U.S.S. Decatur DD-936 Tribute PART I

From the: Decatur Daily Review: 2 January 1957

DD-936 Christening Bottle U.S.S. Decatur DD-936 Tribute

From the: Decatur Herald Sun: 25 De- cember 1955 U.S.S. Decatur DD-936 Tribute

From: The Decatur Herald January 3, 1957 Decatur’s Commanding Officers DD-936 1956 - 1958 CDR John J. Skahill

John Joseph Skahill was born in Natick, Massachusetts, December 13, 1919, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James J. Skahill, now residing in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Commander Ska- hill attended the Wellesley Public Schools and Bridgewater State Teacher’s College, from which he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Following graduation from College, Commander Skahill entered the Reserve V – Midshipman Program at Annapolis and was commissioned Ensign E-VG in May 1942. He next joined the U.S.S. Morris (DD-417), and while attached to that destroyer as Engineer Officer, participated in the South Pacific and Aleutian Campaigns. Commander Skahill’s designation was changed in 1943 to DE-VG and in 1944 he became Executive Officer of U.S.S. Russell (DD-414) and participated in the Phillipine and Okinawa Campaigns. In 1946 he was transferred to the Navy. In June of 1947 he joined the Staff of Commander Destroyer Squadron FOUR as Squadron Material Officer. In July of 1949 he became Executive Officer of U.S.S. Gearing (DD-710). In September 1950 he was ordered to Columbia University in and became Head of the Navigation Department and Assistant Professor of Naval Science. In July 1952 he assumed command of U.S.S. Tab- berer (DE-418) and in November 1954 he was ordered to the Staff of Commander Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet as Assistant Readiness and Training Officer for Engineering and Damage Control. In October 1956 he was ordered to Quincy, Massachusetts as Prospective Commanding Officer of U.S.S. Decatur (DD-936), and assumed command after the ship was placed in commission on 7 December 1956. Commander Skahill is married to the former Marjorie Rita Wright of East Braintree, Massachusetts and they have three children. Excerpted From: U.S.S. Decatur (DD-936) Mediterranean Cruise February to July 1958 Book Note: We lost CDR Skahill in a plane crash in 1962. “I especially remember about him was his ship handling. Approach- ing an oiler or especially a carrier he would make the approach at high speed and do a quick reverse to slow the Decatur to re- fueling speed right on the button. It was classic showboating.” Change of Command Ceremonies transitioning to CDR Seymour Dombroff Dave Evans, DD-936 Remembering Seymour Dombroff Former U.S.S. Decatur (DD-936) Commanding Officer, Seymour (Sey) Dombroff, answered his last hail on November 15, 2012, in Fairfax, Vir- ginia.

Born in New York City in 1918, Sey graduated from Brooklyn College and was obtaining his masters degree in bacteriology at the University of Oregon when the United States entered WW II. He graduated from Midshipman school aboard USS Prairie State in 1942 and was commissioned an ensign in the Navy. He saw service in the Pacific during WW II and Korea. A life-long “black-shoe” Destroyer sailor, he served as XO of USS O’Bannon during the Korean War, and commanded USS Miller, USS McGinty and USS Deca- tur in the 50’s. He also commanded Destroyer Division 322 and Destroyer Squadron 36. Shore assignments included tours at The Pentagon, Norfolk and Key West.

He retired to the Melbourne, FL area in 1972 and moved to the Virginian in Fairfax in 2007.

Married to Estelle Margolis (who survives him) in 1943, they had two children, Jeff Dombroff (of Warrenton, VA) and Wendy Sternberg (of Bala Cynwyd, PA). He is also survived by daughter-in-law, Susan Dombroff and son-in-law, Michael Sternberg, five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren along with countless friends. Captain Dombroff was interred in Arlington National Cemetery on De- cember 13, 2012. Captain Dombroff’s illustrious 30 year Naval career

• May 1942 – Commissioned Ensign via V-7 Program (USS Prairie State) • August 1942-May 1945 Assigned USS Heywood (APA-12) • September 1945 – HQ, 3rd Naval District • 1947 – Fleet Training Group, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba • 1948 – Communications Officer, USS Little Rock (CL-92) • 1948-1949 – Brooklyn Navy Yard • 1950 – 1952 – Executive Officer USS O’Bannon (DD-450) • 1953 – 1954 – Commanding Officer, USS McGinty (DE-365) • 1954 – 1957 - Associate PNS, Columbia University • 1957-1958 – Commanding Officer, USS Miller (DD-535) • 1958-1959- Commanding Officer, USS Decatur (DD-936) • 1959-1962 – Operations Officer, Key West Test and Evaluation Detachment • 1962-1963 – Commander, Destroyer Division 322 • 1963-1964 – Head, Readiness Department, ASW Force, Atlantic • 1964-1965 – Commander, Destroyer Squadron 36 • 1966-1969 – Staff, ASW Operations, OPNAV • 1969 – 1972 – Commanding Officer, Fleet Sonar School, Key West • April, 1972 – Retired Donated by Jeff Dombroff This was his 1959-1960 Medi- terranean Cruise Book

Mrs. Dombroff was an honored guest at our 2014 reunion in Baltimore, MD

The Lipton Cup Challenge By Captain Sey Dombroff, USN (Ret.)

While many Americans have heard of the America’s Cup Races, there is another legendary sailing race that has been going on since 1904 – the Lipton Cup Challenge Races. The races, between representative boats from some of the finest American Yacht Clubs, have usually been held in waters off the West Coast. How- ever, in 1958, the races were hosted by the Newport Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island. That year, I was the commanding officer of the USS Decatur (DD 936); at the time the newest destroyer in the Navy. Our home port was Newport.

The Decatur was assigned as the Navy’s representative to the event. This meant that the morning of every race day, our gangway would be lowered and hundreds of celebrities (plus their guests) from the political, business and entertainment world would come aboard. Now in those days of all-male crews, areas contain- ing the heads (toilets) opened directly on passageways. With absolutely no restroom privacy, the only place on ship to accommodate the women was my cabin so all ladies coming aboard were informed of its location. The guests enjoyed good weather and the food supplied by the U S Navy. Everyone aboard seemed to be having a great time except me.

The first days’ operations were no fun. I had positioned the ship on the perimeter of the sailing area within a relatively short distance of the competing boats. Unfortunately, hundreds of small craft had the same idea and I spent most of my time sounding the ship’s horn in warning off small boats that would disappear from sight under our bow or stern. One small craft banged into our starboard propeller guard and the owner pro- tested to the Coast Guard. Fortunately we had a picture of the boat at the moment of collision, with the guy at the helm being distracted by drinking a bottle of beer!

We returned to port around 4 P.M. Vice Admiral “Whitey” Taylor, who commanded all destroyers in the At- lantic Fleet and whose wife was one of those aboard the Decatur, stood on the bridge of his flagship watch- ing me pull up to the pier (no pressure). Our guests disembarked and shortly afterward I was interviewed by the press as I apparently had become an instant expert on upper class sailing craft which were truly beautiful and graceful vessels.

I was about to go down to my cabin when my steward showed up. “Captain, you really don’t want to go down there until I get a chance to clean up.” And he was right! What a mess those genteel ladies left. Someone stole my razor; there were messages in my phone book and trash all over the place. The steward returned in a little while to report all was again ship-shape. The same pattern occurred each day we went to sea for the races. All in all, no adverse events marred our operations but I was certainly glad to see it over.

Seymour Dombroff (RIP Sir...) Dinner in the Lap of Luxury by: Sey Dombroff, Captain, USN (Ret.)

DD-936 plaque hung proudly near his desk for many years

In 1959 I was Commanding Officer of U.S.S. Decatur (DD 936), one of the latest of the Forrest Sherman Class of destroyers. During a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, I had made it a point, upon entering a harbor for a port call, to spot the largest private yacht present. I would then extend the owner of the most magnificent craft present an invitation to have dinner with me aboard Decatur. Thus, when Decatur arrived for a 10-day visit to the island of Rhodes in the eastern Mediterranean, I spotted a magnificent two-masted schooner – the Olympia - that I recognized from an article I’d read in Sports Illustrated magazine.

After anchoring, I sent the most personable ensign on the ship to invite the owner to dinner. That owner was Stavros Niarchos, brother-in-law of Aristotle Onassis, one of Greece’s most influential shipping magnates and years later the husband of John F. Kennedy’s widow. He replied that while unfortunately he was unable to accept my invitation, would I do him the honor of having dinner aboard his ship. I accepted that invitation with a great deal of anticipa- tion.

The ship was magnificent. The dining salon walls were filled with French impressionist paintings – I- sub sequently learned that Niarchos was advised to have them removed because of the deleterious effect of sea air on all paintings. In a post-dinner tour of the schooner, I was amused to see silk stockings draped over the bathtub and shower stall – evidently Mrs. Niarchos did some of her own laundry.

It turned out to be a uniquely wonderful evening. “Steve” Niarchos and his wife were gracious hosts. My din- ner partner that evening was David Rockefeller, world-renown banker and certainly no stranger to opulence. He said to me, in the course of the evening “I have never seen such an affluent lifestyle like ‘Steve’ and his wife enjoy.” I was impressed – if a Rockefeller was awed by someone else’s lifestyle, it must really be something.

The next morning, back aboard Decatur, when I went on deck, the Olympia had sailed. I never encountered the Niarchos’ or David Rockefeller again but memories of that evening have never been forgotten. We lost Captain Dombroff on 15 November 2012 (RIP)

Remembering Bob Blakeley

Kill Devil Hills – Captain William R. Blakeley, U.S. Navy (Retired), 72, of Kill Devil Hills, crossed over the bar to be with his maker on Friday, April 12, at his home in Kill Devil Hills. Bob is survived by Anne, his loving wife of 51 years; their four children: John, David, Beth and Patti; and seven grandchildren: Will, Lauren, Evan, Macy, Austin, Coleman and Bob at our 2009 Reunion Bella. Bob was born September 27, 1940 in Ann Arbor, Mich. He enlisted in the Navy while still in high school, but eventually joined the NROTC program at the Univer- sity of Louisville where he met Anne. They went on to serve their country together at twenty-two duty stations over 29 years, including Bob’s wartime service in Viet- nam and his command of the destroyer USS McCandless. He retired as a highly decorated captain in 1991, whereupon Bob and Anne settled in Kill Devil Hills. In retirement, Bob dedicated himself to crafting children’s toys, cataloging an expan- sive genealogical history, driving for Dare County Transportation and Social Ser- vices, rescuing retired greyhounds and making up for lost time with Anne. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bob Anson remembers... “Bob Blakeley & I were shipmates on the DD936 in the ‘62-’64 timeframe….. We were both new ensigns, both assigned to the Engineering Dept…… he as DCA and I as MPA. One of my more memorable moments is as follows: In May 1963 … we were seasoned by this time…. (when we had the collision with the Lake Champlain) our refueling stations were in the Log Room, he on the calculator figuring out how much more fuel we could put into such and such a tank (& on the 1JV) and I was on the 2JV with the snipes on the fueling stations and with the main spaces….. (I wasn’t too good at math or calculators)….. we were done!!!!! and HADN’T put any of that ugly black stuff all down the side…. suddenly I hear from the snipes topside (unusual, yes for them to be up there, I know)…. words to the effect, “S***, this is getting a bit close…. I’m getting out of here”……. ((Chickens,,,,, they weren’t used to salt spray in their face))….. I look at Bob and he’s listening to some really important stuff on the 1JV, holds up his index finger to put me off for a second and THEN we both feel the ship lean to starboard………. ‘OMG’ as they would say today…. We knew what had happened….. I’m out the door heading for Main Control with Bob close on my heels… Don’t know where he was heading…. Going up that first ladder was a bit disconcerting as it was leaning & swaying a bit…. So, I make it to Main Control…. fires lost in the forward fire room (stack crimped), they had cross-connected with aft but couldn’t get enough draft or air (stack ripped back at the main deck or O-1 level)…… FDB’s running at max to keep up the steam…. then comes Bob B. and his team of ship-fitters (wish I could remember the name of the PO-1, (Pryor, I think)….. and they put a block & tackle on the top of the stack to what was left of the after mast, pulled it forward and closed up the uptakes a bit so we could at least get a bit more draft for the boilers….. Other sheet metal patches on the intakes got us going, (cross connected on one boiler), 13 knots or so, and with normal hotel services as we then headed towards NORVA.” U.S.S. Decatur DD-936 Tribute

From the Bob Blakeley collection

The Independent: May 7, 1964

Damage inspected on 8 May 1964 Official Navy Photograph DD-936 -- From the Bob Blakeley collection

Damage inspected on 8 May 1964 Official Navy Photograph USS DECATUR: DD-936 / DDG-31

CLASS - FORREST SHERMAN As Built . Displacement 4619 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 418’ 6”(oa) x 44’ 11” x 15’ (Max) Armament 3 x 5”/54 DP (3x1), 4 x 3”/50 (2x2), 2 Hedghog ASW Mortars, 4 x 21” tt.(4x1) 6 x 12.75” Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3). Machinery, 70,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws Speed, 33 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 324. Operational and Building Data Laid down by , Quincy. September 13 1954. Launched December 15 1955 and commissioned December 7 1956. Reclassifed as Guided Missile Destroyer DDG-31 September 15 1966. Decommissioned June 30 1983. Stricken March 16 1988. Fate Former experimental self-defense test ship. Sunk as a target in RimPac 2004 by naval forces at 22 deg. 57’ 0.0” N, 159 deg. 55’ 6.0” W in 2,560 fathoms of water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commanding Officers of the DD-936

Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves, Ed Mountford and Alan Mehldau for the compilation

CDR John J. Skahill 7 December 1956 (Commissioned) - 1958 CDR Seymour Dombroff 1958 - 1959 CDR Alpine McLane 1959 - 1961 CDR Royal Thomas Daniel Jr. 1961 - 1963 CDR Thomas Booker 1963 - May 8 1964 CDR William Keith Mallinson May 8 1964 - Jun 16 1965 (Decommissioned Jun 16 1965 - Apr 28 1967)

Commanding Officers of the DDG-31

CDR Lee Baggett Jr. Apr 29 1967 (Commissioned) - Sep 14 1968 (Later ADM) CDR John Bishop Allen Sep 14 1968 - Jul 21 1970 CDR Sayre Archie Schwarztrauber Jul 21 1970 - Aug 14 1971 (Later RADM) CDR Thomas J. Burke Aug 14 1971 - Apr 20 1973 CDR Robert C. Hurd Apr 20 1973 - Apr 18 1975 CDR James Doran Korthe Apr 18 1975 - Mar 10 1977 CDR George Charles Chappell Mar 10 1977 - Jun 28 1979 CDR Gerald Leo Dunn Jun 28 1979 - Jul 10 1981 CDR Michael John Mills Jul 10 1981 - May 28 1983 CDR Robert G. Allee May 28 1983 - Jun 30 1983 (Decommissioned 30 June 1983) From the Brick Parrish Collection

Brick’s art from the 1958 Med Cruise Book EM2 Fred Stratton in Toulon, France Dry Dock --1960 From the Dennis Stark Collection 1961