Sterett (CG 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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Q. i i i i 1 I I. l I l I l l s i i i l I 2 COMMAND HISTORY l99l STERETT began the new year in its homeport of Subic Bay. Republic ofthe Philippines after a three-wegkpm' od of holiday leave and upkeep. She departed Subic Bay on U3 .January with Battlegroup ln, conducting Valuable training enroute Singapore. STERETT detached from the battlegroup U7 .lanuary and anchored off of Singapofefm a four day port visit. From Singapore, she sailed to Pattaya Beach. Thailand on IU January, crossing the mum enroute on I2 January at 160 degrees West longitude. She arrived at Pattaya Beach on I4 January and remained inport for liberty until I8 January. While inport at Pattaya. U.S. armed forces launched air strikes again Iraqi fmm in the Persian Gulf, marking the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. STERETT set sail from Pattaya Beach on I8 January for Subic Bay. She returned to Subic Bay on 22 January and remained in port for four days, departing of 25 January for Missile lixercise 9l- I. Proceeding to Poro Paint Missile Range in the Republic of the Philippines, STERETT fired an SM-2 semi-active missile. After the missile shot, STERETT continued on to Buckner Bay, Okinawa for LINKEX 9l, an exercise which involved STERETT and Marine Air Control and Coordination Station Four in testing the capability to establish and maintain a clear data link. STERETT concluded the link exercise on 30 January and proceeded directlytti Hong Kong, where she arrived inport on 01 February for five days of liberty. STERETT departed Hong Kong on O6 February enroute to Subic Bay. arriving on 08 February. She remained inport for ten days preparing for Team Spirit 9 I. On 27 February. she departed Subic Bay for Korea and Team Spirit 91, an annual U.S. - Republic of Korea exercise. STERETT arrived at Okinawa on 02 March for a planning conference of U.S. Forces, and proceeded on 03 March to Pohang, Korea for the joint planning conference. She arrived at Pohang on 06 March and departed onlll March to begin the exercise off the coast of Pohang. Participants included eight U.S. Navy surface ships, one U.S. Navy submarine, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force aircraft. eleven R.O.K. surface ships, and R.O.K. and U.S. Marines. Due to Operation Desert Storm, Team Spirit 9l included a smaller U.S. contingent, but the exercise remained a vigorous test for U.S. and Korean forces in all warfare areas. STERETT played an impor- tant role as the exercise's major surface combatant, acting as the data link coordinator and as the AAWC, ASUWC AND EWC. STERETT and other surface combatants, together with assigned air assets and U.S. Marines. operated as orange forces which were tasked with attacking the blue forces on the beach. Additionally she conducted live fire gunnery exercises against towed surface and air targets on I5 and I6 March. At the conclusion of the exercise on 17 March STERETT received praise from the Amphibious Task Force Commander and other participants for her proficiency and professionalism. STERETT sailed for Sasebo, Japan on I7 March and arrived on I9 March. She spent four days inport bef0It departing for Subic Bay on 22 March. She joined USNS KAWISHIWI CTAO l46l on 23 Mgirqh for mutual training Slpgucti ggbjxc. Slhg arrived at Subic Bay on 26 March and spent .fourteen days inport prior to conducting MISSILEII pri uring which she conducted an SM-I semi-active missile shot against a subsontc drone. STERETT returned to Subic Bay on I0 April for seven days before again putting to sea on I6 April. She Sailell g01'1g,21bgJ2'El?E2'? to conduct a Naval Ounfire Support exercise, and then continued on to Poro Point for MISSILEX some drone s third missile exercise of the year again featured an SM-I semi-active missile shot against 21 Sllil 52 . 'si ' fs