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USS Decatur (DDG 31) Crew List
The table below contains the names of sailors who served aboard the USS Decatur (DDG 31). Please keep in mind that this list does only include records of people who submitted their information for publication on this website. If you also served aboard and you remember one of the people below you can click on the name to send an email to the respective sailor. Would you like to have such a crew list on your website?
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There are 288 crew members registered for the USS Decatur (DDG 31).
Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm – 1967 | 1968 – 1970 | 1971 – 1973 | 1974 – 1976 | 1977 – 1979 | 1980 – 1981 | 1982 – now
| Name | Rank/Rate | Period | Division | Remarks/Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkwood, Terry | RD3 | 0000 – Oct 1, 1971 | OI | Lance Bell and I met on the Decatur and remain in contact today...what adventures we had together then...and what comradery we have shared since!...I remember many of the names I see here... God Bless all...Terry |
| Allen, Dick. | Sonar 3rd Class | Oct 1956 – Apr 1958 | sonar | Plank Owner of the Decatur DD 936, Commissioned December 7, 1956. Cdr J. J. Skahill, Commanding Officer, LCDR D. V, Cox, Executive officer. |
| Disinger, Foster | SOG3 | Oct 1956 – Sep 1958 | Sonar | |
| Van Brocklin, Bruce | SN | Oct 26, 1956 – Jul 28, 1958 | 2 nd | served with SN Bob Massicotte, SN Joe Carisilo, SA GeneChittenden ChiefTorpedeoman Tony Castlegrant,Chief Gwynn, RM Chief Delaney, BTC Smith,BTC Edwards. |
| Hill, Alan | EM2 | Nov 10, 1957 – Aug 10, 1960 | Electric Shop with Stepp EM3. Derato EMFN, Stratton EM3,Krause FN | |
| McPhee, Tim | E3 | May 28, 1958 – May 28, 1960 | 1st | hey are there anyone one around from the good old days |
| Gant, Richard | YN2 | Mar 1, 1959 – Mar 10, 1960 | OC | You can see the updated USS DECATUR page at: http://www.solt3.org/decatur.htm We also have a discussion list |
| Merchant, Howard | SA & SN | May 11, 1959 – May 14, 1960 | 2nd | Served on deck force, ships office, mess cook. On fire team in Naples.. Transfered to ET A school Great Lakes thanks to LCDR Ewing (XO). Retired ETC Dec. 78. Remember well Toulon France and Nanu Boilel (fell in love |
| Russell, Ralph (Rusty) | SN | Mar 19, 1960 – Dec 15, 1962 | DECK APE | |
| Bergen, Bill | BT 2 | 1961 – 1965 | Engineering | Living on a small farm in Florida after a career as an over the road trucker. I would love to touch base with a good buddy from back then, Jimmy Bordeaux |
| Poole, Doug | LTJG | Jun 9, 1961 – Jun 14, 1963 | 1st | |
| Helmreich, Bob | LT | Dec 10, 1961 – Aug 1, 1963 | ||
| Myers, Lauren | E4 | Aug 27, 1962 – Aug 27, 1964 | Repair | Cuban Missile Crisis, Caribbean and back 8 times, going through the Suez and back, ashore for a bullfight in Spain when the bull won, collision with The Lake Champlain and helping to haul in the fuel line, end in Boston |
| Fraioli, Richard | seaman | Sep 1962 – Sep 1964 | 1st division | coxswain motor whale boat 1963-refueling detail-aft steering control lost refueling from carrier Lake Champlain-Mail helicopter crash aft deck-caught sharks in the Red Sea at Suez Cannal-Cuban Blockcade.1963 . |
| Thompson, Dee | MM 1 | Oct 1962 – Jun 16, 1964 | M | met the ship in the Cuban crisis and left after the collision withthe Champ |
| Bill, Goodwin | RD3 | 1963 – 1966 | Radar | Served through Cuban Missle Crisis Kennedy Assasination Being Torpedoed In Port Lake Champlain Collision Looking for Stienhauser,Teczar, Randaza, Bickham |
| Rice, Dennis | FTM-3 | 1966 – 1967 | Weapons | Part of the commissioning crew. Helped install and operate telemetry for both guns and missles. Bill Gratza to this day still remains one of my best friends. Currently disabled with terminal mesothelioma. Take care. |
| Carver, John | PN3 | 1966 – 1968 | SHIPS COMPANY | |
| C Ameron, Thomas J | IC-3 | Feb 1966 – Aug 1969 | ELECTRICAL | Reported precom and worked SOAP TEAM until sea trials. Went to Long Beach, West Pac 1 cruise. Hated every minute of it but I love the men and the memories now. Lt Smolens thanks for not writing me up in Jamaica |
| Fryer, Bert | TM1 | Feb 1966 – Feb 1971 | AS | I enjoyed the camaraderie and the cruises. |
| Noe, Charlie | mm1 | Jun 1966 – Jul 1972 | m and r | was in #1 eng rm and was in charge of r div and worked on air cond did t westpacs was on board when we stopped in the mendus island |
| Millar, Johnm | mm-2 | Jun 1966 – Dec 10, 1968 | M-div | Enjoyed my tour from Restart through westpac and first deployment |
| West, James | QM3 | Jul 5, 1966 – Apr 20, 1970 | OPS | |
| Kelly, John | RD2 | Aug 1966 – Oct 1969 | Radar | Great crew. Many fond memories and friends. Wish all my shipmates the best. |
| Mowrer, Frank | SN | Sep 1966 – Jun 1968 | deck | From transit at Long Beach I went to Newport Rhode Island. for fleet training. fire fighting , damage control etc. went to Boston ship yard,was the xo's yoeman, till I got out in 68. |
| Gratza, Bill | FTG3 | Sep 1966 – Jul 1968 | Weapons | Boston was fun on pre-com. Virgin Isles, Puerto Rico & Acapulco were better. Shipmate Dennis Rice and I became life-long friends. Dennis passed away Dec. 2013 from meso. The Dicky-do & our UA were memorable for us both. |
| Nailor, Robert | YN2 | Sep 1966 – May 1968 | Engineering | YN3, Eng. Yeoman, Pre-comm in both Newport, RI and Boston, MA. Went from SA to YN3 while assigned DDG31. Plankowner. |
Burnz, Robert  | FTM2/1 (FTMC) | Sep 1966 – Nov 20, 1969 | MI | Worked in Missile Radar with Petzold, Candel, Rosenthall and Justin. On precomm crew. Plank owner. Last crew member to touch her in Pearl Harbor just before RIMPAC 2004 when she was sunk as a target. Best duty of 20 yrs. |
| Taylor, Marc | LT | Sep 6, 1966 – Feb 28, 1969 | Weapons | Pre-comm, plankowner, shellback. Great crew! I remember the Tartar crew knocking the tail off the QF-9 drone at Roosevelt Roads and the Gun crew hitting the WP flare counterbattery fire at Vieques. Good memories. |
| Schultz, Dennis | DK3 | Sep 14, 1966 – Sep 14, 1967 | SUPPLY | I remmber the long hours settling all the FSA and temporary duty per diem once the ship was oommissioned. |
| Connelly, Bob | FTM3 | Sep 15, 1966 – May 29, 1969 | Weapons | Pre-com in Newport 'till end of 1st Westpac. My only ship. SPS-48 gang with Carlson, Lawrence and Schmidt then Gun plot with Eli Kinkaid. Captain's 1JV phone talker for Capt.Bagget &Allen Ship's diver, rescue swimmer. |
| West, Tony | RD2 | Sep 25, 1966 – Apr 22, 1970 | OI | Plankowner (1967) and Shellback. Excellent crew and Excellent times. |
| Ellington, David | BT-2 | Sep 26, 1966 – Aug 20, 1969 | ENGINEERING | USS BRONSON DD-686 12/65 TO 5/66. BT A SCHOOL 5/66 TO 9/66. USS DECATUR PRECOM IN RI AND MA. PLANKOWNER. SHELLBACK ON 1ST WESTPAK CRUSE TO VIETMAN. |
| Willis, Richard | FTCS | Oct 6, 1966 – Dec 10, 1969 | MI | Nucleus Crew at Boston Naval Shipyard. Plank Owner. Great group of guys. Sad to watch the SINKEX but proud of the fight she put up before going down. Great memories. Active reunion group available for all Decaturs, |
| Boehlke, Joe | E-4 | Oct 9, 1966 – Mar 18, 1969 | Supply | Served on board from precom until return from first Westpac cruise. Was storekeeper working for Lt's Birindelli and Tepovich in Supply office. |
| Koehler, Dave | RM3 | Oct 16, 1966 – Jul 14, 1968 | OC | Plankowner, Served with Deleware Ben and the Calif. Dreaming gang. |
| Serafine, Albert "Mark" | ETR2 | Nov 1966 – Jun 6, 1968 | OE | I reported aboard while Decatur was in Boston Naval Shipyards for DDG conversion.Plankowner and made E5 on board. Sailed through Panama Canal to San Diego where in May of 68 I received separation from Navy. |
| Myrick, Thomas | FA-MM2 | Nov 2, 1966 – Mar 3, 1969 | M Div. | |
| Powers, Ed "Doc" | HMC | Nov 10, 1966 – Jul 25, 1968 | Medical | I was a PreComm crewmember in Boston and the ship's Medical Dept Representaitve. I remember HM2 Bill Hickey being awarded Navy Cross during the commissioning ceremony, and the cruise to the West Coast via the Panama Canal to homeport at Long Beach |
| Collins, Carroll (C.c. | E-3 | 1967 – 1969 | deck division | That was, looking back, one of the greatest adventures of my life - playing drums in numerous foreign ports, and drinking my way across the Pacific Ocean. I'm sure i had a great time, I can still remember some of it!! |
| Tyler, William | FTG3 | 1967 – 1969 | Guns | I joined Decatur in Boston drydock in 1967. I was a plank owner. Left the ship in 1969. I was an FTG3 and ran gun plot in 68,69., One of the great experiences of my life. |
| Posalski, Marc | FN | 1967 – 1968 | Engineering | |
| Daly, John J. III | Jan 29, 1967 – | |||
| Smolen, Theodore | LT | Mar 1, 1967 – Jun 9, 1969 | MPA | Looking for MMCS Dyer |
| Talejkowski, Alfred (Ski) | SF1 | Apr 29, 1967 – Feb 7, 1968 | R | I was part of the original 5 member crew, in Boston Shipyards for DDG conversion.Plankowner. I made CPO and styed in for 22 years. Retired 1974. |
| Lawrence, Joe | FTM3, then FTM2 | Apr 29, 1967 – Apr 19, 1969 | Weapons | Reported aboard ship when in Boston being retrofitted from a DD to DDG, as a result of damage during refueling. Reported to Chief Carlson, and worked with Bob Connolly and Chuck Schmidt. Looking for contacts with crew |
| Hihn, Jerry | SK2 | Nov 1967 – Feb 1971 | Supply | Served in Supply SSC under Birindelli and Tepovich. Was fortunate to visit Decatur 1 more time on March 9 2004 with two shipmates and wife. Great time was had by all. Thanks James Webb, Ray Oliver. See you guys again soon. Reunion, lets go. |
| Marticorena, Bill | PO3 | Nov 1967 – Feb 1969 | Admin | Navy Reservist. Served on Deck Force prior to receiving YN3. Originally from Southern California, currently living in western PA. |
| Marticorena, Bill | YN3 | Nov 1967 – Feb 1969 | WEPS | WEPS Yeoman for LT Geneco. Great WESPAC in 68. Shellback. Friends CJ Collins, Haynes, Riddel, Sullivan, Walters, Mehl & Mike Taylor. Never forget the experiences, especially ripping off our sonar dome in S.D. just before shakedown. |
| Hihn, Gerald | SK2 | Nov 1, 1967 – Feb 3, 1971 | ||
| Hihn, Gerald | SK2 | Nov 11, 1967 – Feb 3, 1971 | s | All you Decatur sailors check out website at www.ussdecatur.org for reunion updates and all kinds of other stuff.. |
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Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm – 1967 | 1968 – 1970 | 1971 – 1973 | 1974 – 1976 | 1977 – 1979 | 1980 – 1981 | 1982 – now
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Reunions
There are currently no planned reunions.