1960
Wallace L. Lind operated with these forces through 29 June 1960 when she took on board 27 NROTC midshipmen for their annual training cruise. The destroyer demonstrated her antisubmarine warfare proficiency during this six-week outing which included stops at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New York City.
Throughout August and September, the destroyer prepared for NATO fall exercises in the North Atlantic. On 6 September, she sailed from Norfolk and spent four weeks operating at sea with NATO forces. It was during this cruise that she crossed the Arctic Circle, and all were initiated into the Royal Order of the Blue Noses.
After returning to Norfolk on 20 October, Wallace L. Lind kept occupied with type training and miscellaneous services until December when she rejoined COMASWFORLANT for a brief assignment with the hunter/killer forces.
Wallace L. Lind welcomed in the new year, 1961, while at sea with COMASWFORLANT. On 13 February, she sailed for the Caribbean and Operation "Springboard 61." She returned to Norfolk, conducted local operations, and underwent upkeep commencing on 26 May.
On 1 June 1961, Wallace L. Land’s tender availability was interrupted when the destroyer was ordered to proceed, in company with other units of the 2nd Fleet, to the Dominican Republic. After three weeks of carrier task group operations, anti-submarine warfare, and shore bombardment exercises, the international crisis in that area lessened, and the destroyer returned to Norfolk on 20 June.
Wallace L. Lind provided services as a DesLant Gunnery School ship at Newport, Rhode Island, from 23 June until 7 July. While participating in "Lantflex 2-61," the destroyer spent the period between 17 and 27 July with midshipmen from the Naval Academy embarked on their summer cruise.
From 11 August until 22 September 1961, the ship participated in Project Mercury and was assigned to an area just south of the Canary Islands. She returned to Norfolk on 22 September and remained in upkeep status through 1 October.
On 16 October, Wallace L. Lind began a pre-FRAM availability; and, one month later, she underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) II conversion. This overhaul amounted to a complete renewal of her after superstructure, a new and modern combat information center, and modernization or complete overhaul of almost all machinery, weapons systems, and living accommodations. Changes to weapons systems involved adding to the previously-installed Hedgehog mounts two new side torpedo racks amidships for current inventory torpedoes. Immediately aft of the torpedo deck on the 01 level of the new superstructure, a hangar area and flight deck, from which the new Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter (DASH) could operate, was installed. Also installed was a variable depth sonar rig adding coverage for submarine search at various depth levels.
Wallace L. Lind was declared ready for sea on 25 August 1962. On 7 September, she arrived at Guantanamo for refresher training. After successfully completing the final operational readiness inspection on 17 October, the destroyer departed Guantanamo for Culebra Island, thence to Key West. However, while en route to Florida, the Cuban Missile Crisis intervened; and, on 21 October, the ship returned to Guantanamo. When the immediate crisis had ended, Lind returned to Norfolk on 28 November and commenced a needed in-port period of upkeep and preparation for the final outfitting with DASH.
The destroyer followed a two-week visit to Key West as a Fleet Sonar School ship in March 1963 with a trip to NS Argentia, Newfoundland. This voyage north was interrupted by the tragic news of the loss of Thresher (SSN-593). Wallace L. Lind, which was in the immediate vicinity at the time, joined in the search.
The destroyer completed the year's competitive exercises in May and was occupied with rocket and missile firings in June. She participated in the development acceptance program incident to Polaris missile firings for Lafayette (SSBN-616) off Cape Kennedy. During this period, Wallace L. Lind hosted the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet and Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet as observers of the launches. She also hosted the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Lind became the first operationally qualified DASH destroyer in the Atlantic Fleet during trials in July 1963.
In November 1963, the destroyer joined the operational forces of COMASWFORLANT and participated in an anti-submarine warfare demonstration for the American Helicopter Society in the Narragansett Bay area. During ensuing antisubmarine warfare operations with Task Group Bravo, Wallace L. Lind engaged fast nuclear submarines in hunter/killer operations and proved herself fully ready as a unit of the "HUK Team."
Read more about this topic: USS Wallace L. Lind (DD-703)