I wanted to share an email that I got the other day. I thought that some of you guys might remember this.

G'day John,

I was doing some research for an article I'm writing about my time in the Royal Australian Navy when I came across your site. I had my 'Cochrane' experience in 1980 when I was a Leading Seaman aboard HMAS Hobart, (DDG 39, a Perth Class, modified Charles F Adams Class DDG).

Because the USN seemed to be so much better resourced than our Navy was, every time any of our ships visited Pearl Harbour we always had guys heading off looking for some form of assistance. In 1980, however, when Hobart once again visited Pearl I was amazed to find crewmen from USS Cochrane coming to us for assistance. They were communications technicians and were seeking help with some problems they were having with the Link 11 system. As I was Hobart's Link 11 maintainer I was asked to help out.

I spent a number of days helping out aboard Cochrane, and really enjoyed meeting members of the crew. The guys also introduced me to some of the other facilities of Pearl Harbour, and looked after me really well. I fondly remember being driven all over the place, including up to Schofield Barracks, just because I said I wanted to get a Marine Corps fatigue cap. We eventually got one at an Army & Navy store and the guys seemed disappointed they couldn't get me a new one, though I was perfectly happy with a used one.

Sadly I am unable to recall the names of the two guys I spent the most time with, and for that I'm sorry. They showed me great professional, as well as personal courtesy. I can remember one of the guys getting into quite a discussion over my presence in the CIC, helping to fix a problem, because Cochrane and Hobart were scheduled to be on opposing sides in the forthcoming exercises. He won out, though, and we managed to solve the problem and get the system functioning properly. Indeed, when I eventually returned to Hobart my boss jokingly told me I'd been aiding and abetting the enemy.

As an old DDG 'salt' I was sad to see our three paid off, and sadder still to see them sunk as diving wrecks, but perhaps its good to know people will still derive some pleasure from them. I noticed there was possibly a movement to preserve at least one USN Charles F Adams vessel, and I hope you are successful.

Best wishes from an Aussie DDG man,

Regards,

Henry Moulds
ex- Petty Officer Electronic Technical Communications
RAN
1977-1984

Henry and John, Thanks both very much for sharing! During my time on Cochrane, during a westpac we did an ASW thing with Ausies, Brits, and New Zealanders, during which we had an RAN sonarman ride us for a few days, but he wasn't from an Adams.I remember him being from HMAS Swan, but could well be wrong. I remember he was alot of fun attitude wise, and figured our stuff out quickly. (...at least thats how I remember it! It has been a couple of years now! Wonder what became of him? And wonder if he was ruined after his time with us! Yall take care- marc tuton

Cochrane deployed to WestPac in August 1980, the Data System technicians working on the NTDS equipment were DS2 Patrick McHugh (display) DS2 Michael Couch (Link 11, reported aboard in June/July 1980), DS3 Thomas Chesley (AN/UYK-7 computer) and DS3 Arno Karner (display?, reported just prior to or during the cruise) (their picture is on page 76 of the 1980-81 cruise book). The Data Systems Technicians had just been moved from the Operations Department (OE Division) to Weapons Department (Fox Division) while the ship was in San Diego (May 1980) and FTM1 Eddie Burns (MK 152 computer) was assigned temporarily to assist in getting the equipment squared away. When the change was made only 4 of the 8 display consoles worked and the Link 11 had been down for over 2 years. The Link 11 data terminal was unique to the four US DDGs (9, 12, 15 & 21) and the three RAN DDGs so parts support was very poor and often a returning ship was cannibalized to fix the next deployer. It took nearly three months of work to get 7 of 8 display consoles working and about 2 weeks of intense effort to restore the Link 11, it even required removing the lockers and the after bulkhead from the stateroom just forward of radio on the 01 level to gain access to the wiring.

David, thanks for the info. Looks like time has befuddled the memory, for I thought we got the system going. Maybe it was just the bit I was involved in. I know we sorted one of the displays, the problem being the thumbwheel switches used for the Link 11 if I recall. Small things that caused a big problem. Either way, it was a great few days and I had a ball. I still laugh at my first exposure to the Ice Cream Room - the same compartment on our ships was used by the stokers as an office. I also remember suggesting we stop for a brew, not realising it meant a beer on US ships, not a cup of tea or coffee as it did on ours. Two great Navies, separated by a common language.

The link 11 equipment was working when we deployed. I remember working with the RAN technicians in Pearl. I went to MK 74 Mod 4, 5 & 8 Missile Fire Control System school with 3 RAN members (LT Davis, CPO Wright, and a PO) and a Garden Island civilian at Mare Island for 20 weeks in 1978. While Cochrane was in Sidney I sent one of my best technicians (FTG1 Tom Marchand) to help with a MK 47 gun fire control computer problem on HMAS Hobart (I think). We were able to swap a few parts back and forth and ended up with both ships sailing with fully operational systems. The availability in Sidney was followed by a 5 day exercise including a surface to surface engagement with standard missiles against a very large barge.

Dave Melges??? were you "Chief Melges" back in "79-"81