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On 1 January, McCaffery was moored at Newport, Rhode Island. Commanding Officer - CDR G.R. Muse
On 7 January, Commander Destroyer Flotilla 2 commenced a Mediterrean departure inspection. Until 3 Fedruary, McCaffery participated
in training exercises. While McCaffery was moored to a buoy in Narrangansett Bay on 28 January, USS Fred T. Berry (DDE858) approached
to tie up on the port side of McCaffery. The starboard anchor of Berry fouled the McCaffery forecastle, broke six stanchions and bent
two others. A six inch hole was punched in the hull forward of frame 7. Despite the damage, Berry tied up to McCaffery.
On 3 February, McCaffery got underway for Gibraltar, passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on 17 February, and anchored at Golfe Juan,
France on 21 February. On 3 March, McCaffery got underway for Naples, Italy, conducted exercises while underway, and arrived at Naples on 9 March.
On 12 March, 43 orphans came aboard with Father Giovanni from the Institute Bumbins de Villa Ruffo. On 13 March, McCaffery got underway for Bougie,
Algeria, and arrived on 15 March. McCaffery then got underway for Operation Rendezvous, which included units of the Sixth Fleet and several Italian
ships: Artigliere (DDE-553); Granatiere (DDE-550); Aviere (DDE-554). During this operation, a refueling stop was made at Toulon, France. On 25 March,
ENS F.F. Ames, W.F. Dalton (SOC), and E. Brugger (SO3) were transferred to the USS Harwood (DDE-861) to observe ASW exercises. On 28 March, McCaffery
moored at the British Crown Colony of Gibraltar. On 30 March, Commander Escort Destroyer Squadron 6, representing the Secretary of the Army, arrived
on board to present CDR G.R. Muse with the United States Commendation Ribbon with pendant and citation for meritorious service in Korea from 9 July,
1951 to 8 May, 1952. On 31 March, McCaffery got underway for Ponta Delgrada, the Azores.
Upon arrival at Ponta Delgada, 2 April, the USS Wright (CVL-49), fired a 21-gun salute in honor of the Portuguese government as represented in Ponta
Delgada. On 7 April, McCaffery departed Ponta Delgada for Newport, R. I. During a high line transfer of light freight, a surge between ships
straightened the highline between the ships. As a result the bag was thrown free of the swivel hook and sank in the water. On 11 April, McCaffery
moored at Fall River, Massachusetts. On 23 April McCaffery tied up at Newport for periodic underwater inspection of the struts and propellers for corrosion.
On 27 April a diver made the inspection and found that all zinc sacrificial anodes attached to the hull were approximately 80% deteriorated. Generally,
these anodes are changed at every dry dock availability.
On 13 May, USS Norris (DDE-859) damaged the bulkhead and stanchions of the #2 life raft on the port side while mooring to the McCaffery. On 22 May, McCaffery
got underway for the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard, and arrived on 23 May. On 26 May, McCaffery departed New York for Philadelphia, and arrived on 27 May.
On 4 June, McCaffery was towed to dry dock, and winched out the next day. On 22 June, C.I. Lehman, SN, sustained contusions of the right leg and arm when the float on
which his stage was erected was rocked by the wake of a passing tug, causing him to fall. He was transferred by ambulance to the Naval Base Hospital. On 25 June, the
sanitation officer examined 2000 pounds of meat for quality in the portable refrigeration plant. It was recommended that all meat be re-examined when opened for use.
On 6 July, McCaffery was moved to dry dock. The Hull Board met on 7 July to inspect the hull and underwater fittings. On 20 July, McCaffery was moved to a pier.
Before departing Philadelphia Navy Yard, Mr. William J. Brady, uncle of Colonel Joseph P. McCaffery, came aboard with a party of 35 relatives and friends, and presented
to the USS McCaffery a pictorial biography of the Colonel. This biography was accepted by CDR G.R. Muse on behalf of the ship's company. On 27 August, McCaffery got
underway for Earle, N.J., to load ammunition. McCaffery returned to Newport on 29 August.
McCaffery conducted exercises, and operated in the Newport area until 14 September, when she departed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. En route, exercises were conducted with
USS Cabot (CVL-28). She moored at Guantanamo Bay on 19 September, and after remaining in port for a couple of days, departed Guantanamo Bay with USS Randolph (CVA-15). On
29 September, stationed astern of USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), McCaffery lowered a whale boat to retrieve a drone. In the process, the drone parachute was sucked into the
#1 main circulator injection. Returning to Guantanamo Bay, a diver removed part of the chute. On 30 September, a diving barge came alongside, and the rest of the parachute
was removed from the impellor.
McCaffery participated in exercises until 24 October, when she moored at Kingston, Jamaica. On 29 October, McCaffery got underway for Culebra, Virgin Islands, and arrived on
31 October. McCaffery was at sea on 1 November, and anchored off Vieques Island on 2 November. On 6 November, she got underway for Newport, R.I., and arrived on 10 November.
On 16 November, while moored to a buoy, McCaffery participated in an exercise to repel boarders. At 2145 hours, swimmers were sighted 150 feet off the starboard bow near
the mooring buoy and challenged. The swimmers made an unsuccessful attack on the starboard quarter, were captured and identified. McCaffery operated in and out of Newport
until 14 December, when she moored at Fall River, Massachusetts.
On 31 December, McCaffery was moored at Fall River.
SOURCE: USS McCAFFERY -- 1945-1974 by Edward W. (Bill) Maslak
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