Gary E. Bowman
[email protected]
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Hello Richard,
My name is Gary Bowman.
I served on the Mckean from Dec. 1959 to Sept. 1963.
I was a Deck Ape, Snipe BT and a QMSN .
We made three trips to westpac during that time.
I have a Desron 13 patch, two cruise books, my boot
camp annual and one org. white hat from boot.
Would like to hear from you. Did they fram the old ship?
Was it air cond. an all when U were on it?
I am 56 Years of age and retired from the fire service.
I guess you and my friend Ernie made contact.
write me and we will talk about our navy exp.
Gary E. Bowman E-Mail [email protected]
or [email protected] (my internet provider).
Sunday Feb. 16, 1997 1701 Hrs.
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Hello Gary and yep they FRAM'd the old girl and I have always regretted
what they did because I never was able to sail on what I considered a
"classic" ship. I can't say that I ever regretted the air conditioning
though, except that when they put sonar behind CIC they also put both
spaces on the same thermostat. CIC, being filled with those big space
heaters known as repeaters, was always comfortable while in sonar we
froze our transducers off. In Philippine waters with the temp and
humidity what you would expect in that latitude, we would get some fairly
odd looks as we went on watch wearing P-coats.
I am looking forward to hearing about life aboard the Gearings when they
had classic lines (and they weren't burdened with that huge useless DASH
hanger and deck). See if you can get some pictures scanned but let me
know if you need any advice or help.
Rich
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Hello Rich,
Here is the info. on the history as found in the Westpac cruise
book we made in early 1962. We departed Long Beach on Jan. 6 th.
1962 and returned to the states July 19, 1962.
Some McKean cruise facts from the 1962 cruise:
WE
steamed 50,299 miles
Rich let me know if you rec. the attachment on the history
this is my first attempt at this sort of thing.
Thanks for a fine service I am really enjoying this.
Gary
Attachment Converted: c:\eudora\attach\1DOC~1.rtf
U S S McKEAN DDR 784
SHIP'S HISTORY
Built by Todd Pacific Shipbuilding Company of Seattle, Washington, the
USS McKean (DDR784)
was first commissioned on June 9, 1945, too late to see action in World
War II. Second ship of the fleet to
bear the name, she was christened in honor of Commodore William Wister
McKean, commander of the
Federal Gulf Squadron during the Civil War.
Upon joining the fleet in the autumm of 1945, her first duty was a three
month tour as a unit of the
occupation forces in the Far East. Since then until the outbreak of the
Korean War, she engaged in
routine training and patrol operations. During this time she completed two
additional tours of duty in
the Western Pacific. In two consecutive years, 1948 and 1949, she was
awarded the Battle Efficiency
Pennant, a distinction shared by but one other destroyer in the
Pacific Fleet.
In August of 1950, the McKean joined Task Force 77 off Korea in her first
assignment to a
combatant unit. While a member of this organization, she participated in
the Inchon landing, and later,
while steaming independently, she discovered off the Chinnanpo
Built by Todd Pacific Shipbuilding Company of Seattle, Washington, the
USS McKean (DDR 784)
was first commissioned on June 9, 1945, too late to see action in World
War II. Second ship of the fleet to
bear the name, she was christened in honor of Commodore William Wister
McKean, commander of the
Federal Gulf Squadron during the Civil War.
Upon joining the fleet in the autumm of 1945, her first duty was a three
month tour as a unit of the
occupation forces in the Far East. Since then until the outbreak of the
Korean War, she engaged in
routine training and patrol operations. During this time she completed two
additional tours of duty in
the Western Pacific. In two consecutive years, 1948 and 1949, she was
awarded the Battle Efficiency
Pennant, a distinction shared by but one other destroyer in the Pacific
Fleet.
In August of 1950, the McKean joined Task Force 77 off Korea in her first
assignment to a
combatant unit. While a member of this organization, she participated in
the Inchon landing, and later,
while steaming independently, she discovered off the Chinnanpo River the
first of many minefields
reported later during the Korean War.
From October, 1950 until January 1951, the McKean served on patrol in the
Taiwan Strait. Following
these patrols she returned briefly to Task Force 77, then joined Task
Force 95 for a series of shore
bombardment and blockade operations in Wansan, Songjin and Chinjon.
In April, 1951, she returned home for leave, upkeep, and training. On 30
June, 1952, she was decomm
issioned at Long Beach Naval Shipyard for modernization, refitting, and
conversion to a Rader Picket
Destroyer.
Her recommissioning as DDR took place on 2 March, 1953. Upon completion
of sea trials and under
way training, she was assigned to Destroyer Division 131, with which she
joined Task Force 77 off Korea
in June. While on this patrol she earned commendatory mention in the
reports of the Task Force Commander
for her excellent performance of duty.
In March and April of 1955, while operating from her home-port of Long
Beach, California, she participated
in operation Wigwam ( an underwater atomic test ) off the coast of
California, during which her performance
was commended in the reports of Commander Task Unit 7.3.3.
In August, 1955, she once again received the Battle Efficiency Pennant;
and on her 1956 cruise, enroute
to Singapore, Malaya, she crossed the Equator for the first time in her
career.
The past few years have seen the McKEAN fulfilling well the variety of
missions and task assigned to
ships of her type. Deployments to Australia and WESTPAC, and a major
overhaul and extensive
modernization in Long Beach bring her history up to date as of September
1963.
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