Robert E Peary (FF 1073) - Naval Cruise Book

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1' 1 I' ' -- A -. ......4.,, ULN.- ,, . THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMAND . . . ALWAYS ON CALL SUCCESSFULLY MEETING EVERY CHALLENGE

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mlm Sa Q-as Q 1. W --uv Kia pl, . he , Q.. ,Y JB 1 0 ..6. N-. 'U 3 Ti Elf' ,qt ai ' If 'av 0 F' an-4, -it 8 i. 1-- 12 OUR PREDECESSOR SHIPS The second ship named in honor of Rear Admiral Peary was USS ROBERT E. PEARY QDE 1321. Launched on 3 January 1943, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Robert Edwin Peary, widow of the explorer, she was commissioned 31 May 1943, with Lieutenant Commander Kerfoot B. Smith, USN, commanding. Designed for an overall length of 306 feet and a speed of 24 knots, this 1200 ton escort drew an 8 foot draft and carried 6 officers and 180 men. She was armed with three 3-inch 50 caliber guns, two 40 mm guns in a single mount, and eight 20 mm guns. For anti-submarine operations she had two roll type depth charge racks, eight single depth charge projectors, and one multiple depth charge projector of the Hedgehog type. Operating in the North Atlantic theatre, the destroyer saw escort duty for over twenty missions for merchants, carriers and troop transports. Frequent runs were made between Boston and New York to Casablanca Morocco, Cardiff Wales, Londonderry Ireland, Cherbourg France, Plymouth and Liver- pool England, and Guantanamo, Cuba. She was conducting training exercises in the Carribean when hostilities with Japan came to a close on August 15, 1945. She returned north to New London, Connecticut and operated along the Eastern Seaboard for the next three months. She sailed on 8 January 1946 for inactivation at Green Cove Springs, Florida and was moored in the St. John's River until decommissioning on 13 June 1947. The ROBERT E. PEARY fDE 132j was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1966. She was sold for scrap iron on 6 September 1967. The USS ROBERT E. PEARY fFF 10733 is presently an ocean escort with a primary mission of anti-submarine war- fare. This extremely versatile destroyer is capable of screen- ing high value units and forces, searching and patrolling for submarines, rescue, evacuation and surveillance missions. She possesses some of the newest and most sophisticated bow, independentfvariable depth and passive sonar systems, as well as electronics, communications and weapons systems in the fleet today. She is manned by 17 officers and 245 enlisted personnel, and also has the facilities to carry a unit commander and his staff, acting as the flagship. She carries her own post office, laundry, barber shop, ship's store, library, dispensary, and recreation and lounge facilities. Her principal armament is the anti-submarine homing torpedo which can be delivered to a water entry point miles from the ship by ASROC lAnti-Submarine Rocketl or LAMPS fLight Airborne Multi- Purpose Systeml helicopter. The LAMPS helicopter is used to detect, classify and attack submarines and gives the ship great potential as an added arm in the mission capability. LAMPS carries sonobuoys, magnetic anomaly gear, torpedoes, its own electronics sensor package, and data relays to send the sonobuoy and other information back to the ship for processing and evaluation. Conventional water torpedo shots are executed utilizing one of two twin tubes located above water amidships. A 5-inch 54-caliber rapid fire gun is the main anti-aircraft, anti-cruise missile weapon and can be used for shore bombardment for inshore military operations. On the fantail is located the Basic Point Defense Missile System QBPDMSJ which is a close-in surface-to-air missile designed for fast reaction, last effort defense against incoming anti-ship cruise missiles. The ROBERT E. PEARY QFF 10731 was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company of Seattle, Washington. She had her keel laid on 20 December 1970 and was launched on 23 June 1971 by her sponsor, Miss Josephine Peary, granddaughter of Rear Admiral Edwin Peary, USN. She was commissioned on 23 September 1972 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington. Commander Charles Beasley, USN was in command. She was originally assigned to DESRON THIRTEEN out of Long Beach, California, but was later to be transferred to Pearl Harbor in DESRON THIRTY THREE, her present assignment. Looking back over this ship's past assignments on WESTPAC deployments, local operations, special assignments and the multitude of inspections that are con- tinually being held, it is readily apparent that she is carrying on in the fine heritage of her predecessors. She has never missed a commitment, nor has she had the misfortune to have another ship cover for her. Her reputation for can-do spirit and superior performance in every field is well known throughout the Pearl Harbor homeport and in the WESTPAC operations areas when she is deployed. The E's for anti- submarine warfare, gunnery, communications, operations and engineering, as well as the coveted squadron E for best ship reflect a professionalism, esprit de corps and com- petency that have demonstrated themselves time and time again. For those of us who have served aboard the ROBERT E. PEARY fFF 10731, the memories and pride in being part of one of the finest ships in the fleet will be with us for a long time to come. L lgt -

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ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT E5 'Q' Interior Communications Electrician UCD 1 a ni,-r, 1 , ' M ,,,, A A be ,f 1, ,, f J, Machinist's Mate KMMD mnumq? Rlllmlll 0.20 EIectrician's Mate CEMJ Machinery Repairman CMRJ Engineman CEND Hull Maintenance Technician CHTJ Boiler Technician CBT?