Lewis Hancock (DD 675) - Naval Cruise Book

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the Marshalls, Carolines, Truk, Palau, Yap, New Guinea, Wake, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and the Philippine Sea. Later with Task Force 38, she saw Luzon, Formosa, Okinawa, the Philippine Liberation, and the invasion of Iwo Jima. Decommissioned on 10 January 1946, she hoisted her pennant once again on 19 May 1951 and was ordered back to action in Korean waters. Detached in January 1953 from the Seventh Fleet, she returned to Newport via Southeast Asia, the Mid-East, and Europe, thus completing the circumnavigation of the globe. In the four years since, she has continued to log sea miles. Completing four more foreign tours, two to Northern Europe and two to the Mediterranean and the Mid-East, plus keeping her commitments to the Atlantic Destroyer Force have made her one of the operatingest ships in the fleet. On 6 May 1957 the Hancock left Newport, Rhode Island, for her second tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet within a period of twelve months. The following pages depict that voy- age. Now this much traveled, much decorated lady is due for another rest. She will report to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for decommis- sioning to take place in December 1957.

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■ ' uaa letoU kanccck 44 67S USS LEWIS HANCOCK DD 675 was launched by the Kearney Shipyards in Kearney, New Jersey. She was commissioned August 1, 1943 by Captain Joy Hancock USN(W) in honor of her late husband Lieutenant Commander Lewis Hancock, who perished with the airship USS SHENANDOAH in 1925. The Lewis Hancock is a 2100 ton destroyer, 376 ' 6 in length, capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. The armament includes the main battery of five inch guns, several 40 millimeter anti-aircraft guns, and various anti-submarine weapons. HANCOCK earned eleven battle stars in the Pacific. She was there with Task Group 58.2 at

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U.S.S. LEWIS HANCOCK DD-675 FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK. NEW YORK 30 August 1957 From: Commanding Officer To: All Hands Tod y marks the end of an interesting and eventful cruise to the Mediterranean = nd Middle East. During the past four months, La ' .JIS HANCOCK has logged what may be a record 27,328 miles on her engines, the equivalent of one -nd one-eighth times around the world. Included in the ports of call were many of those far away places with strange sounding names - Ronta del Gada, Raima, Athens, Aden, Bahrain, Umm Slid, Massawa, Spetsai Island, Venice, Barcelona, Gibraltar and Argentia. The international situation that prevailed at the time of the ship ' s emergency deployment a year ago had improved considerably by the time we left the States on May 6th, although the Suez Canal was still the subject of much controversy. The rospect of another tour in the hot, humid Middle East was not too pnealing, but the idea of rounding the Cape of Good Hope with stops at Cape Town and Kombassa was eagerly looked forward to by all hands. Our plans were changed in mid-Atlantic however by decision of the United States to resume use of the Suez Canal, and we ended up being the fifth U.S. man-of-war to transit the big ditch after its reopening. Thanks to new air conditioners, a full set of awnings, no water hours, good fishing and tropic 1 working hours, this 5-week portion of the cruise turned out to be more pleasant than anticipated. For many of you, this Cruise Book will be a reminder of your second tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet in less than a year, including two cruises to the Rad Sea-Persian Gulf Area. For the HANCOCK, this cruise also marks the end of a colorful and glorious career, for just before returning to the States, word was received that she is soon to join the mothball fleet for the second time in her career. One thing can be truly said of the HANCOCK, or the Leaky Lewy as we affectionately call her, she has been an operating ship and she has never failed to meet a commitment. For two years in succession, she was next to top ship in the squadron competition. In the next few months we will be scattered far and wide. Regardless of where we go, I ' m sure that all of us will carry with us fond memories of association with a fine ship and a fine crew. In years to come, as we thumb through the p-ges of this cruise book, old stories will unfold themselves and many pie; s nt experiences relived, and cerhaps a few eyes will become a little misty. To all of you as we are about to p rt, I wish the best of luck in your new = ssiimments, and I hope that our paths may cross again some day. A.H. GALVANI Commander, U.S. Navy