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Bright Penny T H E BRIGHT PENNY December 1998 A NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF THE USS BERKELEY (DDG-15) ASSOCIATION A new mission for the former USS HOEL (DDG-13) Today the ex-USS HOEL is providing 50 megawatts of electrical power to the city of SKIPPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT Manaus, Brazil, located about 1,000 miles up the Amazon River. The ship was Captain Dickman is a native of Dunsmuir, California and now resides delivered to it’s new home in the Fall of with his wife in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 1997. Ex-HOEL is the first of several Following graduation from the U.S. stricken Adams Class DDG’s purchased at Naval Academy in 1953 he served tours a cost of $46,000 by the Florida Crushed of duty on the USS WEDDERBURN (DD- Stone Company in Leesburg, Florida to be 684), USS JEFFERSON COUNTY (LST- converted into floating electrical platforms. 845) and the staff of Amphibious Operational Training Unit, Pacific. He The actual conversion took place in next attended the U.S. Naval Charleston, South Carolina where the Postgraduate School at Monterey, CA. weapons systems, topside superstructure He then reported to the Pre-Com Detail and propellers were removed. The two and as engineering officer of the USS stacks are new construction. And, the final JOHN KING (DDG-3). Subsequent tours displacement was reduced from 4,500 to included instructor duty at the Naval Destroyer School, Newport, RI, 3,370 tons. Executive Officer of USS ROBISON In the engineering plant the dual 35,000 (DDG-12), Engineering Officer of USS hp propulsion systems drive two electrical INTREPID (CV-11), staff assignments at generators providing a net available output OPNAV and NAVESEASYSCOM. of 50 MW of electrical power. The four Captain Dickman served as boilers continue to provide steam to the Commanding Officer of USS BERKELEY (DDG-15) from June 1971 to October two steam turbines. The output from each 1972, at a time when the ship was turbine is combined through new gear heavily engaged in the Viet Nam boxes which reduce the turbine output conflict. During this period the ship speed to 1800 rpm to drive the 30 MW participated in numerous Linebacker generators and optional 1500 rpm gear- Operations, shore bombardment Captain Jerry A. Dickman boxes can be installed for 50hz users. The assignments and as part of surface strike forces into Vingh Harbor and CINCLANT Staff as Special Assistant for two generators are connected to a step-up Haiphong Harbor during mining the Caribbean Area Security Assistance transformer mounted on the fantail. operations. Program. Following retirement from the New extensive computerized controls Prior to taking command of the USS U.S. Navy in 1983 he worked for Q.E.D. have been installed to control the boilers, REEVES (CG-24), Captain Dickman was Systems in ship repair and overhaul turbines, generators and power output. All assigned as the senior member of the projects. computer controls are linked by fiberoptic Atlantic Fleet 1200psi Propulsion Captain Dickman’s awards include the Examining Board. Following command Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with combat cable to a modern central control operating of USS Reeves he served as ACOS for device and two gold stars, Navy system located in one of the former crew Command and Control at Operational Commendation Medal, Combat Action living compartments. Test and Evaluation Force. For his final Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation (two awards), The company is also in possession of ex- tour of duty he was assigned to Meritorious Service Medal and various USS HENRY B. WILSON (DDG-7), ex- campaign ribbons. USS LYNDE McCORMICK (DDG-8), ex- e-mail, and the large combatants are up USS TOWERS (DDG-9) and ex-USS E-mail and the fleet most of the time. In many cases an ROBISON (DDG-12). Nothing has brought families closer exchange of information in a couple of Recent correspondence with the Florida during deployments than the availability hours is not uncommon. Never before Crushed Stone Co. indicate they are having of e-mail to our men and women have our sailors been so far away, yet so second thoughts about future conversions. at sea. The past experience of close in contact with home. In the past an After acquiring the ships it was determined exchanging regular mail urgent communication had to be they have an excessive number of unsound usually took two to accomplished using Class Easy messages component parts, e.g., boiler tubes, turbine three weeks for one via the ship/shore communications rotors, steam pipes, etc. So far ex-HOEL spouse to send a letter system, and you had to pay for it. Today, has not yet proven to be economical. At and finally receive an most ships preparing for deployment present ex-ROBISON is being stripped for answer back. E-mail has changed all include PC workstations just for sending that. Our smaller ships at sea log on personal e-mail. Shipboard morale has (Continued on page 2) once or twice daily to send and receive Improved significantly with this new Continued on page 2 The Bright Penny - December 1998 Page 2 USS BERKELEY ASSOCIATION USS HOEL (DDG-13) E-mail and the fleet P.O. Box 700715 spare parts and the hull is destined to communications feature. During a recent San Jose, California become an underwater reef off the coast six-month deployment the carrier John F. 95170-0715 of South Carolina. The superstructures Kennedy logged 2.2 million e-mail 408-996-7035 of ex-McCORMICK and ex-WILSON messages. E Mail: [email protected] Website: have been removed and scrapped and Another advantage of e-mail is that our www.USSBerkeley.com the ultimate fate of these two ships is sailors are now able to have rapid Biennial Dues: $10.00 undetermined. Most of the super- communications with their detailers, then Editor: CDR Jim Barrett (Ret) structure of ex-TOWERS is still intact discuss options with their spouse at home and discussions are underway with and e-mail the detailer back with a BERKELEY HISTORY several companies to make the ship decision, often within 24 hours. No more available as a movie backdrop. worry about the time zone differences DECEMBER Several of our Association members and long distance telephone calls. Soon 30 Years Ago have past affiliations with these ships. sailors will be submitting duty preference HOEL: Capt. Brian Young (Ret), C.O. forms using pop-up menus via e-mail. 1-2, Enroute to Subic Bay. 2, Inport Aug 1983 to Dec 1985; Capt. Robert Correspondence courses with stateside Subic Bay. 3-6, Enroute to Guam. 6, Reighley (Ret), X.O. McCORMICK: colleges are being conducted with Inport Guam. 7-13, Enroute to Pearl CDR Fred J. Mallgrave III (Ret), C.O. lessons and homework exchanged via e- Harbor. 14, Inport Pearl Harbor. 15-20, Jan 1990 to Jun 1991; Capt. Jack mail, and testing too. Advance Enroute to Long Beach. 20-31, Upkeep Helmann (Ret), X.O. WILSON: Capt. arrangements for a proctor is set up and Long Beach. CDR Thomas M. Ward, Jr. Coenraad Van der Schroeff (Ret) C.O. the test is e-mailed to the ship. is the Commanding Officer Aug 1981 to Sep 1983; Capt. Charles Security still remains a concern and 20 Years Ago Girvin (Ret), Fire Control Officer. crews are frequently given refresher ROBISON: Capt. Jerry Dickman (Ret), courses on what information is not 1-3, Inport San Diego. 4, Training & X.O. appropriate such as the ship’s location Readiness Evaluation (TRE) for ASW. 5, and intended movement. In most ships TRE for Weps & Ops. 6-7, Inport San USS BERKELEY WEB SITE messages are scanned by senior Diego. 8, Underway for bumber drills. personnel to make sure operational TRE for DC & Eng. 9-10, Inport San IS UP AND RUNNING. information is not being released. Diego. 11-15, Underway for plane guard Visit the new Web site at http://www. Outgoing e-mail is stored and then duty. 16-17, Inport San Diego. 18-21, USSBerkeley.com. Comments and transmitted in a burst according to a Inport San Diego (TYCOM 3-M In- suggestions are welcome. Just log in schedule. E-mail is definitely making a spection. 22-31, Inport San Diego. CDR at the quarterdeck and fill in the difference in fleet morale today. Kenneth R. Sydow is the Commanding information. Officer. Berkeley Internet News 10 Years Ago For members who do not have access During the first eleven months of this to the internet this is a brief description year the DDGBerk e-mail box has 1-5, Inport San Diego. 5-8, Underway of the Web site. It consists of eight SoCal OpArea. 8-9, Inport San Diego. 9, received 336 messages and sent 220. basic pages. The Home Page identifies The new USSBerkeley.com Web site Weapons offload, North Island. 9-12, the USS Berkeley site and contains a Guest ship duty, Broadway Pier, San has been visited 167 times since photo of the ship. Page two is the activation on 13 October 1998. Diego. 12-16, Underway, NGFS. 16-31, history of the ship listing where it was Inport San Diego. CDR Charles R. When the new Web site was announced built and the dates the keel was laid, the Girvin III is the Commanding Officer. to the membership, ten e-mail addresses launching, commissioning, decommis- were rejected as invalid. If you change sioning and final disposition. A second your e-mail address, please advise. history page lists what Berkeley did If you have an e-mail address and it’s during her 30 years of service and the not listed in the new roster, send a Admiral Dennis C.
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