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Dave Sweet, RD-2

During the 65-66 cruise the Calcaterra had an Amateur Radio Station on board. Guy McKeon, ETC, was the primary operator of this "ham station"KC4USS.  K1ZBR/Maritime Mobile was McKeon's callsign. . Here is a QSL card that Chief McKeon sent to a ham radio operator in New York City, Dec. 3, 1965. Click on cards for larger view.

Dave Sweet, RD-2 and Glen LaVanchy, RD3 . Photo taken in Callao, Peru, seaport for Lima. August, 1965.

Undated photograph of USS Calcaterra DER-390, covered with ice. "I think that was taken after we returned from a picket in the North Atlantic. They had a big spread in the Newport newspapers." Jim Miller, EN-1

Here are 2 sets of Shore Patrol Orders while visiting Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France. I can remember the Marseille experience, we had to be accompanied by a local policeman because of the language difference and our unfamiliarity with the city . He didn't speak English nor I French. But it worked out, we both survived and at the end of the shift he bought me a few drinks. I don't remember the Barcelona assignment, at all.

After returning to Newport, Rhode Island aboard USS Calcaterra, I submitted a second  Request for Transfer to USS Thomas J. Gary. I already had orders to the USS Willis A. Lee DL-4, but had not yet reported to the Lee. Someone suggested that I walk over to the Atlantic Fleet Personnel office in Newport, and speak with a Chief Warrant Officer, whose name is long forgotten. He told me to submit another Request for Transfer and there would be a good possibility the orders would be rewritten. Above are scans of the second Request, and the Naval Message directing me to USS Thomas J. Gary vice WA Lee.

Here are 2 other documents pertaining to my transfer to USS Thomas J. Gary. One is a letter written to Fleet Personnel by the Calcaterra's XO that indicated that I was interested in a transfer to USS Mills or USS Thomas J. Gary. I recall putting in for a transfer in April, 1966. The other document is my actual orders to USS Thomas J. Gary.