Thomas C Hart (FF 1092) - Naval Cruise Book

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. d ll- ' The Middle East. The phrase conjures up images of sand dunes and camellstannhasb-ilt iE0g?f::1g1i1E5 sun. It is a region that burns not only under the sun but from the P909 e Wto exert as marked an nature with the majority of the world's oil reserves, the Arabs have comel. . 1 .rations Ofth influence on the world as their desert lands have influenced them. Mix the po itica aspi d J e Arabs with those of the Soviets and the economic interests of America, Western Euwpe, an HP-'ill and a steaming political brew is created. D U . . ' ' ' h l eratin su l The United States first entered the region during the Second World War w 1 e OP 8 PP Y lines through the Arabian Sea and Iran to the Soviet Union. After the war, the United States remained interested in the Middle East for several reasons, .the first of which wast o1l:i1The United States was a land of automobiles and machinery that thirsted for oil. It was o e economic advantage of America and Western Europe for the United States to keep a.c10S6 eye 012 Such 313139 fountainhead of this important resource. Secondly, there was .the Soviet Union. Following this it became clear that the Soviet goal was to spread the communist state by any and all means n , hostile Soviet overtures toward Iran following a diplomatic dispute brought the United Statesnto Iran's aid with a consequent increase in military support. Thirdly, as Britain dissolved hercolonial empire after the war, she also withdrew from an active role as the premier power in the Arabian Gulf. To fill the power vacuum left by the British, President Eisenhower promised military and financial aid to any Mideast state requesting assistance. The established rulers of the Mideast welcomed American support, not so much for defense against Soviet aggression but as a hedge against radical Arabian nationalism. The enormous wealth provided by oil was also producing great social tensions among the lower classes. An Arab nationalism based on Islam and socialism was becoming a threat to the feudal Arab monarchies. This threat became a reality in 1957 with Nasserite coups in Egypt and Iraq. American policy has remained centered around the necessity to maintain oil supply lines, not only for our own economic welfare but also for that of Western Europe and Japan as well. In order to visibly demonstrate our concern for the region and our interest in maintaining freedom of the seas and the continued supplies of oil to our allies, the United States deploys an air and naval contingent to the region. This combined air and naval effort is centered around the defense of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. The U.S. Air Force's continuous AWAC CAirborne Warning and Air Controlb flights provide radar surveillance of the Arabian Gulf. Additionally, the U.S. Navy ensures surveillance of the Arabian Gulf against both air and maritime threats. Steaming in patrol stations along the Iranian-Iraqi war zone line, our ships monitor merchant traffic and search the air and sea for any sign of potential attack against Saudi Arabia, her allies, or oil trade shipping. Into this political cauldron sailed USS THOMAS C. HART. Assuming the watch, we provided the military support necessary to help keep the sea lanes free and the oil flowing. Each day passed as hot, sandy and uncomfortable as the day before. Each day the ship steamed slowly on courses of 120OT and then BOOOT - back and forth. The monotony of the routine ground against the souls ofthe sailors as they read and reread letters from wives or girlfriends. The ship did its best to break the monotony with regular training exercises, gun shoots, shiphandling drills, boxing tournaments, etc., but always the heat and 1200T-3000T remained constant. Regardless, HART never ceased her vigilant search of skies and seas. And this search consumes the efforts of every sailor aboard. In the dark of the Combat Information Center an Electronic Warfare Specialist calls out the name of a familiar Iranian jet type. Alerted, the Operations Specialist leans intently over the green orb of his radar scope and picks the aircraft up. Below decks, a Radioman rips another message off the clattering teletype' from high precedence intelligence alerts to the news of a sailor's newborn son, the messages pour in daily. Gunner's Mates on the foc'sle clean and lubricate their five inch gun with the care of those who know they may be called upon the defend the ship. The forward lookout hoists his binoculars to the horizon to see the colors of yet another tanker, then scans closer waters for possible mines. Down in the bowels of the ship, Boiler Technicians and Machinist's Mates wipe the incessant sweat from their brow as they watch the fires and the machinery that keep the ship moving, or, as the engineers say the shaft turnin' and lights burnin'. ' The engine order telegraph rings, My rudder is left full, sir. And HART easily swings about for another pass across her patrol Sector America has placed her trust and confidence on the deck l t f 1-1' ' HART and we have not been found wanting. That trust has beef? ritcfiiried Ellziidlsxi TI-g2MASdC. firm commitment to be at the forefront of American combat readiness. We are rexadymnowcs an a

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