I was a young 19 year old immature teen-ager when I got my orders to board the USS Farragut. At the time more than anything in the world I wanted to be stationed aboard a warship. I would have been devastated had I received orders to board a Tanker or Supply ship. I really wasn't sure what the Farragut was when I was enroute to her. After fighting through the stench of that good old Jacksonville wood pulp odor I arrived at the pier at Mayport Florida on May 26, 1966. I took my first look at the Farragut and my heart was pounding uncontrollably. I couldn't believe my eyes and the luck I had to be assigned such a ship. She had the most beautiful lines and almost looked like she could pull 32 knots just sitting there at the pier. She was sleek and fast looking and when I seen the missle launcher, ASROC, and Mount 51 I felt shivers running though me. I said damn this is one hell of a nice looking war ship. My dream came true. While on board and over time I realized that the Navy gave me enormous responsiblities and expected me to carry out my job to the best of my ability. How many of us actually had other human lives depend on us doing our job the right way. Sure I bitched and moaned like everyone else but truthfully I was a pretty good actor because I loved my time aboard the Farragut. The Navy gave me structure taught me responsibility, to be organized, teamwork, and of course disapline. I went aboard a young wild teen-ager and disembarked a man. I will always have great memories of the Farragut days and I only realize now that it changed my life for the better.
__________________________________________________ Submitted by Tony Gagliano - BT3 1966-68
I arrived in Jacksonville in January of 66 as an MM3 and had to catch a city bus to Mayport. Got there at 1:00 AM and can still remember the look of the Farragut as Tony Gagliano described in his story. I was transferred to the forward fire room because I was the new guy and spent over seven months there. I was in the aft boiler room behind the 2B boiler when Chief Brown got killed and helped get him out. I transferred back to the engine room after this happened and still remember every detail of what occurred on that terrible day.
_________________________________________________ Submitted by Felix Kreskey - MM2 1966-67
One Terrible Day
It was a real treat to receive the news about the Farragut Association and the news of a new, bigger, and better Farragut.
I would gues that the majority of you don't know me or even of me, but I was on the USS Farragut (DLG-6) Pre-Commissioning detail in Newport, Rhode Island back in December 1960. I was "in charge" of the ship's office for checking in the pre-com detail. My name is Jerry Fogler and at the time was a PN3 just off the USS Turner (DDR-834) home based in Mayport, Florida. In reading about the new ship, there was mention that the homeport would or could be Mayport. Well, I was on the Turner and DESRON 14 when it was just a small pier for a single carrier. The squadron made Mayport its home and the Turner was in port first.
When I was on the Pre-Com detail I worked with Joe Blanchfield, SN from upstate New York. LT Gurney was in charge. I was pretty friendly with SM2 Greer (with his two birds and handle-bar red mustache) and Blanchfield. We shared an office area with the USS Springfield's personnel. Newport was a lot of fun, with many places to spend libery. However, I used to commute back to Brooklyn on week-ends. I recently heard that Greer made Senior Chief and LT Gurney is a retired Admiral who was in Nam at the same time as some of my Turner buddies. What was funny to me was that a signalman reported to Admiral Gurney for staff duty, and it was none other than Senior Chief Greer. (Small World). I was transferred from the Pre-Com detail in Newport to shore duty at the Third Naval District Headquarters, New York City, New York, just before the actual commissioning ceremony. I missed out on getting a Plank Owner Certificate by about 7 weeks (such is life). Being stationed in New York was a dream - there were no barracks so we received subs and quarters pay and I moved back to my parent's house in Brooklyn. I actually reported to work every day after riding the crowded "D" train from Sheepshead Bay, in Brooklyn, New York.
My memories of days in the Navy are an enjoyable part of my youth. It also gave direction to my teaching career. For the past 35 years or so I have been a Vocational Computer Teacher at the high school level as well as the College arena. I'll never forget what my Dad said the day he drove me to New York Naval Recruiting Station - 340 Broadway, NYC - "What you put into this Navy thing is like a bank book. You keep putting in and you'll get lots of interest back". He was right! The basic simple interest rule in finance is I=PxRxT (Interest is equal to Principle x Rate x Time). Well I had principles, I picked a rate (PN) and I did the time. The interest was that I made PN2 at a time when they were only promoting 3% to 10% of those passing the exam. I learned how to work with computers (and in the early day's electric accounting machines) and over time, that has been my career. I truly enjoyed my time in the Navy; I traveled from Newport to Beirut, down to South America, east to Cuba, and all the countries in the Med. The Farragut was one of the stations of my life's path that was really memorable.
I would like to hear from anyone that knows the whereabouts of Senior Chief Greer, Admiral Gurney, and Joe Blanchfield. Good luck with the website, and the new Farragut.
______________________________________________________ Submitted by Jerry Fogler - PN3 1959-60
Well, it's gotten to the point where I've gotten enough flak for wearing an Army jacket in one of my recent photos that I feel I have to now give an explanation. The Army jacket was given to me 40 years ago by my best buddy. He served his country honorably in Viet Nam as a SGT. He is one of the most patriotic men I know who is brave honest and has excellent core values. I wear it proudly in memory of his service, shrapnel holes and all. That's right, my good buddy was a recepient of two purple hearts. We've become inseparable over the years and although I still always wear his jacket from time to time to remember him by, when I'm cut I still always bleed Navy Blue.
