THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 22, 1996 TAG: 9606220246
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 67 lines
Forty miles south of the Swedish island of Gotland, in the heart of the Baltic Sea, a column of six friendly warships sparred with a German diesel submarine Friday in a mock battle designed to test the mettle of a growing number of navies interested in NATO's new course.
``The trick is to find him if we can,'' Rear Adm. Robert C. Williamson of Norfolk said in a satellite telephone interview. ``If not, we must proceed . .
The Germans are good, said Williamson, even with their diesel-powered submarines.
``Not only is this their back yard, it is their bat and ball and their rules.''
For Williamson, who has commanded the Baltic maneuvers for the past two weeks, coordinating the moves of 48 ships from 14 nations, the hunt is a fitting climax to an unusual operation.
``This is the 24th year we've been operating in the Baltic, but just recently have we had Partnership for Peace nations participating,'' Williamson said. Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States sent ships and aircraft to the exercise.
The American ships are the Coast Guard cutter Gallatin, reserve frigate Samuel E. Morrison, destroyer Spruance and Williamson's flagship, the guided missile cruiser Hue City.
While the language barriers between the nations were trying at times, Williamson found that the common language of the sea tied them together.
``It is not one of the languages normally spoken by any one of the nations, but it is a language that has been bonding us for centuries out here when it comes time to exercise the first law of the sea - to take care of your fellow shipmates, particularly in times of distress.''
Williamson, commanding officer of Carrier Group 2, based in Norfolk, said he is convinced that if the United States ever had to respond to a natural disaster or provide humanitarian assistance in the region, the participating countries could be of great help.
``I can tell you that these nations could come together quite easily to put together a task force to provide that kind of support here in the Baltic,'' Williamson said.
The navies conducted more than 300 different maneuvers during the ``BALTOPS'' exercises, ranging from very simple communications and maneuvering events to full-blown air defense exercises.
``We conducted war-at-sea exercises, pitting half the force against the other half, including air strike forces to both sides,'' he said.
``We had threats from submarines, and we had gunners execute simulated missile strikes.''
The ships also worked with the Coast Guard on boarding techniques that could be used in drug or cargo interdictions.
Perhaps the most unusual portion of the exercise was a sailor exchange program that allowed nearly all of the participating navies to visit each other's ships.
One U.S. officer commented that the Belgium sailors seem never to stop sailing. They steamed 280 days a year, operating what few ships they have at a high tempo. However, the same officer said they served perhaps the best food.
While the capabilities of the navies vary, Williamson said he was impressed with the caliber of each of the sailors.
``Whether we're talking a Partnership for Peace nation, or a NATO nation, quite frankly every one of them was eager to participate. To me, everyone of them is a saint in dungarees.''
KEYWORDS: U.S. NAVY BALTIC SEA by CNB