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| USS STICKELL (DD888) COMMAND HISTORY | ||
| USS STICKELL (DD888) is named for the late Lt. John Harlan Stickell, U.S. Naval Reserve. John Harlan Stickell was born in Gilson Ill. on 31 July 1914. He attended Bradley Polytechnic Institute for two years before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force. Before America's entrance in to World War ll, he served with the Path Finding Force in England and received both the British Distinguished Flying Cross and The Distinguished Service Order for his outstanding service in heavy bomber missions over Germany. He accepted an appointment as a Lieutenant in the United States Naval reserve, 29 March 1943, and reported to the Naval Forces Europe for active duty and transportation to the United States. Lt. Stickell was attached to the Bureau of Aeronautics from early April until late May, and then assigned to the Naval Air Training Center at Corpus Christi, Texas, for indoctrination in Naval Aircraft. He completed training on 5 August and, on the 19th, he reported to the Pacific Fleet Airwingfor duty. He was assigned to Bombing Squadron 108 (VB-108) based in the Ellis Islands. During his combat service Lt. Stickell conducted search and reconnaissance missions during the Gilberts, Marshall Campaign. His skill and ability contributed to the destruction of three enemy planes, the sinking of an enemy boat an possibly a cargo vessel. For the two actions in which these events occurred he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Lt. Stickell volunteered for a hazardous two-plane bombing strike on 13 December 1943 against an underground oil storage tank located on Jabor at Jaiut Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Seriously wounded by antiaircraft fire during the tree top level approach, Lt. Stickell ignored his wounds and single mindedly pursued his mission, his plane scored a direct hit on the target; but on commencing the return flight he was forced to relinquish control of the plane to his co-pilot. Preferring to risk his own life and suffer pain rather then risk the safety of his crew and plane, Lt. Stickell ordered his co-pilot to pass up the dangerously narrow airstrip at Tarawa and head for a safer field over 400 miles away. Lt. Stickell died of his wounds six days later. For his gallantry and selfless sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. USS STICKELL was built by the Consolidated Steel Company of Orange, Texas during 1945, launched on June 16th Sponsored by Miss Sue Stickell and was commissioned on 31 October 1945. Comdr Francis E. Fleck in command. She joined the Atlantic Fleet Assigned to the Commander, Amphibious Training, Galveston, for a month 10 December 1945 to 11 January 1946. She then conducted shakedown training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before arriving in Charleston S.C. on 11 March for post shakedown availability. She shifted to Norfolk Va. on 21 April and, until 6 May, supported Carrier | ||
| qualifications from that port with Kearsarge CV 33. She then screened Kearsarge to Guantanamo Bay and, from there to the Panama Canal. She returned to Norfolk on 13 June. Two days later she got underway for the West Coast via the Panama Canal she reached San Diego on 29 June and joined Destroyer Division (DesDiv )11. Over the next four and one half years, Stickell made three cruises to the Far East to serve with the 7th Fleet. During these deployments she visited the Philippines, the Marianas, Japan, China and Okinawa. After each tour of duty in the Western Pacific, she returned to duty along the West Coast and in Hawaiian waters. Drills and excercises occupied the bulk of her time during the post war period. On 6 November 1950, Stickell completed overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and sailed for the Korean War Zone with with DesDiv 52. She made Sasebo Japan on the 27th and three days later, joined the screen of Task Force 77. | ||
| The destroyers first Korean War tour lasted until 20 July 1951. | ||
| During that deployment she operated with the fast carriers off the southern and eastern coasts of Korea. Participated in anti-submarine warfare excercises off Yokouska, Japan, conducted shore bombardments of Songjin-Wonsan area and patrolled the waters off Shingjin, Yong-do and Chongjin for enemy small craft. In addition, she landed Republic of Korean intelligence teams on hostile shores, and she rescued three air crewman while on life guard duty for the carriers. On 20 July 1951 she headed east toward the United States and arrived in San Diego, Calif on 4 August 1951. For almost seven months Stickell remained on the West Coast conducting training operations out of San Diego. On 26 January 1952 she put to sea for the Far East once again. After stopping at Yokosuka from 19 to 23 February she began her second combat tour in Korean Waters. Between 23 February and 19 March she operated with Task Force 77 off the coast of Korea and made three shore bombarments; one off Yong-do on 28 February with Rochester (CA 132), one at the bomb line on 5 March; one off Singchong-Ni on 11 March with Saint Paul (CA 73). On the 19th Stickell and the rest of DesDiv 52 joined the United Nations blockading and escort force, Task Group (95.2) as the bombardment and patrol element, Stickell not only blockaded Hungnam, but also delivered interdiction and shore bombardment fire. After bombarding Wonsan Harbor on 31 March she rejoined TF 77 on 1 April and retired with that force to Yokosuka. She remained at Yokosuka during the first two weeks in April; then resumed support for TF 77 air strikes and intermintent shore bombardments. She was in Yokosuka from 29 May 18 June for dry docking and repairs before conducting a brief operation along Korea's East Coast including a night landing in the vicinity of Pohang Dong. Stickell cleared the area on 23 June with Des Div 52 for exercises out of Buckner Bay, Okinawa. The Division returned to Yokosuka on 5 July and on the 6th was underway again to visit Hong Kong and to patrol the Taiwan Strait. She rendezvoused with carrier Div 3 on the 14th and with TG 50.3 conducted operations in the Philippines and in the South China Sea, before returning to the Taiwan area to rejion TF 77 on the 27th After further operations off the Eastern Coast of Korea she entered Yokosuka on 6 August and four days later sailed for the United States. She arrived in San Diego on 26 August remained there till she departed for Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 13 December. On 31 December 1952, STICKELL DD 888 was decommissioned for the purpose of becoming a radar picket destroyer. Nine months later, on 2 September 1953, Stickell (DDR 888) was recommissioned at Long Beach, Comdr James Boyd in command. Following training out of Long Beach, she joined DesDiv 21 at San Diego on 18 January 1954. Two days later, she and her Division headed for the Western Pacific. This Deployment consisted primarily of hunter-killer training and Taiwan Strait patrol. On 1 June, she departed Sasebo on a voyage to complete a circumnavigation of the globe. Along the way she visited Hong Kong, Singapore Ceylon, Kenya South Africa, Brazil, and Trinidad. She reached Norfolk Va. on 10 August 1954 and joined DesDiv 262, Destroyer Squadron 28 of the Atlantic Fleet. For the next nine years served the Atlantic Fleet as a Radar Destroyer. From 1954-58. STICKELL underwent two complete training cycles including yard overhauls, Mediterranean deployments, refresher training, and NATO and Atlantic Fleet exercises. During her 1958 regular overhaul, she received the latest in electronic equipment. Following another rigorous schedule of training and readiness exercises, STICKELL was outfitted with an experimental data processing and weapons analysis system, a forerunner of NTDS During 1960-61, STICKELL met a demanding schedule with noteworthy efficiency. As a leader in the anti-air warfare field, STICKELL was awarded for her proficiency by being presented the 1961 DESLANT And-Air Warfare Trophy. STICKELL'S 1962 seven-month Mediterranean deployment was a welcome experience for her crew, an enviable trip to the Black Sea was the highlight of the Sixth Fleet tour. Competitive exercises were completed with such skill that STICKELL was awarded the Engineering 'E" and was runerup for the Battle Efficiency "E". STICKELLs readiness was put to use when she departed Norfolk on short notice to assume her position for the October 1962 Cuban Quarantine Having served well as a DDR. STICKELL entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in May 1963 for a nine month FRAM Mark I conversion. STICKELL traded her anti-air specialties for the latest in ASW equip. ncluding ASROC and DASH helicopters and rejoined the Fleet in early 1964 as a straight DD, being assigned to Destroyer Squadron 12 Home- ported in Newport, Rhode Island and in addition she became the Flagship for Commander Destroyer Division 122. After completing refresher training in April 1964 STICKELL became a unit of the Midshipman Training Squadron that made a most enjoyable cruise to Northern European ports during the months of June and July of that Northern European ports during the months of June and July of that Northern European ports during the months of June and July of that assigned to Commander Anti Submarine Warfare Forces Atlantic and participated in several ASW exercises conducted during that period. In late November 1964 until March 1965 STICKELL was deployed to the Mediterranean as a unit of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. STICKELL returned to Newport in March 1965, and commenced a leave and upkeep period. In April STICKELL underwent DASH outfitting and qualifications at Norfolk, Virginia returning to Newport in late May. In June STICKELL became a unit Task Force 124 operating in support of United States and OAS forces in the Dominican Republic during the upheavals in that country. After five weeks of patrol off Santo Domingo, STICKELL returned to Boston. Massachusetts for a six week overhaul in the Bethlehem Steel Corporation Shipyard. On July 24 CDR. W C. Thayer relieved CDR. A.J. Languedoc as Commanding Officer of the USS STICKELL DD 888. In October STICKELL participated as a member of the Gemini-Titan 6 Recovery Team at a recovery station off the west coast of Africa. After cancellation of the mission STICKELL made a port visit to Fort-de-France, Martinique and returned to Newport. November and December saw STICKELL a unit of TO 184.5, the screening force for a three week PHIBASWEX/MEBLEX ~with Marine landings on Viequis. The last two weeks of 1965 were spent in Newport undergoing a TAV. On January 19, 1966, Stickell along with the other units of Destroyer Squadron 12, departed Newport for duty with the 7th Fleet in the Far East. After transiting the Panama Canal and brief stops at San Diego and Pearl Harbor, the ship commenced wartime operations in the South China Sea in support of the republic of South Vietnam. While attached to the 7th Fleet Stickell was assigned to search and rescue and helicopter inflight refueling duties in the Tonkin Gulf, Plane guarding for various attack carriers, especially Ranger (CVA 61), and gun fire support duties. During the Deployment the Ship visited the following ports: Kaohsiung, Formosa; Yokosuka,Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines; Hong Kong and Naha, Okinawa. Enroute back to Newport completely Circumnavigated the World Stickell visited Port Dickson, Malaya; Cochin, India and Aden. She transited the Suez Canal and touched at Athens, Greece; Pallma, Mallorca and Gibralter. The ship returned to Newport on 17 August 1966. In October 1966 Stickell entered the Boston Naval Shipyard for overhaul. She emerged in February 1967 and headed toward Guantanamo Bay for refresher training. Stickell then headed for Culebra Island where she Qualified as a Naval gunfire support ship. After a short in-port period, Stickell deployed on a four month ASW cruise. During the northern European segment of the cruise, Stickell visited Bergen, Norway; Arrjus, Denmark; Sundsvall, Sweden; and Thurso, Scotland: She operated with ships and aircraft from the Navies of Norway, Denmark, West Germany, Great Britain and France. Stickell then entered the Mediterranean Sea and joined the Sixth Fleet. She operated with the Essex (CVS 9) and several other Destroyers as a pouncer ASW task force. While in the Mediterranean Stickell visited Naples, Italy; Valeta, Malta; and Palermo, Sicily: On 19 September 1967 she steamed past Brenton Reef Light and was home again. Before the end of the year Stickell participated in two ASW exercises. The first "Canus Silex" a combined Canadian-United States ASW exercise and the second "fixwex India " by February 1968 Stickell was preparing to visit the Carribean and her part in | ||
| "Springboard 68" After leaving frozen Newport behind Stickell | ||
| participated in a variety of training operations to sharpen her crews already finally honed efficiency. Following Spring Board she acted as sonar training ship at the Fleet anti-submarine Warfare School at Key West Florida. The next several months was spent preparing for the Stickell's next Deployment. On July 2, 1968 Stickell left Newport for a six month 13 nation cruise of the Indian Ocean as part of the Navies Middle East Force. She visited San Juan, Puerto Rico; Recife, Brazil; Luanda, Angola;Luanda, Angola; Lorenco, Marques; Mozambique; Port Louis, Mauritius; Cochin, India; Karachi, Pakistan; Bahrain; Massawa, Ethiopia; Mombassa, Kenya; Asah, Ethiopia Bandar, Abbas Bushire, Iran; Kuwait; Dakar, Sengal. Touching some ports more then once. While in the Persian Gulf area Stickell participated in the International Naval Exercises "Middlink XI." Together with units of the British, Iranian Navies, Stickell once again demonstrated her readiness in the fields of anti-submarine and anti-aircraft warfare. Stickell returned home on January 10th 1969. Over the next three years Stickell alternated deployments with operations off the East Coast and in the Carribean Sea. She was deployed to the Mediterrean again from September 1969 until late March 1970, when she returned to Norfolk. After post deployment leave and upkeep, she headed to Davisville, R.I., on 18 May for a month of Hull repairs. Back in Norfolk again on 20 June she remained there except for two brief operations with John F Kennedy (CVA-67) in July, until 9 November when she got underway to offload ammunition at Yorktown, in preparation for dry docking at Newport News Virginia, from November 13 until December 13th. For the remainder of the year she prepared for deployment to the Indian Ocean. Her second Deployment the Middle Eastern Forces began on 7 January 1971 when she put to sea from Norfolk and ended on 29 June when she return to Norfolk. While there she had visited Brazil, Angola,Bahrein, Saudi Arabia,Ethiopia,Iran,India, Pakistan,Kenya and Senegal. At the end of this her last deployment Stickell remained in the Virginia Capes area for the most part at anchor or in port. She spent most of the remainder of 1971 and the first part of 1972 preparing for decommisioning and transfer to the government of Greece. On July 1 1972 Stickell was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List. Immediately thereafter, the Greek Navy took possession of her and recommisioned her as Kanaris (D 212). USS Stickell DD 888 (Kanaris D212) was scrapped in 1994. USS Stickell DD 888 earned six battle stars for service in the Korean War and one for service in the Vietnam War. | ||
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