Robert L Wilson (DD 847) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commissioned on 28 March in Boston, Massachusetts, the USS ROBERT L. WILSON CDD-8477 was constructed by the Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine. The keel was laid on 2 July 1945, and she was launched on 5 January 1946 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Joseph Wilson, mother of Private First Class Robert Lee Wilson, USMC, who was post- humously awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II. His citation reads in part: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Second Bat- talion, Sixth Marines, Second Marine Division during action against en- emy Japanese forces on Tinian Island. Marianas Group on 3 August 1945. With a full peacetime allowance, the USS ROBERT L. WILSON car- ries about 260 officers and men. She has a length of 390 feet and displaces over 3.300 tons while being capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. Having completed a nine-month facelifting in the Navy's Fleet Rehabil- itation and Modernization Program, FRAM I. she is equipped with two of the fleet's newest anti-submarine weapons, ASROC tAnti-Submarine Roc- ketb and DASH tDrone Anti-Submarine Helicopterb. Her main battery con- sists of two dual purpose 5 ,f38 caliber twin mounts. Thus, although specially aimed for anti-submarine duties, the USS ROBERT L. WILSON maintains the ability to handle all destroyer missions. Since her commissioning. she has completed twelve tours of service in the Mediterranean Sea, while making other cruises to Europe, the Caribbean area, and South America. She has been instrumental in train- ing both regular and reserve crews and midshipmen in the techniques of anti-submarine warfare and has also participated extensively in numer- ous f leet-wide peacetime exercises along the Atlantic seaboard. On 1 March 1963, the USS ROBERT L. WILSON entered the Phila- delphia Naval Shipyard to receive FRAM I modernization, designed to add eight years of usefulness to ships of the fleet. For eight months her status was changed to in commission, in reserve and active duty was resumed in November 1963. In January 1964 she was in Key West, Florida, and then underwent six weeks of intensive refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The ultimate in training was achieved when the gun crews of the USS ROBERT L. WILSON set a record by being the first ship ever to score 100070 in the surface firing exercise of the Op- erational Readiness Inspection. In June 1964 she conducted her DASH qualification trials, and in July she departed for the Mediterranean and duty with the U.S. Sixth Fleet. During the cruise she visited ports in Italy, Greece and Spain and participated in the greatest amphibious operation since World War II, Steel Pike I. The first three months of 1965 were spent in an upkeep period, in local and anti-submarine operations, In April, the ROBERT L. WILSON proceeded to station 800 miles east of Bermuda to act as a rescue de- stroyer for America's first GEMINI Manned Space Shot Recovery Force. The ship participated in contingency operations in the Dominican Re- public area for two weeks in May, and on 1 June 1965 she commenced preparations for her 11th deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. After serving as Gunfire Support Ship at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the ROBERT L. WILSON participated in Spring board early in 1966. In early summer she participated in ASWEX III prior to her 12th deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in July 1966. After visiting more than a dozen ports in the Mediterranean and Middle East, including India and East Pakistan, the WILSON returned to Norfolk in mid-December for a wel- come period of leave and upkeep.

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.WW fn-W,t..f.w Fordham in July at Dartmouth t. Captain upon com- Cornell University ordered to De- and his first sea on the USS PERKINS Gunnery Officer on the J. During this time he was in of ,World War II. Subsequent include Executive Officer and, ff. 4 n . later, O lcer of LSM 450 whlch op-- erzited the and Tientsin area of China in, 1945gand 1947g Commanding Officer of LSI CLQHOI75 F' t' ' ' ' S ' ' 1 o , lrs Lleutendnt on the USS WINSIOW ,jtEAGf1275, anddas' Gunnery Officer on the USS Wm-::oEN KDE-7973.