Lewis Puller (FFG 23) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 67 text:

SOVPRCFLT: S€COND B€ST IN TH€ UJ€ST Photos: facing page, upper VICTOR II submarine, lower, KRIVAK II frigate. This page, above: Badger C antiship at- tack aircraft. Left, a land-based Haze A ASW helo Below, Soviet intelligence collectors (and PULLER ' S ■tattletales ) Kursograf and Gals

Page 66 text:

p@L m BE hm BY Ymm During March and April 1986. LFWIS B. Wilfff conducted special operations In the Sea of Japan. 32 days at sea was ttie Bulldogs ' longest stretcti underway during ttie entire deployment, (and also ttie coldesti). PULLER was tasked with sur- vellling ttie Soviet fleet ' s Spring exer- cises, and spent most of ttie time on sta Hon not far from Vladivostok, Siberia. Ttie Specops provided great training In So- viet stilp and aircraft recognition, as ttie ptiotos on ttiese pages stiow. At ttie cor elusion of ttie operations, PULLER re- ceived ttils message: FROM: CTG 75.1 SUBJ: BRAVO ZULU I would like to extend a tiearty well done to the men of TG 75.1 (PULLER. O ' Brien, Sterett) for your outstanding pertornv once In the SOJ. We ' re all In agreement — the fear Instilled by the warriors of TG 75. 1 was the driving factor In causing the bear not to stray too far from his lair. RADM Webster sends. 66

Page 68 text:

CHESTY PULLER From CTF 760: Subj: USS LEWIS B. PULLER ' S PERFORMANCE While attached to TF 760 during Team Spirit 86 your performance was outstanding. Your flexi- bility and responsiveness when directed to con- duct no-notice surveillance operations was most impressive. Additionally, your timely sitreps and voice reporting were comprehensive, complete in detail, and provided vital movement informa- tion to your operational commanders. Well done. RADM McCaffree. From COMDESRON FIFTEEN To COMDESRON THREE THREE It was an extreme pleasure to watch your team at work during Exercise Team Spirit 86. In every aspect of our professional colling, wtiettier ASW. ASUW. AAW, planeguord, antHntruder defense, etc., you and your team of PULLER. O ' Brien, and Towers along withi our Kore an Navy allies met any ctiollenge we presented. setting the standard From COMCRUDESGRU THREE: Pi iiWs flexibility and responsiveness Is no se- cret to Group Three. Congratulations on another job very well done. Must have been fun. Keep setting the standard. RADM Howe. From COr DESRON THREE THREE Subj: BRAVO ZULU Upon ttie occasion of your departure from ttie Sev- entti Fleet, I commend you and your fine crew for a tilgtily professional performance ttirougtiout your assignment to task group 75.1. Your duties tiave ranged from portlclpa tlon In ttie major bilateral exercises Team Spirit 86 and Toe Kwon Do XLVIII to extended surveillance operations In ttie Sea of Japan, as well as acting as ambassadors of good will In ttie various ports you tiave visited. In eacti of ttiese endeavours, you tiave demonstrated ttie tilgtiest de- gree of operational expertise, pride and professionalism ttiat are ttie tiallmarks of ttie officers and men of ttie U.S. Navy. As you depart for a well deserved reunion witti you families and loved ones, I would like to wisti you ttie tradi- tional fair winds and following seas. You con be justifiably proud of your many actiievements during ftiis deploy- ment. Well donel CAPT L. B. Blumberg sends.