White Plains (AFS 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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2 R1 , 1.5 ,AJ rom then on WHITE PL AINS trained and loaded and prepared to take her art i h F1 p n t e eet. In those hectic first days the extra training and cohesiveness of t he crew paid off. WHITE PLAINS was ready for her task, her mission of supply, 'J ur chance finally came in late August 1969, when WHITE PLAINS deployed for the first time. There were no bands playing or wives and families on the pier waving good-bye. A last- minute reefer casualty had delayed the schedule enough to leave no time for last-minute visiting. There was only the fog. Fog so thick even the Golden Gate drifted overhead a suspended phantom. But we were on our way. On August 31, we reported to Seventh Fleet for duty, replenishing our first ship in Sasebo, japan, on September 11. I I. C rom then on it was work steadily as the ship made four line swings down the coast of Vietnam. But the work was worth it for USS WHITE PLAINS set records and received praise where ever she went. y ut in between the line swings and the trips to Subic Bay, there was a chance to catch one's breath. There were Hong Kong and Sasebo and Kaohsiung with their ladies and their lights. And there were the shops and all the things we bought and all the photos we took. 9 7: ,LV X nd there were the letters, reminders of what was back home. Of why March Sth was too far away. There were babies born and children growing up and women living with their IOHCHHCSS, waiting. Work can dull loneliness, and we had work enough, but there were quiet moments when there was time to remember. Time to dream. And the months slipped by. JI .5 he last morning was clear. The Bay hadn't changed very much except for the teepee on Alcatraz Island. But that we left behind us like so many other things. Then there Was a HOW Sign saying Welcome Home Uss WHITE PLAINS. There were People Ufldemeafh if- PCOPIC we knew. People we loved.

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few piece . N d sh' b 'ming company san Diego. Thavs how it 211 began' Ocfobef 2, 1965 'O be Steel an IP U1 ' exact. The keel was laid. Less than ay maze was dead. L alv f h t 1 and beams A welding torch. An October morning at National ' 5 0 S eet me a - ear later the ship WHITE PLAINS was afloat and launched, f h m a ne on July 26, 1966. But this grey steel Mrs. Bob Wilson assaulting her with a bottle o C H P 8 .f d 11 its associated activities would not come for months, not until her 1 e an a . d A d 0 until then Shipbuilders swarmed over her decks and in her bowels and left crew arrive . n -S at knock-off a ghostly Shell- 53.5 hen on January 5 1968, WHITE PLAINS as a living entity stirred, the first of the nucleus crew began arriving. Building 16 of National Steel, headquarters for Captain Thomas B. Brenner, prospective commanding officer, and the first installment of the crew, was created to harbor that first spark of life - that first bit of esprit de corps that was to form the working WHITE PLAINS. x.. VJ g 1 7 F .la t was confusion at first, it always is. Men had to be trained, allowances decided on and filled, supply demands established, and most importantly the ship finished and accepted. But the last task still belonged to National Steel. There was nothing we could do but be frustrated. Original plans called for commissioning in june 1968. But there was a strike at National Steel and a last minute major change to the engineering plant. The Automated Propulsion System, first pf its kind in the Navy, was installed after the plant was 'nearly complete. And there were changes to be made in the winches. And other minor delays. The commissioning date stretched out to September 28, 1968, and invitations went out. ut problems in the acceptance trials developed. October 12th was Settled on as the new date for commissioning More problems arose Time and again the ship set sail for Long Beach and final acceptance only to turn around half w h C1 ay t ere an return to San Diego Finally we did 3 9 8 WC acquired the status In Commission Special ' In ommission Active followed on December 10 1968 i make it to Long Beach where, on November 2 1 6 - , , . . - ' .H Q C ' - - - ,,

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4-'QV - ,f .ff X , ,459 1 jk july 29, 1965 anuary 24, 1966 X It was a long three years from keel to completion, but WHITE PLAINS 6 finally made it to join her sister ships servicing the fleet. ef July 19, 1966