Sterett (CG 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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' J ' M'd hi men articipated in the exchange exercise which introduced lhC'lll to IHC on Ships of differ, eight apanese 1 s p p t v ent navies and provided them with an opportunity to practice shiphandltng skills. I On 0l August, STERETT pulled into Yokosuka. Japan where the Midshipmen disembarked and where, on 03 August, STERETT began a training availability which lasted until I2 August. I..Jt.trmg the availability, the crew attended various schools including firefighting and Damage Control and Combat Information Center team train- ers. STERETT departed Yokosuka on I3 August enroute for Subic Bay but was forced to divert eastward to pass b h' d th track of T hoon Yancy. Significant high winds Q50-60 knotsl and heavy seas tl5.-if ftp were encoun- e in e yp tered before turning west toward the San Bernardino Straits. S'l'l1,Rl+.I'l completed the difficult transit on 20 August, arriving at Subic Bay to make repairs and continue preparations for her second OPPB. On 10 September, Captain Thomas E. Blount Jr. relieved Captain Barry M. Plott, becoming ST ERETT's tif. d w iuisucd OPPl' rc aration ' teenth Commanding Officer. With the change of command, the officers an cre 5 f' 1 p lp' S with renewed vigor and greeted the second Propulsions Examining Board with a significantly improved propulsiong plant. The three-day OPPE began on 28 October and ended on 30 October, alter which the Board commended all personnel for a successful examination. The Board was particularly impressed with the ship's demonstration of 3 main space fire drill which involved over one hundred highly trained and motivated personnel. On 13 November, STERETT began operations for a reconnaissance exercise with the United States Marine Corps. STERETT embarked 25 marines from Company B, Third Marine Division for a three-day exercise which included one night insertion and several day and night shipboard launches and recoveries of zodiac small boats. STERETT returned to Subic Bay on 17 November and remained in port until 29 November when she departed for a six-day port visit to Hong Kong. STERETT returned to Subic Bay on 08 December to prepare for a missile exercise in the South China Sea. She departed on 12 December for the exercise which included firing two missiles. STERETT launched the hrst missile, a standard, non-dedicated extended-range missile CSM-l ERD, against a low-altitude, high-speed drone simulating an anti-ship missile. The SM-1 ER launch and intercept were evaluated as successful. STERETT launched the second missile, a standard, dedicated, extended-range missile CSM-2 ERD, against a low-altitude, high-speed drone in a low-angle firing exercise. The SM-2 ER launched successfully, but the intercept was evalu- ated as a miss. STERETT arrived at Subic Bay on 15 December and embarked dependents for a dependents cruise in the South China Sea. Over four hundred dependents enjoyed the one-day event which included a fantail barbecue and the firing of the PHALANX Close In Weapons System and the five-inch, fifty-four-caliber. dual-purpose gun. STERETT returned to Subic Bay on 16 December to begin a two-week period of holiday leave and upkeep. She finished the year inpoit continuing to make preparations for the 1991 change of homeport and overhaul. t l I 1 i l l l l i l i t P i l l l l l r i A It ? . 6 50 '

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ER ETT HISTORY l 990 In 1989, a busy STERETT participated in TEAM SPIRIT, ANNUALEX, PACEX, and THAILAY THAI, and joined USS BLUE RIDGE QLCC-193 AND USS RODNEY M. DAVIS CFFG-603 for an historic port visit to Shanghai, China. STERETT began 1990 in its homeport of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines with a three-week period of leave and upkeep. From 23-28 January STERETT operated in the South China Sea to conduct a Naval Gun Fire Support exercise at the Tabones range. On 28 January, STERETT began an Engineering Mobile Training Team in preparation for an Operational Propulsions Plant Examination COPPEJ. She departed Subic Bay on 05 February for a Pre-Overhaul Test and Inspection CPOT and IJ in anticipation of the ship's 1991 overhaul. From 10 February-18 March, STERETT operated alternately inport Subic Bay and underway in the South China Sea to tune the propulsions plant for the upcoming OPPE. She operated with Battlegroup CHARLIE in the South China Sea from 19-24 March, performing planeguard and picket services. On 02 April, STERETT began a Selected Restricted Availability CSRAJ at Subic Bayls Ship Repair Facility to undergo general maintenance and upkeep. She completed the SRA on 04 June, and from 05-24 June she operated alternately inport at Subic Bay and underway in the South China Sea verifying equipment repairs and continuing preparations for OPPE. On 25 June, STERETT took time out of her OPPE preparations with a four- day port visit to Hong Kong, during which STERETT helped the American Club of Hong Kong celebrate its sixty-fifth birthday and 25 First Class Midshipmen were embarked for their summer training. STERETT returned to Subic Bay on 04 July to make final OPPE preparations. The Propulsions Examining Board administered the OPPE 11-13 July, after which the Board noted deficiencies in the shipls propulsions plant and recommended a second OPPE to ensure that the plant met the Boardls high standards. STERETT remained in pon until 20 July, and then sailed to Kure, Japan on 21 July Cstopping briefly in Oki- nawa enroutel to begin an American-Japanese Midshipmen training exercise. Twenty-six American and twenty- I 49

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JAN JAN JAN JAN J AN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN FEB FEB FEB FEB MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR APR APR APR APR APR APR APR MAY MAY MAY MAY MAY MAY MAY JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN AUG AUG OCT OCT JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN JAN FEB FEB FEB FEB MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR APR APR APR APR APR MAY MAY MAY MAY MAY JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN AUG DEC 1991 CHRONOLOGY INPORT SUBIC BAY, RP UNDERWAY ENROUTE SINGAPORE WITH BATTLEGROUP E INPORT SINGAPORE UNDERWAY ENROUTE PATTAYA BEACH, THAILAND CROSSED THE EQUATOR INPORT PATTAYA BEACH, THAILAND UNDERWAY ENROUTE SUBIC BAY, RP INPORT SUBIC BAY, RP UNDERWAY MISSILE EXERCISE 91-2 UNDERWAY ENROUTE BUCKNER BAY, OKINAWA UNDERWAY LINKEX UNDERWAY ENROUTE HONG KONG INPORT HONG KONG UNDERWAY ENROUTE SUBIC BAY, RP INPORT SUBIC BAP, RP UNDERWAY ENROUTE OKINAWA INPORT OKINAWA UNDERWAY ENROUTE POHANG, KOREA INPORT POHANG, KOREA UNDERWAY TEAM SPIRIT - 91 UNDERWAY ENROUTE SASEBO, JAPAN INPORT SASEBO, JAPAN UNDERWAY ENROUTE SUBIC INPORT SUBIC BAY, RP UNDERWAY LOCAL OPS MISSILE EXERCISE 91-2 INPORT SUBIC BAY, RP UNDERWAY LOCAL OPS NGFS EXERCISE MISSILE EXERCISE 91-3 INPORT SUBIC BAY. RP UNDERWAY ENROUTE GUAM VIA SUBUYAN SEA AND SAN BERNARDINO STRAITS INPORT GUAM UNDERWAY ENROUTE PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII CROSSED INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE SWIM CALL INPORT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, TIGERS EMBARK UNDERWAY ENROUTE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, TIGER CRUISE PASSEX WITH USS LINCOLN CCVN-721 INPORT SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA UNDERWAY ENROUTE SEAL BEACH INPORT SEAL BEACH, WEAPONS OFFLOAD UNDERWAY ENROUTE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA INPORT SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA UNDERWAY ENROUTE ROH AT SOUTHWEST MARINE SHIPYARD SAN DIEGO INPORT SOUTHWEST MARINE SHIPYARD DRYDOCKING DRYDOCK. SOUTHWEST MARINE SHIPYARD, SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA A 51