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#1
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the
USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ?? I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA. MW |
#2
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
Mike Weeks wrote:
Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ?? I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA. MW During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI (LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64 and they were all aviators. Rick |
#3
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
Yofuri wrote: Mike Weeks wrote: Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ?? I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA. MW During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI (LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64 and they were all aviators. Thanks Rick. Further digging strongly suggests that only aviators or NFOs commanded LPHs until the last was decommissioned. And I found one early example of a SWO commanding an LHA (Saipan), so I have to assume that was the policy from the get-go when the LHAs came on-line -- the first in 1976. MW |
#4
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
Mike Weeks wrote:
Yofuri wrote: Mike Weeks wrote: Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ?? I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA. MW During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI (LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64 and they were all aviators. Thanks Rick. Further digging strongly suggests that only aviators or NFOs commanded LPHs until the last was decommissioned. And I found one early example of a SWO commanding an LHA (Saipan), so I have to assume that was the policy from the get-go when the LHAs came on-line -- the first in 1976. MW Yep, it was interesting duty. At that time, six LHA/LPH AIMD Officer billets (three on each coast) were LDO billets; the remainder were Aircraft Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO/1520) billets. Life could be real fun for them when the senior Navy aviator aboard was the OPSO. Things like enforcing hydraulic contamination standards could result in some real faceoffs with senior Marine officers. One of my LHA LDO cohorts had a SWO XO whose pet peeve was finding telephone lists and other references attached to the pullout writing board of office desks. Any time he found a desk with a desecrated pullout board, he pulled it halfway out and bent it double with his knee! IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg, Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget. In 1983 TRIPOLI's mission was changed to Mine Warfare flagship, and it became the "Polish Minesweeper" of GW1 when a mine blew away a big chunk of the starboard bow area. I never found the answer to one curious fact: Aviator XO's and OPSO's of LHA's and LPH's were not required to be underway qualified. Rick |
#5
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
Yofuri wrote: IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg, Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget. Perhaps this helps; taken from a 1993 ship's brochu 66-67 Hank Suerstedt 67-68 Bill Adams 68-69 Don Shelton 69-70 Vince O'Rourke 70-71 Paul Hatley 71-72 Jim Gammon 72-74 Warren Lockwood 74-75 Cecil Kempft 75-77 Lee Levenson 77-79 Al Smith 79-81 Collins Haines 81-82 Chuck McGrail 82-84 Tom Cliff I show Lake as being JFK's skipper (69-70) and Nyberg had Kearsarge(CVS-33) in 66-67. I was really sadden to learn of McGrail's passing a few years back; his squadron command tour had been VF-96, and had the opportunity to meet him while doing research on that squadron's history. MW |
#6
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
oops; that should be: 74-74 Cecil Kempf
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#7
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
"Mike Weeks" wrote in news:1134783725.162353.119350
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com: Yofuri wrote: IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg, Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget. Perhaps this helps; taken from a 1993 ship's brochu 66-67 Hank Suerstedt 67-68 Bill Adams 68-69 Don Shelton 69-70 Vince O'Rourke 70-71 Paul Hatley 71-72 Jim Gammon 72-74 Warren Lockwood 74-75 Cecil Kempft 75-77 Lee Levenson 77-79 Al Smith 79-81 Collins Haines 81-82 Chuck McGrail 82-84 Tom Cliff I show Lake as being JFK's skipper (69-70) and Nyberg had Kearsarge(CVS-33) in 66-67. I was really sadden to learn of McGrail's passing a few years back; his squadron command tour had been VF-96, and had the opportunity to meet him while doing research on that squadron's history. McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy. Dave in San Diego |
#8
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
On wrinkle nobody has mentioned was the fact that the PHIBRON Commodore was
the luck of the draw - I had a submariner, an aviator and a crusty old black shoe during my two amphibs - and the culture accommodations that had to be made depended a lot on their attitudes. And yes, the LPHs all had 1310s in my day as did the LPDs, IIRC. |
#9
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
"Dave in San Diego" wrote...
McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy. 'Good evening, this is the Captain speaking. The sky is clear, and sunset coming up soon -- a great day to come up and watch the "green flash"! Come on up and join me for a FOD walkdown'! [or words to that effect] ....not to mention the "stealth transit" from Japan to NorPac to join Enterprise and Coral Maru... |
#10
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Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?
John Weiss wrote:
"Dave in San Diego" wrote... McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy. 'Good evening, this is the Captain speaking. The sky is clear, and sunset coming up soon -- a great day to come up and watch the "green flash"! Come on up and join me for a FOD walkdown'! [or words to that effect] ...not to mention the "stealth transit" from Japan to NorPac to join Enterprise and Coral Maru... Did you have a "McGrail's Navy" sundeck above the bridge, with chaise lounge, patio carpet, potted palm, SP phone to the bridge and the SPS radar shut down when in use? Tripoli did. Rick |
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