NARRATIVE OF EVENTS FOR 1982
From 1 January to 10 January, STERETT was inport Subic Bay, R.P. On 1 January Rear Admiral W. A. COCKELL embarked STERETT as Commander Surface Combatant Force Seventh Fleet. From 11 January to 14 January, STERETT was underway for a missile firing exercise and NGFS. On 20 January the ship arrived in Pattaya Beach, Thailand for a five-day visit. On 29 January STERETT returned to Subic Bay.
From 3 February to 8 February STERETT was enroute from Subic Bay to the Sea of Japan. From 11 February to 15 February STERETT was in port Sasebo, Japan where Change of Command ceremonies were held on 13 February. Captain D. C. RICHARDSON, USN was relieved by Captain G. E. SULLIVAN, III as Commanding Officer. On 24 February STERETT returned to Subic Bay.
On 2 March STERETT left Subic and was underway for two days of NGFS and South China Sea Operations. On 19 March the ship left Subic for Exercise Team Spirit in the Sea of Japan. On 31 March STERETT moored at Chinhae, Korea and departed later that day and returned to Chinhae on the evening of 31 March. On 1 April 1982 STERETT left Chinhae, South Korea for Hong Kong. On 4 April the ship moored at HMS TAMAR in Hong Kong. The ship left Hong Kong on 9 April and arrived in Subic Bay, R.P. on 10 April for 19 days of upkeep.
On 29 April the ship conducted a Dependent’s Cruise in the Subic Bay Operating Area. On 30 April STERETT left Subic Bay, R.P. for READEX 82. On 1 May 1982 STERETT was underway transiting the San Bernadino Straits enroute to READEX 82, which was conducted from 2 – 12 May. On 13 May 1982 STERETT returned to Subic Bay after participating in READEX 82 in the Philippine Sea. On 27 May STERETT left Subic Bay to visit Singapore. On 30 May STERETT crossed the equator, arriving in Singapore on 31 May.
On 1 June 1982 STERETT was anchored in Singapore conducting a port visit. On 4 June STERETT departed Singapore for Sattahip, Thailand. STERETT arrived at anchorage in Sattahip on 6 June 1982 and departed on 7 June to participate in Cobra Gold 1982 with the Royal Thai Navy. On the evening of 10 June 1982 STERETT rescued 15 Vietnamese refugees in a small boat adrift in the Gulf of Thailand. On 13 June 1982 STERETT arrived at Pattaya Beach, Thailand for a five day port visit. After leaving Thailand on 19 June in transit with TURNER JOY, BENJAMIN STODDART, and LYNDE McCORMICK STERETT was fired on by a Vietnamese fishing boat 20NM south of Con Son Island, SRV on 20 June 1982. STERETT returned to Subic Bay, R.P. on 23 June 1982 and remained in port until 30 June.
On 30 June 1982 STERETT departed Subic Bay for Hong Kong, B.C. STERETT arrived in Hong Kong on 2 July 1982. After arrival in Hong Kong STERETT entertained approximately 100 Crown Colony guests for a five-hour cruise in the Hong Kong island group. On 4 July 1982 STERETT was in full dress ship for Independence Day and conducted open ship. On 7 July 1982 STERETT departed Hong Kong. On 8 July 1982 STERETT arrived in Subic, offloaded guests and dependents, and departed for Missilex 82 – 13 in the South China Sea. On 10 July 1982 STERETT returned to Subic Bay for an upkeep period. On 20 July 1982 STERETT entered dry-dock and remained there for the remainder of the month.
The first of August STERETT remained in dry-dock. On 3 August the ship left dry-dock and remained in port Subic Bay until 17 August when the ship departed Subic Bay for transit to the Sea of Japan. On 21 August STERETT joined other units of the U.S. Seventh Fleet and units of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force for ASWEX 82 – 3AJ in the Sea of Japan. On 26 August STERETT entered Maizuru, Japan for a port visit. On 28 August STERETT departed Japan and arrived in Pusan, South Korea on 29 August. On 31 August STERETT departed Pusan and after a brief transit arrived in Chinhae, South Korea for training.
From the first of September to the sixth of September STERETT was in port Chinhae, South Korea. After a brief transit from Chinhae STERETT arrived in Yokosuka, Japan on 8 September. STERETT departed Yokosuka, Japan on 13 September for JMSDF annual exercise 57G. After detaching on 19 September STERETT transited south through the Philippine Sea and South China Sea arriving in Subic Bay, R.P. on 25 September. For the remainder of September STERETT was in port Subic for Ship’s Restricted Availability with Ship Repair Facility Subic Bay, R.P.
On 1 October 1982 STERETT was in port Subic Bay undergoing a Restricted Availability with Ship Repair Facility. From 4 to 6 October STERETT underwent an inspection by the Nuclear Weapons Assistance Team. On 12 October Rear Admiral SCHRADER, COMNAVSURFPAC visited STERETT. On 13 October STERETT commemorated the U.S. Navy’s 207th Birthday with a cake cutting ceremony on the mess decks. The ship remained in port the entire month undergoing SRA.
On 1 November 1982 STERETT was in port Subic Bay in a Selected Restricted Availability. STERETT remained in port Subic Bay throughout most of November undergoing DNSI from 16 to 19 November. STERETT left Subic Bay on 22 November after an ammunition onload at Naval Magazine. The ship returned to Subic Bay on 23 November and departed 29 November to participate in Battle Week 1 – 82. The ship remained underway through 30 November.
On 1 December 1982 STERETT was underway participating in Battle Week 1 – 82 in the South China Sea. From 3 December to 8 December STERETT was in transit to the Sea of Japan and on 9 December STERETT transited the Tsushima Strait. On 14 December STERETT stopped at Pusan, South Korea for a short visit and left 15 December. STERETT arrived Subic Bay on 18 December and remained in port Subic for the remainder of the month.