Admiral W S Benson (AP 120) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPTAIN FRANCIS H. GARDNER, U.S.N I fl'fflflflf,,,.r ,Ill 1 QF! 'Zi y 05 we K YF xwfif fx d Ixgyi AIZK rw . f,f IITIWY- f , H kivmw 9 0453 1 If X xl 'XKREX ' xftifgs R N Up kj' 3 Q5 L'ffff:EN1 ff M-2 E Q lb :J Mlm ggirxm KL Q A f 2223 S30 ik E 5 fr: S f Z' ll Y f 2 5 1 ' N ' IX X, N X W, X H rn Q E 'U x ' 2 L !,y5'jfJx-J x lr- f,,., f 5 E H 0 1' an QffMw,Sf- dm ,, I 'ffffffffllf

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CAPTAIN FRANCIS H. GARDNER. USN Capfain Gardner has had a varied and inferesfing career in fhe U.S. Navy. A nafive of Porfland, Oregon, he was appoinfed fo fhe Naval Academy in I920 and graduafed in l924. Affer graduafion he was ordered fo fhe U.S.S. Arizona for engineering dufy, and since fhal' fime has spenf fwenfy of his fwenfy-five years of naval service on sea dufy. Leaving fhe Arizona in l925 Capfain Gardner served five years as Engineering Officer aboard fhe desfroyers Reno, Wm. Jones, and Aaron Ward consecufively. Nexf came dufy aboard fhe fanker U.S.S. Ramapo in fhe capacify of Firsf Lieufenanf. His firsf shore dufy came al' fhe Navy Yard, Bosfon, where Capfain Gardner, fhen a junior grade Iieufenanf, filled fhe billel' of Ordnance Planning Superinfendenf. A+ fhe end of fwo years ashore a shiff fo new dufies came wifh assignmenf as a gunnery officer aboard fhe U.S.S. Oklahoma for a period of fhirfy-five monfhs aboard which ship he was promofed fo Lieufenanf. Immediafely following came a four of dufy as Junior Aide fo fhe Commandanf of 'I'he I Ifh Naval Disfricf. On June II, I938, he reporfed aboard fhe desfroyer Monaghan as Execufive Officer and Navigafor. Two years of desfroyer dufy wifh fhe baffle fIee+ followed and fhen back fo baffleship service on fhe Nevada as Engineering Officer wifh 'I'he rank of Lieufenanf Commander. Leaving fhe Nevadaiaffer eleven monfhs Capfain Gardner 'I'ook over his firsf command, 'rhe U.S.S. Ellel' IDD 398I of fhe Pacific Fleef, on 22 Jun-e I94I. Under his command fhe Ellef saw plenfy of acfion in fhe crifical early monfhs of fhe war, serving in fask forces wifh fhe carrier Enferprise and doing ofher escor'I' work in baffle areas. Affer almosl' 'I'wo years of exacfing combaf dufy in fhe Pacific during which fime he was promofed fo Commander, Capfain Gardner was again given shore dufy in fhe U.S. and spenf fhirfeen monfhs in fhe Subordinafe Operafional Training Command, San Francisco. On 23 Augusf I944 fhe Capfain placed in commission and assumed command of fhe U.S.S. Admiral W. S. Benson IAP IZOI. Under him fhe Migh'I'y B has fravelled over I25,000 miles, has seen five confinenfs, called af various porfs of five counfries and several Pacific islands, and carried over 40,000 froop passengers.

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COMMANDER D. E. ALLEN. l'l'I X l'l'I FX Z :' 4 l'l'l O 11' m I F3 I'l'l Z 1jlf!l!1,, lf' Nl' QNT OF 7 ' Y' nil!!! X 'lf ,355 Sa 7 +7 lflfflfllffo,-'I' f .. ,II ' . ' 1' ld 'L 0, I Qfl'lW!.!Lfff X. ff I sbgfihff if - X ff Q, ,x 1. irlkh ,ffl '51, fl' 111111 u.s.N.R. ex X f,,m,,,,r?,7g .Tj to 'PAL W 56 1' Y., ,I fffffflfll ,l lLe++ +o Rlghll Firs+ Row: lsi++ingl L+. Col. Brown, Troop Commander: Cmdr. Allen, Execu+ive O++icer: Cap+aln Gardner Commanding Officer: L+. Comdr. Anderson, Naviga+ion: ls+andingl L+. Pike, Supply: L+. Morris, Firs+ Lieu+enan+: L+. Heard Gunnery L+ Goodale Communica+ions: L+. Cmdr. Gregory, Engine ering: L+. Cmdr. Vi++, Medical Dep+.