Leftwich (DD 984) - Naval Cruise Book

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LCOL W. G. Leftwich, Jr., USMC Lieutenant Colonel William G. Leftwich. Jr., was bom on April 28,1931 in Memphis. Tenn., and graduated from Central High School in that city. He was commissioned a Marine Second Lieutenant on June 5. 1953 upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy. As brigade captain in his senior year at the Naval Academy, he was specially commended at graduation for exemplary officer like qualities which contribute to the development of naval spirit and loyalty within the Bridgade. Upon entering the Marine Corps, he completed The Basic School at Marine Corps Schools. Quantico. VA., in January 1954. and later served as a rifle platoon commander with the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, N. C. During 1955-56. he served with the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa. On his return to the United States, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton. California, where he was promoted to captain in July 1957. He then began a three-year assignment at the Naval Academy, serving as a company officer. An excellent athlete himself, he also voluntarily performed collateral duty as assistant varsity tennis coach and battalion football coach. In 1960. he rejoined the 2nd Marine Division, serving as a company commander until 1962 when he was named aide-de-camp to the Commanding General. In June 1963, he was assigned as aide to the Commandant. Marine Corps Schools. Quantico. He was promoted to major in July 1964. He later completed a course of study in the Vietnamese Language prior to reporting for duty in Vietnam in January 1965 as Assistant Senior Advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Brigade. Joining Task Force Alfa, he participated in 27 major operations against the Viet Cong in the central highlands of Vietnam, and spent more than 300 days in the field. He was wounded in the battle of Hoai An. March 9.1965 and. besides the Purple Heart, was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. According to his citation, he “ ... played a major part in all phases of the successful reliel of the village of Haoi An. which was under heavy enemy attack by two Viet Cong battalions ... By his own personal example .... he led the attack ... Despite injuries by enemy machine-gun bullets in the back, cheek, and nose, he went to the aid of a mortally wounded comrade ... and delayed his own evacuation until he could call for additional air strikes and brief the task force commander of the 2 situation. He returned to the United States in January 1966. served as an instructor at The Basic School, then completed the Command and Staff College in June 1967 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in November 1967 while serving as a systems analyst with the Manpower Management Information Branch. G-1 Division. He later became head of the Systems Analysis Section. In 1968. LtCol. Leftwich was selected by the Under Secretary of the Navy to be his Special Assistant and Marine Corps Aide. He served in this capacity under the Honorable Charles F. Baird, and Mr. Baird s successor as Under Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John W. Warner. In April 1970. he began his second tour of duty in Vietnam, serving initially as an infantry battalion commander with the 2nd Battalion. First Marines. On June 30. he assumed duty as Commanding Officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced). On November 18.1970. LtCol. Leftwich was killed in a helicopter crash during an emergency extraction of one of his reconnaissance teams. In accordance with his practice of accompanying every emergency extraction called for by his reconnaisance teams, he was serving as senior extract officer for such a mission on the day of his death. The team had incurred casualties and requested an emergency extraction from enemy-infested territory in an area beginning to be enveloped by dense fog. The team was extracted under LtCol. Leftwich's personal supervision, then, the helicopter began its ascent, it crashed into a mountainside in enemy territory, killing all aboard. A partial list of his medals and awards includes: The Navy Cross, the Silver Star (posthumous), the Legion of Merit with Combat V and two gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with one gold star, the Purple heart with two gold stars, and various personal awards from the Republic of Vietnam. LtCol. Leftwich was survived by his wife, the former Jane Ferrer, and two sons. William G. III. and Scott F. He was also survived by his mother. Mrs. Mattie H. Leftwich of Memphis. His father was deceased.

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USS LEFTWICH (DD-984) is the twenty-second Spruance Class Destroyer to be designed and built by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula. Mississippi. Homeported in San Diego. LEFTWICH is assigned to Cruiser-Destroyer Group THREE and Destroyer Squadron SEVEN. The Spruance Class Destroyer is unique among today's warships in that it is the first major class to be powered strictly by gas turbine engines. LEFTWICH, as her sisters, is powered by four General Electric LM-2500 engines. Designed originally for large aircraft, these engines have been modified for marine use and produce 20.000 horsepower each. Her engines, in conjunction with twin controllable-reversible pitch propellers, are capable of moving LEFTWICH through the water at speeds in excess of 30 Knots and give her a degree of maneuverability unequaled by any other warship her size. Built with future growth in mind. LEFTWlCH's design is modular in nature thus allowing for the easy installation of entire subsystems within the ship, this makes LEFTWICH a ship of the future as well as the present. Her modular construction and the consequent ease with which she can accept the installation of new weapons and electronics systems destines LEFTWICH to be a proving ground for new military technology. Crew comfort and habitability were also of prime consideration in LEFTWlCH’s design. Berthing areas are very spacious and considerable care was taken to equip the ship with features uncommon to most destroyers. Such features includes a ship's library, crew's lounge, a well equipped gymnasium, hobby shop, and many other items aimed at crew comfort. Enhancing these specifically designed-in comforts is the added benefit of a much reduced required manning level resulting from the incorporation of the many automated weapons and engineering systems. As a highly versatile multi-mission destroyer. LEFTWICH is capable of operating independently or in company with amphibious or carrier task forces. Although equipped to handle a wide variety of mission areas. LEFTWlCH’s primary mission is that of Antisubmarine Warfare. LEFTWICH possesses the most advanced ASW equipment in existence to facilitate her accomplishment of this complex and demanding task. The ship is equipped with a sophisticated sonar, the SQS-53, that is directly integrated with a third generation, digital computer system, the Naval Tactical Data System. In addition to her sonar. LEFTWlCH’s ASW weapons suit, an Antisubmarine Rocket (ASROC) and two triple barreled Mark 32 torpedo tubes, also complexes with NTDS. This integrated combat system provides LEFTWICH with an enhanced target information processing capability and an extremely fast threat reaction time. LEFTWICH also boasts two 5-inch 54 caliber Mark 45 fully automatic gun mounts controlled by the digital Mark 86 Fire Control System. The ship's missile system consists of the NATO Seasparrow Missile System, a short range surface to air. defensive weapon and the Harpoon Weapon System which employs a medium range, offensive surface to surface anti-ship cruise missile. Additionally, the ship is equipped with rapid blooming offboard chaff, a decoy system used in an electronic warfare environment. In conclusion, USS LEFTWICH constitutes a destroyerman's dream as she incorporates the best of a technology unequaled by any other Navy in the World. Her exceptional propulsion system and fully integrated combat system combine with her modular construction to make LEFTWICH a platform not to be surpassed.

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Construction and Commissioning The Ship’ The origin of the christening ceremony for ships goes back into the dawn of recorded history. The custom has survived through the ages and today is practiced in some form by all seafaring nations. Until the mid 19th century. U. S. Navy ships were christened by men. In 1946 Mrs. Lavinia Watson Fanning became the first woman to sponsor a ship as she christened the sloop GERMANTOWN in Philadelphia. Since that occasion, the honor has always been Sponsor bestowed on a woman. Sponsors for the USS LEFTWICH are Mrs. William G. Leftwich. Sr., mother of Lt. Col. leftwich. and his widow. Mrs. Jane Leftwich Michael. According to tradition, the spirit of the sponsor enters the ship at the time of christening and remains there forever. The ship becomes a part of her. and she a part of it. as it sails the seas preserving America's freedom. 3