USS CALCATERRA (DER 390)
Fleet Post Office
New York, 09501
8 June 1971
Dear CALCATERRA Friends and Relatives,
We will deploy to the North Atlantic on the twenty-second of this month and expect to return to Key West about 25 September. We are scheduled to visit ports in Spain, West Germany, Denmark, Scotland and Great Britain. While at sea we will operate with other Destroyers, Submarines, and an Aircraft Carrier.
I am enclosing a Hurricane Information Sheet prepared by Commander Destroyer Division SIX ZERO ONE and a dependents Information and Check-Off List. I think that they will answer most of the questions that may come up while we are deployed. If you have any questions Commander Destroyer Division SIX ZERO ONE and his staff are available to help.
There is a possibility that Destroyer Division SIX ZERO ONE will be disestablished in July. If this does happen, the Staff will remain here until they are relieved by another Staff, so the phone numbers listed in the Hurricane Information Sheet and Dependents Information and Check-Off List should remain good throughout the deployment.
Since the last Familygram in March, I have had the pleasure and honor to present several awards and decorations. These included the Navy Achievement Medal to LTJG Melvin R. SNEAD, LTJG Louis C. LOUDEN, LTJG Robert T. RAAF, ST1 Joseph L. STOMBERG, ST1 James T. DICKINSON, STG2 Timothy B. GAMBLE, STG2 David C. NIELSON, STG3 Jerry L. RENANDER, and STG3 William W. Bond. I also presented the Good Conduct Medal to QMC Thomas D. LIBERTY and a Letter of Commendation to RD3 Gary K. GRIFFIN. QM3 Ted W. KNIGHT and EN3 Johnny C. JOHNSON were selected as CALCATERRA’s "Sailors of the Quarter" for the quarter ending 1 April 19971.
Also since the last Familygram we have lost many of our shipmates as they were released from active duty or transferred. SN Michael G. SCHEERER, RD3 Frederick E. GLICK, RD2 William C. SHACKLETON, BM3 John A. MARTIN, FN George R. WALLS, EM3 John V. O’BRYANT, GMG2 Lawrence E. BLALOCK, and SM2 Clyde T. CLARK were all released from active duty. FTG3 William R. MURRAY, SK3 Christopher A. WOZNIAK, ETR2 Roland H. DOWLING, and ETRSN Dennis S. BUTLER were transferred to USS FORSTNER (DER334). SFP3 John H. MEYERS was transferred to USS PONCE (LPD15), RM1 James A. MONTAVAN to USS GILMORE (AS16), GMG2 Leonard G. STUMP to USS HAMMERBURG (DE1015), and CSC William MILLER to USS ADAMS (DDG2).
As replacements we have received RM3 James J. DONBAVAND from USS FORREST ROYAL (DD872); ETR2 Dennis D. TRIMM from USS LITTLE ROCK (CLG3); SK3 Herman EDWARDS from USS ADAMS (DDG2); CSC Huey L. DUNLAP from Naval Recruiting Station, Fort Lauderdale; SMSN Joseph H. SWAIM from Fleet Training Center, Newport; BM3 Jack D. WATT from USS GARETT COUNTY (APG786); ENC Roy J. SPICER from USS MARK (AKL12); EN1 William H. WHITCOMB from U.S. Naval Station, Rota, Spain; ETR3 Clifford E. COOK from Naval Training Center, Great
Lakes, Illinois; RDSN Theodore W. MIDDLETON from Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois; TM2 William G. DUNCAN from Naval Disciplinary Command, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; RM1 Charles H. RICHARD from USS FORSTER (DER334); FA Oscar D. McPEAK from Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois; SA Randall B. WILSON from Naval Training Center, Orlando, Florida; SA Charles L. PINKSTON from Naval Training Center, Orlando; SA Gary L. NEWTON from Naval Training Center, Orlando; FA Daniel V. HAGEN from Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois; FA Richard A. GROSSO from Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois; and SKSN Lawrence C. BECK from Naval Training Center, San Diego, California.
On 1 June, the following men were advanced in rate as indicated: EN2 Johnny C. JOHNSON, EN2 Edward T. MORRISON, EN2 Gary C. SMITH, and SF2 Richard M. FROSCH. ENS Gene M. WEBORG and ENS George B. CAUTHEN were promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) also during the last month.
I plan to send a Familygram every month or so while we are deployed to keep you informed of our activities and to answer any questions that might come up. If you have a question that you would like to ask me, please feel free to write at any time.
Sincerely
Signed: (Howard B. GRAFF)