USS Cochrane sailing in smooth seas.
USS Cochrane sailing in rough seas.
USS COCHRANE (DDG-21) I reported to USS Cochrane, also home ported in Yokosuka, Japan, on October 18, 1983 as an FTG3 (E-4) and was assigned to G Division where I again worked on the Mk 68 Gun Fire Control System and later became the work center supervisor. This time however, we had 2 guns to control.
While onboard, we traveled to many of the same places as when I was on the Kirk as well as a few more to include Sasebo, Japan; Phuket, Thailand and Perth, Australia.
Some of the operations that we were involved with were more operations off the cost of Iran, more rescue missions and many more training exercises.
During my time onboard Cochrane, a new rating of FC was developed by merging FTG's (Fire Control Technician Guns) and FTM's (Fire Control Technician Missiles) . It was also onboard Cochrane that I qualified Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS).
I left the Cochrane on October 28, 1983 when I was transferred to AEGIS Training Center in Dahlgren, Virginia for training on the AN/SPY-1A Radar System, the radar of the AEGIS Weapon System.
Upon graduating on June 24, 1986, I transferred to USS Ticonderoga (CG-47).
