/ I

USS STERETT (DLG-31) FPO SAN FRANCISCO 96601

DLG31/PRW:jbc 5750 Ser 003

28 February 1970 ~e~ (Unclassified upon removal of enclosure)

From: Comnanding Officer, USS STEREIT (DLG 31) To: Director of Naval History (OP-09B9), Washington Navy Yard

Washington , D.C. 20390

Subj : Command History for 1969 (OPNAV Report 5750-1); submissi on of

Ref: (a) OPNAVINST 5750.12A

Encl: (1) Corrmand History of USS STEREIT (DLG 31) for 1969

1. In accordance with reference (a), enclosure (1) is submitted. /

~1t~~( Copy to: CINCPACFLT

'

GP-4 Downgrade at 12-year intervals; Not automatically declassified.

CO~Y 1 OF 2 0( . .. ~ f -; _

USS SI'EREl'I' (DLG 31)

CCM>WID HISTORY 1969

OPNAV REPOR"f 5750-1

GP-4 Downgrade at l2-year Intervala; Not automatically dec1ass .lfled .

'::seRE'l'

""" I '"~ TABIE OF CONl'ENTS I

I Chronology (Confidential)

II Historical Narrative (Confidential)

III Documentary and Statistical Annex

A. Table: Performance Statistics B, Table: Ordnance Expended C, STEREIT 1012002 SEP 69 - Significant Achievements and

Employments (Confidential) D. Captain Claude L c TYlER: Biography and Pictures E. Enlisted Roster j 1 December 1969 F. Photogr-aph: USS STERETI' Underway in the Yellow Sea Following

the EC-121 Crisis G. Public Affairs Documents

1. MARCORPS Birthday - PRESREL 2-69 with photograph 2. Sneaker of Japanese House of Representatives Visits STERE':f'r

PRESRFL 4-69 .

" y 3. Presentation of Ens1g;n to Mt. Vernon H.S., Alexandria, ViT'f!;inia

a. PRESPEL 3-69 b. Navy Times I\rticle - 10 December 1969 c. Letter from Captam TYLER to Mt. Vernon High School

4. vJelcome Aboard Pamohlet 5. '1'1"0 I ::o~-;ues of.' "SfJ '.ERl-:-{.f'l' STI\R" - Ship' s ~'!el'lsnn.per

H. Sanroles o:' Int e Lllzence Collected 1. . STEREii 'I' 060232i NOV &9 - "SOVU:'J' O'JER17LJGlf.2" wlthr"hotograph

of AlJ:'craft At:. t.ached (Secret) ~2 . S :Lgr:~inp; ci' ;~ov ie t :VE1:SHIP SEJ:GEI YESErrm, SI1:EPET1' 310Ci55Z

ocr 69 and Photo Taken (Conf'Ldent i.a.L) 3. S:l.ghtinp.: of .' ~ovl{. t f.lliRSHIP NIKOLAY CHEI'NYSK ltI21'~I Y, STEHm T

04C)70:;ZHOV 69 eli j Phc.rl:;oi ' ;1~C1Dh t aken (ConndentjuJ.) r. 'I'echrrlcal , I nnovat.t onr. - Sl'Eht~;] Tl; ~! '7 0j 1 5 Z .JUN 69 (Secr-et )

DeLA SiHfD I CHRONCJlOOY

'( JAN - 27 JAN Assigned CTU 7/ 00 01 (SSS ) with COMDESRON THREE em­barked as 'Ionkjn Gulf' 3M Coordinator .cru n, O.0) f-iC- ( DE'l' ] 0 / \ CLf1\1 11 ) embarxed .

ASSJ.I~fled Ul'U '(/ ,0 ,1 (SSS ) with CO]v[)E':)KOl'~ l ',iREE em­barked as Tonkin Gulf .sAri Coordinator \ CTU n o0 0 0, Hc.,7 DEI' 108 (CLEl"i II j embarked ,

17 MAR - 23 f'ftAR SPECOPS with COMCARDLV THREE as C'TG 7100 in Sea of' J apan

16 APR - 21 APR SAR Operations in Sea of Japan following EC-121 Incident

22 APR - 26 APR Screen Commander for TG ILL~ on SPECOPS in Yellow Sea

27 APR - 14 MAY Assigned CTU 71.,0 04 (PARPRO Protection Picket)

25 MAY - 19 JON Assigned CTU 7700 01 (SS3) with COMDESRON THREE em­barked as Tonkin Gulf SAR Coordinator ecru 77. O.0) HC-7 DET 108 CLEM 11) embarked

9 JUL - 13 J'UL Assigned CTU 71 ,0 4 (PAffi)RO Protection Picket)0

21 J'UL - 1 AUG Assigned C'I'U 7700 02 ':PIRAZ) with COMDESRON THREE em­barked as Tonkin Gulf SAR Coordinator ecru 77.0 0 0 ) HC-7 DET 104 (CLEM 1) embarked

24 AUG - 5 SEP Ass lgned c..TU 7700 .2 (PI RAZ) with COMDESRON THREE em­barked as 'I onk tn Gulf SAR Coordinator ecru 77. 000 ) HCr-I DET 106 ~CLEM I ) embarked

11 SEP - 25 OCT PHA ; SAMID £ns t a l l at l on

31 ocr - 10 NOV Assigned CTU 11.0 40

3 DEC - 21 DEC Assigned CTU 71 00 ,4

Page 1 or 9 pages

I <: " "." .. ..,r "0I , " • ": 1- t ', o - ... __ • :.1 .l "'iii:.

II NARATIVE

(U) Throughout 1969 STEREIT has been under' the crrnmand of Captain

CLAUDE L, TYLER~ USNo As a unit of DESRON T!-{f{EE . t he dest royer squadr-on

perrranently deployed in WF.BTPAC , STERETr J.::, homeported irl w,,0suka ;, -Jaoan ,

(C) Intended t o operat.e of'I'ensd ve I v aga tn st air , sur-t'ac e , and suo-

surface threats as an independent uni t. or wi t.h st.r-tke , antisubmarine , or

amphibious Ior-ces , S'l£RETI' is de sl gr;ed t o per f orm the fo llowing fu nct. Jons :

10 To destroy aircraft a t medium r ange either alone or as par-t

of a coordinated AAW system ,

2 0 To detect and destroy s ubmar i nes alone or a s part of a

coordinated ASW system,

3, To des t x~y ships at close or medium range

40 Control aircraft ,

50 To perform and cooz-dmat.e sear-ch and rescue ,

6, To provide accomodat.Lons f or a unit commander and starr',

(C) STERE'IT has been aas .igneo :.. o two important anti-air war-ra re

stations in the Gulf of 'Tonki n dur ing the pa s t year ~ cru Tl . 0 ,1 (Strike

Support Ship) and CTU 7700, 2 (Posi t i ve Identification Radar Advisory

Zone or PlRAZ Ship ) o

(C) The function or t he Pl RAZ Ship is t o provide a rapid and

positive system for aircraft i dent ification in t he Gulf of Tonkin and

adjacent land areas , All friend l y air craft enter-ing , operating within,

and departing this area are tracked by the PlRAZ shi p to ensure identi ­

flcation of enemy aircraft and maint.ain a satisfactory anti-air warfare

Page C!. or 9 pages -BECfiElP

~ -<" ~ < >: .:',7": ;~T I~ ~ l t I

posture , 'rhe t) ~h AZ Ship {lat. on .~ y c. unduct s radar surveillance of this

ar-ea, but: at so pr-ov ~ .-j f' ~ :"!. T' i H?d navigat.tonat ref erence point for all

friend1;\; a tr-cra rt :\ 1 d Ie 2::RAZ ar,J pl ''',Y;:'de.5 AF.W prote ct ion r'or f r i end l y

rorces t hrougn t.h f: LJ ~ , f.- 0': J.":'. ;;, ' Yi.'Jn sur-r ar-e t o a : r mt s s.i i f: -: ,-;tuili t y and

control of ('l:'3 s j g n p j :.".t'.

'I'ne suppor-t pr-ovi-ted

object i ve , aerta , r'€ .n 'e ·: ~ .g, a3 :: J c:, t am~e . reat r-i.cr.ed a r r-space warrrings ,

BARCA? a nd M ~GGM' conc r-ol .. ana advi so ry con cr o.r of AECM aircraft , On a

typical r e i.:onnais san ~ e miss ion t he a t r cont r o l l ers on the SSS might

vector the r-econna: s .san ce aircra ft to heIr obj ect i ve ~ ass.ist in rej oin-

Ing separated a i r-cr af't , a s sis t ~n che mam r.enance of pr oper separation

between I'LI ght s , and et.eer- the aiL"cra:t c t.o " he parent eVA" Both the

PJRAZ and ::5SS have Key ro.les :~r. 1n1t l at ing and suppor-t mg SAR efforts ,

During ~ Af{ i nc i dent s i n the ~h~ i. 1 I ne s e ships per form che task of co llect­

ing and evaruat.mg a., J. .int orma . 1.00 l>el at.l.ng t o the incident and transmitt­

inp; this Inromat i.on to embar-ked he licopt e r s to as s i s t them in locating

and recovering t he pi l ot ,

( e) In addi t ion t o ches e Gul f' of Tonkin Assignments S'I'ERE'IT has

been assigned t o c:ru 'IL Q " ij in he 3ea 0 1' J apan , 'l'he primary task or

CTU 71 00 c~ i 5 t o pr ote _t PfJWRO {Pea: et ime Aer i al Reconnaissance Program;

flights in the Sea of J apan fY-uITi rurtner No!'"CtJ Korean attack, In this

capac ity ~he PARPRO pi c ket ship cont ro s BARCA? and ot her aircraft

Fage 3 of 9 pages

sucpor-t ing the PAHr'H.O ml.asIons ,

tC j During the first t.wo months of 19b5) S'l'EHE'lT served two line

per-iods as l.,"TU if " 0 .. L r n Ma rch t he ship was t r ansferred to the .sea of

,Japan ~ serving wi01'1 COMCAHDIV 'I'HRE1'; as 0'1':; IJ ·, t.J Dl.~I'.ing ":;hese oper-a­

clans • .'3 1'EhET.l. ,m:1S a ·1 ad vance AAW pi cket r or- nss RANGER ( CVA- Gl ,

SU,.ces s ful Ior-ce FMCON was ernp Ioved a ;:, a (1.e , ~ep t,l ·v e t.ac t i c ,

(C) Wi th the downing of the H> · ': t by the Nor t h Koreans on

16 Apr-rl , S'I'Effi<:'IT was orde red Unde i Wi'i,V on snor-t nor.t ee t o oecome flag­

ship 01 a t'our- ship ,:3Ah t ask urn t in t he SeA ,';t' , j aoan . 'The same unit

succeasful .iv r-ecovered t wo borheH and ma,I OY' de ar :L: f r om t.hp downed air­

craft _. During 'the ensuing special car-r-i er- s oec ia.t carrier task force

ooerat.Ions in the Korean area . I rwo i v.t ng du srn ns , STEffi-;'l 'r par-t .tc tpat.ed

as sc reen ccmnander- t or 'I'F ;' ~ 'J 'i'm s task ior-ce Incl uded USS ENTER­

PRI!.E , c VAN- 65 . (j~.s R !-\N\'J ~, \' ; :.G'Jf\=-6 L: ., USS 'l 'J.U :,N[ IER0 11-I , Cil.',,-14 J I USS

HORNf:J' (,CVA~l ) .. iX;S tl F::,j ,; r:n :i;: · . ) r ~ : _ , -· · : _ s c,l\ l ,j, ~; ( ;i\';j i :." ; '1' / \ C1G~ l» ) '1

America' s r'f~ SOI ;'p r c C1':'1'.(.o: '" : ' ,1 ' : , ,,c ~ ' t"0.!+.( J t i :!pJY:S I n t he Sen. of ,japan

With her" advanced a rr- :.:'CP t.'n ; C: "' . ;>1 ~ )j u t ie ~:; , ;H f':ri.~; ~ ' J' ::ame t o playa

ke,v ro r e i n r:hls e f'fQl""~ l;n ) " Apr' , :. ,-';'lEkf<n 'l' a s s umed duties as the

first .f:-ARPRU t-'!'C't.ect l on pjr'K:et i n t he Sea of J apan During the period

27 Apr-iI - 14 ~;ay 'i S'l'ffiE'JT !3 t.lc :_~e ;)s:U L 1 :{ control l ed PARPRO missions

and 1\] r Force HARGi\P deployed to cr-oi.ect t he rms s .ton atrcrart

"" ~ ~iJ SS i FIED ~ STEFEIT returned to the Sea of J apan ::15 C- ,J 7L O, L! from 9 ~ 13 JJ??~~~~ [; D

(C) On SSS picke t assignment !lrom 25 May to 19 June ~ STERETT made

signi t'lcant cont !'lbur.lons to'communi cat i ons 'and ' NTDS techni ques i n t hE'

Gul f' . As a sub s r-Lber- station on tne Ai l' Force/Navy seep _ WI!' Cross ­

te l net dur i ng nhis per-i , S'l 'FRF..Tr achieved reliable l ong r ange s e,'::) :'"

voice communi cattons througj ~ .r adi.o r e l ay aircraft . On 5 June srrEffi':Tr

was made TF' 77 NTDS gri d1nck re fe r.en~e ship becau se of the precise

navigational data avai lable at t he SSS stat 1ar . 'I'hi s a-~ tion s ignificantly

improved NTDS track navigational accur acy , c.;, j une 13 STERErI' r-ece.i v ed

the NI'DS SEASlA program, Succe ss fu l I Oli, hour l ink 11 operations wit.n

MARAIRCONRON 8 usmg the SEASI A program was accanplished on 19 June 0

( C) Fran July to September STERE'1T served two line periods as the

Tonkin Gulf PIRAZ &1i p \CTU 77 , 00 2 ' 0 During these PIRAZ assignments

S'I'ERETI' "flight followed " air-launched drone reconnaissance vechicles

S'I'ERE.."'IT's ut'ilization of' NTDS "assumed f'rlend\' symbology sim!)l1f1ed the

task of controlling and monitoring these nuss.tons • S'I'EREI'I' also employed

the data extraction capability 01" the SEASI A BVP program sucessfully

during drone reconnaissance missions and suspected over flights of NVN

territory 'l"his data extraction capability provided more comprehensive0

reconstruction capability than was pre I ous l y avai.lable with t he Link

14 printout ,

( C) Returning to Yokosuka on 11 September ; STERETr corrmenced a plan­

ned restricted availability lasting until 28 Oc ober for installation of

the Ship!s Anti-Missile Intergr.-ated Defense Sy ~ t ;~SAMID) , standard

Page 5 of ' 9 pages

qr~~

ml.ssf.ie system, and combat system rrodtf'Lcataons , This advanced system,

~'1hich includes chaff rocket launchers ard special advanced capabil1ties

Cor the M1<5? m~ filCS Radar, has vastly increased STEREIT 's abllity for

self-defense against Soviet ant i-shipping ; ~ Y'ut s e missiles , Concurrent ly

with SAMID, STERrTIT received the Dynamic Modular Replacement NroS orogram

for testi~ and evaluationo

(C) Following this shipyard period Slli'REIT again deployed to

the Sea of Japan as CTU 71. O. 4. On station from 30 October to 10 Povember,

the ship controlled USA}' 3l4th Air Division F-I06's for successful

intercepts of Soviet Badger aircraft. In coordtnatton with the 314th Air

Division Osan Air Base, STERE'IT participated in an air defense exercise ()[;

4 November in which all SAMrD systems were successfully reflexed ~ainst

Air Force F-4 t s (simulating ASM threats).

(C) Returning to Yokosuka to on-load standard Missiles and embark

NSIVJSKS personnel for the Standard Systems Acceptance Test, S'l'ERE'IT was

underway on H November for an exercise firing of two Standard Missiles

on the Okinawa firing range. S'I'EHETr returned to Yokosuka on 24 NovP.mber

and completed an ORI conducted by Canrnander Destroyer Squadron THREE.

(C) The ship resumed PARPRO picket duties on 3 December, remaining

on stat.ton until 20 December. During this line per-Iod ~TER;"'~~ controlled

four PARPRO missions and BARCAP associated with them. Air Force aircraft

under S'I'EREIT positive control intercepted eight Soviet Badger aircraft.

From 10 - 12 December STERETT, in addition to her duties as CTU 71.0.4,

served as an advanced picket for CORAL SEA and the remainder of TG 71.0.

Pa~e 6 of 9 Pages

,... ..-~ r. ~ ,- ..., "'. ~ "'!:'" ~

, "1 , ,.

i -...~.j ".j \ 1:, ~

- . - ;[ .. . 'l'his grouo consisted or eleven shi.ps and "";i" S en gaged in exercf.se

against South Korean t arF-r,et s