POST KOREA (DESDIV 162)
From October until November the MASSEY operated in the Norfolk area but was then sent to Pensacola, Florida to act as plane guard for the USS MONTEREY. Upon completion of this assignment, the MASSEY returned to Norfolk for the annual holiday period. This was followed by a period of intensive ASW training in the Norfolk area.
On 6 May 1954, MASSEY entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth for her regular two-year overhaul. Upon completion of the yard period in August 1954, the ship was ordered to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for a six week refresher training period. During this period, MASSEY visited two liberty ports of Santiago, Cuba and Port au Prince, Haiti, returning to Norfolk in October. During October and November, MASSEY participated in ASW and type training exercises, returning to homeport for the holiday leave and upkeep period in December.
On 5 January 1955, MASSEY departed Norfolk to join the SIXTH Fleet for a six month cruise in the Mediterranean, arriving at Oran, Algieria on 19 January. During this deployment, MASSEY participated in various SIXTH Fleet operations and exercises plus visited the following ports: Malta, Istanbul, Phaleran Bay, Naples, Monaco, Livorno, Toulon, Palma de Mallorca, Tangiers and Gibraltar. On 7 May, MASSEY was detached from the SIXTH Fleet and departed Gibraltar for Norfolk, Virginia. After arrival in Norfolk, the ship was once again assigned to the Atlantic Fleet’s Hunter Killer ASW Force (HUKFORLANT) and engaged in various ASW and type training exercises. In August 1955 CDR F. L. Englander, USN relieved CDR R. B. Harrell, USN as Commanding Officer.
In September, MASSEY departed Norfolk for a two month cruise to Lisbon, Portugal and participated in Operation Centerboard. Upon returning from Lisbon, ASW and type training exercises were resumed and conducted until February, with December 1955 and January 1956 being set aside for the holiday in-port leave period.
In February 1956, MASSEY departed Norfolk for Operation Springboard and gunfire support exercises on Puerto Rico’s Culebra and Vieques Islands and visited the ports of: Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bermuda. MASSEY returned from Operation Springboard in March and resumed type training exercises followed by two training operations – INTEX and AIRDEX during April and May.
MASSEY took part in a summer cruise in July and August of 1956 that embarked about 60 midshipmen from Annapolis for Midshipmen Cruise Bravo. This was to be a two month training cruise to Valencia, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; then on to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In July, under the command of CDR. F. L. Englander, USS MASSEY won the Battle “E” award for operational readiness and efficiency, making the third such award for the ship.
“On the second day after departing Dublin, Ireland for Guantanamo (GTMO), Captain Englander suddenly collapsed. There was no warning or previous symptoms. Our Ship’s Doctor was a pediatrician so we recruited two other medical doctors to assist. They all concurred in the diagnosis, so we transferred him to USS WISCONSIN BB 64 via high line. I immediately assumed command and we continued on to GTMO. My recollection was this occurred in mid August. We subsequently returned to Norfolk where I was relieved by CDR Dan James and assumed my old job as X.O.”
– LCDR Richard J. Plante
“I relieved LCDR Richard J. Plante who took over when CDR Felix Englander suffered a heart attack. I was enroute to the JAMES C. OWENS (DD776) in Sept 1956 and was diverted to the MASSEY. Dick Plante returned to be the best X.O. in the Navy”.
– CDR Daniel V. James
After the ships return to Norfolk, VA in July of 1951, MASSEY participated in fleet exercises in the Atlantic until May 1952 when she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for regular overhaul. Between August 1952 and April 1953, MASSEY underwent a training period at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and participated in general fleet exercises in the Atlantic.
My dad, LCDR Plante, did love to shoot. Sharks were his favorite target. He once told me that they would stop and dump garbage to attract sharks. All the crew who wanted to shoot were armed. The only condition was that Dad got the first shot, the free fire reigned.
LCDR Plante passed away in 1997 at the age of 78. He always enjoyed visiting with his shipmates at re-unions. I am his younger son and I remember the Massey – a beautiful ship. My brother still has the Browning shotgun that the Massey crew gave to my dad when he moved on to his next assignment.
I was on board when CMD Englander suffered his heart attack. We all suffered his loss. LCDR Plante was a Great skipper and lover to shot the small arms. It was my under standing he wore all three hats. Good man. In that time frame the crew had three skippers, well I did any way. On leaving the Massey, CRD James was the skipper. In 2010 november I went to see Capt. James, he was 92 at that time.