Richmond K Turner (CG 20) - Naval Cruise Book

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Admiral Richmond IC Turnen USN Admiral RICHMOND KELLY TURNER was born in Portland, Oregon on May 27, 1885. He attended high school in Stockton, CA before his appointment to the US. Naval Academy. He graduated with distinction, fijih in a class of 201 in June 1908, and served the two years at sea, then required by law before being commissioned as an Ensign in June 1910. Ajter graduation in 1908, Admiral TURNER served consecutively in the USS MILVWIUKEE, USS ACTIVE, USS PREBLE and USS WEST VIRGINIA until June 1912, when he joined the USS STEWART assuming command a year later The World Wir I years found him aboard the battle- ships USS PENNSYLVANIA, USS MICHIGAN and USS MISSISSIPPI. Ajier serving as Commanding Officer of USS MERVINE, he reported for flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL where he was designated a Naval Aviator on August 30, 1927 at the age of 42. Upon the completion of more than four and one half years of shore duty, Admiral TURNER returned to sea as Executive Ojficer of the air- crap carrier USS SARATOGA and subsequently Command- ing Ojficer ofSARATOGA. In October 1940, he became Director ofthe War Plans 4 Division, Ojfice ofthe Chief of Naval Operations. In Decem- ber 1941, he assumed additional duty as Assistant Chief of Stajfofthe Commander in Chief US. Fleet. On July 19, 1942 he became Commander Amphibious Force, South Pacmc. From that time, he participated in most ofthe major amphibi- ous engagements ofthe Pacjic. AmongAdmiral TURNERS most noteworthy achievements during the Pacdic campaign were the Guadalcanal-Tulagi invasion, the New Georgia cam- paign, the Tarawa assault, the occupation ofthe Marshall Is- lands and the seizure and occupation of Saipan. So successful were Admiral TURNER1s ampl1ilJi01l-9 operations throughout the Pacy'ic theater that he became known as the Alligator , the symbol of fast and inexorable amphibious striking power Besides the Navy Cross, he received the Distinguished Service Medal with three gold stars, the NaVy Commendation Ribbon, the World War II Wctory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. He was also made a Com- panion ofthe Order of the Bath by Great Britain. Admiral TURNER was transferred to the retired list ofthe Navy in the rank ofAdmiral on July 1, 194 7. He died in Monterey, CA On February 12, 1961, shortly ajier the death of his wyfe, flleformer Miss Harriet Sterling, whom he had married 51 years befefe-

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Dedication God, who dost still the restless foam Protect the ones we love at home. Provide that they should always be By thine own grace both safe and free. O Fathelg hear as when we pray For those we love so far away. Navy Hymn, v. I3 This book is dedicated to our families

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USS Richmond IC Turner ICG 202. USS RICHMOND K TURNER is one ofa class of nine double-ended guided missile cruisers. She was built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden, New Jersey. Her keel was laid on January 9, 1961, she was launched on April 6, 1963, and commissioned at Philadel- phia Naval Shipyard on June 19, 1964. Aher joining the PacU'ic Fleet, RICHMOND K. TURNER completed five deployments to the western Pacyic, all of which included action in the Wetnam conflict. On May 5, 1971, TURNER was decommissioned under a Navy wide program to enhance the anti-air warfare capability of major guided missile ships. TURNER was recommissioned at Bath Iron Works on May 17, 1972. Since her recommissioning, RICHMOND IC TURNER deployed on a UNI TAS cruise to South America in 1973, and participated in Operation 200 which included the Interna- tional Naval Review in New York City on the occasion ofthe Nations Bicentennial Celebration on July 4, 1976. RICHMOND K TURNER participated in Boston s OPSAIL 80 in May 1980, and completed four Mediterranean deploy- ments prior to commencing an extensive overhaul in 1982. Following this major upgrade, TURNER completed two more deployments to the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, one of which included the successful launch of a Harpoon missile during a Guh' of Sidra operation. Following a 1988 deployment to the Persian GuM TURNER returned to be overhauled in Ingalls Shipyard at Pascagoula, Mississippi, where she received many combat systems and engineering updates. In response to the crisis in the Persian Gub' caused by Iraqs invasion of Kuwait, RICHMOND K. TURNER deployed in December 1990 in the Theodore Roosevelt battle group. TURNER provided protection to four carriers in the CV operating area and served as an advance picket ship in the mine infested waters off Kuwait in the final days ofthe war Escorting USS Theodore Roosevelt through the Suez Canal in late April 1991, TURNER participated in Opera- tion Provide Comfort, the massive relief effort to hehn Kurdish refugees who fled the turmoil in Iraq following that country s decisive dekat in the war Following her post-war return to Charleston, SC in June 1991, TURNER completed a maintenance period, and started her work-up cycle again. Aj?er numerous exercises, and multiple trips to the Caribbean Sea area for Drug Enforce- ment Operations, TURNER was ready to depart once again. Deploying again in March 1993, RICHMOND K. TURNER took up station in the Adriatic Sea in April, assigned to monitor air activity over the former Yugoslavia. This role as RED CROWN put TURNER on a warlike foot- ing participating in Operations Provide Promise, Deny Flight, and Sharp Guard, enforcing United Nations resolutions meant to curb the atrocities taking place in Bosnia- Herzogovina. In August, TURNER len for home from the Mediterranean one final time. 5