McCloy DE-1038

McCloy

Lt. Comdr. John McCloy, recipient of two Medals of Honor, was born 30 January 1876 at Brewster, N.Y. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy 7 March 1903, was warranted boatswain 30 July 1903 and commissioned ensign 1 July 1917. He received his first Medal of Honor "for distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battles of the 13th, 20th, 21st, and 22d of June 1900, while with the relief expedition of the Allied Forces in China." His second Medal of Honor was awarded to him "for distinguished conduct in battle and extraordinary heroism; engagement of Vera Cruz, April 22, 1914." Immediately after World War I, he commanded minesweeper Curlew clearing the mines of the North Sea mine barrage. For this work he was decorated with the Navy Cross. He retired from active duty, as lieutenant, 15 October 1928 and on 23 February 1942 was promoted to lieutenant commander, retired. He died 25 May 1945 at Leonia, N.J., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

(DE-1038: dp. 2,650 (f.) ; 1. 371'6"; b. 40'8"; dr. 14'; cpl. 193; s. 25 k.; a. 3 3", 2 tt., ASROC, DASH; el. Bronstein)

McCloy was laid down by the Avondale Shipyards, Inc., Westwego, La., 15 September 1961; launched 9 June 1962; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur Winstead; and commissioned 21 October 1963 at Charleston, S.C., Comdr. Thomas Sherman in command.

Following outfitting and shakedown McCloy, assigned to Escort Squadron 10, reported to her home port, Newport, R.I., in January 1964. In October, after further specialized training, she commenced training sonar technicians. Employed primarily as a schoolship throughout 1965, she also tested new ASW weapons systems for the Operational Test and Evaluation Force. During this period she enhanced her training and-testing capabilities as well as her operational abilities by participating in joint United States-Canadian exercises in the spring and fall and in ASW exercises at the end of the year.

In 1966 cruises saw her in the Bermuda area for NATO exercises (April) ; off the New England and Virginia coasts for convoy escort and ASW exercises (June, July, and August) ; and in the Caribbean for fleet tactical exercises (November-December). From 16 January until 24 May 1967 she participated in Match Maker II. This operation, which took McCloy from the Caribbean to northern Europe, was conducted jointly by American, Dutch, British, and Canadian ships. In what was called "Cross Pollinization," McCloymen transferred to the Dutch destroyer Limburg (D-814) and the British frigate Berwick (F-115) while men of those ships came on board the American escort vessel.

McCloy spent the last half of 1967 and the first months of 1968 at Boston, undergoing overhaul. She got underway again in March and sailed south, the next month, for refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. Returning to Newport in June, she departed again 8 July for another extended cruise. On the 11th she arrived at San Juan where she joined naval units of the United States, Brazil, and Colombia for UNITAS IX. On the 15th, they commenced a clockwise circumnavigation of South America which first involved ships and planes of eight nations in exercises in the Atlantic, then around the Horn to the Pacific for more of the same, and finally through the Panama Canal back into the Caribbean before the end of the year. She continues her operations in the Atlantic into 1969.