The Wrangell sentinel., 1948-07-16
U.S.S. GURKE. DESTROYER, ARRIVES IN WRANGELL
 WITH OVER 250 MEN

W44A OfEh G0o MEN
 The u.S.S. Gurke. destroyer in Division 51. of Destroyer Squadron Five of the Pacific Fleet. arrived here yesterday for a four-day visit in Wrangell The destroyer was sent here by invitation of Wrangeu Chamber Of Commerce. carrier this summer, to participate in the towns Day of '9Sa Stikine Stam- pede celebration - 50th auniVer- sary of the Yukon gold rush via the Stikine River. In those days WrangelI was a tent-city of over l5,00O, prospectOrs and miners who went To the Canadian gold fields by way of the back door" Stikine River.
 Wrangeu was the first town the famed "SOapy' smith hit In Alas ka and irate Wrangell citizens ordered him out of town after which he went to Skagway where he met his untimely demlse.
 The U.S.s. Gurke was built in Seattle and was commissioned on May l2. l945. It was named for Private First Glass Henry Gurke. [. s. Marine Corps, who was killed in action on November g, 1943, on BOugainVille Island in the Sol omans
 266 Officers, Men
 The ship has a complement Of 26S officers and men and is armed with six 5-inch guns, five torpedo tubes, depth charge projectors and Yarious lighter anti-aircraft Wea- pons. It has a displacement of ap- proXimately 2250 tons
 In late 1945 and early 1946, the Gurke spent four months operating in the Japanese and Ryukus Is- lands Returning, she spent the months during which the Navy la as adjusting for peace operating out of San Diego.
 In August, I947, she was again sent to Japan as a unit of the U. s. support Group under Commander Of Naval Forces Far East. En route to Yokosuka, Japan, she was di- Verted to joiR the search for sur yiyors of the plane crash which carried the late Ambassador George s>tchesoH to his death near the Hawaiian Islands.
 in Japan routine patrol duties out of YOkosuka and Sasebo were interspersed with visits to China and Korea and with maneuvers near Okinawa The Gurke partici- pated, off Kwajalein Atoll, in the sinking of EX-U s. Destroyer Mus tin, veteran of many engagements and of the Atom Bomb tests at Bi- kini.
 Since it's return home last April, the Gurke has been operating Tn the San Diego Bay area. It is com manded by Commander Charles E King, USN, a Naval Academy grad uate of the class of 1883.
 Others of her regular personnel include, It. Commander George A. Sullivan, Executive Officer; It. Gg) Ebert B. Johnson, Operations Officer; Ensign Alan J. Kaye, As sistant Operations Officer; Ensign Edward s. McGehee, COmmunica- tions Officer; Ut (jg) Warren E. Kirkpatrick, Gunnery Officer; En- sign Wharton H. Brooks, Jr., Ar Defense Officer; It. Rollin F. Heassler, Engineering Officer; Ensign Ralph E. Behrends, Damage Control Officer; Ensign Robert E. Turnage, Supply Officer and En- sign Roger A. Chapman, ASW Of ficer.
 Roster Of Reserve Officers
 Naval Reserve officers making the cruise aboard the Gurke are:
 It. Commander Richard R. Doug las, It. Comdr. Edward E. Tietjen, It. Glenn E. Smith, It. (ig) c. R. Barnes, It. Gg) Robert ". Gorm- sen, It. Jg) Rosil F. Hastings, En- sign Robert s. Evetts, Ensign Ben jamin N Forbes, Ensign Hadrick H. Fuller, Ensign Charles C. Me- Intosh and Ensign Wallace R. Quammen.
 Forty-nine enlisted men of the Naval Reserve are also making the Alaska cruise.
 The Gurke was piloted to Wran- gell by Capt. B. s. Larson, well known and veteran skipper of Al. askan waters. Capt. Larson was skipper of a herring boat in the early days around Prince William Sound. Later he was Master Of (COntinued on Page Six)