUS ENABLING JOHN KING TO COMPLETE HER ROH AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. DURING THE MONTHS OF MARCH TO JUNE JOHN KING CONDUC TED VARIOUS MISSILE AND GUN SHIP QUALIFICATION TRIALS SUCCESSFULL Y PASSING ALL QUALIFICATIONS WITH HIGH SCORES. DURING HER REFRESHER TRAINING KIO MA Y-I5 JUNEQ SHE WAS CALLED AWAY ON A SEARCH AND RESCUE KSAR2 MISSION NORTH OF JAMAICA. A CA YMAN ISLAND FISHING VESSEL, THE NEDDOB, WAS ADRIFT IN EIGHT FOOT SEAS WITH A JAMAICAN GUNBOAT STANDING BY BUT UNABLE TO TAKE THE FLOUNDERING FISHERMAN IN TOW. NOT WITHOUT DIFFICUL TY, A 5 IN TOWING HO WER WAS PASSED TO THE NEDDOB. A ARDUOUS ELEVEN HOURS, EIGHTY MILE TOW TO SAFETY OF OCHO RIOS, JAMAICA FOLLOWED. WHILE ENTROUTE BACK TO RESUME REFRESHER TRAINING THE FOLLOWING RADIO MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE NEDDOB: 'FOR C.O. AND ALL HANDS USS JOHN KING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KIND COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE, PLEASANT SAILING . ON I5 JUNE, WITH REFRESHER TRAINING SUCCESSFULL Y COMPLETED JOHN KING STEAMED EAST TO THE ATLANTIC FLEET WEAPONS