On January 13, 1964, NEWPORT NEWS commenced participation in "Operation Springboard," in the Caribbean. She arrived US Naval Base Guantanamo Bay and then also visited San Juan and spent a weekend at Trinidad, returning to Norfolk in time for Valentine's Day.
To sea again for more training, then a weekend visit to the city of Port Everglades, Florida. Arriving home again on 11MAR. On 23MAR the Flagship hauled its anchors aweigh for operation exercise "Quick Kick V."
On 17APR VADM Kleber S. Masterson relieved VADM Martell as Commander SECOND FLEET aboard while at NOB. Admiral David L. McDonald, Chief of Naval Operations, was the principal speaker.
For the first time in its 15 year commissioned history, the NEWPORT NEWS returned "home" on 8MAY for a weekend visit to her namesake city - NEWPORT NEWS VA. The Mayor of NEWPORT NEWS Proclaimed USS NEWPORT NEWS DAY in the city. Mayor Donald M. Hyatt and other officials of the city and surrounding towns came over to Norfolk to "ride" the ship back to NEWPORT NEWS. During the stay more than 10,000 people came to visit "their" ship. Leaving Newport News behind NEWPORT NEWS headed north for New York City for an Armed Forces Day visit arriving on 14MAY. A contingent of the ship's company and flag personnel and a detachment of Marines marched in the Armed Forces Day parade down Fifth Avenue. Many of the crew visited the World's Fair while in "Bagdad on the Hudson."
When she returned to Norfolk the ship was titivated for the annual Administrative inspection which was conducted by Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla FOUR -- Rear Admiral Ben W. Sarver and officers and enlisted men of the guided missile cruiser LITTLE ROCK, on May 21 & 22. Less than three weeks later the crew turn to in preparation for the annual Operational Readiness Inspection.
Then she left Norfolk to visit the US Naval Station, Newport, RI, and returned to its home port on 31JUL. On 1AUG Captain Robert D. Quinn relieved Captain R.F. DuBois as CO in port at NOB. Captain DuBois, selected for Rear Admiral, headed for San Diego, CA, to Command Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla NINE. Captain Quinn reported to the heavy cruiser from duty on the staff of Commander Service Force, Atlantic Fleet.
NEWPORT NEWS left Norfolk on 19AUG for a visit to Annapolis, MD, home of the United States Naval Academy, and capital of the State of Maryland. It was "homecoming" for some of the ship's officers, who had been midshipmen at the Naval Academy. She arrived back at her berth in Norfolk on August 24th. NEWPORT NEWS's officers and men were host to more than 500 dependents and friends on 8 August during the annual Dependents' Day Cruise.
On 9SEP, NEWPORT NEWS set out for what was the largest scale NATO exercise held to date -- "TEAMWORK." The exercise was conducted mostly in the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea. The ship was at sea continuously for 25 days, logging approximately 10,500 sea miles. The tour took the ship through the Iceland Faeroes??? Gap to the Norwegian Sea, at the Arctic Circle, then down to the Bay of Biscay off the Northern Coast of Spain. On October 3 NEWPORT NEWS sailed into Portsmouth, England, for a 5-day liberty rest.
From Portsmouth NEWPORT NEWS went north again to visit Bergen, Norway, arriving on the morning of 10OCT. During the ship's stay, the marine detachment and SECOND FLEET band toured the country side performing concerts and drill team maneuvers for the people in three picturesque towns. The next port of call was Copenhagen where she moored at Langelinie on 15 October. NEWPORT NEWSmen went on several tours during the stay, among them was the famous Tuborg and Carlsberg breweries.
She then headed southward toward the coast of Spain and Portugal for "Operation Steel Pike I", an Atlantic Fleet Amphibious exercise. Her mission was to provide gunfire support to land a Marine Expeditionary Force. This mission was completed on 30OCT and the ship headed west for a November 9th reunion with families, leave and upkeep over Christmas. 29 December cut short the holiday leave period for NEWPORT NEWS and she sailed from Norfolk with Admiral Masterson, Commander SECOND FLEET, for a date in New Orleans. After a brief stopover at Mayport, FL, to celebrate the New Year, the ship headed for the Ole' Mississippi River, and New Orleans.
Proceed to 1965
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