Lake Champlain (CG 57) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG 57) is the third U.S. Navy Ship to honor the name Lake Champlain. The first was a cargo vessel wliicli served in World War L The second was an Essex-Class air- craft carrier (CV-39) which earned a battle star in the Korean Conflict and also was the recovery ship for the first American manned space flight. CDR Alan Shepard ' s command module FREEDOM 7 was lifted from the Atlantic Ocean to the deck of (;cV-39). This marked the beginning of Anierica ' s explora- tion of the New Frontier and use of outer space for the development of the modern satellites of today. U)S LAKE CHAMPLAIN has made 5 deployments. The first was in 1991 for Desert Storm, then again in 1993, 1995, 1997-1998 and now 2000. abrication of USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN began 9 July 1985. Her keel was laid 3 March 1986. She was christened 25 April 1987 at Inga Us Ship- building Division of Litton in Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Mrs. Everett Pyatt, wife of the then Assistant Secretaiy of the Navy for Shipbuild- ing and Logistics. USS LAIvE CHAMPLAIN was commis.sioned on a hot .summer day 12 August 1988 in Brooklyn, New Yorlt. USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN ' s Captain Ralph K. Martin Edward K. Kristensen JohnJ. Felloney Dennis J. VanBuskirk ' j FrankJ. Dobrydney PaulT.Serfass Victor G. Guillory FROM TO June 1990 JunSK) Apr92 Apr92 Dec93 Dec93 Nov95 Nov95 Feb98 Feb98 FebOO Feb2000

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History Liki ' ii IriiiM ri ' Mi.iik ' In Kiar Aihiiir.il cioiaM lloi ' wioK I ;■ nini:in(.li.T. l arrior tiroup Seven lAKi: (.;IIAMI ' 1.AIN Change of Command Mioarcl I ' SS l.AKl- CHAMPljMN ()iri-H2()()l We are here today to paitici pate in a time-honored Navy tradition. What could be more fitting than to conduct this change of command underway, on the waters of the East China Sea - domain of the golden dragon, world of seafar- ing myth and legend. It is of legends, old and new, that I want to speak to- day. ... First, I want to say something to you about making legends. Thcokl legend concerns the l:)attlc tor which this great ship was named. The setting. Lake Champlain, was unusual tor a war at sea. The sun on that September morning in 1814 rose over the Green Mountains of Vermont and cast a warm glow over the hills and valleys of the H.rtio ' ° Adirondacks. A British land army was cj,H. n ' poised to take the U.S. Army garrison ' at ■« ' Plattsburg on the northwest shore of the — - ' ' lake. Their signal to advance was to be the inevitable de.struction of the small U.S. naval squadron on the lake — a conette Uhe SARATOGA), a brig, 2 schooners, and 10 gunboats under the command of Master-Commandant Thomas MacDonough. This certain British victory was put in the hands of a superior royal naw force consisting of the 36-gun frigate CONFIANCE. three brigs, ,uid 12 galleys. But, in measiaring the two forces, the Britisli duln t count on our . nieric.in spirit, our youthful ingenuitw and ourab.solute belict m our cause. They didn ' t coiinl on tlie qualir - of our leadership abo c the lIcl k. nor on the professionalism and Jctlicaiion of our saikirs below the deck. 1 he American commander did something unheard of in the annals of war at sea, he elected to face the British at anchor. He anchored his force in a small bay bet veen two headlands, forcing the enemy to approach ith their foreguiis against his broadsick-s. Bui he also filled his ships wiili spring c ables and kedge anchors, allowing his lorcc — nu)sl particularly his llagsliip SAKATCKiA — lo Uirn on a wide arc i ' anchoi and i rcseni a fresh broadside. The battle began at 9 o ' clock. The first Hrilish cannon knocked .i rooster oui of it ' s cage on the deck of .SARATOGA, and these min, looking death in the face, laughed as the r(K)ster .scrambled up .1 gun slide lo berate ihe British. Masier-Comniandant l.it Donough lit off ihe first American cannon. In less than an hi )ur SARATOGA was riddled with S cannon holes and 57 men were dead or gravely wounded. Then, in ihe heal of battle, SARA ' i ' OGA ' s men calmly and masterfully, worked the anchors anti cables, bringing the ship around for a fresh attack on CONFIANCH and the re.st of the British force. By noon the battle was over. All four British ships were de.st roved ihat day and a legend was born. The British ground force was shocked and .stunned at the news and scj abandoned isy it ' s naval support, that it walked home to the Canadian Ixjrder. i President Madison was .so encouraged by the victory that he ordered the con.struction of two new 94-gun ships of the line, forerunners of this great ship that we are standing on today. Our negotiators in Europe were .so strengthened by the news that British terms were rejected, terms that would have greatly altered the U.S. Canadian border and left Maine and the Great fakes in British hands. A treaty, on our terms, was signed before Christmas of that year. Yes, a legend was born. But the me.s.sage 1 have for you today is not about a legendar ' sea battle and its impact. No my message is about what it takes to make a legend. Certainly, it takes leadership, but not just leadership - leader- ship allied to vision, to bold ingenuity ' , to ab.solute professionalism, and yes to humor. Master-Commandant MacDonough had it. . . But leadership is only one ingredient in the mix that makes legends. The other is dedication and profe.ssionalism below the decks. MacDonough won with the aid of hundreds of sailors, men laboring in cramped woo den gundecks, pitching and rolling with the sea and the recoil of gims, amid almo.st eveiy conceivable noise and horror. These men were as adept at trimming sails as they were at close-quarters gimnerv . They sen ' ed the guns below and had the skills and presence of mind to work the complex anchors and spring cables that swimg the ship to victory. Tlie Battle of Lake Champlain was, in short, a victory of extraordinary ' deeds done by ordinaiy men - extraordinary deeds accomplished by better w arfighting skills, by profe.ssionalism and professional conduct, and by knowing how to use the tools at hand.

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Ship ' sGharacteristics Tic:( ) i)i K( )c,A c;i. ss cKi i.si:u l-fiiKili 567 feet Heaiii 55teet I)i-ah(keel) 24 feet DrafK Navigational) 34 feet DisplaeeiiK ' nt 9,500 tons Speed 29+kn()ls Four LM2500 Gas ' i ' urhine Ivngines Three 2500 kw Gas Turbine Generators Four ...200 ton capacity Air Conclitionin.g Plants Two Controllable Reversible Pitch Propellers 5 H€LKceTtR LA» W» ffkD w fV - ,: APT 6l CCI.4.3 MK ' S 5wOt Uf Zs .-.. »w S(S«-) T»W S Mt t »?i V oifi t »t- s Tc BY: SMC Svm s