Vulcan (AR 5) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

CAPT JAMES P. BREECE

Page 7 text:

VULCAN underwent a comprehensive nine month overhaul in 1976, emerging in November in a vastly improved material condition. The year 1977 saw VULCAN complete Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with solid passing grades in each of the fifteen functional areas of training. Subsequent fleet repair services in Norfolk and Charleston were broken by at-sea training periods with visits to Halifax, Nova Scotia; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and San Juan, Puerto Rica. VULCAN was awarded Engineering and Supply Battle Efficiency “E’ 's as well as a second hashmark to her Communications “C” for Fiscal Year 1977. In 1978, VULCAN visited Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bermuda; and spent a tending period in Earle, New Jersey. On 1 November 1978, VULCAN became the first naval ship other than hospital or transport ships to have women assigned as permanent crew members. In September of 1979 VULCAN deployed to the Mediterranean to serve as SIXTH-FLEET tender, her first major deployment in over three decades. While deployed, she received many commendations on her repair services from ships tended and group commanders. VULCAN returned to Norfolk in March 1980. In April and May, VULCAN was again in Earle. In September, VULCAN deployed to the North Atlantic to take part in the NATO exercise “TEAMWORK 80” which combined ships and aircraft from the U.S., UK, Norway and the Netherlands. 1982 will be remembered as the Year of Overhaul. The tender arrived in the shipyards of Boston’s General Ship Corporation on 27 January, ready for the upgrading that would add many more years of useful service life. 13 months later, VULCAN emerged with the majority of the overhaul work and the Light Off Examination (LOE) successfully completed. The tender braved one of the fiercest winter storms she ever encountered to arrive home in Norfolk in mid February 1983. Post-overhaul refresher training was conducted FTG Guantanamo in April and May with VULCAN “setting the tone for other tenders”, in the words of CAPT J. E. McConville. Through the remainder of 1983, the overhaul work was completed and repair availability resumed. As 1984 began, VULCAN cruised to the Caribbean in support of READEX 1-84, stopping at St. Thomas and Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. The ship’s itinerary for the year included an intermediate maintenance visit to Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey, and MTT exercises off the Virginia Capes in preparation for the Mediterranean-Indian Ocean deployment in October 1984. In October 1984, VULCAN sailed to the Indian Ocean and returned six months later after succes-fully completing her first major cruise in four years. 3

Page 9 text:

COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT Breece was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1961, having received a Congressional appointment from St. Louis County, MO. Upon commissioning, he was assigned to USS JOHN A. BOLE (DD-755), where he served as Main Propulsion Assistant and Damage Control Assistant. Following the completion of Engineer Officer School in May 1963, he reported to USS MALOY (EDE-791) and served as Engineering Officer through 1964. This was followed by a tour as Operations Officer in USS EVANS (DE-1023) through 1966. His first shore tour was in Washington, D.C. in the enlisted Distribution Division of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Some of CAPT Breece’s other assignments were as Executive Officer in USS LAFFEY (DD-724) and USS TULARE (LKA-112), Commanding Officer USS MAU-NAKEA (AE-22) and Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Salt Lake City, UT. He also completed two tours in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. CAPT Breece’s decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Battle Efficiency “E” ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medals. CAPT Breece is married to the former Janie Warfield of Newark, Ohio. 5