Milwaukee (AOR 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain Donald A. Baker, born in Greeley, Colorado, 7 April 1936, began his Naval career as a Naval Aviation Cadet, July 1955. After commissioning as an Ensign in March, 1957, Captain Baker commenced a plowback tour as flight instructor. Upon completion, he reported to Fighter Squadron 51 flying the F-6 Skyray. He then transferred to Fighter Squadron 162 and the F-8 Crusader. In November 1963, Captain Baker reported to Fighter Squadron 124 and flew various models of the F-8 as a Combat Flight Instructor. He then joined the Sundowners of Fighter Squadron 111 and completed two combat deployments aboard the USS ORISKANY and USS TICONDEROCA. He left the Gulf c, Tonkin to report to the U.S. Naval War College as a student and remained on the staff in the center for War Gaming. As a participant in the cooperative curriculum program, he was awarded a Bachelor ' s Degree in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. Following a brief tour at the Naval Safety Center, Captain Baker commenced training in the F-4 Phantom and subsequently served as Executive Office and Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 41. After a short tour as Chief Staff Officer to Commander, Fighter Wing One, he served as Air Operations Officer ar Executive Officer of USS AMERICA. His most recent assignment was in the Office of the Chief of ■ Personnel in the Carrier Planning and Programming Directorate (OP-55). Among his decorations and medals. Captain Baker lists the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine strikp riight Air Medals and the Purple Heart. He is married to the former Miss Kay Holt of Durango, Colo. j. Captain and Mrs. Baker have three sons Todd, Brett and Grant.

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USS MILWAUKEE (AOR-2), the fourth ship to bear the name, was built by the Quincy Division of General Dynamics and was commissioned on 1 November 1969 at Boston Naval Ship yard, Boston, MA. Her keel had been laid three years earlier on 29 November 1966. Following a fitting out period, MILWAUKEE entered her homeport of Newport, Rl on 21 January 1970. On February she left Newport for a two month operational training and shakedown cruise cruise in the Caribbean, returning to Boston Naval Shipyard for a three month post-shakedown availability period in April, 1970. From April 1970 through 1977, MILWAUKEE participated in four Mediterranean cruises. During July and August 1974, she was engaged in support of the Cypress evacuation, and in July 1976 helped support the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon. In August of that year MILWAUKEE transferred the precious Tutankahmun artifacts from the Egyptian government in Alexandria to Naples, Italy. From late January 1977 through the end of February, MILWAUKEE provided services to Task Force 21 in the Caribbean for READEX 1-78. A total of 126 ships were serviced alongside during the six week long cruise. In March and April 1978 the Ship was in Baltimore, MD for restricted availability. Following in June, MIL- WAUKEE conducted Selected Refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In July 1978, MILWAUKEE successfully completed her third consecutive Operational Propulsion Plant Examination. Two weeks of August were spent supporting fleet units involved in COMPTUEX 4-78 in the Caribbean. During September, MILWAUKEE was preparing for her upcoming Mediterran- ean deployment which commenced 3 October 1978. While in the Mediterranean, MILWAUKEE provided services to units of the Sixth Fleet. While in the Mediterranean, MILWAUKEE visited such ports as Genoa, Italy; Valencia and Barcelona, Spain; Kalamata, Greece and the most interesting port of the deployment, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. Dubrovnik was especially interesting since few U.S. ships visit this communist country. MILWAUKEE returned to Norfolk on 4 April 1978, completing the Mediterranean deployment with 150 successful alongside replenishments. In May 1979, MILWAUKEE passed its recertification Inspection for Second Fleet Operations. In July, MILWAUKEE participated in READEX 2-79. This started as a routine exercise in the Caribbean with a port visit at St. Thomas, but ended in MILWAUKEE being extended approximately 10 days with a trip through the Panama Canal to participate in a Joint Chiefs of Staff contingency operation off the coast of Nicaraugua. MILWAUKEE returned home via the Panama Canal on 5 August 1979. In October 1979, MILWAUKEE returned to the Caribbean for operations with the USS FORRESTAL. After returning to Norfolk on 19 October, the ship commenced preparations for a highly successful inspection by the Board of Inspection and Survey. During the competitive year of 1979, MILWAUKEE was awarded the CIC E (3rd Award) and Damage Control D C (1st Award) for demonstrating excellence in these areas. MILWAUKEE was also cited as the top AOR in the Atlantic Fleet for Fiscal Year 1979 by Commander Service Group Two. In 1980, MILWAUKEE received several awards, formost of which was the Battle Efficiency E. The other awards were: the Communications C (4th Award) the CIC E (4th Award), the Deck D (3rd Award), the Damage Control D C (2nd Award and the Engineering E. During her ten month overhaul period in the Brooklyn Naval Shipyards, MILWAUKEE received major modifications to her superstructure which included the installation of two specially designed winch decks and a series of prototype Navy Standard Winches, giving her the most up-to-aate underway replenishment gear of any ship in the fleet. Following her year period, MILWAUKEE underwent four weeks of Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during June and July of 1981. Her overall average score for REFTRA was an excellent. On 20 August, MILWAUKEE sorteed for the North Atlantic, to participate in NATO exercise Ocean Venture.

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Born Oct. 28, 1944 Commander Sheldon Craig Arey joined the Navy in 1963 as a Midshipman attending the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. He graduated from the Academy in 1967 as an Ensign and went to the USS FURSE (DD-882) in 1968. He attended the Navy Destroyer School in 1969 and served on the USS LEARY (DD-879) from 1970 through 1971. Commander Arey served as the Senior Advisor with Naval Advisory Team 35 at Nha Trang, Vietnam from 1971-1972. From 1972 through 1974 he served as Assistant Officer in Charge of the Naval Communications Station at Norfolk and joined the USS MILWAUKEE (AOR-2) as Operations Officer in 1974. Commander Arey attended the Naval Post-Graduate School from 1976 through 1978 and then served as Commanding Officer on board the USS AFFRAY (MSO-571) from 1978 until 1980. Commander Arey returned to the USS MILWAUKEE in 1980 as Executive Officer. In addition to the Naval Academy and the Naval Destroyer School, Commander Arey has completed the Helicopter Familiarization Course, the Manpower Management Field Instruction Course, the Prospective Commanding Officers Course and Formal Nuclear Weapons Training. Commander Arey ' s awards and ribbons include the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Republic of Vietnam Unit Citation Medal.