European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 3, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday june 3. 1987 the stars and stripes Page 3 i w of 137t" a a " =�.,� inv or. Jig in.s6s pin uni by Gus b awaiting Are Uulu r maintenance Check Al la of Addalena Sardinia the submarine Jacksonville nestles aliens i the 4-l-Yciir-Flld sub Lender Orinn. Graybeard Orion never tires of tending med subs Mediterranean Bureau four limes a year inc submarine ten Der Orion Cranks up its 44-year-old die set propulsion Plant and deploys for 10days from its base off Sardinia to another port. The Orion one of the oldest commissioned ships in the . Navy is also the Only sub tender in the Mediterranean. It is a floating repair and Supply base serv ing submarine Rescue ships attack sub marines on five month deployments from he slates and other surface ships the age of the ship is no liability. The Orion does the same function As All Zijic other tenders said Cape. Don for Rich the Orion s skipper but consistently the hardest Factor we encounter in gel Ling underway is getting every watch the Orion is staffed by 55 officers and 1,160 enlisted personnel. Enlisted sailors Are required to serve Only two years aboard the ship and much of that time is initially spent train ing sailors for their duties the iwo year Tours put t. Premium on training terrier said. The Orion goes to sea at least quarterly to keep its Crew trained and to allow the Lender to bring its services to other ports. Normally the Orion is moored at Santo a Lofano a nato fuel and ammunition storage site about a 15-Minutc boat ride across the Bay from the Island Community of la Maddalena five Miles off the Northern tip of Sardinia. When the ship recently was deployed to Tou Lon France the Days before its departure were Busy ones As Crew members Flung Liberty boats aboard and secured tons of gear. The Orion s 530-foot-Long Hull is packed with 35 major repair shops weapons handling and Supply facilities. Some 52,000 general and technical sup ply items Worth about $10 million Are i Cpl aboard to meet the needs of the vessels the ship services. These stocks arc replenished bimonthly visits from a Supply ship. The Orion also provides subs with fresh water fuel Oil nuclear reactor makeup water torpedoes anti submarine missiles food electrical Power plus Small boat and Crane services. Normally two subs arc alongside the ship at an onetime. Since 1980, the Orion has been at Santo Lefano which experiences Little swell and is sheltered from the prevailing winds. La s a Ood spol for us to do our Job Ferric said. The Orion s machine Shup left out make urn isl any thing needed far repairs. Here fireman Robert b. Lai blk grinds a thread on b lathe. Preparing for a cruise sailors Center Check Lifeboat lines. Left to right sea Jii Joe a etting Seaman Gilbert t. I Crry sea Man Martin t. Poole and Pelty officer 3.c. Joe g. Carza. Right Orion crewmen do other pre cruise chores
