Mahlon Tisdale (FFG 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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UNDERWAY — Naval Reserve Force frigates are underway for WESTPAC from the Bering Sea after operating off Adak, Alaska as PACEX 89 begins. Pacific exercise unfolds Steep sand cliffs marched up close to the shore, then locking shoulders stood facing staunchly outward. The air was still, trapped by a steel gray overcast sky which had fallen low to grip this grim seascape tightly. All was quiet, even the waves rolled circum- spectly, as the first gray hull broke the horizon with its stack smoke spurting straight up in the lifeless air. This determined ship would be the first of many in tiie Amphi- bious Reinforcement Group (ARC) Charlie to split this sombor scene in the Land of the Morning Calm off Pohang in the Southeast comer of South Korea, for what was to be one of the largest Navy- Marine Corps amphibious landing exm;ises since the Korean War, 35 years ago. Hidden at first by a gray over- cast, the silent scene shuddered to life as the ARG approached. The large bulky amphibious landing ships of Task Force 76 formed a 20 mile ' V sector off the beach, there would be 11 of the big ga- tors parked offshore. They re- peatedly launched dozens of giant hulking helos full of Marine infan- try for the short jump from the sea to the hills back of the beach. The tactic is called vertical en- velopment and it ' s intended to position a large ground force by para-drop behind the enemies ' beach positions, which had been heavily bombarded earlier during the night by the two Battleship Battle Groups standing some 12 miles offshwe. As the amphibious group xock their stations, they quickly began to disgorge tanks from tank land- ing ships and personnel assault vehicles fi m the landing dock ships and amphibious assault ships. The water was churning with vehicles fiiU of ordnance to pound and smash the enemies ' stubbon beach positions. Now the air ovCThead began whirring and cracking with aviation activity and the two Carrier Battle Groups sailed into their positions in a se- mi-circle to cap the ' V. ' The aircraft carriers Entoprise and Cari Vinson would alternate maintaining Combat Air Patrol ak operaticHis in su{ rt of the am- phibious groups for the next sev»al days.

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MASTER CHIEF DOUGLAS M. WADE Upon graduation from Clarkston Senior High School, STGCM (SWj Wade entered the service and completed Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. Assigned to Sonar school. Key West December 1 970 to January 1 972, he completed Basic Electricity Electronic, A-School and Maintenance Schools. STGCM (SW) Wade ' s initial sea tour was USS SHENADOAH (AD- 26) from March 1972 to July 1973. Assigned to Ordinance Repair Division, he re- paired Sonars, Gun Mounts and Fire Control Sys- tems for ships of the Alantic Fleet. Transferred to the USS GARCIA (DE-1040), he served onboard her from July 1973 through July 1976 as Leading Sonar Technician completing a Med-cruise and Indian Ocean deployment. Assigned shore to duty at Fleet ASW Training Center, Pacific, San Diego as instructor for various maintenance and operators courses from August 1976 to September 1980. Participating in the Sonar supervisor courses and updating on Sonar A-School School and Acoustic Gram Analysis courses. In October 1980, STGCM (SW) Wade was as- signed to USS BRADLEY (FF-1041) and initially qualified enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist. He completed two Western Pacific deployments as Leading Chief in the Weapons department and then transferred to USS STEIN (FF-1065) to fill a prior- ity billet for deployment in January 1984. Upon completion of deployment, he transferred to Naval Education and Training Support Center, Pacific on October 1984. Assigned to Naval Acoustic Training Device De- partment, STGCM (SW) Wade led the surface divi- sion in the creation of various new acoustic training tapes for the fleet and shore establishments. Transferring to the USS MAHLON S. TISDALE (FFG-27) in October 1986, he has filled the billets of Combat Systems Leading Chief and Command Master Chief. His personal awards include the Navy Achieve- ment Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal. Good Conduct award (fourth), National Defense Ribbon, Sea Service Ribbon and Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon. Master Chief Wade is married to the former Bar- bara Hubbard of Holly, Michigan, they have one son, Craig William, age fourteen.

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COMSEVENTH FLEET DEPLOYMENT — PACEX ' 89 PACEX 89 commenced on 05 September 1989, TISDALE ' s third deployment to SE- VENTHFLT and the Western Pacific. This multi-national exercise proved to be the largest assemblance of naval forces in recent history. The first excersise was MARDEZEXPACNW, a maritime defense drill in Puget Sound, WA. LEWIS B. PULLER, DUNCAN, WADSWORTH, and MAHLON S. TISDALE, assisted by the Coast Guard, conducted mine and small boat attack defense after a port visit to Seattle. Follow-on tasking for TISDALE was to escort COMPHIBRON FIVE and ARC CHARLIE to Adak, AK for participation in the amphibious landing KERNEL POTLACH 89. At Adak, the escort mission was completed and after a brief eight hour stop for fuel and Reserve embarkation, TISDALE proceeded west in seek of the international dateline. The ship crossed the 1 80th parallel on 02 October and indoctrinated many into the order of the Golden Dragon. SURFRON ONE units enroute Exercise Annualex 01 G with JMSDF were diverted on 03 October to assist the sinking Korean M V Pan Dynasty. TISDALE and HSL 33 DET 7 were directly responsible for saving 13 of the 27 crew members aboard. Annualex 01 G witnessed MAHLON S. TISDALE escorting ARG BRA VO to an amphibious backload on Hokkaido, Japan. Once completed, the ship made a quick run through the Sea of Japan for well-deserved liberty in Saesbo, Japan on 14 and 15 October. Valient Blitz 90 was the next exercise of PACEX that the crew faced. TISDALE once again provided escort for U.S. and Korean amphibious forces conducting a landing in the vicinity of Pohang, South Korea. Following the two week exercise, the ship relaxed in Pusan, South Korea for three days. Crew members enjoyed the Far Eastern culture and shopping as well as volunteering for community relations project to paint a local orphanage. On 31 October TISDALE departed Pusan and commenced its long journey to Pearl Harbor, HI. Deployment was essentially over with the exception of the trip home. A four day visit in Hawaii could not top the crew ' s excitement knowing that San Diego was only seven short days away. MAHLON S. TISDALE returned to NAVSTA San Diego. Pier Five crowded with family and friends on 20 November, ended its WESTPAC.