Leahy (DLG 16) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 6 text:

9leet Mitral William D. jCcaky The U.S.S. Leahy proudly carries the name of Fleet Admiral Leahy. He was one of our most famous Naval officers. In the 186 years of our nation ' s history, only a few individuals have been privileged to actively serve their country in war and in peace with constant excellence for the extensive period of 66 years. The public service of William Leahy began in 1893 with his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy as a Naval Cadet; it ended with his death in 1959 when, as Fleet Admiral, he was serving as advisor to the Secretary of the Navy. In between lay an amazing career of many facets, all glistening with the brilliance of extra- ordinary qualities of leadership and excep- tionally meritorious service . He was born in Hamp- ton, Iowa on May 6,1875, the son of M. A. and Rose Hamilton Leahy and grew up in Ashland, Wisconsin. Destined to participate in the making of so much history, he began soon after grad- uation from the Academy in 1897 with service in the U.S.S. OREGON during her famous dash around the Horn from the Pacific in the spring of ' 98. After fighting the Spanish Fleet in Santiago, Cuba and rounding out his required sea duty as a Naval Cadet on the U.S.S. TEXAS, he was commissioned Ensign in 1899. During his 28 years of commissioned service before promotion to Rear Admiral, his assignments were distinctive and significant, including six commands at sea ranging from the gunboat MARIVELES to the battleship NEW MEXICO. His duties covered the world from me Asiatic Station through the Americas to the Middle East. It was in 1913 when in command of the Secretary of the Navy ' s dispatch gunboat DOLPHIN, that . e began his association with Frank- lin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy. In 1917 he was awarded the Navy Cross while commanding the transport PRINCESS MATOIKA on the North Atlantic runs. As Rear Admiral from 1927 to 1935 he served as Chief, Bureau of Ordnance; Commander Destroyers, U.S. Fleet; member of the Board on reorganization of the Navy Department; Chief, Bureau of Navigation. From July 1935 to August 1939 he served as Com- mander Battleships, Battle Force, with the rank of Vice Admiral; Command- er in Chief, Battle Force, with the rank of Admiral and Chief of Naval Op- erations. He retired in 1939 after 46 years of Naval service. Upon retirement Admiral Leahy was appointed Governor of Puerto Rico. He held this position until 1941 at which time he was appointed Am- bassador to France. In May of 1942 he resigned as Ambassador and was accepted by President Roosevelt to active duty as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army and Navy. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to his country, he was appointed as the first Fleet Admiral of the U.S. Navy on 15 December 1944. He was retained as Chief of Staff by President Truman in 1945. No man, even one of Admiral Leahy ' s stature, is complete unto himself. His wife, Loise, was admired by all and was a source of inspiration and joy to him. They were both buried in Arlington National Cemetary and are survived by one son, Rear Admiral William H. Leahy, USN (Ret.), and two grandchildren, Mrs. John C. Walker, III and First Lieutenant Robert B. Leahy, USMC

Page 5 text:

DEDICATION We proudly dedicate this cruise book to our Commanding Officer, Captain Steven N. Anastasion, USN and to the officers and crew who have faithfully served on board during this UNIT AS cruise. It is also appropriate at this time to pay tribute to our wives, sweethearts, and families. Without the moral support they have given and the personal sacrifices they have made, we who put to sea could not have accomplished our tasks so well. Let this book serve in a small way as our Salute to you all.

Page 7 text:

U.S.S. LEAHY (DLG-16) First of an entirely new class of guided missile frigates, the LEAHY is one of the largest destroyer-type ships in the world. In addition to carrying Terrier (a supersonic surface-to-air guided missile system), LEAHY carries ASROC (a rocket propelled anti-submarine weapon), anti-submarine torpedoes, and two three-inch fifty caliber anti-aircraft guns. The LEAHY was constructed by the Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine and was commissioned on the 4th of August 1962 in Boston, Mass. Upon completion of various acceptance trials, tests and a shakedown cruise the LEAHY arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, her new homeport on 1 May 1963. For the next year, LEAHY participated in a variety of Fleet exercises with U. S. Second Fleet and special projects. In July 1964, LEAHY left the United States and joined the U. S. SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean. This was her first overseas deployment and the first for a LEAHY class ship. During this cruise LEAHY steamed 32,750 miles, from Gibraltar to the Aegean Sea, visiting such ports as Genoa, Naples, Athens, Leghorn, Cannes, and Barcelona. Returning to the U. S. Second Fleet in December 1964, LEAHY began the U. S. Navy ' s first major Fleet Operation Evaluation of the Terrier Guided Missile System. This project was successfully completed in September 1965 with time off only briefly for LEAHY ' S partici- pation in the Dominican Republic Operations in April and May. In November 1965, LEAHY departed for her second overseas deployment with the U. S. SIXTH Fleet, returning to her home port, Charleston, in April 1966. On 24 August 1966, the USS LEAHY sailed from Charleston, South Carolina, beginning UNITAS VII, a cruise around the continent of South America. During this cruise LEAHY served as flagship for COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCE, Radm. C. J. VAN ARSDALL, Jr. The ship traveled more than 22,000 miles and performed the following LEAHY firsts: traversed the Panama Canal, sailed in the Pacific, crossed the Equator, sailed through the Straights of Magellan, and landed a helicopter on her fantail. Besides serving as UNITAS flagship, LEAHY also performed the functions of an AD, AE, AG, AKS. AO. ATA. AS. AVS, and AW on various occasions during the cruise. She conducted ASW training exercises with the navies of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Venezuela. Although the primary mission of UNITAS VII was ASW training, two important collateral missions were the People to People Program and Operation Handclasp which the United States hopes will serve as a springboard for the growing friendship between the U. S. NAVY and the people of South America.