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David R. Hassall entered the U. S. Navy right after graduating from Dulce Public High School, Dulce, New Mexico in May 1958. He spent 23 years and 2 months in the Naval Service, Rising from Seaman Recruit to the rank Chief Warrant Officer (CWO-4). Following are the awards given to Him during this Career: Bronze Star Medal , Navy Commendation Medal , and Vietnamese Awards . Additional United States Navy Awards include Good Conduct Medal with one star, Navy Unit Commendation with one star, Meritorious Unit Citation with one star, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Campaign medal with 4 stars, and the Combat Action Ribbon. While in the U. S. Navy, Chief Warrant Officer Hassall was selected to appear in the 1970 edition of the Outstanding Young Men of America, in recognition of his outstanding ability, accomplishments and service to his community, country and profession. During his Naval Career, David R. Hassall served in the following ships: |
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USS MOUNT BAKER (AE-4) from April 1959 to May 1961. The Mount Baker was originally launched as the Merchant ship SS Surprise built to haul bananas from South America to the United States. When, in World War II, the Germans were sinking more merchant ships than we could build, the Navy purchased the SS Surprise and because of her air conditioned holds, converted it into an ammunition Ship. She was diesel powered by 2 large 9 cylinder Nordburg engines. I took two Westpac cruises on this ship and rode out many a typhoon. A fire alarm was a "BIG DEAL" on this ship. This photo of the Mount Baker AE-4 was courtesy of W. Erskine Bankhead's private collection. |
| USS RANGER (CVA-61) from January 1963 to October 1965. I was a Electronics Technician First Class and had just completed Electronics Technician "B" School and the factory school on Automatic Carrier Landing System AN/SPN-10. We landed planes on this carrier using that system. We were one of the first carriers in the Tonkin Gulf after the "Tonkin Gulf Incident" that increased the United States presence in the Vietnam War. We participated in the first air raid on North Vietnam by hitting the port of Hi Phong. We spent almost a year in the Tonkin Gulf. Our tour was cut short by a major fire in #1 main machinery room and we limped back to our home port Alameda, California. |
| USS YOSEMITE (AD-19) is a destroyer tender (repair ship) and I was on board from June 1971 to June 1973. I was the Electronics Repair Officer on this ship. My division would repair and calibrate electronics equipment from the tended destroyers or auxiliary vessels alongside. I also doubled as the ships Electronics Material Officer for the Yosemite's installed electronics. The electronics repair division had about 45 men in its crew. This was my first duty station after returning from my tour in DaNang, RVN. |
| USS IWO JIMA (LPH-2) is a Helicopter Assault Carrier. It carried a Marine Air Group and a Marine Amphibious Assault Group and I was aboard this ship from August 1975 to October 1978. I made two cruises to the Mediterranean and was aboard when we evacuated the embassy in Beirut, Lebanon in July of 1976. I was the Electronics Material Officer on this ship and had a crew of 22 technicians working to maintain all of the RADAR, navigational aids and communications systems it takes for a full scale amphibious assault on a designated beachhead. |
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Shore Stations included: U.S. Naval Communications Station, Wahiawa, Hawaii, Electronics Technician "A" and Electronics Technician "B" School, Treasure Island, California, U. S Naval Support Activity, DaNang, RVN, U.S. Naval Support Facility, DaNang, RVN, U.S. Naval Communications Station and U.S. Naval Communications Area Master Station, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.Naval Technical Training Center, Glynco, Georgia. |
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