DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62)

FPO AP 96665-1200 IN REPLY REFER TO:

From: Con~mandingO f f i c e r , USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62)

TO: D i r e c t o r of Naval H i s t o r y , Washington, DC 20374

Subj : SUBMISSION OF COMMAND HISTORY

Ref: ( a ) OPNAVINST 5750.12F

Encl : ( 1) USS FITZGERALD Command H i storylMa j o r Events Cal endar Year 1996
(2) Welconie Aboard Pamphlet

1. Enclosures (1) and (2) are submitted i n accordance w i t h reference

(a).

G. M. HOLST

Copy t o :
CINCPACFLT
COMNAVSURFPAC
COMDESRON TWO THREE
 COMMAND HISTORY
USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62)
CALENDAR YEAR 1996

1. Command H i s t o r y and Organization

The mission o f USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62) i s t o conduct prompt, sustained

combat operations a t sea, i n support o f U.S. national p o l i c y . She i s
equipped t o operate i n a high density, m u l t i - t h r e a t environment as an
i n t e g r a l member o f a c a r r i e r b a t t l e group, surface a c t i o n group o r
underway replenishment group. I n a d d i t i o n t o her own s e l f defense
capabi 1it i e s i n a n t i - a i r warfare (MW), under sea warfare (USW) , surface
warfare (SUN) , FITZGERALD can e f f e c t i v e l y provide 1ocal area p r o t e c t i o n
t o t h e b a t t l e group, surface a c t i o n group and other ships.

USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62) i s home ported i n San Diego. CA and assigned t o
Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Three . USS FITZGERALD is commanded by CDR G .
M. H o l s t .

2. Chronology o f major events.

01-04 JAN I n p o r t San Diego

05-16 JAN T r a n s i t t o Pearl Harbor
19-31 JAN Underway, Paci f i c M i ssi 1e Range Faci 1it y , Kauai , Hawai i
( PMRF)
21 JAN Kingfisher Sonar (prototype), Mine Detection Range
Operati ons
22 JAN Weapon System Accuracy T r i a1 s . PMRF
23 JAN Antisubmarine Ship Qualif i c a t i o n T r i a l s , PMRF
28-30 JAN Manned Raid TRACK-EX, PMRF
31 JAN-05 FEB I n p o r t Pearl Harbor
05-14 FEB Underway. PMRF
06-08 FEB Prospecti ve Submari ne Commandi ng O f f i c e r HOLLYWOOD
Operations w i t h USS HELENA and USS OLYMPIA
09-13 FEB Combat Systems Ship Qualif i c a t i o n T r i a l MISSILE-EX
14-16 FEB I n p o r t Pearl Harbor
16-22 FEB T r a n s i t t o San Diego
22 FEB-04 MAR I n p o r t San Diego
05-08 MAR Underway, S E l l - 8 MISSILE-EX
07 MAR Special Engineering Test Target-8, P a c i f i c M i s s i l e Test
Center, San Nicholas CA (PMTC)
09-13 MAR I n p o r t San Diego
11-15 MAR Command Assessment o f Readiness and Training I 1
14 MAR Underway, CART I 1 Engi neeri ng Dri 11s
15 MAR-07 APR I n p o r t San Diego

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20 MAR Shi p-wi de Safety Stand-down
25-29 MAR Board o f Inspecti on and Survey V i s i t ( INSURV)
01-26 APR Total Ship's Training A v a i l a b i l i t y I 1
08-12 APR Underway, TSTA I 1
13-21 APR I n p o r t San Diego
15-19 APR Logi s t i cs Assessment Training Review
17 APR Shi p-wi de Safety Stand-down
23-26 APR Underway, TSTA II
27-28 APR I n p o r t San Diego
29 APR-03 MAY Underway TSTA MISSILE-EX
01 MAY Total Ship's Training Avai l a b i 1i t y MISSILE-EX, PMTC
06-08 MAY Underway, Ammo O f f - 1oad
20 MAY-07 AUG Post-Shakedown A v a i l a b i l i t y
20-24 MAY Target Moti on Anal y s i s Team Trai ner
22-26 JUL ASW Phase I 1 Team Training
09 AUG Departed Southwest Mari ne Shi pyard
06-07 AUG Post-PSA Sea T r i a1 s
08-18 AUG I n p o r t San Diego
19-23 AUG Deperming Point Loma, CA
21 AUG Post -PSA MK-41 V e r t i c a l Launching System Magazi ne
Certification
24-25 AUG I n p o r t San Diego
26 AUG-09 SEP Underway, Independent Steaming
06 SEP Speci a1 Engi neeri ng TRACK-EX
10-15 SEP I n p o r t San Diego
10-13 SEP Naval Food Management Team Assist V i s i t
16-20 SEP Underway, Independent Steam-ing
19-29 SEP I n p o r t San Diego
23-24 SEP ISIC Command Inspecti on
24 SEP Comprehensi ve Communication Assessment (CCC-27-SF)
30 SEP-01 OCT Engineering C e r t i f i c a t i o n
02-10 OCT I n p o r t San Diego
05 OCT Cruise M i s s i l e Tactical Qua1 if i c a t i o n T r i a l
11 OCT-21 OCT Underway, Port V i s i t Manzani 11o, Mexico
22-28 OCT I n p o r t San Diego
29-31 OCT F i nal Eva1u a t i on Peri od
01-03 NOV I n p o r t San Diego
04-07 NOV COMPUTEX 95-5Al ITA w i t h USS CONSTELLATION
07 NOV Optional l y P i 1oted Vehicle Electronic Attack
Demonstr a t ion
07-18 NOV I n p o r t San Diego
12-15 NOV L o g i s t i c s Management Assessment
18 NOV Combat Systems Readiness Revi ew
18 NOV-08 DEC I n p o r t San Diego
09-13 DEC Underway, FIREX I I,San Clemente, I n p o r t Seal Beach, CA

2 Encl (1)
14-31 DEC Hol iday Stand-down

3. Summary of Events. The year began w i t h FITZGERALD being catapulted

i n t o a series of q u a l i f i c a t i o n s and t r i a l s challenging both crew and
combat systems. January and February saw a San D i ego-Hawai i-San D i ego
t r a n s i t w i t h numerous 1ive weapons f i r i n g s , t a c t i c a l war f i g h t i n g
scenarios, nuclear attack submarine t r a c k i ngs and mu1t i p l e ship
maneuveri ng exercises. Upon r e t u r n t o Southern Cal if o r n i a, FITZGERALD
then prevailed through t a c t i c a l t r a i n i n g cycles which included several
inspecti ons , a s s i s t s and underway steami ng opportunities . I n t h i s ti me-
frame we a l so had t h e chance t o engage i n weapons engineering and
development p r o j e c t s . The Spring drew t o a close and t h e Summer months
were occupied w i t h t h e w a i 1 o f t h e grinder and t o r c h as FITZGERALD
underwent extensi ve materi a1 upgrades and modi f i c a t i ons in t h e t h r e e
month Post -Shakedown Avai 1abi 1it y in Southwest Ma r i ne Shi pyard . Autumn
a r r i v e d and ushered i n FITZGERALD'S f i r s t deperrning c y c l e a t Point Loma
and a r e t u r n t o t h e vigorous pre-deployment t r a i n i n g evolutions . Among
t h e major hurdles cleared were Engineering C e r t i f i c a t i o n , Final
Evaluation Phase, Cruise M i s s i l e Tactical Qua1 if i c a t i o n and
Comprehensi ve Communi c a t i ons Assessment. The end o f t h e year was capped
w i t h an Opposing Force exercise w i t h t h e CONSTELLATION B a t t l e Group, a
deployment ammunition s h i p f i 11 onload, and a r e t u r n t o San Diego f o r a
hol iday leave and upkeep period.

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