Truxtun (DLGN 35) - Naval Cruise Book

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CR UDESFLOT 11 ., . Rear Admiral Esch was born in Washing- ton, Illinois, on January 31, 1917 to the Rever- end and Mrs. Ben Esch. In June 1940, shortly after his graduation from the Naval Academy, Admiral Esch was assigned to the USS LOUIS- VILLE QCA-285. He remained with the heavy cruiser fiveand one half years, serving as a Gunnery and Watch Officer and as the ship's Gunnery Officer the last year of World War II. In December 1945, RADM Esch was ordered to duty as Flag Lieutenant Cin the rank of Lieu- tenant Commanderb to Commander SEVENTH Fleet, at Shanghai, China. I Following a tour of duty in Washington D.C., which combined assignment in the Judge Advocate General's Office and Law School, RADM Esch became Executive Officer of USS RICH QDDE-8205 in Norfolk, Virginia 11949-515. RICH was a member of Destroyer Division 81, a pioneer anti-submarine warfare unit in multi- ple ship ASW tactics. ' Promoted to Commander in January 1951, RADM Esch assumed command of USS POWER QDD-8395 then operating with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean. He continued his duty with the destroyer until mid 1952. Ashore in Washington, Rear Admiral Esch became Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel for the Congressional Liaison and Technical In- formation. He followed this assignment with a tour as Public Information Officer on the staff of the Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy. In June 1956, he travelled to Genoa, Italy to become Executive Officer of the cruiser, USS NORTHHAMPTON. In September 1957, he reported to the staff of Commander Anti-sub- marine Force, Atlantic, where he served as Tactics, Doctrine and Training Officer. In October 1959, following his promotion to Captain, he became Commander Destroyer Division 282. In November 1960, RADM Esch reported to Washington for duty as Director of Policy, Bureau of Naval Personnel. He served there for more than two years. Instruction at the National War College, Washington D.C., followed next with graduation on 5 June 1964. During this period, RADM Esch completed work that led to a Masters Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University. Rear Admiral Esch became Commander Destroyer Squadron TWO on 14 July 1964. Re- turning to Washington in July 1965, he was then assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Assistant for JCS matters in the Strategic Plans and Policies Division. In June 1968, he was selected for flag rank and on 8 July, 1968, reported as Assistant Chief of Staff, Logistics, under Admiral Horacio Rivero, USN, Commander in Chief of NATO's Allied Forces, Southern Europe, Naples, Italy. Returning to sea, he assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla ELEVEN on 27 Feb- ruary, 1970, in San Diego, California.

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COMMANDING OFFICER Capta1n R S Sm1th was born on August 4 1925 1n Gary Ind1ana He entered the U S Naval Academy 1n 1943 After graduat1on and comm1ss1on1ng 1n June 1946 h1S f1rst ass1gn ment was on board USS BLUE IDD 7445 as Torpedo Off1cer and Asslstant F1I'StL1GUtGIl31'1t In May 1947 he was reasslgned to the staff of Commander Escort D1v1s1on ONE After a short tour Capta1n Sm1th reported aboard USS PER KINS QDD 8775 where he served as Operatlons Off1cer Eng1neer1ng Off1cer Gunnery Off1cer and Commumcatlons Off1cer dur1ng h1s three year tour After a tour w1th Navy Speclal Weapons Un1t 802 Capta1n Sm1th was ass1gned as Com mandlng Off1cer of the USS LUZERNE COUNTY QLST 9025 1n July 1953 where he aSS1StGd the re deployment of the French Army from Hal phong to Salgon Beg1nn1ng 1n December 1955 he served as Flag L1eutenant and A1de to Com mander Amph1b1ous Force U S PHC1f1C Fleet In June of 1956 Capta1n Sm1th was selected to be one of the four off1cers to attend the f1rst Surface Nuclear Power Class at Arco Idaho He was selected for retent1on on the staff as lnstructor and later as Executlve Off1cer of the tra1n1ng un1t He was the Damage Control Asslstant 1n the pre comm1ss1on1ng crew of USS LONG BEACH QCGN 95 1n 1959 Before LONG BEACH was placed 1n comm1ss1on Capta1n Sm1th was re ass1gned as part of the pre comm1ss1orung crew of USS ENTERPRISE QCVAN 655 where he served as the a1rcraft carrler s f1rst Engl neer1ng Off1cer Capta1n Sm1th s second command b1llet was Command1ng Off1cer of the USS HOLDER CDD 8195 from March 1964 to July 1965 In August 1965 he was ass1gned to the WaSh1Hg ton D C area f1rst as a member of the Secre tary of the Navy s Task Force on M1l1tary Re tent1on and to the Bureau of Naval Personnel for Spec1al Studles on manpower In Apr1l 1965 after a SIX year absence Capta1n Sm1th was aga1n ass1gned to USS LONG BEACH th1s t1me as Execut1ve Off1cer where he served unt1l Apr1l 1967 Wh11e he was Execu t1ve Off1cer he was awarded the Navy Com mendat1on Medal Selected to attend the Industrlal College of the Armed Forces 1n Washlngton D C Cap ta1n Sm1th concurrently attended George Wash- 1ngton Un1vers1ty to complete work for h1s Masters of Sc1ence Degree 1n Bus1ness Ad- m1n1strat1on 1n August 1968 Prlor to reportlng as Command1ng Off1cer of TRUXTUN he was ass1gned to the Staff of the Commander 1n Ch1ef of the U S Pac1f1c Fleet as head of the Stra- teg1c Plans and Pol1cy Sect1on and for wh1ch he was awarded the Mer1tor1ous Medal Capta1n Sm1th 1S marrled to the former Ramona Ruth Dykstra of Gary Ind1ana They have four daughters Capta1n and Mrs Sm1th make the1r home 1n Garden Grove Cal1forn1a . 0 . . s 1 7 , - , . , . ' 7 . 4 . , , u n 'Q ' , ., , I I 4 n a ' v , . . , 0 . 5 0 0 , . Q . . . . 0 1 . . Q Q . 1 I I . - ' . . . . . , 3 ' , e o o ' 'Q u , 0 o 1 . , ' I X 7 ' . ' . f , o V 1 Q I I I , A V , - . . . , , Q Q . . . . . . ' ' 7 . . , 0 n Q 7 , - . . I I I I 9 I . . , Q . . Q ' o n o a u Q Q - 9 K, u s u A - ' - 0 o V ' u - - . .. . . . , 7 , . . .V . . Q . ' . . a Q A - , - . ., A I I ' . I I I ,V V I . - . . . , , I I I a . . . . I ,a - . . . u D I I 9 ' I I' . . . . I ' n l I I . . . , . . . . . . . , . . Q . .I . . . . , .

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CDR Byron B. Newell LCDR Ramon R. Owens PAST EXECUTIVE OFFICER Commander Byron B. Newell graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1955. While at the Academy he was selected as the goalkeeper of the 1954 first All- American soccer team. He received a Superintendent's Let- ter of Commendation upon graduation. He served as First Lieutenant, ASW Officer and Weapons Officer of the USS LOWRY IDD-7705 from 1955 to 1957 and as commissioning Weapons Officer of the USS HULL QDD- 9455 in 1958. From 1959 until 1962, he attended the U.S. Naval Post- graduate School in Monterey, California, graduating with a Master of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering. He commanded the USS TAKELIMA QATF-1335 from 1962 to 1964 participating as a unit of Joint Task Force 8 conducting nuclear tests and as part of the Seventh Fleet providing services as a unit of Task Force 73. Upon completion of nuclear power training in 1965, CDR. Newell served for three years as Executive Officer of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, West Milton Sites, Schenectady, New York. He became TRUXTUN's sec- ond Executive Officer in July, 1968. CDR Newell is married to the former Ingrid Charlotte Asche of Annapolis, Maryland. The Newells have four chil- dren, Thomas, Susan, Robert, and Michael. EXECUTIVE OFFICER Lieutenant Commander Owens was born on May 28, 1934 in Bismarck, North Dakota. He graduated from high school in Pasco, Washington in 1952 and enlisted in the Navy in 1953. He entered the Naval Preparatory School at Bainbridge, Maryland in September 1953 and the U.S. Naval Academy in 1954. After graduation and commissioning in June 1958, his first assignment was on board the USS PRICHETT QDD-5615 as Damage Control Assistant and Main Propulsion Assistant. In August 1960, he was reassigned to the commissioning crew of the USS KING QDLG-103 where he served as Main Propulsion Assistant and Engineer Officer until July 1963. In August 1963, LCDR Owens was selected for the nu- clear power program and upon completion of nuclear pro- pulsion training in August 1964, was assigned as Main Pro- pulsion Assistant in the commissioning crew of USS TRUX- TUN. He served in that billet until December 1967 when he was assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He graduated with distinction and received the Engineer's Degree in electrical engineering in March 1971. LCDR Owens reported as Executive Officer of TRUX- TUN in June 1971 during the West Pac deployment. He is married to the former Barbara Ann Haeberlin of Pasco, Washington. They have three daughters. LCDR and Mrs. Owens make their home in Los Alamitos, California.