Monongahela (AO 178) - Naval Cruise Book

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Today ihe USS MONONGAHELA stands ever ready to support the ships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Since being commis- sioned in 1 98 1 . this MONONGAHELA has traveled to many parts of the world including: the Mediterranean Sea. the Indian Ocean, the North Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans and the Caribbean Sea. In December ! 99 1 . she completed an elc en month ■•jumboization in Avondale Shipyard New Orleans. Louisiana and returned to the fleet as a greatly impro ed Fleet Oiler capable of deli ering not onlv fuel, but also ammunition and supplies. SYMBOLISM OF THE SHIFTS CREST The dark blue of shield is symbolic of the seas of the world. The colors blue and gray allude to the Civil War service of the first USS MONONGAHELA. including participation in the Battle of Mobile Bay. The gold compass rose refers to the high degree of seamanship and navigational skill required in the transfer of fuels at sea. The light blue and white roundel at the center signifies fresh water (in reference to the MONONGAHELA River) and the three bars indicates the number of ships of that name which ha e served this country. The Indian ' s head is an allusion to the Indian origin of the ship ' s name and to the motto. The stars on the head dress denote the ten battle honors earned by the second USS MONONGAHELA ( AO-42) for World War II service in the Pacific Theater. The Korean symbol with ribbons signifies service in the Korean Confiict.

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' JkfV THE FIRST MONONGAHELA: Birth of the Tradition The first Navy vessel to bear the name of the ri er that winds its way through Pennsylvania and West Virginia took to the high seas in 1863. The barkentine-rigged screw sloop of war earned a reputation in violent action during the Civil War. She served for a time as the flagship of Admiral David G. Farragut and made travels as far-reaching as the Orient. In May 1904. MONONGAHELA set sail for Guantanaino Bay, Cuba, where she was to serve as stores ship. It was to be her final resting place. On March 17, 1908, she was gutted by a terrific fire. The heat was so intense, her cannon barrels began to droop. One of these drooping cannon barrels stands today on the naval base as a monument to this 19th Century workhorse. THE SECOND MONONGAHELA: Child of War In the opening months of World War II, the cotumercial tanker ELKAY was acquired from the Maritime Commission by the Navy. She was commissioned in Norfolk July 3 1 , 1 942 as USS MONONGAHELA ( AO 42 ) and quickly assigned to the war-torn Pacific. MONONGA- HELA participated in assaults on Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines. Iwo Jima and Okinawa as well as many other places that the war in the Pacific spread. MONONGAHELA sailors returned home with stories of how their proud ship narrowly avoided destruction dunng the kamikaze air attacks at Kerama Retto. The veteran ship won 10 Battle Stars in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre as part of the life-giving supply line of oil, dry cargo and ammunition. In 1951, MONONGAHELA was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service, supplying United Nations Forces in the Far East during the Korean Conflict until the day she was finally transferred to the Atlantic Fleet in 1 953. She .served with distinction on extended operations in the Mediterranean and on the East Coast until she was decommissioned. The second of the MONONGAHELAS was retired for good on February 1 . 1 969.

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Commanding COMMANDER Frank J. Greco April I, 1994 - January 10, 1996 ommander Francis John Greco was bom in Youngstown, Ohio. He is a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Naval Acad- emy, and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer in March 1979. His initial sea duty assignment was as the Damage Control Assistant on board USS WHITE PLAINS (AFS 4). Following this overseas tour he attended the Surface Warfare Officer Department Head Course in Newport, Rhode Island. A member of the commissioning crew for USS STARK (FFG 3 1 ), he served as Chief Engineer from October 1982 to July 1985. From May 1990 to October 1 99 1 . he served as Executive Officer of USS SEATTLE (AOE3). Ashore, he served as Material Officer for De- stroyer Squadron Eight, in the AOE 6 Class shipbuild- ing program office (PMS 383) at Naval Sea Systems Command and as an instructor in the Naval Architec- ture, Ocean andMarine Engineering Department of the United States Naval Academy. Commander Greco was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1989. His personal decorations include the Meritori- ous Service Medal with Gold Star, the Naval Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, and the Naval Achievement Medal. Commander Greco is married to the former Dorothy Scarborough of Pasadena, Maryland. They have three children: Sean. Shannon, and Jameson.