William H Standley (CG 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS ILLIAM . STANDLEY USS WILLIAM H. STANLEY is one of a class of Guided Missile Cruis- ers built during the 1960's and the first ship of the U. S. Navy to bear this name. Named in honor of one of the great American patriots of modern times, Admiral William Harrison Standley, USN C1872-19632, who Served his country as Naval Officer, Statesman and Diplomat. u ' . The primary mission of WILLIAM H. STANDLEY is to providetanti-air and anti-submarine defense for a carrier battle group Secondary missions are to provide defense against surface threats and conduct shore bombardment in support of amphibious operations. Designed to operate at high speeds for along distanC6S, WILLIAM H STANDLEY has been fitted with air search radars and an integrated weapon direction system which employs high speed digital computers of great reliabil- ity. This system processes data on air targets of all kinds and forwards it to the missile fire control and launching systems to that the extended range Standard Missiles may be properly aimed and fired at any air attacker. This ship is equipped with one of the Navy's latest long range sonars and a semi-automatic underwater battery fire control system which direct the ship's ASW armament that includes a manned helicopter and various kinds of tor- pedoes. WILLIAM H. STANDLEY is also equipped with a single dual purpose rapid-fire 5 f54 automatic mount for defense against air and surface attacks as well as shore bombardment. Beginning in June l990, the ship received the NEW THREAT UPGRADE CNTUJ during an overhaul in Portland, Ore- gon. NTU significantly increases detection and interception capabilities. The ship was commissioned in 1966. It is 547 feet in length with a maxi- mum beam of 55 feet and a navigational draft of 28 feet I0 inches. WIL- LIAM H. STANDLEY has two six-bladed screws and a single rudder, Al- though full load displacement is about 7900 tons, about the size of a WWII light anti-aircraft cruiser, she retains destroyer acceleration and maneuver- ability. The engineering plant of four high-pressure boilers is capable of delivering 85,000 horsepower for propulsion, 6,800 kilowatts of electrical power and 24,000 gallons of fresh water daily. Additionally, all living and working Com- partmcnts are air-conditioned. Modern living accommodations are provided for about 30 officers and 400 enlisted men. WILLIAM Il. STANDLEY is homeported in San Diego, Cali- fornia and isa proud member of the Naval Surface Force, US. Pacific Fleet. Ship's Characteristics LENGTH: 547 FEET BEAM: 55 FEET NAVIGATIONAL DRAFT: 28 FEET I0 INCHES DISPLACEMENT: CMAXJ: 7900 TONS ARMAMENT Mk I4 Guided Missile Launcher 5 f 54 automatic mount 2 HARPOON Launchers 6 Mk 32 torpedo tubes 2 CIWIS CClose In Weapon Systemj 4 RBOC fRapid Blooming Overhead Chaffl Launchers small arms

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Ll LE CHRISTMAS IN KISMAAYO 24 DEC 92 by Chaplain Rondall Brown Dear GOD' This Christmas' my lime b0Y, age five, and my little girl of twenty months will have a wonderful Christmas. But I won't be there. Lord, I am going to miss them t 'bl M 1111 ' . . . the phone from Singapore, that HI Wish you would h ho fern y i e boy told me, while talking to him on I would be home Soon' my U16 r0m t at Navy, because I miss you daddy. I said that . My children probably had their picture taken with Santa Claus again this year, and my little boy probably pinched the devil out of him, just to see if he was real. But just a few miles west of us a starving child had his picture taken with a Marine. My little boy thinks Santa is big and fat, wears a red and white furry suit, comes down the chimney, and brings lots of toys..But the starving children and parents just west of us saw Old Saint Nicholas arrive in Cobra's, armored personnel earners, and G.I. trucks, dressed in U.S. Marine uniforms. . My children, Lord, will receive so many toys, just more to add to the truck load they already have. But a just few miles west of here, most of the kids, have probably never seen a toy. Especially like G.I. Joe, Batman, Turtles, and thousands more. My kids, Lord, eat well every day, and on Christmas Day at Grandmothers, the table will almost collapse under the weight ofthe turkey and dressing, ham and sweet potatoes, vegetables, casseroles, and there will be no room for all the desserts, and fruit salads, and pumpkin rolls, and more. My little boy will eat all he wants, and rush back to play with his toys, and my little girl, will do just as she wants, as usual. My kids will feed the dog and cat so much they can hardly move. But just west of us, some of these people and their kids will eat a high protein gruel, because they are to weak to chew, and be extremely thankful they have it. The kids won't rush to play with their toys, they don't have any. The won't feed their pets, for long since past, they are dead, by some means or another. Lord, I sure will miss being at home this Christmas. Why in the world am I here any way? Why is it always the Americans? VVhy has it been so, throughout our recent history, that seemingly the people of the world have looked for the Americans to come and help right the wrongs? With all our problems at home, and our faults, the people of the world still see, that to live in America is the land of hope. Maybe, its because you have blessed us with more than any other nation on earth, with freedom, food in abundance, military power unequaled by any. Blessed like no nation has ever been blessed on the face of this planet. Maybe, because we still bow our hearts and knees to the giver of all good and perfect gifts. Why did this gamer, Mohammed Nup Aden, cry out when he heard in the night sky the sound of a helicopter coming, It's the Americans, we knew they were coming to protect us. Why didn't he cry the Russians, or Chinese, or Arabs, or British, or French, or Canadians, or someone else? We don't even know these people from Adam's house cat. Why is it us that seemingly has to spur the world on? Where are all the good samaritans gone? Maybe in Somalia they are all dead, if there were any, or in the world, if there are any left. Maybe they are too busy celebrating Christmas to come. Why did we go to Kuwait? To free people from a dictator of death? To put a king back on his throne? Or maybe we went so black gold could flow more cheaply into my gas tank, or so the rich could become richer. Why does it always seem that Americans have to stir the world to do something, and our sons and daughters are sent into harms way? For whatever reasons others may have had, we were there and here because it is our job, and we get paid for it. But there are common men, women and children like the Kurds, and the Kuwaities living in freedom because we came. Hopefully, they will never again see their families falling lifelessly upon the ground because of Saddam Hussein's poison gas. An just maybe, millions of Somalis will live because we are here. But the Marines are getting all the glory and combat pay. Why do we need to be here? A couple of years ago, I was in France and was returning from a tour of the beaches of Normandy, where almost 10,000 Americans died in one days battle. I peered out the bus window, as we wound down the mountain road into Cherebourg, and in the harbor, was a gray ship with an american flag waving boldly against the Carolina blue sky, and for a traveler in a strange land, that ship was home. That was U.S. soil and one day it would take me home. Maybe, just maybe, when those Marines, in a strange land, missing Christmas with family and friends, see that flag waving freely over an island sailing the vast seas, maybe home will seem a little closer. Maybe, if they fall back from an onrush of enemy troops, tomorrow they will be comforted as jets streak from the carrier deck and rounds roar from our gun. I le will eat tonight, with hope that there will be a tomorrow, For whatever reason we are here, some starving peop because the Americans CStandleyJ are here. Thank you Lord, Amen. This cruisebook is dedicated to the people of Somalia, and all of us who help to bring hope for a better world. n HEI

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.gf in S Ft C sig- ADMIRAL WILLIAM HARRISON STANDLEY, USN In the post war years, his duties at sea included tours as Com- manding Officer of the battleships USS VIRGINIA and CALI- FORNIA, Commander Battle Force, U.S. Fleet on June 9, 1993. He broke his flag in USS CALIFORNIA and remained at sea until July 1, 1933 when he was appointed Chief of Naval Op- erations, with the rank of Admiral. During his period of Office, Secretary of the Navy Swanson was frequently absent due to ill- ness, and Admiral Standley performed the duties of Acting Sec- retary of Navy and a member of FDR's Cabinet. He was a United Nations Delegate to the London Naval Conference held in London, England during the period 7 December 1935 to March 25, 1936, and signed the London Naval Treaty on behalf of the United States. Before his retirement on January 1, 1937, he also initiated the Vinson-Trammell Bill, which proved for es- tablishing, building and maintaining he U.S. Navy at treaty- strength. William Harrison Standley was born in Ukiah, California. He entered the Naval Academy in 1891, graduating with the class of 1895. His early career in warships was distinguished by an heroic action during the Philippines Insurrection of 1899 when he was commanded for bravery in connection with a reconnoitering ex- pedition in hostile territory. In the years before World War I, he served at sea in nearly every type of combatant ship from moni- tor to battleship and ashore in stations ranging from San Fran- cisco to Samoa. From 1916 to 1919, he returned to the Naval Academy as Assistant to the Superintendent. While there he su- pervised a major expansion in the Academy and for eleven months was Commandant of Midshipmen. Recalled to active duty on February 13, 1941, he served for seven months as the Naval Representative on the Planning Board of the Office of Production Management. In the fall of 1941, he served as the U.S. Naval member of the Beaverbrook- Harrison Special War Supply Mission to the U.S.S.R. and, after his return from the Soviet Union, was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Navy Department as a member of the Roberts Commission appointed by the President on December 18, 1941 to investigate and report the facts relating to the attack made by the Japanese upon Pearl Harbor, T.H., December 7, 1941. In February 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Admiral Standley U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and on March 18 the same year, awarded him Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation: For exceptionally meritori- ous service to the Government of the United States in duties of great responsibility during his career as an Officer of the Navyf, He remained Ambassador until October 1943. Again recalled to active duty in March 1944, Admiral Stand- ley served in the office of Strategic Service, throughout the re- maining period of hostilities, being relieved of all active duty on August 31, 1945. He died in San Diego, California on October 25, 1963, at the age of 91. The best summation of the principles for which Admiral Standley stood can be found in his own words: Finally, we must each of us know, honor, and frequently re- call the eternal values of beliefs which we hold, for which we struggle, for which we work, for which we are committed to fight, by which, in the long course, we must live or die.