James Treadway
Among the opening remarks in Biddle’s 1970 Command History was the statement “Since the day she was commissioned, 21 January 1967, BIDDLE logs have recorded an around the world cruise, two deployments to WESTPAC, and two change-of-command ceremonies. When BIDDLE began 1970, she was in very unfamiliar surroundings, her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.” It would be 28 months before she would be deployed to WESTPAC for a third time, this time more powerful and more electronically aware of her surroundings than ever before.
Soon after returning from her second deployment to WESTPAC, Biddle was placed on a restricted availability status for the installation of Automatic Target Detection (ATD)/Automatic Clutter Detection (ACD)/Moving Target Indication (MTI) on the SPS-48 height-finding radar in conjunction CNO Project C/S 64 Operations-Evaluation of the AN/SPS-48(V) ATD/ACD/MTI radar. With the installation complete in mid-April, Biddle was underway in the VACAPES and San Juan Operating Area on 13 April for a 32 day training and technical evaluation of the SPS-48 modification. The short cruise included calls to the ports of San Juan, St. Thomas, and, of course, Roosevelt Roads. To give the “48” a real test, Biddle steamed independently north to the New York Operating Area and returned to Norfolk on 15 May. Biddle continued the CNO Project C/S 64 Operations during weekday cruises for a week until 22 May, when Captain Louis J. Collister, USN, relieved Captain Olsen.
A Kansas native, Captain Collister graduated from Case Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He served in the aircraft carriers USS Anzio (CVE-57) and USS Randolph (CVA-15), the cruiser USS Worcester (CL-144), and the destroyer USS Jarvis (DD-799). Captain Collister commanded USS Leray Wilson (DE-414), USS Fessenden (DER-142), USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852), and the combat stores ship, USS Concord (AFS-5).
Under Captain Hollister’s command, Biddle continued CNO Project C/S 64 Operations during short cruises in the VACAPES area until the project was completed on 5 June. On 13 July, Biddle was again placed on restricted availability status, this time for the removal of the ANS/SPS-48(V) ATD/ACD/MTI modifications. Eight days later, CNO Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt was in the Norfolk area touring installations when he decided to “drop by.” Three days after the Admiral’s visit, the Florida’s-own Miss Citrus Fruit 1970 visited Biddle. (I wonder which visit the crew enjoyed most?)
The next major milestone for Biddle was a five month regular overhaul and installation of the Shortstop Electronic Warfare System, the AN/SLQ-27 (XN-1). Preparatory to the overhaul, Biddle off-loaded ammunition at the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Virginia, and conducted the annual Family Cruise. Biddle was placed in dry dock at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 28 August. In addition to the Shortstop installation, considerable work was done to Biddle’s exterior. The Command History stated that “BIDDLE’S sides were sandblasted to deck edge, and painted with a new acrylic paint designed for increased resistance to corrosion. The Deck Force took the 01 level down to the bare deck. The anchor chain was removed, tumbled, sandblasted, and checked for weak links before being repainted. There were modifications to the highline stations due to the installation of the Chaffroc [Chaffroc is a rocket that dispenses chaff to protect against anti-ship missiles before target lock-on] deck, and to the fantail lifelines, which had to be re-aligned to go around the aft Whip antennas. “
1971
Biddle was still in dry dock in January 1971. The 1971 Command History reported “She was continuing a regular overhaul period combined with the installation of the new Shortstop computerized electronic warfare system. Modifications to the superstructure include the addition of two electronic countermeasures equipment compartments on the 04 and 05 levels. Two multi-beam antennas replaced the exterior mounted ECM equipment on the 05 level near the forward mack. An omni-directional antenna was added atop the after mack as part of the Shortstop system.”
April was a busy month for Biddle – she was underway three times in the VACAPES Op Area for gunnery exercises and underway replenishment. Since Biddle’s engineering plant had been modified during the overhaul to burn naval distillate fuel, she was underway again on 30 April to offload 500,00 gallons of fuel oil in order to take on naval distillate. With the overhaul and Shortstop installation complete, Biddle got underway on 23 March for weapons system alignment trials. On 3 May Biddle returned to the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Virginia, to load weapons and conduct an annual Family Cruise on 6 May.
Biddle was underway again on 1 June for Ship’s Qualification Trials (SQT), Weapons System Alignment Tests (WSAT), and Refresher Training in the Caribbean. After successfully passing missile SQT and WSAT, Biddle enjoyed a long weekend at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Refresher Training continued at Guantanamo Bay, where Captain William O. McDaniel relieved Captain Louis J. Collister as Biddle’s fourth commanding officer.
Captain McDaniel, after receiving his commission through the NROTC Unit at the Rice institute in June 1946, served in destroyers Steinaker, Haynesworth Dehaven and the cruiser Los Angeles. He commanded the destroyer Strong and the guided missile frigate Macdonough. Captain McDaniel also served as Commander Destroyer Division 322 in Norfolk.
Under Captain McDaniels command Biddle completed her Refresher Training and live Naval Gunfire Support Exercises at Culebra Island, returning to D and S Piers, Norfolk, on 1 August. Technical evaluation of the Shortstop ECM system began on 7 September and continued with numerous underway periods until January 1972. Representing the DLG class, Biddle participated in a comprehensive NATO Seapower review from 25 to 28 September. Biddle’s 1971 Command History stated that “The ships in the review exercised at missile firing, launch and recovery of helicopters, ASW attack, surface gunnery, and underway replenishment as the carrier (USS John F. Kennedy) steamed by in column formation. Additionally, training in ASW, communications, and dual/multi-ship maneuvering was conducted during the remainder of the three days.” Such is a day in the life of a DLG!
Following a satisfactory grade from a Nuclear Weapons Acceptance Inspection in early October, Biddle passed a Technical Standardization Inspection in December with a high evaluation. All areas related to weapons handling, security, and administration were tested.
Biddle continued to test her new Shortstop ECM system in January 1972. A technical evaluation of the system during two underway periods in mid-January was followed by an operational evaluation in the VACAPES Area from late January through mid-February. “Final operational tests were conducted in the Jacksonville (Florida) Operational Area, 22-25 February and 28 February – 3 March,” according to the 1972 Command History.
DSC Rodney Merrill describes the installation:
Shortstop was a threat reactive ECM system. On Biddle, Shortstop filled three equipment rooms, ECM-1, 2, and 3. ECM-1 took over the berthing space under the Electronics Technician shop and held the digital equipment – computers, mag tape, printers, Teletype, and symbol generator. ECM-2 above Sonar Control was expanded and held the active ECM equipment, antenna controls, and system test equipment. Adding ECM-3 caused Biddle’s forward mack to be about twenty feet higher than the other ships of the class. On each side of the ship were the antennas that weighed about three tons each. Because this was a test platform and could not take the full size of the antennas, only the X band antenna for the automatic system was put on the ship. Before leaving for WESTPAC another band was added. Shortstop was a full auto system. It could detect, identify and either recommend or take action, depending on system mode: semi-auto, or auto, in seconds.
Soon after Biddle completed testing the Shortstop system, she was assigned Restricted Availability for modifications to accept the Navy’s Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS) helicopter. With work completed in early April, Biddle prepared for her first Med cruise.
Hard Charger! 