U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner DD-692
Mediterranean September 1951 - November 1951

Scenes of Gibraltar and Naples from Don Marion's Photo Collection Don Cassady's Photo Collection

Official Ship's Deck Log - 1951

The Sumner departed Norfolk on 3 September 1951 for Gibraltar in company with Task Group 89.1 including USS Leyte (CV-32), USS Roosevelt (CVB-42), USS Des Moines (CA-134), USS Albany (CAL-23), USS Macon (CAL-32) and the destroyers USS Weeks (DD-701), USS Ault (DD-698), USS Furse (DD-882), USS Haynsworth (DD-700), USS Moale (DD-693), USS Cecil (DD-835), USS Putman (DD-656), USS Ingraham (DD-694), USS Keith (DD-775), USS Johnson (DD-821), USS Ware (DD-865), USS Turner (DD-834) and the USS Bailey (DD-713). ComSecondFleet was aboard the Albany.

During operations on the 7th with the USS Leyte two planes were lost but the pilots were recovered while Sumner was on Plane Guard duty. She passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on the 13th and entered the Mediterranean as a part of Task Group 168.1. Operations continued until the 22nd when Sumner tied up in Lisbon, Portugal. The United States Ambassador to Portugal, Mr. Lincoln Mac Veagh, inspected the ship on the 23rd. She began operations with the Roosevelt and Leyte again on the 26th remaining at sea until anchoring in Augusta Bay, Sicily on 1 October.

Underway again on 6 October with Task Group 160.2 for Naples, Italy where she arrived on the 8th for three days rest. Again at sea on the 11th she steamed overnight to Leghorn, Italy remaining there until the 15th when she again again had at-sea operations. On the 21st Sumner anchored in Cannes, France enjoying a weeks rest. On 29 October she headed west for the Straits of Gibraltar mooring there on the night of the 31st.  Sumner headed home from her second Med Cruise on 1 November and arrived back at the C&E Piers on 14 November.

Do you have any stories, pictures or memorabilia of the cruise?  If you do, please let us know