Norton Sound (AVM 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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NORTON SOUND's RDTSE activity over the years has caused the development of a ncorporate knowledgeu of surface weapons and weapons system testing and safety philosophy and method- ology unparalleled in the US Navy. Her effort in prosecuting each of Her RDTXE programs or projects is always the same. it Ls comprised of the repetitive cycle of: analysis and evaluation of requirements: installation and operational planning: installation of sys- tem's equipment: system's checkout: test preparation: test 'dry runsu: all-up uno-flren tests: all-up ufiringu tests: data collection and reduction: data review and analysis: de- feciency definition: system or procedure modification andlor adjustment: and retest, until such time as the system reaches a point where deficiencies are reduced to the point where fleet introduction is justified, or the system is judged to be unsuitable for fleet service. Each of these steps ln the testing formula represent an investment of: public funds ranging up to hundreds of millions of dollars: the time and effort of NORTON SOUNOERS ranging from hundreds to thousands of manhours hours of preparatory and post op- erational activity for the weaponeers, and thousands to tens of thousands of manhours of non-stationu time for testing for the entire crew, as they perform the multitude of rou- tine and only occasionally spectacular tasks which comprise weapons RDTGE. To this day NORTON SOUND continues to apply these lessons learned lthe hard wayl. to en- sure that systems and equipments bearing Her mark, which are delivered to the fleet are recognized as being the very best that NORTON SOUND could make them, and far better than they would have been if another less experienced test ship had done the RDTGE. During periods of both Nhotn and Ncoldu war, and the condition of tottering close to the edge of war - - - that state of continual uneasiness which we have come to accept as npeaceu, NORTON SOUND has been faithful to Her commission. She has made contributions of remarkable significance, materially effecting the structure and operational capability of the entire U.S. Fleet, for the past thirty years, and will effect it for at least the next twenty years. ' NORTON SOUND's effort during Her career has never been formally recognized: nor is it fully appreciated, because of the quiet way NORTON SOUND has conducted Her business with- out fanfare, and usually Outside the limelight, where very few people saw Her at work. This was also due to the fact that through most of Her career She was an administrative and operational orphan without visibility and presence ln Nashlngton in the form of con- tinuing advocacy, as ships in the mainstream of fleet activity are. Oh well, they say that virtue is its own reward: don't they? WORD U55 NURTUN SOUND CAV-ll I AVM-il finally slips off into the deepening shadows of history after having made history for so many decades, it will indeed be a sad day. not only for all NORTON SOUNOERS and Her friends ashore ln the ROTGE Community, but for the Navy and the Nation as well. Only through the contact relief of NORTON SOUND by a new ship with equal capabilities lUSS NORTON SOUND lil and the crossdeck transfer of test core personnel, will all She has gained for the fleet be fully preserved for future benefit.

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