Who!....Me?

At that time, I was known as GMT2 "Bill" Bayard an ASROC Gunners Mate. I was part of the Nucleus Crew and a plank owner for the Reasoner before she was Commissioned July 31, 1971 in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington.

She was my first duty assignment after a year and a half of school in Great Lakes. I reported aboard February, 1971 and stayed attached to her until I was discharged in October 1973. <sniff> The only ship I'd ever known and now it belongs to Turkey.... that bites!

Short of never ending sea trials before our maiden voyage... I'd never been on a cruise. Seems though we spent from August 71 to March 73 trying to pass those damn sea trials.

If I recall right, our sister ship the USS Fanning DE1076 had been to 'Nam got shot up, returned to San Diego, and returned to 'Nam on three occasions before we could head out ourselves.

All we could do was go up and down the west coast between Acapulco, Mexico and Vancover, BC trying to get it right.... gee... I HATED that. 8^)