Savannah (AOR 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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coNiiviANbiNc OFFICER 'S fl . aa 'li l at' li f H. Hardisty, Captain U.S. Navy 6 Captain Hardisty was born in Atlanta, Gao,-ma on February 3, 1929. He attended the University of North Carolina for one year and in 1943 was appointed to the United States Naval Academy, He graduated in June 1952. Following com. missioning he entered flight training at pen, sacola, Florida receiving his Wings in Decembe, 1953. He then joined Fighter Squardron 12 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida and completed an around-the-world cruise on the USS MIDWAY 'flying the F2H Banshee and subsequently the F7U-3 Cutlass. ln 1956 Captain Hardisty joined Fighter Squadron 22 as Special Weapons Train- ing Officer completing a Mediterranean cruise on the USS RANDOLPH. In 1958 he was assign- 'ed to duty with the Naval Air Special Weapons Facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ln 1961 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mex- ico, Captain Hardisty set the still standing World's Low Level 3 kilometer Speed Record in the F4H Phantom. He served as Administrative and Maintenance Officer in Fighter Squardron 102 where he flew the F4H from the deck ofthe USS ENTERPRISE. from 1962-1964. He then entered Harvard University receiving a Masters Degree in international Relations. He has since served aboard the USS AMERICA, USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, in the Gulf of Tonkin and the Mediterranean, and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY's Shakedown cruise. Captain Har- disty has been attached to the staff of Com- mander Attack Carrier Striking Force, Seventh Fleet, where he served as Air Operations and Plans Officer while the staff was embarked on the USS KITTY HAWK and USS CONSTELLATION in the Gulf of Tonkin. ln March 1970, Captain Hardisty reported tothe Office of the CNO Strategic Plans and Policy Branch in Washington, D. C., where he served BS Special Plans and Air Operations Officer for Southeast Asia. in July 1971 he took command of Attack Carrier Air Wing Eleven at NAS, Miramar, California and deployed to the Western Pacific on board USS KITTY HAWK- Captain Hardisty spent a brief tour as Air Wing and Carrier Training Officer on the staff of Com+ mander Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet until he was assigned as Executive Assistant and SeniQF Naval Aide to the Director of Navy PYOQYHW' p'fl'lfllllQ in the Office ofthe CNO. He assumed Command of SAVANNAH in September 1973-. CHPY-Hin i-lardisty has been awarded the Silver SWT' Lfgglflll cl Merit with Combat VH: DlSf'n9UlSi1Pff Fjlvinti Cross with gold star. and l1Um6l'OUS Utiitwi' ritiltmnsa A Captain Hardisty in aiigireiarii to the former Sally Mae lves of St. Ptrttwsriiittri. Florida. The Her- distys reside with their im-1 50,15 in virginia Beach, Virginia. .

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:r,n t' U 1141.5 ,Upon .America's entry into World War l, a German lux- .ury liner,4the SAXONIA, was seized at Seattle, hwashington, converted to a submarine tender and ,recommissioned on 3 November 1917 as the third , USSSAVANNAH. Until January of 1924 she cruised A thefAtlantic,, tending the units of the small but proud tSubmarineForce. Her final two years of service spent off the U.S. West Coast in the same role. was decommissioned on 16 December 1926 at where she had begun her Fleet Service zninerriyears earlier. A Q A f'f ,f,f . and renowned predecessor was a built by the New York Shipbuilding Cor- New Jersey, and commissioned in f Yard on 10 March 1938. She forlthe next seven years, retired Fleet along with many of her finally sold for scrap on , , iiiif .1 . - if ,f , ' f rw, ,wt , , . ff y i,i ships named SAVANNAH, two are JK, ffffhf , ff ,v X r . , ,yyy pioneering new propulsion systems. In 1818 Francis Pickett at Corlear's Hook, New York, converted an ocean going sailing ship under COD- struction to a steamer with adjustable paddle wheels. After a few trial runs to test her new engines, SS SAVANNAH departed Savannah, Georgia, 22 May 1819 on an easterly heading. Twenty-nine days and eleven hours Eater she arrived at Liverpool, Engiand, becoming the first steamship ever to cross the ocean.l ln 1958, 139 years after this pioneering voyage, the latest merchant ship to bear the name waslaunched at New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camdaen.,1News Jersey. Sponsored by Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower,,,NS SAVANNAH became the first nuclear -powered merchant vessel. She subsequently steamed 334,972 miles on 127 pounds of U-235 pioneering answers merchant shiDDlflQ- A in The latest SAVANNAH bears a proud name, only famous in American naval and merchantishipanf- nals, but also one of a city and river rich in Americinn heritage and traditions. g 1

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER W1 W fra! , . , L , gl Commander Aydt was born in Dahlgren, illinois on April 8, 1934. He is a graduate of Southern illinois University located at Carbondale, illinois. in August 1956, Commander Aydt reported to the U.S. Naval Training Center Great Lakes, illinois for two years active reserve duty as a Storekeeper Seaman Apprentice. in January 1957 he reported to Officer Candidate School and was ultimately commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve in May 1957. irtJune 1.957 Commander Aydt reported to LCU VDivision Thirteen at the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California as Communications and Stores Officer. in November 1958 Com- mander Aydt became Executive Officer of the LCU Division. Since that time and prior to repor- tingon board USS SAVANNAH, Commander Aydt has served in numerous capacities at vriouscommands which include: Operations Officer,iUSS ARNOLD J. ISBELLQDD-8691: Ex- ecutive Officer, USS EDMUNDS QDE-406j: Commanding Officer: USS CREE QATF-841 among others. Commander Aydt has been associated with the Defense intelligence Branch. Commander Aydt holds the Navy Commenda- tion Medal and numerous other decorations. rCommanderrAydt is married to the former Miss Barbara. Ann Bagley of National City, California. ,The,Aydts have two sons and reside in Fairfax, fill f f A w,5w.,ff,ef,W aff ' , 4f7fy14fWZ?'i','Z:4fV f' if 'f ff Z, ' i ' f ' M' ? flf f ' gr . jeg? gxlfxgx fi .15 .55 9,5 2. w,x,',f 4 ' ,, f , X 952. ,, a ya laws- Fioger D. Aydt, Commander U.S. Navy 'iw-