Mars (AFS 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPTAIN RUSSELL C. MEDLEY, USN Commanding Officer USS MARS (AFS-1) Russell C. Medley was born in Yellville, Arkansas, son of the Reverend and Mrs. James C. Medley. He attended high school in Yellville and Visalia, California, prior to entering Fresno State College. Captain Medley was commissioned Ensign, United States Navy from Northwestern University in March, 1941. Reporting for active duty in the Navy immediately following his commissioning, he was assigned to the USS ARCTIC (AF-7) , followed by tours of duty on the USS ADHARA (AK-71) , USS HONOLULU (CL-48) , USS S-46, (SS-157), USS BUMPER (SS-333) , and USS HALFBEAK (SS-352) . From August 1944 through August 1945, he commanded the USS S-46, in the Pacific Fleet. In 1952 he was ordered to the USS RONQUIL (SS-396) as Commanding Officer. In 1958, he assumed command of Submarine Division 71. During this tour he was in charge of shakedown training and introduction of the first two SKATE Class nuclear submarines to the Pacific Fleet. Captain Medley has also served on the staffs of Commander Submarine Force, LInited States Pacific Fleet, and of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. Captain Medley reported to the MARS from a three and one-half year tour as Chief, Navy Section, Military Assistance and Advisory Group to the Federal Republic of Germany, with headquarters in the United States Embassy at Bonn, Germany. Captain Medley is married to the former Billie Jeanne Roy of New York City and San Francisco and has three children, Russell, Jr., Deborah, and Jeffrey.

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The USS MAKS (AFS-l) is tin- first sliip of iho Combat Stores type of auxiliary ships Jincl was commissioned on I )iicml)i ' r L! I . UKi:!. I It-r type is named after United .States i-(inmiimilirs wliicli l)c;ir names of aslroiioniic-al hodies, this hcinj Mars, I ' iiiis l aiiia. MAKS is ap|)roximately 580 feet lonj , 80 feet of beam, and has a fully loaded dis- l)lact ' nunt of Hi. 750 tons. She is equipped with four 3 5() twin mount, rapid-fire guns. Her main etif iiies develop liL ' .SOO horsejjower to iLini her (i-bladed 21 foot screw, givinf her a speed in excess of ' 2 knots. The electrical generators could meet the needs of a citv of L ' D.OOO. The air conditioning and refrigeration equipment has a capacity equal to that of an ice plant making 336,000 pounds of ice a day. The fire mains have a capacity etpial to that of the combined output of five city fire trucks. Her primary Naval mission is the support of the mobile fleet with ship repair parts, tools, aircraft repair and spare parts, food (fresh, canned, and frozen), clothing, and a variety of sundries for the fleet sailor ' s comfort. MARS is the first vessel to be completely equipped with the Fast Automatic Shuttle Transfer (FAST) system of underway replenishment, one of the Navy ' s newest developments in transfer at sea equipment, and also carries two Sea Knight cargo helicopters for distant vertical replenishment of underway vessels. She is equipped with a UNIVAC 1004 computer for the processing of supply transac- tions, and is the first afloat command in the Pacific to be so equipped. MARS is the largest ship ever built in San Diego, California. The MARS is homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, and is one of the ships which com- prise SERVICE FORCE PACIFIC. The ships of this group are the Shell Oil Stations, A P Stores, or the Sears Roebucks and Woolworth 5 lO ' s of the Pacific Navy. She cruises the Far East as a unit of the United States SEVENTH Fleet. The United States SEVENTH Fleet, world ' s largest task fleet, maintains surveillance throughout nearly one sixth of the earth ' s surface of thirty million square miles, from the Siberian coastal waters in the North, to Antarctica, and from the Indian Ocean in the West to 160 degrees East longitude, a point about 1,200 miles east of the U. S, Territory of Guam. Comprised of some 125 ships, 650 aircraft, and 64,000 highly trained Navy and Marine Corps personnel, the SEVENTH Fleet is dispersed throughout this vast ocean area, acting as a deterrent to enemy aggression in the Western Pacific, and insuring that the sea lanes are kept open for free world trade. Aside from military operations, the SEVENTH Fleet is constantly active in search and rescue missions, community aid and relief missions, and myriad People-to-People activities, all of which promote good will and understanding between the United States and the peoples of Southeast Asia. The SEVENTH Fleet is a corps of 64,000 ambassadors of good will, with her sailors and marines giving thousands of pints of blood and thousands of dollars annually to the needy and unfortunate. The People- to-People program is living proof that the SEVENTH Fleet is, in practice, as well as theory, a Ready Power for Peace.

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COMMANDER HOWARD C. WELLSMAN, USN Executive Officer USS MARS (AFS-1) Howard C. ' ellsman was born in Massachusetts, son of Frank George and the late Marion (Champiin) Wellsman. He attended Maiden High School prior to entering the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N. Y., in 1942. Graduated with scholastic honors, and commissioned as Ensign in the Navy in March 1944. He immediately reported for active duty and was assigned to the U. S. Merchant Marine Cadet Basic School at San Mateo, California, as an instructor. Following this duty came tours aboard the USS OTTAWA, USS JASON, USS TITANIA and USS POLARIS. In 1954 he reported to the CIC Team Training Center at Boston, Mass., as an instructor. In 1955, he assumed command of the USS PATAPSCO. followed by assignment as Commanding Officer of the USS ELKHORN. He was then assigned, in 1957, to the staff of the Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet for duty in the Logistics Division. In March 1960 he was ordered to the heavy cruiser LOS ANGELES as Navigator, and in May of 1961 was detached for duty in the Officer Distribution Division of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. He reported as Prospective Executive Officer of MARS in July, 1963. Commander Wellsman is married to the former Miss Ida Mae Ryan of Loup City, Nebraska, and has five children, Leslie Ann, Bruce, Sara, Martha, and Ann. His official residence is San Francisco, California.