Claude V Ricketts (DDG 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER Commander Thomas Andrew York United States Navy A native of Kansas, Commander York was educated at the Kansas State University and was a member of the English Department faculty while a graduate student. In December 1960, he was commissioned Ensign USNR from the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School at Newport, Rhode Island and subsequently was assigned sea duty in Mine Division Seventy-one. Other sea duty assignments included Staff, Mine Flotilla One homeported in Sasebo, Japan; USS PROVIDENCE (CLG-6); USS MANSFIELD (DD-728) homeported at Yokosuka, Japan; Aide and Flag Secretary to Commander-Destroyer Flotilla Six; and Executive Officer in USS JOHN KING (DDG-3). Commander York ' s shore assignments have been in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, the Headquarters of U.S. Navy Recruiting Command and most recently in the Strategic Plans and Policy Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. A graduate of the U.S. Navy Destroyer School and the Armed Forces Staff College, Commander York resides with his wife, the former Mary Lucille Crain, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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The Man - Claude V. Ricketts Claude Vernon Ricketts was born in Missouri on February 23, 1906, and was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1929. For duty in World War Two he received a Letter of Commendation with Ribbon and the Legion of Merit with Combat V . After instruction at various staff and war colleges he reported in June 1949 as Commanding Officer of USS ALSHAIN (AKA-55). In July 1952 he became Head, Amphibious Warfare Branch, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. On February 1, 1961, he became Commander, Second Fleet, and on September 25 of the same year, he assumed his last duty in the U.S. Navy as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. While serving as Vice CNO he devoted his enormous energy and talents to many projects of importance to the U.S. Navy and the NATO alliance. On July 6, 1964, Admiral Ricketts died of a heart attack. On July 28, 1964, USS BiDDLE was re-named and recommissioned USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS(DDC-5) in memory of the former Vice Chief of Naval Operations. At the name-changing ceremony, the Flonorable Paul H. Nitze, Secretary of the Navy, spoke of the appropriateness of renaming the ship in honor of Admiral Ricketts because of the great contributions the Admiral had given to the concept of mixed-manning and the Multilateral Force.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS CDR G. Thomas Forbes Apr 78-Jan 80 LCDR Paul H. Donaldson Jan 80- I I