Blakely (DE 1072) - Naval Cruise Book

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t..A.,.,,f,.a.s.l. V. .., K ,QI ....4..Q... .- .' - ..... .. . lu THE PRESTIGE, PRIVILEGE AND THE BUFKDEN OF COMMAND Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an en- tire ship reflects the personality and ability of one individual, her Commanding Officer. To a landsman this is not understandable and sometimes it is even diffi- cult for us to understand. But it is so! A ship at sea is a distinct world in herself and in consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units the Navy must place great power, responsibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire, and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is the ship. This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as Commanding Officer that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligations are almost ludicrously small, never-the-less Command is the spur which has given the navy its great leaders. It is a duty which most richly deserves the highest, time-honored title of the seafaring world .... CAPTAIN.

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JCDHN W. BITCJFF CDR. USN ' COIVIIVIANDING OFFICER

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l , ' A -1.1441 .14 ,gasp .saw -H -i-MW ' 3' ' I . N 5 ,fp . , f f. ffvh' 1 ' 'J '-5757 x ty ' 5, 4 M I . - ' X VMI ' ' ' if ' .rfff 21, ' fe , A . I 0 .a,,,?y,f .L ,fps - 6 Commander BITOFF was born in Brooklyn, New York and received his primary education there. He is the son of the late John BITOFF and Elizabeth Sullivan BITOFF of New York City. He is a graduate of the Maine Maritime Academy Class of 1958. His initial seagoing service was with the Merchant Marine where he attained an unlimited second mates license. Commander BITOFF entered the Navy in February 1960 as an Ensign USNR. His tours at sea have been in the Engineering Department of USS SPIEGEL GROVE ILSD-321, as First Leiutenant and Assistant Fire Control Officer in USS SPRING- FIELD lCLG-7l which was then homeported in Ville- franche as Flagship, Commander SIXTH Fleet. He then served as Operations Officer of USS BRISTOL lDD-8571 which was followed by command of USS DELONG lDE-6841. Next came assignment as Execu- tive Officer of USS CHARLES P. CECIL QDD-835l. Commander BlTOFF's only shore duty tour was in Washington, D.C., from February 1970 to July 1973, as CNO's Operations Briefer. It was during this assign- ment that he was selected in the first group of Lieuten- ant Commanders to be chosen for accelerated com- mand opportunity. He has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal on two occasions. Commander BITOFF assumed command of USS BLAKELY IDE-10721 on 6 'October 1973 and upon detachment will report to the National War College. Commander BITOFF is married to the former Maureen Lois COLLINS of Portsmouth, New Hamp- shire. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Alice, born in 1967.