Biddle (CG 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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o COMMANDING OFFICER CAPTAIN ALBERT L. HENRY, JR. Captain Henry was b orn in Atlanta, Georgia on 8 June 1935. He attended local schools in College Park, Georgia and in May 1952 was graduated from the Georgia Military Academy where he won an honor student appointment to the LI. S. Naval Academy. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1956 he was commissioned an Ensign and reported aboard USS BREMERTON (CA-130) as F Division Officer. Following this tour, he served as Gunnery Officer and Senior Watch Officer, USS GEARING (DD-7I0). In October I960 he reported to Commander, Charleston Naval Shipyard for duty as his aide and served in this capacity until July 1962 when he entered the U. S. Naval Post- graduate School at Monterey, California. After graduation from Postgraduate School in June 1963 with an M. S. degree in Management, he returned to sea duty as Commanding Officer, USS SENECA (ATF-91). Next he served as Executive Officer, USS W. C. LAWE (DD-763). In October 1966 Captain Henry reported to Washington, D. C, for duty as the Long- Range Strategic Plans Officer, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. While serving in that assignment until March 1969, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal. His second command came in May 1969 when he assumed command of River Assault Squadron 15 in the Mekong Delta, Republic of Vietnam. This tour was followed by a six month assignment as Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans on the staff of Commander, U. S. Naval Forces Vietnam. During his two assignments in Vietnam, he was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat V , the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V , the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. Captain Henry reported in July 1970 as Prospective Commanding Officer, USS OUELLET ' (DE-1077) under construction at Avondale Shipyards Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana. OUELLET wa commissioned in Charleston, S. C, and later joined the Pacific Fleet in April 1971. Upon comple- tion of OUELLET ' s first WESTPAC deployment in August 1972, he was relieved and reported next to Washington in September 1972 for a three year tour as Executive Assistant to the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command. He was graduated from the National War College in June 1976. Captain Henry assumed command of BIDDLE in August 1976. Captain Henry is married to the former Shelby Jean Howell of Tyner, North Carolina. They have two daughters, Susan (8) and Ruth (5).

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CAPTAIN NICHOLAS BIDDLE (1750-1778) Born in Philadelphia, Nicholas Biddle went to sea at 13 in the merchant service. In 1772, he entered the British Navy as a midshipman. In 1773 he requested a transfer to one of the ships fitted out for a polar expedition by the Roya Geographic Society. The transfer refused, he took a leave of absence and shipped before the mast on one of the polar ships. A shipmate, Horatio Nelson, had followed the same course. When the expedition returned to England, Biddle learned of the tension between the colonies and the mother country. He resigned his commission to return to offer his services to his state. He became commanding officer of the armed galley FRANKLIN 1 August 1775. In December 1775 he was assigned command of the 14 gun brig ANDREW DORIA with the rank of captain. He joined the fleet commanded by Esek Hopkins in the expedition against New Providence. Biddle was successful in capturing many armed merchantmen, and in the spring of 1776, his little ship took two armed transports carrying 400 reinforcements for the British army in North Amer- ica (a sizable force in those days.) Late in 1777 Biddle was given command of the speedy RANDOLPH . Violent storms dismasted the ship off the Delawares Capes, but Biddle ' s seamanship brought her to port in Charleston, where she was repaired. He sailed again for the West Indies and on 4 September 1777 captured HMS TRUE BRITON along with three merchantmen whom she had been convoying. Biddle took his prizes into Charleston and was blockaded there until late in February 1778 when he successfully eluded the patrol and put to sea. On 7 March 1778, Biddle in RANDOLPH engaged HMS YARMOUTH, rated at 64 guns to RANDOLPH ' S 32. Despite the disadvantage, and the fact that Biddle was so severely wounded early in the action that he was first thought to be dead, he directed the fire of his ship. The British captain later reported that the firing was not only accurate but so rapid that Biddle fired three broadsides to his one. After twenty minutes, however, fire apparently penetrated the magazines of RANDOLPH, for she blew up. Biddle was lost along with all of his 315 - man crew.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMANDER GILBERT H. MCKELVEY, USN Commander McKelvey was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 18, 1937. He attended local schools in Portland, Oregon and in June 1959 graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Upon graduation, he attended the U. S. Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island and was commissioned Ensign in Novem- ber 1959 and reported aboard USS LEXINGTON (CVA-16) as Assistant CIC Officer and Electron- ic Warfare Officer. Following this tour, he served as Operations Officer, USS HARRY E. HUBBARD (DD-748). In August 1965, he reported to the Defense Intelligence School, Washington, D. C. for post- graduate study in Intelligence. Graduating in June 1966, he served as the Intelligence Officer for the Commander River Patrol Force in the Rung Sat Special Zone and Mekong Delta in the Republic of Vietnam. In July 1967, Commander McKelvey returned to sea duty as Executive Officer, USS CLAUD JONES (DE-1033) followed by duty with Commander in Chief Pacific Staff as Assistant Intelli- gence Plans and Policy and Executive Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence. Returning to Newport, Rhode Island in August 1970, he attended the Command and Staff Course of the Naval War College. After graduation in June 1971, with concurrent graduation from the George Washington University with a Master of Science in International Affairs, he reported for duty as Executive Officer, USS WARRINGTON (DD-843). In October 1972, Commander McKelvey reported to the U. S. Naval Destroyer School in New- port, Rhode Island. On completion of that tour as Head Operations and Tactics Department, he reported in September 1975 to the USS BIDDLE (CG-34) as Executive Officer. Commander McKelvey has been decorated with the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V , Air Force Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, and Meritorious Unit Commendation. Commander McKelvey is married to the former Janet Ann Mongeon of Lincoln, Rhode Island. They have two daughters, Alicia and Dora Ann, and currently reside in Newport, Rhode Island.