T H E BRIGHT PENNY

December 2000 A NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF THE USS BERKELEY (DDG -15) ASSOCIATION A great reunion turnout!

A grand time was had by all. Our year 2000 reunion is now history but the memories will X.O. IN THE SPOTLIGHT continue on as many of the crew met fo r the Commander Jerry A. Rudd, who hails first time since leaving the ship. One hundred from Alexandria, Minnesota, began his and eighteen crewmembers, wives and guests naval career in September 1969 as a were in attendance for the even t. Among the Regular NROTC Mids hipman at the crew were twelve plankowners, several University of Minnesota. In the spring of attending their first reunion. The hospitality 1970, he received a Secretary of the room was well stocked for refr eshments and a Navy appointment to the U.S. Naval place to gather to exchange the usual sea Academy and subsequently graduated in stories. Friday night all hands met for a casual June of 1974 with a B.Sc. Degree in welcome reception with hot and cold hors d’ Systems Engineering. oeuvres and refreshments. The Saturday night Following graduation, CDR Rud d banquet dinner included four hours of music attended the Navy Nuclear Propulsion and dancing. A p hotographer was present for School, finishing the course of study in the entire evening for personal and group July 1975. He then reported for sea pictures processed on the spot. duty aboard USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9), A donation pot was set up to collect money in San Diego, CA and served as “R” and for the ongoing project to save the ex -USS then “M” Division Officer. During this CHARLES F. ADAMS (DDG -2) as a museum tour, he qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer, EOOW and made two WestPac ship in Bay City, Michigan. The crew voted to deployments. have the Association Treasury donate In March 1979, following completion matching funds. One hundred and ten dollars of the Department Head Cour se at CDR Jerry A. Rudd was contributed and a check for $220 has been Newport, RI, CDR Rudd reported for duty mailed to the “Save the C.F. Adams” drive. as the Operations Officer aboard USS afloat operational staffs. He first Jim Barrett gave a OUELLET (FF 1077), in Pearl Harbor, HI. served as the Fleet Exercises Officer on short overview on CDR Rudd completed his third WestPac the staff of Commander Third Fleet, the new Arleigh deployment aboard OUELLET. Duty embarked in US S CORONADO (AGF -11) Burke DDG’s and ashore at the U. S. Naval Academy then and then as the Force Readiness and told of his recent at - followed, where he serv ed as the Fifth Training Officer, CTF 70/CCG -5, sea experience while Company Officer. embarked aboard USS accompanied by his In July 1983, he returned to sea INDEPENDENCE, operat ing out of wife, Elaine, as duty as the DCA aboard USS LONG , Japan. Duty aboard INDY guests of CDR BEACH (CGN 9). He made his fourth included two deployments to the Dennis O’Meara aboard the USS Paul WestPac deployment aboard LONG in support of operation Hamilton (DDG -60) during a four -day family BEACH. His tour of duty marked over Southern Watc h. Between these tours cruise to Maui. At the conclusion he was five years of service aboard that fine of sea duty, CDR Rudd was posted to Cruiser. Subic Bay, RP, as the Force Operations presented with an appreciation plaque b y In February 1986, he reported for Officer on the staff of CTF 7 3/75. He, plankowner Louis Clark. In the center of the duty as XO of BERKELEY. During his and his family, were some of the last plaque is a very large bright penny. service aboard BERKELEY, he completed Americans to depart the Subic Bay The watch has been relieved his fifth WestPac deplo yment. This Naval Base following the American During the business meeting at the reunion deployment was somewhat unique. At Navy’s expu lsion from that country. GMM3 Ray Bartlett (63 -66) stepped forward that time, most deploying ships made a Commander Rudd retired from and offered to take course directly to the Persian Gulf. active Naval Service in 1994. He is over the BERKELEY enjoyed a true WestPac married to Dee A. Raaz, of administrative duties cruise, as a task element in CTG 75.1, Sunnymeade, CA. They and two of of the Association. engaging in numerous bilateral naval their three daughters reside in Both Ray and his exercises. . Chesapeake, VA. Their eldest daughter wife, Donna, are In Nov ember 1987, CDR Rudd is a student at Radford University in reported for duty as an instructor at the enthusiastic about Radford, VA. Currently, Jerry is a Senior Officer Ships Material Readiness senior engineer employed by the carrying forth the on - Course (SOSMRC) in Newport, RI. In Newport News Shipbuilding Company, going building of the 1989, he returned to sea duty with in Newport News, VA. membership. Th ey bring with them a lot of computer and Internet experience, which was a prime requisite in taking this job. Ray and Donna sp ent a weekend with us and completed the transfer of records, Berkeley history, inventory and funds. For now I will continue mai ntenance of the Web site and publish the newsletter until that duty can be passed on. . I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members who have given me so much support and encouragement over the past fifteen years. The rewards are many a nd it has been enjoyable meeting so many people that served in Berkeley during her thirty years of service. The camaraderie that was forged aboard ship continues on today and the recent reunion gave me extreme pleasure observing so many people taking a ste p back in time and recounting some of their fondest memories. Plankowners L -R: GMM1 Lou Clark, EM1 George Kohn, ICC Dale Nielsen, FTM2 Charles Davis, LT That is what it is all about so let’s get behind Eugene Chicoine, MM1 Francis Almeida, FTM1 James Billups, MMCS Duane LeDoux, LCDR Ted Ray and help to m ake this organization grow. Petersen, LTJG Richard Wallace, CWO4 Joe Walker and GMG3 Robert Ferrier. To a great ship and a great crew, thank you. Jim Barrett The Bright Penny - December 2000 Page 2

USS BERKELEY ASSOCIATION Regionalization mail capability to exchange information and P.O. Box 267 perform their duties. Managers will be Claremont, CA 91711-0267 During our turnover Ray and I discussed expected to provide regular input to the Brig ht 909-920-3497 at length a plan that has been on the shelf to Penny newsletter reporting on the activity in E Mail: [email protected] shift some of the respo nsibility of our their area. You are encouraged to consider Website: www.USSBerk eley.com growing Association. We have a organizing regional mini reunions to bring Biennial Dues: $10.00 tremendous number of crewmembers that people together, especially potential new Association Manager: Ray Bartlett have visited our Web site who did not members. If you can create some excitement respond to our mailing to become dues Editor: CDR Jim Barrett (Ret) at the regional level, the attendan ce at our all paying members. The answer seems to be to hands reunions will increase significantly. It is set up six regions with managers to assist BERKELEY HISTORY too early to think about regional contests, but Ray i n following up on these visitors to get DECEMBER the seed is plan ted anyway. Expenses should them on board. First, we need to have be minimal since most activity will be via e - 30 Years Ago members come forward and become mail. However, to offset expenses regional regional managers. You will be provided managers wil l be exempt from paying dues. 1-8, Tender Availability, Long Beach. 9-10, with complete listings by area of current Type Training. 14 -15, Weapons off -load, Sea l This is an opportunity for those who want to members and non -members that we have contribute some time to build the membership Beach. 15 -17, Type Training. 18 -31, Holiday address information. This is your chance to of th e Association. It can be both exciting and leave and upkeep. CDR John F. Frost, III. is become a recruiter and sell the positive gratifying to make contact with another the Commanding Officer. aspects of the Association to these potential Berkeley sailor and to ultimately bring him o n 20 Years Ago members. When we have a visitor to the board. Our Web site has proven there are Web site Ray will respond by sending out people out there looking for us. If you would 1-9, Inport, San Diego. 10 -16, Underway the normal membership application packet like to be a regional manager send an e -mail to SoCal OpAreas – READIEX 1 -81. 17 -31, and will include a letter advi sing the visitor Ray and tell him you are available. Editor Inport, San Diego. CDR Kenneth R. Sydow who his regional representative is. note: JOC Ron Ostarello and RD2 Dale is the C ommanding Officer. Additionally, Ray will readdress the Web Johnson have volunteered to be the Sout hwest 10 Years Ago site visit message to the regional manager to and Northeast Regional Managers provide advance information on the visitor. respectively. We only need four more so let’s 1-31, Inport San Diego. Maintenance Regional Managers will need to have e - get this project as soon as possible. availability, holiday leave period. CDR Ronald R. Peterma n is the Commanding Officer.

Northwest Farewell to a sister and Alaska Ex -USS BUCHANAN (DDG -14) North slipped beneath the waves following Central weapons exerci ses during Fleet Exercise RIMPAC 2000. She took a relentless Northeast pounding with Hellfire missiles fired Southwest from SH -60 LAMPS helos, Harpo on and missiles from RAAF F -111’s and U.S. P - 3 aircraft, and she was also hit with a 2000 lb laser guided GBU -24 bomb. The South Central Southeast USS BUFFA LO (SSN -715) was to have delivered the coup de grace with a MK - 48 torpedo, but it malfunctioned. Buchanan stayed afloat all nigh t. The following morning an EOD team placed charges on board and she sank off the Northwest coast of Kauai. Among Interesting Reading other targ et hulks sunk during the week HS Themistoklis 23 July 2000 The Yard by Michael S. Sanders. The was the ex -USS WORDEN (CG -18). Since our last correspondence from Alexandria building of the USS Donald Cook (DDG - port, the ship sailed to Taranto (IT) with the rest Source: Robert J. Burnz, FTMC, USN 75) at Bath Ironworks Shipyard, Ba th, of the STANAVFORMED where it berthed for (Ret) Maine. From laying the keel to the 15 days before participating in exercise R. Burnz is employed by th e Pacific launching and commissioning, learn DYNAMIC MIX 2000 from 20 May to 3 June. Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, about the complexities that go into the D YNAMIC MIX 2000 was a rather interesting Kauai exercise for me and my crew as it is the greatest building a new Guided Missile . in intenseness and participation NATO exercise Lots of information on the engineering in the Mediterranean. Valuable experience was plant, weapons systems and stealth acquired since every warfare aspect was characteristics that are bu ilt into the exercised. Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke Class After a short in po rt period in Palermo (IT), we DDG’s. Hardback ISBN 0 -06 -019246 -1 transited to Odessa (UKR) to take part in exercise COOPERATIVE PARTNER 2000 in Web site for all Adams Class DDG’s the Black Sea until the 1st of July. Following www.Charle sfadamsclass.com Odessa port visit, STANAVFORMED sailed to Constantinople (TU) while THEMISTOKLIS U.S. Navy Web site – hundreds of links was detached to sai l to Thessaloniki (GR). www.navy.mil Photos from CinCPacFlt Web site Finally, as the last port visit of a rather interesting SNFM deployment, we arrived at Marseilles on the 20th of July and we are to depart for Salamis Naval Base of the 25th where the ship will turn over SNFM duties to HS SPETSAI . As Commanding Officer, CDR G. KARAVITIS HN will relieve me upon arrival in Salamis Naval Base. CDR Karavitis served as COMNA VSOUTHs Staff Officer for the last Please note the new e -mail address, two years. I am sure he will take as much mailing address and telephone pleasure commanding this ship as I did for the number for the Association listed in last two years. the masthead. Best regards, CDR S. KOUVARIS HN