USS Truxtun (CGN-35)

 On 30 June 1975, near the end of that repair period, Truxton was reclassified a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser and was redesignated CGN-35. On 31 July, she completed the overhaul and all attendant tests and trials and sailed for San Diego. She arrived in her new home port on 4 August and resumed normal operations in the southern California area. That schedule occupied her for the following 12 months.

On 30 July 1976, the guided missile cruiser headed out of San Diego, bound for the western Pacific. She was commanded by Billy Talley Capt. USN. After two weeks of training in the Hawaiian Islands, she continued her voyage west on 16 August; and, after a somewhat circuitous cruise that took her to Wellington in New Zealand and Melbourne in Australia. 19 Aug. we crossed the equator at the international date line. The "polliwogs" became golden shellbacks. Truxton arrived in Subic Bay on 25 September. She conducted operations in the Philippines for about a month and then departed Subic Bay on 28 October, bound for the Indian Ocean and participation in Operation "Midlink 76." She arrived in Karachi, Pakistan, on 9 November for three days of briefings in preparation for the exercise. From 13 to 21 November, the warship joined in the multinational exercise in the waters off the coast of Pakistan. She returned to Karachi at the conclusion of "Midlink" on the 21st and remained there until the 24th. The Truxton CGN-35 returned to Karachi, Pakistan on 21 Nov. 1975. We were informed that everyone below the rank of commander would be searched after arriving onboard from liberty. The first day they patted everyone down. The second day they also had every one remove their shoes. We remained there until the 24th at which time she headed back to Subic Bay. We were minus a few sailors. The contraband hashish was safely stored away. I asked the Master at Arms if they did that on purpose. He just smiled. Local operations in the Philippines occupied the remainder of the year. From 4 to 13 January 1977, Truxton made a round-trip voyage to Hong Kong and back. She completed READEX 1-77 between 15 and 21 January and then again headed for the Indian Ocean in company with Enterprise (CVN-65) and Long Beach (CGN-9). On route, she and her travelling companions conducted exercise "Merlion III" with units of the Singapore Armed Forces on the 25th. Truxton participated in Operation "Houdini" in mid-February and visited Port Victoria in the Seychelle Islands. She returned to Subic Bay on 13 March and, four days later, got underway for the United States. 

My West Pac cruise- Ken beck EM2/1 (SS)

Joseph Paul Reason (born March 22, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) was Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet from 1996 to 1999. Earlier in his career, as a commander, he was naval aide to the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, from December 1976 to June 1979. In 1996, Reason became the first African-American officer in the United States Navy to become a four-star admiral.

Following his commissioning, from June to September 1965, Reason served as operations officer in USS J. Douglas Blackwood (DE-219), before attending the Naval Nuclear Power School at Bainbridge, Maryland from September 1965 to March 1966, then attended the Naval Nuclear power training Unit at Schenectady, New York from March to September 1966. On completion of his nuclear power training, Reason was assigned to USS Truxtun (CGN-35) and participated in the ship’s first deployment to Southeast Asia in 1968 during the Vietnam War. In September 1969, he entered the Naval Postgraduate School as a student, where he earned a Master of Science degree in computer systems management.

In December 1970, Reason was assigned to the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65), in which he served until January 1973, making two deployments to the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean areas. From January to August 1973, he attended the Naval Destroyer School at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, followed by the Combat System Technical Schools Command at Mare Island from August 1973 through January 1974.

Returning to USS Truxtun (CGN-35), Reason served as her combat systems officer from January 1974 until June 1976. On completion of this sea assignment, Reason became a detailer for Surface Nuclear Junior Officer Assignment and Placement Branch, Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington until December 1976, when he was assigned to the White House as Naval Aide to the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter.

PS

I served with Lt Cdr. Reason. He was also the Electrical Division Officer in his younger days. He delighted in good natured banter with the Chief Engineer; who would make Captain first. I’m pleased to see good people do well.

Reminiscence by Ken Beck EM2/1 (SS)