Leyte Gulf (CG 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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TNT OF 0 M Q DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY ,gil sh 59 tt Q -5-.5353 '51 uss LEYTE GULF ics 551 1 Till lil? M 091-1 115 K flip? A FPO MIAMI 34 X x we - if no sfarrs ov PM Dear Crewmen, Family and Friends of the LEYTE GULF, This signifies the end of our deployment and celebrates our return home from Operation DESERT STORM. When we left Mayport, Florida in late December, the question hanging in the air was Will there be a war? The world awaited the answer. We had to be ready regardless, so our decision on LEYTE GULF was to approach our duties and structure our training by saying When the war begins . . . This simple philosophy enabled us to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the worst eventuality. After setting a speed record for transiting to the Arabian Gulf from the East Coast, LEYTE GULF joined the other ships of Battle Force Zulu in what was to become the largest naval operation since World War ll. The sound of our Tomahawk missiles leaving the launcher on their way to Iraq was a strong signal that LEYTE GULF had joined the battle of DESERT STORM. During more than two months of wartime operations, the men of the LEYTE GULF distinguished themselves each day through their brave and conscientious actions. Our bosses counted heavily on us and we went far north in the Arabian Gulf near the thickest of the minefields to provide protection to the ships involved in the minesweeping operations. We also provided air cover to the aircraft carriers THEODORE ROOSEVELT and MIDWAY during the height of the war. In a nutshell, we had a variety of assignments and a lot of responsibility. The men of LEYTE GULF always cherished the opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism and could confidently be counted on to do their best. Whenever I wanted anything, all l needed was to ask. Everyone was honored to make the contribution to this worldwide effort to restore freedom in Kuwait. l am proud to have had the opportunity to serve with this wonderful crew during this historic period in our nation's history. For the ones who remained at home, thanks for your friendship and strong support during our absence. My time on this wonderfully capable ship, serving with this talented and dedicated crew, has truly been the happiest months of my life. You helped make it that way. I especially appreciate the dedication our Ombudsman, Debbie Cox, and our loyal Wives' club and Support Group provided in our behalf. Warmest regards Mm l3.R. PATTON Captain, U.S. Navy