U.S.S. Little Rock CL 92 / CLG 4 / CG 4

Official Documents, Papers & Correspondence


Page last updated: 18 August, 2024

This page provides brief descriptions and pictures of the various "official" documents and papers that the crew of the USS Little Rock might encounter. These documents fall into three categories, "Message Traffic", "Official Correspondence" and "Official Documents".

"Message Traffic"
Form Name
Use
Photo
1961 Battle E message
from CNO Burke
Message sent by Admiral Arleigh Burke, CNO to USS Little Rock ship and crew congratulating them on winning the CRULANT FY 61 "Battle E" award.
1961 Battle E Award
1961 Letter of
Appreciation
from CNO Anderson
Letter of Appreciation from George Anderson (CNO) sent on 26 Oct 1961 to COMSECONDFL and to Little Rock and other ships who participated in a "demonstration of naval power for Secretary of Defense....."
CNO Letter
"Official Correspondence"
Form Name
Use
Photo
Formal "Thank You"
letter from Senator
J.W. Fulbright
This is a letter date June 7, 1961 from Senator J.W. Fulbright to Captain Chenault thanking him for a photograph sent to him by the Captain. The letter also alludes to the commissioning ceremony in Philadelphia at which Senator Fulbright spoke.
Thank You letter from Sen Fulbright
"Official Documents"
Form Name
Use
Photo
Navy Pay Receipt
The Navy Pay Receipt (NAVCOMPT Form 57) was the Navy's signed receipt for pay received by each crewman. It showed the date the pay was received, and ship or station issuing the pay, as well as the Name, Rank or Rate and Service Number of the individual as well as the amount received stated in numerals and words.
Navy Pay Receipt
Steaming Orders
Steaming Orders are written and promulgated prior to the ship getting underway. Steaming Orders are written orders issued by the Engineer Officer and list the machinery and  operational requirements needed to get the ship underway at a specific time and date. The orders normally specify  the  (1) engine(s) and boiler(s) to be used, (2) the times to light off and bring the boilers on line, (3) the time the main engine(s) will be tested, (4) the time that the ship’s service generators will be brought on line, (5) standard speed and rpm's when getting underway, and (6) the principal watch supervisors.
Steaming Orders
Deck Log

A ship's deck log is a daily chronology of certain events for administrative and legal purposes. Preparation of logs is governed by the current edition of Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 3100.7.  Some of the kinds of events entered include:

  •  Course and Speed
  •  Movements (getting underway, mooring,
      anchoring)
  •  Arrival and Departure of Captain
  •  Navigational Bearings
  •  Soundings (depth of water)
  •  Speed Changes
  •  Anchor Chain Strain
  •  Collisions
  •  Groundings
  •  Courts-Martial
  •  Captain's Masts
  •  Accidents/Injuries (material and
      personnel)
  •  Deaths
  •  Sightings (ships; landfall; dangers to
      navigation)
  •  Actions (combat)
  •  Time of Evolutions and Exercises

Deck Log USS Liberty Incident
Special Request "Chit"
The SPECIAL REQUEST/AUTHORIZATION form NAVPERS 1336/3 was used by ship's personnel to formally request something that required multiple authorizations or approvals. Some such requests might be:

   •  Leave
   •  Special Liberty
   •  Special Pay
   •  Commuted Rations
   •  Permission to travel "Out of Bounds"
   •  etc.

The "Chit" provided places for entering all pertinent data pertaining to the request. In addition boxes were provided for signatures of all personnel who would be in the "Chain of Command" of the person making the request. The "Chit", whether approved or denied, would be placed in the Personnel Record of the individual initiating the request.

Special Request Chit
Identification (ID)
Card
Your "ID Card" was your "identity". It was an official document issued to you by the U.S. Navy that told others (who needed to know) who you were. It was the document that you used to come aboard and to depart from the ship, and to get paid, to name a few of it's uses. Your ID card had your current photo, your name, rate (or rank), height, weight, color of hair, seven digit Military ID number, date of birth, signature and two finger prints. You were issued an ID card when you entered the Navy, and a new replacement card whenever you were advanced in rate.  If you lost your ID Card .......
Oh Boy!!!
ID Card Front

ID Card Back
Geneva Convention ID Card
The Geneva Conventions Identification Card (also known as the "United States Uniformed Services Privilege and Identification Card" was an identity document issued by the US Department of Defense to identify a person as a member of the Armed Forces. You carried it with you for use in foreign countries where the Navy-issued ID card might not be recognized by the local authorities.
Geneva Convention ID Card
Temporary ID Card On occasion you were issued a Temporary Identification Card. A temporary ID was frequently issued when there was no way to obtain a card with your photo on it. It contained all of the other essential information however. It too was an official document and acted as a substitute for the real ID Card. You didn't want to lose this card either! This card was donated by CL 92 shipmate Walt Nebiker S1C 1947-48. Temporary ID Card
 
Temporary Additional Duty Orders, or..

"TAD" Orders
Temporary Additional Duty orders (often referred to as "TAD" orders ) were typically used to direct the recipient to proceed to another Command. They were very explicit as to who was to do what, and when.

In addition to the usual name / rank / serial number data, TAD orders contained very specific information for the recipient and for those commands that were involved.

The example shown to the right is a copy of TAD Travel Orders issued to ETN2 John C. Meyers on 15 October 1975 directing him to proceed on 16 October 1975 with the COMSIXTHFLT Music Show to four different cities in Morocco, to Rota, Spain, and to "such additional places as may be necessary."

Worth noting are the additional instructions that may be necessary for any spanish speaking officials who may be encountered while traveling.

The orders state: "La persona mecionada en estos documentos ha sido autorizada por el commandante de la unidad a la que pertenence para desplazarse a espana."

Which translates roughly to: "The person referred to in these documents has been authorized by the commander of his unit to move (within?) Spain."

Also, note that there is no funding authorized for John's transportation or per diem, which would indicate that the US Navy had pre-arranged for his travel and lodging.

Note 1: The ship was in Naples when the orders were issued, and most likely would be in Rota, Spain when ETN2 Meyers completed his TAD assignment.

Note 2: The TAD orders were signed by
LITTLE ROCK Assistant Administrative Officer H. B. Doyle CWO3, and that they were also signed when Meyers returned on board at 0915 hrs. on 22 Oct 1975 by FTMC John H. Lewis.

Front

TAD Orders (Front)


Back

TAD Orders (Back)

Over-Night
Liberty Pass
An Overnight Liberty Pass was something that not all  LITTLE ROCK sailors were entitled to. This coveted pass was generally issued only to those who were authorized to remain ashore overnight by virtue of being married, with dependents residing in the port in which the ship was visiting. The pass was also issued to those individuals, who perhaps because of their superior performance on board "earned" the priviledge of staying ashore after the normal expiration of liberty.

FTM3 William Passauer was the owner of the pass shown to the right. He had it long enough that he had it laminated!

Thanks Bill for donating this to our archives!

Overnight Liberty Pass

Overnight Liberty Pass
(Front
)

Overnight Liberty Pass

Overnight Liberty Pass
(Back)


Personal
Camera Pass
A Camera Pass was issued to all individuals on board Little Rock who owned a camera.

The pass authorized the individual to have the camera in their possession while boarding or leaving the ship.

This Camera Pass was owned by:
C. J. "Jerry" Cline GS2

Camera Pass
(Front)

Camera Pass Jerry Cline


Camera Pass
(Back)
Camera Pass Jerry Cline

Property Pass
Here is a copy of a PROPERTY PASS,
NAV S AND A. FORM 155, Revised April 1944, sent to us by USS Little Rock Association member Jerry Cline. It was issued to: C.J.Cline, GS3 on 13 Sep 1962 for his Seabag which contained  Jerry's "Projector, Souveniors, Personal Gear" signed by Dan C. Wolfe, Ltjg, Gunnery Dept.
Property Pass (Front)
Decommissioning
Certificate
(Wallet-Size)
To commemorate the decommissioning of the USS Little Rock, a wallet-size card was issued to all eligible crewmembers. This came to us from Association member George Hume. It reads:

A BICENTENNIAL DECOMMISSIONING CREWMEMBER

NOW HEAR THIS:

SN GEORGE HUME

HAVING SERVED ON-BOARD USS LITTLE ROCK CG 4 DURING HER FINAL CRUISE FROM YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA TO PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA IS HEREBY AWARDED THIS CERTIFICATE IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EFFORTS IN BRINGING THIS PROUD LADY TO HER LASY PORT.

ss // WILLIAM R. MARTIN COMMANDING OFFICER USS Little Rock

Decommissioning Card
TALOS Missile
Specifications
Some limited information on the TALOS missile's operating characteristics were considered "public information".

To insure that the ship's crew did not divulge  classified information guidelines were provided on what we were allowed to tell the public.

Guided Missileman 2nd Class Jerry Cline provided a copy of the documentation that was issued to the crew which outlines what info could be conveyed to the public.

(Click on image for a larger view.)
Talos Dadt Sheet
Recall Notice
Occasionally the entire ship's crew was called back from Leave and Liberty. This "Recall" was typically in response to an emergency of some sort.

GS2 Jerry Cline sent us this copy of the portion of a Plan of the Day regarding such a "Recall". (This was probably from the time of the November 1961 Dominican Republic unrest.)
Recall Notice

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