| The Missile Division, or
also known as 2nd Division and GM Division, was
operational on USS Leahy (DLG-16) as a component of the ships
Weapons Department, which during it's lifetime, was made up of approximately
11-27
men, including the division officer.
The majority rating assigned
to the division was the GMM (Gunners Mate - Missiles) rating and
the FTM (Fire Controlman - Missile) rating, of which 18-20 were
GMM's and the remaining 6-7 were FTM's. At commissioning,
the MT rating was assigned to Missile Division, along with the
GMM rate and in 1965, the MT's were replaced by the FTM's.
The GMM's were
responsible for the operation and maintenance of all the
equipment involved in the forward and aft missile houses,
including the forward and aft Terrier Mk-10 launchers and both
missile magazines, holding 40 missiles each.
The missile testing
functions (AN/DSM-54 Guided Missile Test Set and Radar Test Set
AN/SPM-9), both forward and aft, were the responsibility of the
FTM's, which also included an onboard telemetry station, in the
aft missile house (AN-SKQ-1). The FTM rating was eliminated from
the Division prior to 1974.
The Leahy was my third
duty station - my first being USS Saratoga (CVA-60) and my
previous to Leahy, Polaris Missile Facility - Atlantic. I reported
aboard Leahy in November 1966 while she was in a de-commissioned
status at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.
Leahy was re-commissioned
on 4 May 1968.
Leaving Philadelphia on 18 August, she arrived at her new home
port, Norfolk, VA 3 days later. Leahy joined DESRON 18 on 4 May,
and continued the process of sharpening her expanded
capabilities, into 1969.
At 1125 hours
on 25 July Leahy departs Norfolk, VA to commence Operation
UNITAS X, under the command of Rear Admiral James A. Dare, the
Commander South Atlantic Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, in an
exercise that would involve elements of South American navies.
Leahy returned to Norfolk, VA on 10 December 1969.
My time on Leahy would
last until May 1970, where-upon I was honorably discharged from
the US Navy.
Being a
part of the USS Leahy's Missile Division from 1967-1970 was one
of my most memorable Navy experiences -
GREAT
ship and
GREAT
Missile
Division
shipmates.
This
web site represents a small period of time, in which I was part
of Missile Division - this page
is dedicated to
all
the Missile Division shipmates who served aboard USS Leahy.
|
