A Chronological History

of the U.S. Navy Cruiser USS Little Rock
CL 92 / CLG 4 / CG 4

Page last updated: 5 September, 2020


1974 - 1979
1974      1975      1976      1977      1978      1979
       

1974
       
01 - 13 Jan • - LITTLE ROCK remains in Gaeta, Italy
06 Jan • - SIXTH FLEET Singers perform at Ariston Theatre in Gaeta.
12 Jan • - CAPT Richard S. Moore, Chief of Staff ComSixthFlt transfers to BuNavPers.
• - CAPT Lee Baggett, Jr. assumes duties of Chief of Staff.
14 Jan • - Underway from Gaeta to Gibraltar
15 Jan • - LITTLE ROCK celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King's 45th birthday with a ceremony
16 Jan • - Arrive Gibraltar
• - ComSixthFlt Band under the direction of MUCM Jerry Clements performs a one hour concert before an audience of 500 in Gibraltar's "Piazza".
16 - 19 Jan • - At Gibraltar Sixth Fleet Band performs in Gibraltar's "Piazza" to an audience of about 500.
19 Jan • - Transit Straits of Gibraltar
20 - 24 Jan • - Prior to mooring in Lisbon, Portugal LITTLE ROCK passes under Ponte Salazar, the 27th longest suspension bridge in the world.
24 Jan • - Depart Lisbon for NAVSTA Rota, Spain
25 - 28 Jan • - At U.S. Naval Station, Rota, Spain
25 Jan • - Seven-day Ski oiur to Sestriere, Italy offered.
27 Jan • - Sixth Fleet Band and Singers, under the direction of MUCS Robert Sisson performs at the Rota Station Theater and at Moron Air Force Base. Musical selections included "Up, Up, Away", "Music to Watch Girls by", and "The Impossible Dream".
28 Jan • - Depart U.S. Naval Station, Rota, Spain (with some dependents aboard) for goodwill visit to Tangier, Morocco.
28 Jan - 01 Feb • - Tangier, Morocco
01 Feb • - Transit Straits of Gibraltar (with some dependents aboard)
01 - 05 Feb • - Moored at Malaga, Spain
06 Feb • - Depart Malaga for Gaeta
07 Feb • - At sea
8 - 13 Feb • - Gaeta, Italy
13 - 19 Feb • - At sea. Task Force operations in the "Blue Force" in Exercise NATIONAL WEEK.
14 Feb • - Transit Straits of Messina. Begin participation in NATIONAL WEEK exercises.
18 Feb • - Duty Section: 2
20 - 21 Feb • - Souda Bay, Crete
22-27 Feb • - At Gaeta, Italy
25 Feb • - Underwater Hull Damage Drill
26 Feb • 1400 Underway for Palma, Mallorca, Spain.
• 1530 After Steering Casualty training.
27 Feb • 0915 General Quarters to conduct Ammo Handling drills for 6" Turret.
• 1830 Payday for the crew.
28 Feb • 0815 Fire 21 Gun National Salute
• 0900 Moor at Palma, Mallorca, Spain
28 Feb - 02 Mar • - At Palma "The Pearl of the Med", Majorca, Spain
• - Sixth Fleet Band Singers perform at Palma and at Manacor.
01 Mar • 0815 Special Services tour - Caves of Drach
• 2100 SIXTH Fleet Music Show at Auditorium Paseo Maritimo.
02 Mar • 0815 Special Services tour - Caves of Drach
• 1700 LITTLE ROCK basketball team play at Manacor.
• 1930 Special Services Barbecue.
• - SIXTH FlEET Music Show at Manacor.
03 Mar • 0815 Special Services tour - Caves of Drach
04 - 07 Mar • - At sea. Porto Scudo, Sardinia, Italy
• - Towing exercise with USS COLUMBUS
• - Shore bombardment with 5" and 6" guns.
?? Mar • - LITTLE ROCK's boxing team travels to Rota, Spain for COMFAIRMED championship competition. Boxers SA Utusia Salatielu, SKSA John Spriggs, SR Angel Torres, SGT Jerry Clevenger, PFC Alonzo Jackson and FTM2 Charlie Robinson returned with a team trophy.
?? Mar • - FTG2 Dean Zaharis chosen as U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK "Sailor of the Year" for 1974.
08 Mar - 20 Apr • - In port at Gaeta, Italy at NATO Fuel Pier
18 Mar • - RADM R.S. Wentworth, ComCruDesFor and staff visit LITTLE ROCK and conduct a "Type Commanders Inspection".
21 - 22 Mar • - ComSixthFleet conducts Annual Material Inspection.
01 Apr • - Alcoholism Seminar in Chief Petty Officer's Mess.
11 Apr • - Alcoholism Seminar in Chief Petty Officer's Mess for those who missed 01 Apr Seminar.
• 2030 Movie: "Partners in Crime".
15 Apr • - Recommendations for the 16 April SN/FN Exam must be submitted to the Educational Services Office no later than 1000.
16 Apr • 0800 SN/FN Exam conducted on the Mess Decks.
• - Recommendations for the 18 April Military Leadership Exam must be submitted to the Educational Services Office no later than 1300.
18 Apr • 0830 Military Leadership Exam conducted on the Mess Decks.
20 Apr • - Depart Gaeta for missile firing exercises.
21 Apr • - At sea.
22 Apr • - Off the northern coast of Crete, conducting surface-to-surface and surface-to-air Talos missile firings. Fired four Talos missiles total.
• - At achor off Rhodes, Greece
23 Apr • - At sea.
24 - 28 Apr • - At anchor Rhodes, Greece
25 Apr • - Anniversary of the Liberation of Italy
28 Apr • - Depart Rhodes with thirty-six dependents on board LITTLE ROCK for 9-hour cruise to Mykanos, Greece.
28 Apr - 01 May • - At Mykanos, Greece
01 May • - Italian Labor Day
02 - 09 May • - At sea. Exercise "Dawn Patrol", in eastern Med, with an amphibious landing in Turkey.
09 - 22 May • - Gaeta, Italy
17 May • - Personnel Inspection and Awards Ceremony.
• - 19 LITTLE ROCK sailors receive awards, and 81 Petty Officers receive advancement.
• - FTG2 Dean Zaharis is recognized as LITTLE ROCK's 1974 "Sailor of the Year". Zaharis also has been selected as CINCUSNAVEUR "Sailor of the Year".
• - MA1 Thomas Johnson is selected Petty Officer of the Month.
• - EMFN Odis Tucker is selected Seaman of the Month.
• - FTMC Larry Bryant, YN1 Jose Contreras, and FTM2 Bill Garvin received plaques for being aboard LITTLE ROCK for 5 years.
• - FTM2 Bill Garvin also received the "Standing Dutchman" plaque for the longest time in service on board the USS Little Rock.
21 May • - Depart Gaeta
22 - 23 May • - At sea. Destination Split, Yugoslavia.
23 - 27 May • - Split, Yugoslavia (Fleet picnic)
28 May - 01 Jun • - Corfu, Greece with dependents
02 - 09 Jun • - At sea.
09 Jun • - Ten dependents perform at a recital with the Gaeta School of Ballet.
10 - 25 Jun • - Gaeta, Italy
12 Jun • - Joshua Barney School dedicates its new three-story complex.
?? Jun • - USS Little Rock passes annual Admin Inspection with "flying colors".
• - MM2 Gilbert Francisco is selected "Petty Officer of the Month" for June 1974.
• - SN Charles R. Guthrie is selected "Sailor of the Month" for June 1974.
• - PH2 Harry Deffenbaugh placed third in the Navy annual "All Hands" photo contest.
24 Jun • - At Sea
• 1300 1300 - 1500 Engineering Casualty Control Drills (Watch Section)
• 1300 1300 - 1700 OOD Shiphandling Drills
• 1330 1330 - 1430 Rap Session
• 1800 Scuba Diving Club meeting in after crew's lounge.
24 Jun - 05 Jul • - Summer day camp for dependent children at Itri Park. Volunteer ladies are Mrs. Felton, Mrs. Darter, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Sites, Mrs. Bodle, Mrs. Cammon, Mrs. Angers, Mrs. Bos, and Mrs. Spence.
26 Jun • - At sea.
27 Jun • - At sea.
• 0900 Arrive Villefranche, France
28 - 30 Jun • - Villefranche, France
28 Jun • - "Dancing Under the Stars". Music by LITTLE ROCK's "Crowleg" Rock Group
01 Jul • - Depart Villefranche, France for one day dependent's cruise
• - Arrive Toulon, France
01 - 04 Jul • - At Toulon, France
02 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK volleyball team bests French navy team winning 3 of 5 games.
03 Jul • 0730 Liberty expires on board.
• 0800 0800 - 0900 Divisional Rap Session
• 0900 DC / Firefighting Training for Midshipmen on the Fantail with ENS MUSMANNO
• 0900 Supply Training for Midshipmen in the Wardroom with LCDR Blankenfeld
• 1000 Weapons Training for Midshipmen in the Wardroom with LTJG SCHNEDLER and ENS WARD.
04 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK celebrates the 4th of July with a 21 gun salute by ship's Marines.
• 0900 Commence Holiday Routine. Liberty Call.
?? Jul • - DT1 Daughtry reenlists for 6 years.
05 Jul • - Depart Toulon and arrive Gaeta same day.
06 - 20 Jul • - At Gaeta, Italy for "Festa Americana 74".
08 Jul • 0800 Cruise book Photographs on the foc'sle for OE and OEW Division.
• 0900 PQS Training (P250) for GM Division on the Fantail.
• 1615 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 4, and 5, to expire on board 0730, 09 July 1974.
• - ETN3 Richard A Peterson is selected "Petty Officer of the Month" for July 1974.
• - SN Ponciano C. Guanlao is selected "Sailor of the Month" for July 1974.
09 Jul • 0800 Cruise book Photographs on the foc'sle for A, OE and OL Divisions.
• 1615 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5, to expire on board 0730, 10 July 1974.
• 1900 Sixth Fleet Singers Rehearsal at NSA.
09 - 16 Jul • - Sailing Lessons will be given each day to interested personnel at 1700.
10 Jul • 0800 0800 - 0900 Divisional Rap Session
• 0800 Deadline for turning in LITTLE ROCK Bowling shirts.
• 0900 0900 - 1100 Firefighting Equipment Training (I) for Officers on Fantail.
• 1200 1200 - 1800 Beach Party for 4th of July. LITTLE ROCK crew celebrates "belated 4th of July" with a two-day beach party at Gaeta's Ze Antonio's Pavilion.
• - S-2 Division provides and serves 600 pounds of hamburg, 80 pounds of hot dogs, 110 watermelons, two cakes and other pastries. Welfare Recreation Department provided assorted beverages. Thanks to Chief Jacques and his crew!
• - Fireworks display at Fleet Landing.
12 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK's Softball Team finishes season with a 20-2 record.
15 Jul • - 30 orphans visit LITTLE ROCK under the auspices of Community Care Committee.
• - Greek Army officers surprise and overthrow Archbishop Makarios in Nicosia.
18 Jul • 0745 0745 - 1000 Drug Seminar for I Division in Crew's Library.
• 0900 DC / Firefighting Training for Midshipmen on the Fantail with ENS MUSMANNO
• 0900 Firefighting Training I for Officers on the Fantail with ENS MUSMANNO
• 1300 1300 - 1500 Midshipmen Training (Navigation) on the Bridge with LTJG HEWETT
• - CPO Club meeting at Mrs. Connie Connon's home.
19 Jul • 0800 0800 - 0900 Divisional Training
• 0830 0830 - 0930 Seaman/Fireman Examination in the Ship's Library
• 0930 0930 - 1130 Midshipmen Training (Navigation) on the Bridge with LTJG HEWETT
20 Jul • - Turkey invades Cyprus.
• 0800 LITTLE ROCK receives General Recall
• 1000 LITTLE ROCK gets underway.
21 - 27 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK operating with Sixth Fleet involved in special operations at sea off Crete and Cyprus.
• - Preparations for evacuation of personnel from Cyprus if necessary.
21 Jul • 0900 Commence Holiday Routine
• 0900 LDS Services in the Crew's Lounge
• 1000 Catholic Lay Ministry Services in the Crew's Lounge
• 1545 Protestant Divine Worship in the Crew's Lounge
22 Jul • 0001 Station the Highline Detail
• 0030 Conduct personnel transfer with the USS DETROIT
• 1030 Muster the Prize Crew and the Boarding and Salvage Crews Midships Starboard
• 1300 Station the Plane Guard Detail
• 1300 Midshipmen Training (Pubs) in the Wardroom with CWO Gates
• - The Popcorn Machine is inoperative again.
23 Jul • 1130 Deadline to submit recommendations for E4 & E5 Military Leadership Examination
24 Jul • 0800 0800 - 0900 Divisional Rap Session
• 0900 0900 - 1000 General Quarters
• 1300 1300 - 1400 Midshipmen Training (Navigation) on the Bridge with LTJG HEWETT
• 1930 LITTLE ROCK Bible Study Group meets in Crew's Lounge at 1930
26 Jul • 0830 E4 & E5 Military Leadership Examination in the Ship's Library
27 Jul • 0900 0900 - 1100 Midshipmen Training (Deck) on the Forecastle with BMCM SANTELLA
• 1400 Officer and Enlisted Section Leaders meet in the Operations Office.
• 2000 Movie: "The Cross and the Switchblade"
28 Jul • - Underway for Alexandria, Egypt
• 0200 Advance all clocks one hour to conform with +3 Charlie time.
• 0800 LDS Services in the Crew's Lounge
• 0900 Catholic Lay in the Crew's Lounge
• 1000 Protestant Divine Worship in the Crew's Lounge
• - 1030 - 1200 Brunch
• 1300 Payday
29 Jul • - Arrive Alexandria, Egypt
• - Egyptian Pounds on sale.
29 Jul - 03 Aug • - In Port, Alexandria, Egypt
31 Jul • 0800 0800 - 0900 Divisional Rap Session
?? Jul • - Naples defeats LITTLE ROCK 16-2 to eliminate LITTLE ROCK from COMFAIRMED Fast Pitch Softball Tournament in Naples.
29 Jul - 03 Aug • - In port at Alexandria, Egypt.
• - One day tour(s) of Cairo and the Pyramids to be offered. $14.00 est. cost.
01 Aug • - OA, OP and OM Divisions in the Operations Department are disestablished and X Division is established under the Executive Officer. The newly established X Division comprises the Captain's Office, Personnel Office, Post Office, Master-at-Arms, MDCS Office, Career Counselor, Special Services, Human Resources Representative, and Educational Service Office. Journalists remain in Operations Division as a newly established OJ Division.
03 Aug • - At Sea
• 0800 General Quarters
• 1300 Commence Holiday Routine
• 1500 Fantail cookout with hot dogs and steak during transit from Alexandria to Gaeta.
• 1800 Softball representatives meet in Crew's Lounge.
• 1900 Retard all clocks one hour to conform with +2 Bravo time.
• 2000 Movie: "Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed ?"
• 1930 1930 - 2330 Casino Night on the Messdecks
?? Aug • - LITTLE ROCK receives notice that she has won the Department Battle Efficiency award for Communications and the Department Battle Efficiency award for Engineering.
03 Aug - 05 Aug • - Underway. LITTLE ROCK operating with Sixth Fleet.
05 Aug - 19 Aug • - Moored alongside NATO fuel pier at Gaeta, Italy for 2-week Tender Availability (TAV). In company with USS YOSEMITE (AD-19) .
05 Aug • - LITTLE ROCK's "A" basketball team beats Gaeta 63-58.
• - LITTLE ROCK's "B" team loses to Naples-Bologna 61-38.
06 Aug • 0800 E4 advancement exam on Mess Decks
• 1700 Track Team practice
• - Ship's fire mains to be secured for 48 hours in order to overhaul all the valves in the system. This will cause securing of several heads and showers. Only B&M division heads, OI head and port officers head second deck will be open from 1930 until 0600 on 5 and 6 August.
07 Aug • 0900 Human Resources Council Meeting in CPO Mess.
• 1730 Wrestling Team practice begins.
• 1830 LITTLE ROCK's "A" basketball plays Gaeta and "B" team plays Naples-Bologna.
08 Aug • 0800 Navy-wide E5 Exams will be held on the Mess Decks.
• - Ship's "Tiger Rag" weekly paper reminds crew with dependents that registration for USDESEA schools is 12-16 Aug. School begins 03 September.
09 Aug • - Captain's Mast: Five crew fined, restricted and reduced in rank for possessing hashish.
10 Aug • 1600 LITTLE ROCK's Varsity Fastpitch Softball team plays YOSEMITE. In a preliminary game Wardroom will play Yo-Yo Wardroom in a game of slowpitch. Free beer for everyone.
11 Aug • 0800 Catholic Mass in the Crew's Lounge
• 1100 Protestant Divine Worship at the Community Center. Catholic Mass at St. Paul's Church.
12 Aug • 0900 DCPO Meeting in the After Crew's Lounge.
• 0900 Midshipmen Training (Gunnery) in the Wardroom with CWO Fritz (0900 - 1100)
• 0900 Registration for Joshua Barney School for School Year 1974 - 1975 (0900 - 1600)
• 1300 Midshipmen Training (Maneuvering Board) in CIC with OS1 SCARBRO. (1300 - 1500)
• - NOTE: VIA ANNUNZIATA is OFF LIMITS from 2230 to 0600, from Sixth Fleet Pool Room to Emilio's Restaurant.
13 Aug • 1800 Meeting for parents and students planning to attend Zaragoza High School at NSA.
14 Aug • 0800 Divisional Rap Session (0800 - 0900)
• 0900 Midshipmen Training (Weapons) in the Wardroom with LTJG SCHNEDLER (0900 - 1100)
• 1500 M200 (Algebra and Trigonometry) meets in WDE (1500 - 1700)
• 1900 M315 (Pre-Calculus) meets in WDE (1900 - 2100)
15 Aug • 0800 First Aid Training for G, GM, A, N and F-2 Divisions.
• 0900 Midshipmen Training (Communications) in the Wardroom with LTJG COOPER (0900 - 1100)
• 1300 Midshipmen Training (Navigation) in the Wardroom with LTJG HEWETT (1300 - 1500)
• 1700 Youth Baseball Awards Night at Community Center
  • Track practice
  • Boxing practice on the Missile House
  • Flag Football vs: YOSEMITE
• 1730 Wrestling practice at Joshua Barney
• NOTE Eligibility commencement date for Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
• NOTE Sanitation Inspection results:
  • Best Head:OI Division
  • Worst Head:1st Division Officers
  • Best Compartment:MARDET
16 Aug • - At Sea.
• 0900 Registration for Joshua Barney School for School Year 1974-1975. (0900 - 1600)
19 Aug - 23 Aug • - Underway in response to Cyprus unrest.
19 Aug • - Rodger P. Davies, U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, is assassinated by a sniper.
23 Aug • - Captain Cullins presented "Master Helmsman"certificate to SA Linwood P. Snyder.
• - SN Christopher L. Olsen is selected "Sailor of the Month"for August.
• - HM2 Stanley C. Miller is selected "Petty Officer of the Month"for August.
• - EM3 Joe Thum and EM1 Howard Holman receive a 10,000 Lire reward for returning 379,000 Lire lost by three Italians working on board LITTLE ROCK.
• - Arrive at Gaeta, Italy
24 Aug • - At Gaeta, Italy to resume Tender Availability.
• - Opera at Caracala Baths in Rome. Performance includes Cavalleria Rusticana Pagliacci. Bus departs Fleet Landing at 3:00 PM. Cost, including dinner between $14.35.
29 Aug • - LTJG Barry L. Jesmer, the ship's Public Affairs Officer is separated from active duty following a year on LITTLE ROCK.
30 Aug • - Personnel Inspction and Awards Ceremony.
• - Inspection is held by VADM Daniel J. Murphy COMSIXTHFLT.
05 Sep • - Change of Command ceremony in Gaeta, Italy.
• - VADM Frederick C. Turner relieves VADM Daniel J. Murphy Sr. as COMSIXTHFLTin ceremony on board USS Independence CV 62 at Gaeta Bay.
06 Sep • - The Frank Zapper rock concert plays its first rock concert of the season in Rome at the Sports Arena. Tickets, including admission (reserved seats) and transportation is $8.35.
?? Sep • - SecNav J.W. Middendorf pays a call on COMSIXTHFLT Commander VADM Frederick C. Turner on board LITTLE ROCK
08 Sep • 0800 Catholic Mass in the Crew's Lounge
• 0900 Protestant Divine Worship at the Community Center
• 1100 Catholic Mass St. Paul's Church
• 2000 Movie: "The Hustler"
09 Sep • 0900 Commence Holiday Routine
• 2030 Movie: "The Salzberg Connection"
13 Sep • - SECNAV J. William Middendorf II tours LITTLE ROCK. He presents the "Order of the Golden Snipe" award to ships Engine Room crews.
14 Sep • 1200 Beach Party at Lido Ze Antonio's. Noon to 7:00 pm.
15 Sep • - LITTLE ROCK's football team the "Tigers", defeats NavAirFac, Naples "Flyers" 15 - 8 in season opener.
18 Sep • - Depart Gaeta for Palma, Majorca, Spain
19 Sep • - Underway for Palma
20 Sep • 0730 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail
• 0745 All hands man the rail
• 0815 Gun salutes
• 0900 Moor at Palma, Majorca, Spain for five-day visit.
• - "Spanish Fiesta"tour, the most popular tour offered by the Sixth Fleet Special Services will offer transportation to a typical Spanish Ranch, a serving of Sangria followed by dinner while musicians play and dancing by a dance group. Estimated cost is $7.00. The tour will also be offered 21, 23, and 24 Sep.
21 Sep • - CNO James L. Holloway, III visits LITTLE ROCK.
• - FTMSN Thomas E. Campbell is selected "Sailor of the Month" for September.
• - BM1 John A. Woodruff is selected "Petty Officer of the Month" for September.
• - Beach and Discotheque Party tour departs ship at 11:30 am. Cost est. $9.00.
22 Sep • - Football: LITTLE ROCK Tigers vs. Agnano Stallions. Tigers 12 - Stallions 3.
• - Bullfights in Palma tour (3 hours) departs ship late afternoon. Cost is $8.00.
23 - 24 Sep • - At Palma
24 Sep • 0800 The "Caves of Drach" and "African Reserve Safari" tour departs . Cost is $7.50.
• - LITTLE ROCK bowlers are bested by 346 total pins in their match against Mallorcan team.
• - LITTLE ROCK bowlers win by 474 total pins in their match against USS Detroit bowlers.
25 Sep • - Embark 22 wives and children for a daytime trip to Barcelona, Spain
• - Depart Palma
• - Arrive Barcelona, Spain
• - Reva Teague, wife of MM2 Martin Teague, (A Div), presents live weather and Special Services notes during WCLG afternoon news broadcast. A first for a Navy ship perhaps?
25 Sep - 30 Sep • - At Barcelona, Spain
26 Sep • 0900 "Morning Tour of Barcelona" departs. Tour will visit Catalonia Square, Vis Layetona, the Cathedral, the Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Familia, Montjuich Gardens and a typical Spanish village. Cost is $5.00.
• - Wine Tour with lunch and transportation. Cost is $9.00 all inclusive.
• - Meyers, John C., ETN2 is LITTLE ROCK's Duty ET.
27 Sep • - "Morning tour of Barcelona" - $5.00.
• - All-day Wine Tour with lunch and transportation. Cost is $9.00 all inclusive.
• - "Shirley Temple" night at the Seabreeze Club. Free Shirley Temple cocktail for kids.
28 Sep • 0800 Montserrat Tour. Cost is $9.00.
• 1600 LITTLE ROCK bowling teams to compete with local Barcelona teams at Club Boliche.
• - Varsity Soccer team plays.
• 2130 Movie: "Casablanca"
29 Sep • 0800 Montserrat Tour. Cost is $9.00.
• 1300 Bullfights. Afternoon tour. $8.00.
30 Sep • - Depart Barcelona, Spain for Toulon, France
01 - 03 Oct • - At Toulon, France
01 Oct • - Navy 5.52% pay raise goes into effect.
04 Oct • 0920 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail.
• 0945 All hands to quarters for leaving port.
• 1000 Underway for Monaco
• 1300 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail.
• 1310 All hands man the rail
• 1330 Gun salutes
• 1400 Anchor at Monaco
05 Oct • - At anchor Monaco
• 0815 Muster the Inport Fire Party at Repair II
06 Oct • - Alps Photographic Tour to Valberg. Cost is $11.00 which includes lunch.
• - Football: LITTLE ROCK Tigers vs. NAP Capo Flyers. Tigers crush Capo 51 to 12.
• - LITTLE ROCK tailback Marvin Harris romped 289 yards and scored 49 points!
07 Oct • 0820 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail.
• 0845 All hands to quarters for leaving port.
• 0900 Underway for Gaeta, Italy
• 1000 DCPO Meeting in the After Crew's Lounge
• 1300 Flight Quarters 1300 - 1500
• - All Navy Talent Contest on board USS Independence, Naples, Italy.
08 Oct • 0745 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail.
• 0830 All hands to quarters for leaving port.
• 0900 Moor Gaeta, Italy
09 - 23 Oct • - Gaeta, Italy
11 Oct • 0800 Dress Ship. LITTLE ROCK begins observance of U.S. Navy's 199th birthday.
• 1130 Division representatives muster on the fantail.
• 1150 Begin traditional Navy Day ceremonies on fantail.
• - Remarks by SR Barney Hall, Adm. Turner, Capt. Cullins and others.
• 1300 Open house 1300 - 1600
• 1400 Ship's soccer team will play an Italian Navy team at Fleet Landing.
• 1800 Navy Birthday at the Sea Breeze Club.
  • Uniform: Service Dress Blue. 1800 - 2400
• 1900 Navy Birthday at the Gaeta Italian-American Officers Club. 1900 - 2300
• 1930 "Cruising Squares" Square Dance Club meets at Joshua Barney School.
12 Oct • 0900 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5. Holiday Routine in honor of Columbus Day.
13 Oct • 0800 Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius Tour departs. Cost is $10, including lunch.
• 0900 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4. Commence Holiday Routine.
• 1100 Buses depart for Football Game and Bar-B-Cue at Carney Park
• - U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK celebrates U.S. Navy's 199th birthday. Cake was cut by Senior Officer present VADM Turner and Senior Enlisted present MMCM Frank.
• - LITTLE ROCK's football team plays the Air Force "Black Falcons". About 500 crew plus dependents attend - a dozen wives with pompons doing the cheerleading. LITTLE ROCK wins!
• - Football: LITTLE ROCK Tigers lose to Army Falcons 18-2.
14 Oct • - Holiday Routine in honor of Columbus Day.
15 Oct • - Sea Breeze Club presents hit comedy "Ansel and Ann"
16 Oct • 0730 Liberty expires for all personnel.
• - Station the VERTREP Detail
• 0800 Commence VERTREP from USS DENEBOLA
• - Results of Sanitation Inspection of Berthing Compartments and Heads:
  • Best Compartment:FM Division
  • Worst Compartment:S-2 Division
  • Best Head:Upper Flag
  • Worst Head:Lower Flag
?? Oct • - LCDR Milton H. Jones receives the Navy Achievement Medal.
• - CSCS Bala receives the Navy Achievement Medal.
• - SH1 Chambers reenlists for four years.
• - SH1 Dysart reenlists for four years.
• - HM2 Donald M. O'Malley is selected as LITTLE ROCK's Petty Officer of the Month.
• - SN George Dionis is selected as LITTLE ROCK's Sailor of the Month.
• - PNCS Porteous receives Sixth Fleet Letter of Commendation.
• - GMG2 Nicholson is presented the Good Conduct Medal.
• - EW2 Drollman is presented the Good Conduct Medal.
• - MM2 Walton is presented the Good Conduct Medal.
• - MARDET beats E Division in Flag Football 20-0.
17 Oct • 0800 Designated personnel assemble on Mess Decks for E-3 Examination.
• 0900 CO and XO meet with First Class Petty Officers in First Class Mess.
• 1615 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 3 and 5.
18-20 Oct • - Weekend in Rome Tour. Transportation, hotel, and some meals: $14.00 / person.
18 Oct • 1130 Football, 1st Division vs. 3rd Division
• 1900 Basketball Championship
19 Oct • - Football: LITTLE ROCK Tigers vs. Agnano Stallions. Tigers 28 - Stallions 6.
20 Oct • 0815 Catholic Mass in the Crew's Lounge
• 0900 Protestant Worship in the Crew's Lounge
• 1100 Catholic Mass St. Paul's Church
• - Protestant Worship in the Community Center
• - Naples Little Theater presents "Under the Yum Yum Tree" at the Community Center.
21 - 25 Oct • 1300 Parent-Teacher conferences will be held at Joshua Barney School each day 1pm to 4pm.
21 Oct • 0800 Divisional Training Period (0800 - 0900)
• 0900 DCPO meeting on the Mini Mess Decks
• 1100 Football - Wardroom vs 2nd Division
• 1615 Liberty Call for Sections 1, 2, 4 and 5.
• 1800 Basketball team tryouts. Report to LT. Hewett in the gym.
• 1930 "Cruising Squares" Square Dance Club meets at Joshua Barney School.
22 Oct • 0800 Division Rap Session (0800 - 0900)
• 0900 Briefing for all officers in the Wardroom on Missile Exercise. (0900 - 1000)
• 1315 Station the Special Sea and Anchor Detail
• 1400 Underway for operations.
• 1500 General Quarters (1500 - 1530)
• 1530 Rescue and Assistance Drill (1530 -1630)
• 1830 Station the Refueling Detail
• 1900 Refuel from USS DETROIT
23 Oct • 0700 Personnel transfer by helicopter to Perdas de Fogo, Sardinia
• 0800 General Quarters for Missile Firing
• 0900 USS Little Rock fires a Z-30-GM Missile against an MQM-74A drone.
• 1000 USS Little Rock fires a Z-35-GM Missile against an MQM-74A drone.
• 1300 USS WILLIAM H. STANDLY fire Missile against an MQM-74A drone.
• 1400 USS Little Rock fires a Z-32-GM Missile against an MQM-74A drone.
• ?? Personnel transfer by helicopter from Perdas de Fogo, Sardinia
• 1900 After Steering Drills (1900 - 2400)
• - Fire in the Uptakes!Led by Ens. Musmanno, the ship's "Golden Fire Party" quickly extinguished a Class Alpha fire in the uptakes, just above the Forward Fireroom. Fire party also consisted of HT1 Elder, HT1 Turner, IC2 DeWesse and backup men from the fire party. Ens Musmanno sustained minor burns to his left hand, and HTFN Jones received a cut on his scalp from a hatch coaming.
24 Oct • - At sea for Talos missile firings.
25 - 26 Oct • - Gaeta, Italy
26 Oct • - Underway with about 400 dependents and selected Italian guests on board for one day cruise. 
• - LITTLE ROCK conducts tours and demonstrations of general quarters with wives manning husband's stations. USS Tinosa (SSN 606) participated, along with an air show by the USS Saratoga (CVA 60) air group.
• - Football: LITTLE ROCK Tigers vs. NAP Capo Flyers
27 Oct - 07 Nov • - Gaeta, Italy
27 Oct • 0815 Catholic Mass in the Crew's Lounge
• 0900 Protestant Worship in the Crew's Lounge
• - Commence Holiday Routine
• 1400 LITTLE ROCK Skeet Team to shoot at Naples Rod and Gun Club
28 Oct • 0001 Winter Uniform becomes effective.
• - Veteran's Day. "Your Seabreeze Club" will open at 2:30 PM, with movies shortly thereafter.
• - One day tour to Rome. Cost, including lunch, transportation and guides is $9.00
29 Oct • - Military Leadership exam for PO3 / PO2
30 Oct • 0930 Striker Selection Board scheduled to meet.
01 - 03 Nov • - Underway
04 - 07 Nov • - Malaga, Spain (?)
08 Nov • - Underway for Tangier, Morocco
08 - 14 Nov • - In port, Tangier, Morocco
• - The "Saga of the Disappearing Peacoats". (See Capt. Cullins' Oral History Segment 10.)
15 Nov • - Underway for Toulon, France.
16 - 19 Nov • - In port, Toulon, France
21 Nov - ?? • - Gaeta, Italy
28 Nov • - Thanksgiving Day "Turkey Bowl".
• - USS Little Rock beats CVA 62 Independence's football team in the Gaeta soccer stadium.
02 Dec • - Depart Gaeta
03 - 17 Dec • - Operations. National Week XVII exercises.
?? Dec • - Christmas raffle for two mountain bikes.
18 Dec • - Gaeta, Italy
20 Dec • - New six-lane bowling facility opens at the Joshua Barney School's recreation center. The opening was attended by VADM F.C. Turner who cutthe ceremonial ribbon and rolled the first bowling ball. (He got a spare.)
24 Dec • - LITTLE ROCK sailors attend Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's Basillica in Rome.
• - Pope Paul officiated.
• - Christmas Eve "Batchelors' Party" attended by 280 LITTLE ROCK Sailors and Marines
25 Dec • - Christmas in Gaeta.
26 - 31 Dec • - Moored at Gaeta, Italy

1975
       
01 - 15 Jan • - Gaeta, Italy
16 Jan • - Depart Gaeta for Palermo, Sicily on Dependent's Cruise.
16 -19 Jan • - At Palermo (port stop on Dependent's Cruise) 51 LITTLE ROCK sailors and Marines donate blood to local Villa Sofia Hospital.
20 Jan • - Arrive Tunis, Tunisia (port stop on Dependent's Cruise)...
• - LITTLE ROCK fires 21 gun salute
20 - 24 Jan • - At Tunis, Tunisia
• - A team of four officers and sixteen men traveled to Bizerte, the home port of Tunisian Naval Ship PRESIDENT BIURGUIBA, to do training and perform maintenance on the 31 year old ex-US Navy destroyer USS THOMAS J. GARY (DER 326).
25 - 27 Jan • - Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (port stop on Dependent's Cruise)
27 Jan - 02 Feb • - At sea of Sardinia doing Talos missile firings. (Dependents remain in Cagliari.)
28 Jan • - Missile shoot was canceled because of high winds and inclement weather.
29 Jan • - LITTLE ROCK successfully fired three TALOS missiles.
31 Jan • - MS3 Carlos Montoya is selected as "Petty Officer of the Month" for January 1975.
03 - 07 Feb • - Livorno, Italy (port stop on Dependent's Cruise)
08 Feb - 17 Mar • - In port at Gaeta, Italy
Feb 12 • - FTM3 John Adams reenlisted and received guaranteed orders to White Sands NM for four years.
Mid Feb • - SIXTH Fleet Band and Chorus tour central Germany. The nine-day tour visited Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Heid
01 Mar • - "Petty Officer of the Month" for February is SH1 Harold Chambers.
• - "Sailor of the Month" for February is MSSN Lee E. Bond.
05 Mar • - LITTLE ROCK conducts a "Fast Cruise" with a 24-hour "at sea" routine while remaining in port
10 - 14 Mar • - Ship undergoes her Annual Supply Inspection (ASI). Supply Departmet received three Excellents and one Good. Chief Inspector felt that LITTLE ROCK was the best of all 80 ships he had inspected, and probably the best in all 200 ships of the force.
13 Mar • - OS2 David M. CRUZ reenlists for 5 years. Ceremony was held in the Captain's Cabin. CRUZ's Selective Reenlistment Bonus is $12,000.00
14 Mar • - In port at Gaeta, Italy.
• 0800 Commence Field Day. Commence Pay Day
• 1830 History 221 (Univ. of Maryland) meeting at the Joshua Barney School. (1830 - 2030)
• - A 50 man working party will be needed today to load fresh provisions.
• - Volunteers who will be helping with the "Easter Egg Hunt" at the local orphanage should meet at Fleet Landing at 1300 for transportation to the orphanage.
• - COMSIXTHFLT Singers are looking for new members to fill vacancies, The Singers meet at the NSA Band Room on Tuesdays at 1900, and Thursdays at 1300 for the women and 1900 for the men. Contact is MUCS J. A. Reinhardt.
• - The ship's library is in need of a Librarian.  Interested persons should contact the Ship's Secretary CWO2 KEA.
18 Mar • - Playoffs are to be held in the Crew's Library at 1730 to determine who will go to Rota, Spain to compete in the Armed Forces Chess Tournament.
Participants as follows:
     
ROUHIER, R. - 3rd VS
 CANFIELD, C. - X
HESS - OI VS FRIO, A. - X
LARKIN, F.A. VS VERRTT - FTM3
THOMPSON, J.R. VS JORDAN - S2F
       
19 Mar • - Depart Gaeta. Arrive Marseilles, France
20 - 24 Mar • - Marseilles, France
26 Mar • - At Gaeta, Italy
28 Mar • - CAPT Kent R. Siegel relieves CDR Roger O. Simon as XO
31 Mar • - In port at Gaeta, Italy.
• 0800 Boatswains Mate School at NSA DET for designated personnel. (0800 - 1100)
• 0900 DCPO meeting on the Mess Decks
• - Missile Gunner is looking for personnel to work in the Missile House.
01 Apr • 0800 Divisional Training Period. (0800 - 0900)
• 0930 Sailor of the Month Board meeting in the CPO Mess.
• - Commissary Store Naples closed (Tuesday only) for inventory
02 - 03 April • - Two-day Motorcycle Safety Course to be held at NSA Det Gaeta. Graduates will be certified by the National Safety Council as having qualified for two wheeled vehicles. Contact PNCM Porteous.
04 Apr • 0900 Conduct Messing and Berthing Inspection (0900 - 1200)
21 Apr • - Refueled from USS Neosho AO-143. (Photo)
23 Apr • - Gunnery exercises at Salto di Quirrarange, Sardinia. (Picture)
24 Apr • - In port at Gaeta, Italy. (Picture)
?? Apr • - At Ajaccio, Corsic (?)
02 May • - Personnel Inspection and Awards Ceremony on Fleet Landing at Gaeta.
• - Harold Chambers SH1 receives "Sailor of the Year" Award
16-19 May • - The musical "South Pacific"is presented by NSA Gaeta's Little Theatre group. The group is under the direction of Judi Vaughn, with MUCS John Reinhardt as Musical Arranger.
17 May • - Capt. William R. Martin relieves Capt. Peter K. Cullins
?? May - 31 May • - At Gaeta, Italy
01 Jun • - Depart Gaeta
• - Underway replenishment and refueling.
02 - 04 Jun • - Proceeding south via Straits of Messina to Mediterranean Sea.
• - Course and speed set to arrive Port Said the morning of 05 Jun.
05  Jun • 0630 Set the Special Sea and Anchor Detail for entering port.
• 0700 Man the Rail
• 0830 Anchor, Port Said, Arab Republic of Egypt
• 0915 COMSIXTHFLT (VADM Fred Turner) departs for Suez Canal Reopening Ceremonies.
• 1045 COMSIXTHFLT returns to ship.
• 1100 Set the Special Sea and Anchor Detail
• 1130 Man the Rail
• 1145 Underway enroute Ismailia at Lake Timsah via Suez Canal.
• - U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK participates in reopening of Suez Canal.
• - USS Little Rock is in the first convoy, and is the only U.S. Navy vessel participating.
• - USS Little Rock 3rd in line for transit from Port Said to Ismalia and return, directly behind President Anwar Sadat's flagship and the ancient royal yacht of Egypt.
• - LITTLE ROCK transits canal from Port Said to the city of Ismailia at Lake Timsah.
• 1900 Anchored overnight in Lake Timsah.
06 Jun • - Weigh anchor for trip back to Port Said to exit the canal.
07 - 09 Jun • Alexandria, Egypt
08 Jun • 0700 Alexandria-to-Cairo Tour departed. Tour included a visit to the Egyptian Museum, Mosque of Sultan Hassan, Alabaster Mosque, Native Quarter and Native Bazaars. Lunch to be at the Pyramids. After lunch visit Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx and the Temple of Sphinx. Return to ship at 2030.
10 - 12 Jun • - Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
12 - 24 Jun • - Underway. Participating in major NATO exercise "Dawn Patrol" with forces from Turkey, Great Britain, West Germany and Italy.
13 Jun • - GMG3 Joseph "Pepe" Paglia re-enlists for four years and receives a $1359 re-enlistment bonus.
17 Jun • - LITTLE ROCK crew celebrates ship's 30th birthday with a Ship's Store "SALE" and a Cake Cutting ceremony. Capt. Martin reads birthday greeting frm CNO James L. Holloway
17 - 29 Jun • - NATO Exercise "Dawn Patrol"
24 Jun • - Ship returns to Gaeta, Italy.
" • - LITTLE ROCK Annual Technical Proficiency Inspection (NPTI) is conducted.
" • - Notice is received that gasoline coupons with an expiration date of 30 June 1975 will be good until 31 December 1975.
29 Jun • - Gaeta Community Center has a photo exhibition featuring photos by LITTLE ROCK photographers Harry Deffenbaugh and Joseph Greco.
" • - CLG 4 volunteers escort members of Grace Community Fellowshipon a day trip to Monte Casino.
30 Jun • - LITTLE ROCK's designation is changed from CLG 4 to CG 4.
?? Jun • - HM1 Jerry Harris is selected as LITTLE ROCK's "Petty Officer of the Month".
?? Jun • - SN Barry Prevost is selected as LITTLE ROCK's "Sailor of the Month".
01 Jul • - Underway for French Riviera
02 - 06 Jul • - Cannes, France
03 Jul • - Riviera Tour
05 Jul • - All day tour to Alps to visit Valberg, Switzerland offered by Special Services.
05 - 06 Jul • - Two-day Alps Fishing tour offered by Special Services.
07 Jul • - Underway for Genoa, Italy with wives and dependents on board
• - Concert performed by ship's band "Drift Factor".
• - "Woman's Lib" was in effect on the bridge giving ladies a chance to work various crew positions.
08 - 11 Jul • - Genoa, Italy
12 Jul • - Return to Gaeta, Italy
24 - 26 Jul • - Tunis, Tunisia
?? Jul • - LITTLE ROCK's Technical Assistance Team, headed by CWO David L. Smith, provides support to Tunisian Navy's destroyer PRESIDENT BOURGUIBA.
?? • - Casablanca, Morocco
10 - 14 Aug • - LITTLE ROCK participates in "NATIONAL WEEK XVIII" anti-submarine warfare exercise off the eastern coast of Sicily. The exercise divided the SIXTH FLEET ships into two opposing forces in an attempt to win the advantage over each other. The exercises provided an opportunity to test the capabilities of two of the Navy's newest aircraft, the SA-3 and the F-14 "Tomcat".
15 (?) Aug • - LITTLE ROCK replenishes weapons and ammunition from USS Santa Barbara AE 28.
30 Aug • - At NATO fuel pier, Gaeta, Italy
• - In the evening USS Little Rock hosted Miss America with a fantail party. Seven lucky crewmen escort Miss Cothran and her party.
?? Sep • - Rota, Spain (to off-load weapons prior to shipyard availability)
?? Sep - ?? Oct • - At Naples, Italy (Commercial shipyard dry-docking for rudder repairs and other work)
07 Sep • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays U.S.S. Piedmont's "Bulldogs"
12 Sep • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays NAF, Naples
20 Sep • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays Army/Air Force
26 Sep • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays AFSOUTH
04 Oct • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays AGNANO
10 Oct • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays U.S.S. Piedmont's "Bulldogs"
13 Oct • - U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK celebrates 200th birthday of the U.S. Navy while in Naples Italy.
16 Oct • - At Naples, Italy
19 Oct • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays NAF, Naples
25 Oct • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays Army/Air Force
?? Oct • - Transit Straits of Gibraltar - Westbound (need date)
?? Oct • - Rota, Spain (re-load weapons)
?? Oct • - Transit Straits of Gibraltar - Eastbound (need date)
02 Nov • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays AFSOUTH
08 Nov • - Ship's football team "Fighting Tigers" plays AGNANO
17 - 20 Nov • - Izmir, Turkey
Date Uncertain • - First U.S. military fiber optic telephone link is installed on the LITTLE ROCK. (See NOTE below)
?? - 31 Dec • - Gaeta, Italy
1975 NOTES:

Various sources refer to the installation of a small fiber opticlink telephone system aboard the LITTLE ROCK. It would seem from the data we've accumulated that the system (a) may have been installed as early as 1973, (b) that it may have been limited to 6 stations (phones), (c) that it was installed to verify the limited susceptibility to electro-magnetic interference from other equipment, or (d) it provided "secure" communications between the stations. There are also references to a Mr. Don Williams of the Naval Electronics Laboratory Center (NELC) in San Diego as the person heading up this project.


1976
       
01 - 15 Jan • - At Gaeta, Italy as Flagship COMSIXTHFLT. Embarked at this time; VADM Frederick C. Turner, USN COMSIXTHFLT and Capt J.T. Parker Chief of Staff.
16 Jan • - Depart Gaeta. Underway for Casablanca, Morocco
17 - 20 Jan • - At sea - Western Mediterranean.
20 - 23 Jan • - Casablanca, Morocco
23 - 27 Jan • - Underway from Casablanca to Villefranche, France
27 - 30 Jan • - Villefranche, France
30 - 31 Jan • - At sea.
31 Jan - 01 Feb • - At Gaeta, Italy
02 Feb • - Underway from Gaeta to Naples, Italy
02 - 21 Feb • - Naples, Italy (Tender availability period).
• - Tender availability provided by USS Piedmont AD-17.
21 Feb - 01 Mar • - LITTLE ROCK at Gaeta, Italy
01 - 03 Mar • - Underway. Conducting operations enroute to Piraeus (Athens), Greece in Eastern Mediterranean.
03 - 06 Mar • - Piraeus (Athens), Greece. First visit to Greece since 1974 Cyprus Crisis.
06 - 10 Mar • - Steaming with USS Saratoga and other 6th Fleet Units. (Picture)
10 - 15 Mar • - LITTLE ROCK participates in "National Week XX" held in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Twenty-six ships and over 17,000 men took participated in the exercise, a part of the U.S. Sixth Fleet's readiness training.
16 Mar - 03 Apr • - At Gaeta, Italy
03 - 05 Apr • - At sea conducting operations enroute to Toulon, France.
05 - 09 Apr • - At Toulon, France
09 Apr • - Depart Toulon conducting operations enroute to Gaeta, Italy.
10 Apr • - Arrive Gaeta, Italy for 16 day upkeep period.
11 - 25 Apr • - At Gaeta for upkeep period.
26 Apr • - Depart Gaeta to participate in Italian Air Defense "Dixie Jargon/X-Tell" Exercises.
27 Apr • - Arrive Gaeta, Italy.
28 - 29 Apr • - At Gaeta
30 Apr -01 May • - In transit enroute "DAWN PATROL 1976".
• - LITTLE ROCK experiences engineering casualty (a ruptured lube oil cooler on #1 main engine) while in the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Letters of Commendationawarded to three crewmen for repairs made.)
02 - 07 May • - LITTLE ROCK at Naples, Italy for repairs
07 - 13 May • - Underway for NATO exercise "DAWN PATROL 1976" at Capo Teulada, Sardinia. Exercise included Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Radar Training with an opposed transit that culminated in an amphibious assault.
13 May • - Return to Gaeta, Italy.
14 May - 04 Jun • - At Gaeta
26 May • - Personnel Inspection held on Fleet Landing.
05 Jun • - Depart Gaeta for Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. Twelve dependent boys aboard for cruise.
06 - 07 Jun • - Enroute Dubrovnik.
08 - 12 Jun • - Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
?? Jun • - LITTLE ROCK receives Commander Sixth Fleet "Shipshape and Sharp in 76" award, for the best maintained ship in Sixth Fleet during Bicentennial Year.
13 Jun • - Depart on family/guest cruise from Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia for Bari, Italy.
• - More than 120 family members and guests embarked.
13 - 16 Jun • - At Bari, Italy.
17 Jun • - LITTLE ROCK begins preparations prior to "Operation Fluid Drive" in the Eastern Mediterranean, a non-combatant evacuation operation led by the United States to evacuate American citizens and other foreign nationals from Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War.
• - LITTLE ROCK is ordered to Lebanon to assist in evacuating US citizens from Beruit.
20 Jun • - USS Little Rock and other 6th Fleet units off shore, U.S.S. Spiegel Grove(LSD-32) evacuates 279 persons from Lebanon, and transports them to Athens, Greece. (See LITTLE ROCK website data.)
25 - 26 Jun • - Catania, Sicily, Italy.
27 Jun • - Arrive Gaeta, Italy.
28 - 29 Jun • - At Gaeta.
30 Jun • - Depart Gaeta for Cannes, France.
01 Jul • - Arrive in Cannes for celebrations honoring the Bicentennial of America's Independence.
02 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK conducts its third "Dancing Under the Stars" event which was attended by 68 local young ladies. The event lasted four hours.
03 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK's 45 man marching unit participates in a ceremony at Bar-Sur-Loupe, along with a French naval unit, COMSIXTHFLT band and various French dignitaries. Later that day this same group participated along with LITTLE ROCK's Marine Corps marching unit in a parade in Grasse, France.
04 Jul • - Celebrated America's bicentennial in Cannes, France with LITTLE ROCK's Navy and Marine Corps marching units as well as SIXTH FLEET Band, USS Saratoga, and French units participating in a one and one-half hour long Grand Parade through downtown Nice. Miss Mireille Mathieu, the noted French singer performed a series of numbers on the LITTLE ROCK. She was presented a LITTLE ROCK plaque by XO Kent R. Siegel. Later a Bicentennial Dinner was held at the Casino de Palm Beach in Cannes, followed by a midnight fireworks show.
06 Jul • - Depart Cannes, France.
07 Jul • - Arrive Gaeta, Italy.
08 - 12 Jul • - At Gaeta.
13 - 14 Jul • - Underway for "Missilex" missile firing exercise near Crete.
15 - 16 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK fires two Talos missiles. One Talos firing was evaluated a success and one a failure.
Exercise was conducted at NAMFI Range, Souda Bay, Crete.
17 - 18 Jul • - Conducting exercises while underway in Eastern Mediterranean bound for Gaeta, Italy.
Arrive, Gaeta, Italy
19 - 20 Jul • - At Gaeta.
21 Jul • - Depart Gaeta to assist in a second evacuation of personnel from Lebanon.
22 - 24 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK participates in operation "Fluid Drive" in Eastern Mediterranean enroute Gaeta, Italy.
• - The USS CORONADOLPD 11 evacuates about 300 people, including approximately 150 Americans. Evacuees were taken to Piraeus, Greece. (See additional USS Little Rock website data.)
• - During firing exercises LITTLE ROCK expends 234 rounds of 5"/38 and 177 rounds of 6"/47 ammo.
30 Jul • - Arrive Gaeta, Italy.
31 Jul - 19 Aug • - At Gaeta.
05 Aug • - On board USS AMERICA CV 66, VADM Harry DePue Train II relieves VADM Frederick C. Turner as COMSIXTHFLT. (More)
20 Aug • - LITTLE ROCK enroute to Augusta Bay, Sicily.
• - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) announces that LITTLE ROCK is to be decommissioned in the Fall.
21 - 22 Aug • - LITTLE ROCK at Augusta Bay.
23 - 27 Aug • - At sea conducting operations in Western Mediterranean ("National Week XXI")
28 Aug • - Official message from CNO to CINCLANTFLT Norfolk VA dated R282104Z AUG 76 confirms that USS LITTLE ROCK CG 4 will be decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 Nov 1976. Decommissioning site to be Philadelphia, PA.
28 Aug - 06 Sep • - At Gaeta, Italy.
28 Aug • - While in the Mediterranean the Russian submarine K-22 (Echo IIclass) collides with USS Voge DE-1047(Click to see VADM Train's comments.)
07 Sep • - In Gaeta, U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK is relieved as Flagship ComSixthFlt by U.S.S. Albany CG-10.
• - Approximately 25% of LITTLE ROCK crew transfers ("cross-decks") to Albany.
09 Sep • - Final departure from Gaeta.
10 - 12 Sep • - Enroute to Lisbon, Portugal
11 (?) Sep • - Transit Straits of Gibraltar enroute Lisbon, Portugal
13 - 15 Sep • - At Lisbon, Portugal
16 Sep • 0800 (abt) LITTLE ROCK departs Lisbon for the Azores (via Ponta Delgada for fuel)
16 - 17 Sep • - At sea
18 Sep • - At Ponta Delgada, Sao St. Miguel in Azores for about 8 hours to take on fuel.
• - LTJG Marco Sanguinetti given permission to go ashore for about four hours to visit his wife's family.
• - Depart Ponta Delgada.
19 - 24 Sep • - At sea enroute to Yorktown, VA.
19 Sep • 0900 Latter Day Saints Service in the Chaplain's Office.
• 1000 Protestant Divine Services in the crew's library.
• 1100 Catholic Lay Services in the crew's library.
• 1900 Retard all ship's clocks one hour to conform with OSCAR (+2) time zone.
• 1930 Casino Nighton the Mess Decks. (1930-2230)
22 Sep • 0815 General Quarters. Conduct Accident/Incident Drill (Z-55-D). Conducted 5" and 6" gunnery exercises. Twenty rounds were fired, marking the last rounds to be fired from LITTLE ROCK before decommissioning.
• 0930 Secure from General Quarters.
• 1330 Weapons off-load safety briefing on the Mess Decks for all designated personnel.
• 2100 Movie "Timberjack"
23 Sep • 0830 Weapons off-load safety briefing on the Mess Decks for all designated personnel.
• 1900 Retard all ship's clocks one hour to conform with time zone +4 (QUEBEC).
24 Sep • - S-2 Division provides a special day to celebrate LITTLE ROCK's upcoming arrival in CONUS (on 25 Sep). Lunch and Dinner meals are combined. Meal is served from 1130-1630.
• 1930 Cake cutting ceremony on the Mess Deck.
25 Sep • AM Arrive at Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, VA to off-load missiles and ammunition.
This is LITTLE ROCK's first US port visit in three years.
25 - 29 Sep • - At Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, VA to offload weapons.
30 Sep • - Enroute Yorktown to Philadelphia NSY, Philadelphia, PA.
01 Oct • - Arrive Philadelphia NSY for decommissioning. Met by family, friends, a local high school marching band and the Navy Junior ROTC drill team.
Shifted to shore power, and shut-down boilers for the last time.
02 - 19 Oct • - At Philadelphia NSY preparing for decommissioning.
10 Oct • - Ship's Store closes for good.
13 Oct • - LITTLE ROCK crew celebrate U.S. Navy's 201st birthday with a cake cutting by Captain William Martin, Commanding Officer.
LITTLE ROCK celebrates Navy's birthday with a special dinner.
14 Oct • - Ship's party held at Sunset Beach Ballroom, Almonesson, NJ.
20 Oct • - Capt. William R. Martinis relieved as CO USS Little Rock by "Last Skipper" CAPT Kent R. Siegel.
Captain Martin departs for duty in Washington, DC.
21 Oct - 22 Nov • - At Philadelphia NSY preparing for decommissioning.
05 Nov. • - Ship's Laundry ceases operations.
18 Nov. • - Ship's Barber Shops closes for good.
22 Nov • - USS Little Rock is decommissioned at Philadelphia NSY and is stricken from the Naval Register.
1976 NOTES:

For calendar year 1976, LITTLE ROCK "consumed" the following:

•  234 rounds of 5"/38 ammunition
•  177 rounds of 6"/47 ammunition
•  2 Talos missiles
•  $540,000 worth of food
•  5,382,248 gallons of fuel


1977
       
01 Jan • - USS Little Rock profiled in "All Hands" Magazine.
• - The January 1977 All Hands Magazine article included the following Editor"s Note: "Since this story was written, stripping of the LITTLE ROCK has ceased pending her possible disposal as a naval memorial at a location still to be determined."
03 Feb • - John J. Bennett, Ass't Secretary of the Navy, writes Vice President Walter Mondale informing him the Navy had no further use for USS The Sullivans and USS LITTLE ROCK and agreed to give them to Buffalo. Vice President Mondale subsequently notifies the House and Senate Armed Services committees of the Navy's plans.
01 Jun • - LITTLE ROCK is officially transferred to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval Servicemen's Parkin Buffalo, N.Y. (Click HEREto read an article on how the LITTLE ROCK came to be in Buffalo, NY.)
21 Jun • - Louis J. Clabeaux Jr. (for the City of Buffalo, NY) and CDR R.C. Clark (for the US Navy) at 1330 hours sign the "CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY AND ACCEPTANCE" document which "delivered and transferred possession of the obsolete cruiser ex-LITTLE ROCK (ex-CG 4) complete and with installed machinery and contents (as is and where is) to the City of Buffalo, New York, at the berthing site ay Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."
25 Jun • - An UNCLASSIFIED Navy Message sent on this date read in part:

11.
LITTLE ROCK AND THE SULLIVANS DONATED TO BUFFALO.
THE GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER LITTLE ROCK AND THE DESTROYER THE SULLIVANS LAST WEEK WERE TRANSFERRED FROM THE NAVY'S INACTIVE FLEET TO THE CITY OF BUFFALO, NY, WHERE THEY WILL SERVE AS PERMANENT MEMORIALS.
BOTH SHIPS ARE BEING TOWED TO BUFFALO FROM PHILADELPHIA VIA THE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY AND ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE THEIR NEW "HOMEPORT" ABOUT 24 JULY.
TO DATE, 22 SHIP MEMORIALS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES INCLUDING THE BATTLESHIPS TEXAS, ALABAMA (etc. etc.)

NOTE: Prior to leaving Philadelphia it was necessary to reduce the height of LITTLE ROCK'ssuper-structure so as to have clearance when passing under various bridges on her way to Buffalo, NY. The pieces once removed were secured to LITTLE ROCK's deck where they remained until theywere reinstalled in Buffalo. Click HERE for image.
29 Jun • - Two sea-going tugs and 15 volunteer crewmen began a 2,180 nautical mile journey of towing the 376 foot, 2,050 ton The Sullivans and the 610 foot, 10,700 ton LITTLE ROCK from Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, up the Atlantic coast, through the St. Lawrence Seaway and through the Welland Canal to Buffalo, NY.
07 Jul (?) • - LITTLE ROCK with tugs SHEILA MORAN and JUDY MORAN reach Montreal, Quebec.
14 Jul • - LITTLE ROCK and accompanying towing vessels are inspected at Wharf 2, Port WeIIer Harbour, Ontario, Canada and are found suitable for the forthcoming transit though the Welland Canal.
15 Jul • 0054 LITTLE ROCK and tugs SHEILA MORAN, JUDY MORAN, OKLAHOMA and SOUTH CAROLINA were found in compliance with St. Lawrence Seaway regulations and are cleared for transit of the Welland Canal.
• 2125 LITTLE ROCK enters the Buffalo Harbor Channel.
• 2300 LITTLE ROCK is moored stern-to-stern with THE SULLIVANS. (Read the story.)
17 Jul • - "The Celebration of the Establishment of the Buffalo Naval and Servicemen's Park"
• 1400 With the USS Little Rock and USS The Sullivans in the background, Buffalo's civic leaders, numerous Navy officials, and a crowd of 3,000 gathered at 2:00 p.m. to dedicate the city's new Naval and Servicemen 's Park. The principal Navy speaker was Rear Admiral Gordon R. Nagler, USN, Deputy Director, Command and Control and Communications (C3) Programs, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OP-094B) and former LITTLE ROCK Commanding Officer 1971-1972. Also speaking for the Navy was Mr. Stephen C. Yednock, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, whose office issues the contracts for ship transfers.
18 Jul - 31 Dec • LITTLE ROCK undergoing preparations for opening as a military museum.

1978
       
01 Jan - 31 Dec • - LITTLE ROCK undergoing preparations for opening as a military museum.

1979
       
01 Jan - 29 Jun • - LITTLE ROCK undergoing preparations for opening as a military museum.
30 Jun 79 • - LITTLE ROCK is opened to the public as a military museum in Buffalo, NY.


"Thank You" to Bill Peterson, MSSN S-5 Div. 73-75 for his very significant contribution of
Plans of the Day, "Tiger Rags, and Familygrams from the 1974-1975 era.

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"Thank You" to the to-numerous-to-mention contributors to this page.
Without your collective help this chronology would be hopelessly incomplete!