Los Alamos (AFDB 7) - Naval Cruise Book

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S Fei 2.2 diudritwxfswiics .1 .3-. 3114115111 iz-1 Lnii'1113.1512',ElZLu.21iL2?SsR!W1.kib111?. 43 1Qss1zllK.,I..1mFQif'Ju'ii1Qf9'.N'i'LW'f:HniH533lXl'1'i?'.1i'Z!'Q'.'Z?'1h'1.3-KidfCMl','1E'3 ,CJ2iv1'Q2lii'iKlibQlifrlizffi ifidii-'livffliiii-fi-i's'ESLEXUIZi?Ii'2Yi1KElM55d'l?2ZVJJ7RHiB'HN'lil'.lhi4'R1i' Our Mission From Preface: Floating Dry Docks at War , FLOATINO DRY DOCK TRAINING MANUAL fBureau of ShipsfBureau of Yards and Docksl, june 1953: Naval bases in the theatre of operations are essential to any modern fleet. Such bases must be prepared to refuel, revictual and rearm the ships as required by operations, and to repair damage sustained in battle. The repair of battle damage of any consequence usually requires the dry-docking of the vessel so damaged, Such bases, with their facilities, have played an indispens- able part in the naval conflicts of World War ll. lt is important to future planning, lthatl the training of personnel and the assignment and operation of floating dry docks be thoroughly understood History may well record that one of the outstanding accomplishments in naval warfare of that decade l1940sl was the creating of the mobile fleet base with its complete dry-docking and repair facilities. As a result, the naval 'his photo and the one on the right are meant to show the versatility of LOS LAMOS. Here, she docks one of her own pontoons, the bravo section, in 1964 .... 1 fleet of today and in the future can operate over long periods of time in any part of the world at any distance from the continental United States, The influence of this new arm on future naval strategy and war plans will be of the utmost importance .... The mobile bases, with floating dry docks and repair facilities close to line of actions, made it possible to maintain the bulk of the fleet at fighting efficiency and gave us the preponderance in strength necessary for victory .... The clocking and repair of the U.S.S. CALIFORNIA reached the Bureau of Ships shortly after the successful outcome of fthe Battle of Leyte Oulfl. As the report passed over the desk of the Chief of Bureau he noted on the routing slip This job alone pays for that dock' ,... Many similar incidents could be taken from the annals of World War ll. If the need should again arise the performance will be the same with the Floating Dry Docks at War. Ancl here, she prepares to receive a more common customer, a submarine of the U. S. Atlantic Fleet. ,OS ALAMOS and her mission have always produced a sense to reprint part of a letter written to All Hands magazine, in f teamwork and pride, both in the drydock and in her individ- 1989, by former crewmember EM2 I. R. St.Pierre. This letter, al crewmembers. The best way to describe this sense of pride is below, just about says it all: Credit where credit is due'l Your article, RESOURCEFUL's endeavor fDecember 1988, All Hands! was met with incredulity and the question, How can they donate a two-page spread for a dry dock, and then write, 'for most of the 40 crew members of RESOURCEFUL, this is the first time they have seen anything on the blocks in the dry dock'! They obviously don't have many dockings! USS LOS ALAMOS QAFDB-71 is very rarely without a unit or units on her blocks, and newly assigned individuals are usually indoctrinated with a dockingfundocking evolution within a week of their arrival. Many believe we would have been a more interesting study for floating dry docks, as we are the busiest and most versatile dry dock in the fleet .... We are a support facility, shore power station and auxiliary tender and dry dock, we have the versatility of an oiler, the power capabilities of a tender, the special abilities of a dry dock, the pride of past accom- plishments and the knowledge that we can do anything in support of our mission .... LOS ALAMOS lhasl won the Battle E , Meritorious Unit Commendation the engineering red E for four consecutive years, the supply blue E , medical M , repair R ffor three consecu- tive yearsl, damage control DC and a host of other awards and acco- lades. We have performed a myriad of firsts within our class of ship: first multiple unit docking, first undocking of a submarine, basin rebuild and docking of another submarine within a 24-hour period first sub- marine battery change-out aboard any dry dock the list goes on. Permanently deployed at Site One, Holy Loch, Scotland, LOS ALAMOS is a 513-foot long, four-sectioned dry dock with lift capacity of 32,000 tons. Ht is thel only fully independent dry dock in the fleet .... We are fully capable of supplying services simultaneously, at a moment's notice, to three SSBNS, three tug boats, two YNFBS and our- selves, including shore power, potable water .... compressed air, fuel and messing facilities for all hands. The pride and professionalism displayed by the personnel of LOS ALAMOS rank among the very best in the Navy today. We are highly trained professionals who have what it takes to perform the most ardu- ous tasks under conditions that are frequently adverse. We have the capabilities and we can do it! We are: Your full-service dock, L.A. - EM2 R. St.Pierre USS LOS ALAMOS KAFDB 7D 9 J , r '--er 'vfpfg' J Ni g,11z1q'f,qf,yr,'f-gg, it 1, V-,rw - - , ,,,,,.,... , ., .,, ,PA 7. wmfI2ii:.2iL:f f f V ,V 4.1.1 ' 'f V 'fi e r 1' -0- '- -' f1'fI .'I'..

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-wp.: . ., nik: 1. .um l I l 1 9 l ff 1 f 41' me M525 r. Qmbud man I X I I X X X MUC R. Ruzicka, USN fRetiredD LOS ALAMOS Cmbudsman is retired Chief Petty Cfficer jim Zeke Ruzicka. Working closely with the Commanding Qfficer, the Command Master Chief, and various organizations both in and out of the navy com- munity, Zeke stands ready to assist with any questions or problems our spouses and families may have. Through a monthly newsletter, he provides valuable information, as well as entertaining and interesting trivia. In M moriam I EMFN Robert Dowe Hobbs, U. S. Navy 127 March 1972 - 24 September 1991, Robbie Hobbs sits with his friends at the LOS 14 September 1991. 8 :Ti5?25FTWiTi'JG22 i!'G'Q'aiw 'f7m4.f:ff1f- ww .9 s -X WX A X 4 X ALAMOS Inactivation Party, X217 X' ffm11:1?'?fQ22i'1?sfv1- 4 an IIEFIIIIIAI. FYRVICI' I Elf! loha I D ll ll A nun-nu 5 d IAYIL SUPPBRT ACTIVITY LNAYDL Tl S pl I Illlll I I1 Lo h S Ll 4 ononl rnnuox un. l.l..-n rn-a.I..n i IIIYOCIYIOI cn pl In n. U. .I-cl.-...., male NNI 'Auzlnl u -4-' acl r. J. Lula. nun ow usnunr nnnnm nun. was-an EIU! z. J. uma.-l-. llzlll ll' 'l'lS'l'lNEl'I' lllbllld J hu nm-an nu a. u. nn.-, neun FIIIEI 07 COISOLITIOI Chhplhln Y. Y. Luirl ll N W'-00' zucunn 1. n v Xu..-, n..u 'Fmnnon cr. ,Xu In .mn-.,.. 'NWI 'n 1 r n. snr., 5 n s lm. lim l.1,:l.r U 'c 9 unplnln Im-.Xu I nr: W 'OH'-W uf.. fm...-1 I- nu- unushunnn-A USN!!! UU ll. I. UIYI. US! ICI ll. F. llltv ld US! rnusl: snun 1 C .X f X'V'! :Xv-.h.....,, -, v--- v 7. .. - 3-faiffh Mi Q .-1,XX-,tmrm-:.,4mXrftf,:s:.41n sw:mwvmX-mmsaawX7.mfWammmmXHfw.mwvm1 . fl- X il s A ,ww 1 W' l

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A docking begins with the construction of the 'cradle in the basing each block must be exactly the right measurement as per docking plan. The skipper stays on deck throughout the entire docking evolution. ' rf: -w-am W M. f 6 5' 'Tiff W , .7.,.2 ' w- N1 7 ..M.-., - , Wa- fs V, Hendrickson and HT2 Baker stand proudly by a completed cradle. Dock Control is a beehive of activity, from Man Docking Stations to Secure HT1 Correa, CW04 Keller and IC3 Rietveld ensure smooth ops. Some of our crew patrols the basin for fl0aters , using a small wcrkboat. Floaters are dangerous obstructions to submarines. On one occasion, the CO addressed the crew from the flying bridge, and was heard all the way aft to the delta wingwall. .w , ',., V f ff Our mission must go on, regardless of the weather. r ewmwfzz' ' 774: The Men who Make it Happen : C0 Docking Officers, and Bosun. -t ig xi f The moment we've waited for: the unit to be docked approaches the basin. f Deflection readers are important to the stability of the dock. Linehandlefs stand read ' thing on t ' some U HT3 Hackett and HT3 Williams provide starboard side read- Y he port wlngwall. Bingham must Se? booth. ings- funny from the port deflecflon ewffiff1-WwwmwawzemelwzmfmX , U .K R, ., . s ......-may i 5 4 9 , i i it-vw... 1 Ztlfllvgiruy 7