John McCain (DL 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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I ammmwlwg 0ff666'l Commander Ralph E Wilson Jr was born in New London Conn on 3 April 1927 He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in June 1944, and was assigned to recruit training at Camp Perry V1rg1n1a Upon completion of recruit training he attended thhe U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School at Bainbridge Maryland He won a Presidential Appointment to the Naval Academy entering in June 1945, and gradu- ating on 3 June 1949 As an Ensign his first assignment was to the Gunnery Department of USS Roanoke CCL 1455. He became Signal Officer of USS Roanoke before being ordered to Electronics Material Officers School at Treasure Island California in September 1950. In February 1951 he reported to USS Dyess CDD 8805 where he served as Electronics Material Officer then as First Lieutenant and finally as Gunnery Officer Lt Cjgj Wilson was next ordered to the US Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey California in August 1953. In 1955 he was graduate training Lieutenant Wilson served as Communications Officer on the Staff of Commander Destroyer Flotilla Six until December of 1958 when he reported as Executive Ofiicer of USS Benham CDD 796 J In March of 1960, Lieutenant Commander Wilson was assigned to Washington D C for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as the Head of the Radar Research and Development Branch COP 7331 In August 1962 Lieutenant Commander Wilson was ordered to the US Naval War College at Newport R. I., as a student in the Command and Staff Course Upon completion of the course in July1962 he was assigned to USS Kearsarge CCVS-335 for duty as En- vineer Officer serving in that billet until July 1965 when he was detached to assume the duties of Commanding Officer, USS John S. McCain CDL 31 Commander Wilson has been awarded the followlng service medals American Theatre Medal World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal with European Clasp National Defense Service Medal and Armed Forces Expenditionary Medal. Commander Wilson is married to the former Elizabeth Struble of Chevy Chase Maryland and has two children, Laura Elizabeth and Ralph E III 9 0 . . , ,. I , . . . D I . . .l. F p , . . . . . . 1 . . , . 3 - I I . , . . - . . . , y , . , , I . .u , . , . . l . C , . , awarded a B.S. degree in Engineering Electronics and in 1956 he was awarded a M. S. degree in the same field. Upon completion of Post- ' ' , - 1, . . .U . p , - ' u my Q Q F , . . . , . . . . . . , , ., . H CN .ms I M .1 'KW l 'im , U M. .EM ,l iw C . ll l im .xl 4 .AMA

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USS John S. McCain QDL-33, the second ship of the Mitscher QDL-2, class of frigates, was commissioned 12 October 1953, at the Boston Naty Shipyard. She is named for the late Vice Admiral john S. McCain, who gained fame during World War 11 as the commander of a fast carrier attack force. Admiral William F. HGlSQ1 paid this tribute to Admiral McCain: Your resoursefulness, ingenuigf, stamina, and fighting spirit have been superb. lnadequate though it may be, l give you one more rousing, Afarewell, 'Well done.' V McCain is 493 feet long, 50 feet wide at the beam, 117 feet from waterline to mast tip, and displaces 4400 tons, fulbf loa.ded. Her main engines develop 8o,ooo horsepower, capable ofdelivering speeds in excess of 35 knots. Her four steam driven generators could meet the electrical needs of a cigf of 50,,000. Her fre mains have a capacigf equal to that of the combined' output offve fre trucks. ' The ship is armed with two 5,754 gun mounts and one 3 f70 twin mount. These guns combined can deliver 260rounds per minute. The undersea threat is countered with Weapon Alpha , various antisubmarine torpedoes, and conventional depth charges. Her vast array of electronic detection and communication equipment makes McCain well suited for search and picket duties. ' 'Q Home ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, McCain- proudbf bears the flag of,Destrq1er Squadron 'Twengf-Five. She normalbf operates with an anti-submarine Hunter-Killer Group, better known as a HUK Group, which is organized around a high speed aircraft carrier. The carrier, her aircraft, and the destroyers in the group work together as a specialized forces to counter t-he enemy's submarine threat. 1 Assigned to the United States Seventh Fleet, McCain operated as an integral unit of the world's largest task fleet. Seventh Fleet's jurisdiction includes nearbf one-sixth of the earth's surface or thirgf million square miles, extending from the Siberian coastal waters to Antartica, and from the Indian Ocean to 160 degrees east longitude, approximateb1 1200 miles east of Guam. Comprised of some 150 ships, 700 aircraft, and 70,000 highbf trained Naxy and Marine Corps personnel, the Seventh Fleet is dispersed throughout this vast ocean area, acting as a deterrent force against enemy agression in the Wester'ni'llJacific and insuring that the sea lanes are kept open for -free world trade. V Duringlthe period from September 1965 to March 1966, MCCein steamed some 57,000 miles engaged in missions ranging from surveillance to shore bombardment. Twice McCain was called upon tolfre at Viet Cong strongholds in South Viet Nam. ln December her, schedule took her to the frigid waters of the Sea of japan for joint operations with units of' the Korean Fleet. ln january she was assigned surveillance of Soviet units operating in the Philippine Sea. Libergf ports ranged from Ghinhae, Korea, to Sydney, Australia. V 4 'E I 1: This, then, the Aloha Cruise of DL-3, as commemorated in the following pages, will live in the memories of the 350 who served, long ajer DL-3 becomes DDG-36.

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F' . f ,, Q mal in ll B. f-F v Nz? 23' zecatiae LCDR Cedric S. Wallace graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1952. During the Korean War he served in USS Skagit CAKA 1051 followed by tours of duty in USS Rensl1awCDD 4995 and on the Staff, COMDESDIV 252. In 1958 he en- tered the U. S. Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey where he did post graduate work in Operations Analysis. Upon com- pletion of post graduate work in 1960 he was ordered to USS Polk County CLST 10843 as Commanding Olicer. Prior to re- porting to USS John S. McCain as Executive Officer in February 1965, he served for 2 years on the Joint Strategic Target Plan- ning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. LCDR Wallace is married to the former Janet Durst of Lebanon, Oregon. They have two daughters, Laura and Allyson, and reside in Honolulu, Hawaii.