Monongahela (AO 178) - Naval Cruise Book

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CORAL SEA BATTLE GROUP V •■ •+• MED 3- ' 89 32

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Administration Division Yeoman (YN) Postal Clerk (PC) £ Navy Personnelman Counselor (NC) (PN) NCI Hill PN3 Curran YN3 Sidorewich PC3 Mulhcrin Portrait Not Available: PN1 Blanchard PC 2 Dodd YN3 Grieco Medical Department T HMl Fliegel Portrait Not Available: HN Wesson

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1000th by BM1 Flora Shawver USS MONONGAHELA, a Navy Fleet Oiler in Combat Logistics Squadron Four, reached a ship ' s milestone 30 August 1989 while operating in the Eastern Mediterranean, as part of the Coral Sea Battle Group. At 0805 local time, the MONONGAHELA welcomed USS AINSWORTH alongside as the One Thousandth Customer since commissioning. The signal bridge celebrated the event with a special flag hoist reading Desig One Zero Zero Zero to signify the accomplishment. MONONGAHELA also flew the Monongahela, Pennsylvania City Flag, and a U.S. oil company flag to highlight the occasion. As AINSWORTH came alongside, she was greeted with a special Welcome Alongside message and congratulations. The Supply Department pitched in with a special cake and cookies for the AINSWORTH ' s crew, a certificate noting their participation in this milestone event, and gift certificate for one thousand free gallons of fuel. Commander Donald A. Frahler, Commanding Officer of USS MONONGAHELA, stated Being CO. for an event like the thousandth replenishment is thrilling. It ' s a milestone in which few people get a chance to participate. Most of us dream of receiving the thousandth or millionth award for something. I ' m pleased and proud to carry on the safe, at-sea refueling tradition of my predeces- sors. Naval aviation squadrons are often recog nized for flying so many accident free hours. Picture two ships displacing thousands of tons, a hundred and fifty feet apart hurtling through the ocean at 13 knots without an accident in eight years. It is quite an accom- plishment. Many proud, professional U.S. Navy sailors helped us reach this point, and will surely continue to keep MONONGAHELA accident free for another thousand underway replenishments. Everyone on board had their personal choice of who they wanted as our one thousandth customer. The two most popular choices were USS IOWA and USS CORAL SEA. When asked for his personal choice, Commander Frahler replied Originally our thous- andth customer was going to be the USS MISSISSIPPI for a transfer of some fleet freight. It might have been a little rough to explain why an oiler was replenishing a nuclear powered ship. Although we are primarily a fleet oiler, we do have multiple replenish- ment capabilities. Since IOWA was number 999, I was hoping one of the battle groups small boys, one of the older destroyers or frigates, would get the privilege. I ' m glad AINSWORTH was our one thousandth customer. Commander Daniel T. Sherrange, Commanding Officer of the AINSWORTH was surprised and pleased to be the one thous- andth customer alongside. Com- — mander Sherrange said that he in- tended to frame both certificates TlCTC Stjf and mount them m hls pllot house AINSWORTH had also been our I F 7Z Rt lSB{jlaJ 99bth unre P (underway replenish- ment) just a few days before. T „ L ■ ' !v?P MONONGAHELA ' s leading signalman, SMI Bush, was responsi- I M ' • -»-,„, k , Sl ble for bringing to light the approach of this significant event He also re- M fl I- ; j corded the euent on uide0 camera for historical purposes. The real t ' ' ' 1 heroes are a the sailors onboard MONONGAHELA as an unrep is W an all hands evolution on this class of ship. Each one has an important ' I o i J ob t0 do wel1 - ° ur constant training has paid off in safety at sea. We A have d °ne it a thousand times right and plan to do it thousands M of times more. Commander Frah- ler stated. 33