Soley (DD 707) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE CAPTAIN Commander John G. Messer was born in Boston, Mass., on April 10, 1918, and was graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in the class of 1941. During the war years 1941 - 1942 he saw destroyer duty escorting convoys in the North Atlantic and working with the British Home Fleet out of Scapa Flow. In 1943 and 1944 more des- troyer duty took him to the Pacific Theatre for the battles of Makin and Tarawa, and later operations brought him to the Aleutian Islands. Post GraduateSchool in Ordnance Engineering occupied most ofthe ears 1945 and 1946. This was followed by three years of sea duty divided between a destroyer mine- layer, a high speed destroyer transport, and a heavy carrier, then two years of shore duty at the Naval Mine De ot, Yorktown, Va. After being transferred, from duty on the Staff ofthe Commander in Chief, U,S. Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean at London, England, Commander qflesser returned to the United States to assume command of U.S.S. Soley on December 5, 1953. .,,1 1

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To all llllllllri - Each of us on the Soley has been given one ul the most pleasant challenges a man may encounter during his liletime - to be one ofa small crew to steam a ship around the won ld. Steel and steam are exploited to accomplish this but to the man an the helm, tothe mantending boiler burners, to the men scanning the ro- dar scope belongs the true credit. It is onthe nerves and mind and sinews ofthe tincan sailor that his ship is brought across the world's great seas. Having met and overcome this challenge is o deed al which each one of us should be iustly proud. And for you men with year, gl Cruises showing through your hashmarlcs additional credit is due lor your efforts during the pasteight months in helping to shape the less experienced man to the tasks of the sea. CQCIWMMANIYIYNIIZZ CYTICIR

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.M fr wi Qw-Hluf 'i' CCMMANDHC lJl1,ll-rfi'Yll- '-Ullfxlll-I YN YVVK CAPTAIN W l, llklwl-,ll Capfoin William E. Ferrell, o groduolf- ol ilu- ll 2 I-law? fund:-my .i, rlw- r 1.-ff .J l'-L 'X lm-4 bmah-ilwig:fund duiroyor duty before beginning on extensive four in wlmvurim-1 In if.n.'rw,ilin5 UH...-r .il ll' '. ',n.i-im,-,v, he muh live we pwrols in the South Pacific. Lclfer he become Commondrr ol zulmuovine- pquudvrm -lr in lsnllm-il l :mul func llmy 1005- lxlm VC KUNG in 1950-1951 os commending officer of USS Boylii-ld CAPA-3139 A Alblilg s Darrel D Ruebsamen li Tlmndf pf , V 00? l ll l' l 4 I. I 1 l I 4 r i E' i lf 5 2 Z A 5 i l l r l my wi f i-H3 lump : LT. W 3 2 F V, H If HM 'V i V P W if . . , 11 . J 5 ,,,,, , ,pta My ' Q f S I fri