Leahy (DLG 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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REAR ADMIRAL CLYDE JAMES VAN ARSDALL, JR., USN COMMANDER, SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCES, U. S. ATLANTIC FLEET RADM Clyde James VAN ARSDALL, JR., was born in Indianola, Mississippi, on July 22, 1913, the son of Mrs. Clyde J. (Ida Barnard) Van Arsdall and the late Mr. Van Arsdall. After attending Indianola High School, he entered the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. lie was graduated and commissioned Ensign on May 31, 1934, and by subsequent promotion attained the rank of Rear Admiral, to date from July 1, 1962. He served at sea in the cruisers (INDIANAPOLIS and VINCENNES; the destroyers GREER, SELFRIDGE, and HERNDON; and the attack transport BARNETT. He has commanded the destroyers ANTHONY and PERRY, the destroyer tender TIDEWATER, Escort Squadron TEN, Destroyer Squadron THIRTY-SIX, Destroyer Flotilla ONE, and Destroyer Group, SEVENTH FLEET. Ashore, Admiral Van Arsdall has had a tour at the NROTC units at the University of Oklahoma, and at Duke University. He has had staff duty with Commander, Amphibious Forces Atlantic Fleet, and as Chief of Staff to Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Atlantic. He has also served on the staff of the Naval War College, and from 1955 to 1957 as U. S. Naval Attache to France. In the office of the Chief of Naval Operations he has had duty in the Strategic Plans Division as Head, Joint and International Plans Branch. After a tour as Chief of the Joint War Games Agency, Joint Chief of Staff (1963-1966), he assumed his present duty on March 2, 1966, as Commander, South Atlantic Forces, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. His decorations include the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Navy Unit Commendation. He has been awarded the Order of King George I by the Government of Greece, and the Legion of Honor by the Government of France. He is married to the former Polly Ann Austin of Richmond, Virginia. They have three children, Mrs. Ann V.Poore of Durham, N. C; Robert B.; and LTJG Clyde J., Ill, presently serving in USS BAINBRIDGE (DLGN-25).

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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.

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CAPTAIN STEVEN N. ANASTASION, USN COMMANDING OFFICER Steven Nicholas ANASTASION was born April 9, 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut and attended New Haven High School before entering the U. S. Naval Academy in June 1939. After graduation in June 1942, he reported to USS CHAMPLIN (DD-601) where he served as Torpedo, Weapons and later Executive Officer. In that destroyer he participated in the invasions of Sicily and Southern France, bombardments of the Formio-Anzio area of Italy and in North Atlantic Convoy operations. In July 1945, he returned to Annapolis for post graduate study. Continuing at the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology, he received the degree of Master of Science in February 1948. He was subsequently assigned to work at the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in Albuquerque, New Mexico until January 1949 when he reported to USS CORAL SEA (CVA43) for duty in the Weapons Department. From October 1949 until June 1951, Captain ANASTASION participated in the atomic weapons tests at Eniwetok as Technical Officer, Joint Task Group 3.1. He was next assigned to the staff of the Assistant Chief for Nuclear Energy Applications, Bureau of Ordnance, where he remained until June 1952. Following command of USS NAWMAN (DE-416) from 1952 to 1954, he reported to the Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency and was Director, Technical Division until 1957. He next attended the course in Naval Warfare at the War College, Newport, Rhode Island graduating in June 1958. Captain ANASTASION commanded USS HAWKINS (DDR-873) from July 1958 to August 1960. His next duty was as Technical Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the ' Navy (Research and Development) where he served until August 1963. This was followed by a years study at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he graduated in 1964. In June 1964 he reported as Commanding Officer USS LEAHY (DLG-16). In addition to the Bronze Star Medal with one Gold Star and Combat V , Captain ANASTASION has the American Defense Service Medal with Star, the American Campaign Medal with two stars, the European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occun Service Medal, European Clasp, and the National Defense Service Medal.