Arcadia Man Helps Steer Naval Frigate Clear of Perils

For the typical young man, getting caught staring intently at the ocean or gazing up at the night sky during working hours could earn him a severe reprimand from the boss: No daydreaming on the job.

But naval officer Michael Premi of Arcadia spent a lot of time in the last few months doing just that and never got scolded. In fact, that was part of his job.

Premi didn’t spot any mines during his three months in the Persian Gulf. But there were a few apprehensive moments when the frigate he helped to steer encountered strange floating objects--anything from uprooted trees to dead sheep that had toppled off cargo ships.

And on the occasions something was sighted overhead, “you just made sure it was not a big flame coming towards you,” Premi said.

6 Months on Frigate

Lt. (j.g.) Premi returned to Los Angeles on Sept. 22 after a six-month tour of duty aboard the Crommelin. The 453-foot-long frigate’s mission: protect shipping lanes in the gulf and search for mines remaining after the eight-year Iran-Iraq war.

“Luckily there were no incidents,” said Premi, 24, relaxing at his home recently.

U.S. escort ships have been shepherding reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the gulf in a project called Operation Earnest Will since July, 1987. Currently, six to eight U.S. ships are patrolling the gulf at any time, down from 27 that protected tanker traffic at the height of tensions in the region, said Lt. Cmdr. Steve Chesser, a spokesman at the Long Beach Naval Station.

Although Premi, who is now on temporary duty in Long Beach, had hoped to serve on a battleship, he has decided that his stint on the Crommelin has proved far more rewarding. “On a small ship, they need you to learn and grow,” he said. “I got a lot more experience.”

Premi’s job on the Crommelin involved supervising 14 electronics, data systems and communications technicians. But he most vividly remembers his five-hour shifts on the bridge helping to navigate the vessel as junior officer of the deck.

He had to watch out for mines green with algae or encrusted with shells, and the white plastic markers of fishing nets that might get tangled around the rudder.

In one tense encounter, three tankers came so close to each other and the Crommelin that all had to maneuver within a radius of a mile to get out of one another’s way.

“It was challenging because you were working in a very crowded body of water. In 24 hours, we would easily see more than 100 close contacts (ships within a 20-mile radius) that we would have to track,” Premi pointed out. “You would start identifying ships in the guidebook as soon as you sighted” them to find out what weapons systems the other vessels were carrying, he added.

The Crommelin is armed with six torpedo tubes, rapid-firing guns and a guided missile launcher. Two helicopters are on hand to identify approaching craft.

While at sea, between his regular duties and bridge assignments, Premi sometimes worked 20-hour days.

“If you could fit it in, you would sleep. If not, too bad,” he said matter-of-factly. “You had to adjust your body clock.”

Refueling and maintenance visits at ports in the Persian Gulf island nation of Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, provided some relief from the exhausting routine, but even then the crew was never free from ship duty for more than two days at a time. Premi thrived on the responsibility, though.

“Everybody (at home) was missing me more than I was missing them because I worked so hard,” he quipped.

Uplifting Spirit

One of his challenges as an officer was to keep up the morale of his division, from “Steel Beach” picnics and barbecues on the flight deck of the ship to nominating his men for merit awards.

“Sometimes you catch yourself being a little nervous. You can’t let the tension get to you, otherwise everybody gets uptight,” he said. “So you pretend like everything’s OK to instill confidence in your troops.”

Premi, who was on a full ROTC scholarship at USC, took his oath as an officer on the day of his graduation. He says he has always wanted to be an officer in the Navy.

“It seemed exciting to do,” he said. “I liked the image of the Navy, and serving the country is a privilege.” He also wanted to see the world.

Enroute to and from the gulf he enjoyed “taking in all the cultures and beaches” at short stops in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore, cramming his days “on liberty” with shopping and sightseeing, Premi said.

“That was the most enjoyable part.”