Des Moines (CA 134) - Naval Cruise Book

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r l . if I l f ' fy f.,t 1 if l flt,l,i,d2fgf,gQjf pl,'i eiigigf A , Ai yp 1 CAPTAIN EDWARD NELSON PARKER was born on ,Iuly 26, 1904, in Avalon, Pennsylvania. Following graduation from the Naval Academy in June 1925, he had two months' temporary duty at the Navy Yard, Boston, Mass., before he joined the USS UTAH. He served in that vessel until September 1926, when he was ordered to Control Force on board the USS IVIAHAN. Detached from the MAHAN in December 1929, he assisted in fitting out of the USS PENSACOLA and served on board that vessel until June 1931. After duty in the USS DOBBIN, he was ordered to return to the United States. Shore duty at the Postgraduate School, Annapolis, lVIary- land and further instruction at the Navy Yard., Washington, D. C., preceded future sea duty until he reported in June 1935 on board the USS CALIFORNIA, flagship of Com- mander Battle Force. Following duty on board the USS PERKINS as Gunnery Officer, he was detached in ,lune 1938, and assigned to the Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia. In December 1939, he assumed command of the USS PARROTT on Asiatic Station. He was commanding that destroyer when war was declared on the Axis powers. Re- lieved of command of the USS PARROTT in January 1942, he reported as Commander Destroyer Division FIF TY NINE and saw action at Badoeng Strait, in the Java Sea Battle and at Bali Straits. In March 1942 he transferred to command of Destroyer Division FIFTY EIGHT, and remained in that capacity until October 1942 when he assumed command of the USS CUSHING. Prior to the sinking of the CUSHING, he was aboard during the Battle of Santa Cruz, escorts into Guadal- canal, and finally in the Battle of Guadalcanal. Captain Parker returned to the United States in Novem- ber 1942 for duty with the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy De- partment, Washington, D. C. He served in this billet until November 1945 when he reported as Commander Destroyer Squadron SIXTY FOUR. In 1946 he served as Commander Surface Patrol Group, during the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. Relieved of command of Destroyer Squadron SEVEN in March 1947, he joined the staff of Commander Marianas. In October 1948 he was assigned to the Oflice of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, and continued to serve there until September 1950 when he assumed command of the USS NEWPORT NEWS QCA-1483. On 20 August 1951, after commanding the NEWPORT NEWS for twelve months, he assumed his present duties with the Sixth Fleet.

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r.. ,1 .sg . 1 ... .L.'-. . ,,,,.-,, W f . -,,.-v f,--1.7:-,, ,.,-',- 4. -,,, , , ,,.,,.,, f.,., -,f.,,f,f,,-- .V-,, ,.,,..,,, ,f,k ,H .,,.,. ,.,,,,,,.,L,.,,,.,,.,.,A ,Vk.,, SH,VV.,,.,,,.,,,-,.,.-,,1-,,,,,-,,-f,,,,,.,, -v,, .,,.-.17-51,5-,,f,5 5:,g,,-f.,--L,-.6-.,,,.,1-If,,,-,-51.,-1.,,-11,-M,-'..,,,:Z.,1-:,,1,,., , , , , , .,,L.,.. . . VICE ADMIRAL MATTHIAS BENNET GARDNER was named Commander of the Sixth Fleet, United States Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean on March 19, 1951, succeeding Vice Admiral John J. Ballantine. Born in Washington, D. C., November 28, 1897, Admiral Gardner was graduated from the United States Naval Acad- emy, Annapolis, Maryland in 1913. Since 1922 he has served in Naval aviation. A At the outbreak of World War ll, he was serving as Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander, Aircraft, Scouting Forces and in May 1942, he was transferred to the staff of Com- mander, Aircraft, South Pacific in the same capacity. Returning to the United States in December 1942, Ad- miral Gardner served as Aviation Oflicer of the Plans Divi- sion at Headquarters, Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet until October 1943. The following month he assumed command of the USS ENTERPRISE which under his command served as flagship of Commander, Carrier Division ELEVEN and participated in the invasions of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, the capture of Saipan, and the first battle of the Philippine Sea. ' ' Relieved of command of the ENTERPRISE in July 1944, he reported as Commander, Carrier Division ELEVEN and in December 1944 transferred to Commander, Carrier Divi- sion SEVEN. Returning to the United States in 1945, he reported in May as Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans to the Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet. ln October of that year he was designated Chief of the Strategic Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department and remained in that assignment until August 1946 when he assumed duty as Commander, Naval Air Bases, Four- teenth Naval District, Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. Having served a two year tour of duty there, Admiral Gardner returned to the United States and was again as- signed to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, this time as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations. Ordered de- tached in May 1950, he reported as Commander, Carrier Division FOUR on August 16, 1950. In September 1950, after serving less than one month as Commander, Carrier Division FOUR, he was ordered to command the Second Fleet and served in that capacity be- fore taking command of the Sixth Fleet. I

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I 1 M I W My .. f 1276, X fffffff 0, My f if gif ff ffrggyfgfiygfffffy 1' , fr i? -4- ' 1. 'f .- .1 W4 ' - I 'fy 4 ' 4-' Q - - - 'U ' r - ' i f - .f f '4'4 Xqgy ,fx jgfgfjijgf ,ff 4 f ,f jg j , f X ff Wgzfgiywf jiff .1 fi jNj,Z,jW5f'jj f f W-ffaf if 35 M it f fr ., ,.. - .,v. W .1 ., . ,. . , fff4f 'ya2 ' QF? '7?!ga4'5 'h'?zfS35,' ?'4f9?- fy' ' ' K' A ' 4? 4' '0 '- ,9a ,I M? W W 25 -4 A ' iw-W' ,,y, . -.4175 -2 f4'iyyf!ffAo19fZ'?ZQ,l, Y -, Q Y, fjf iff, ,. ??.,4 ff. tgp M f , . . . , . ,, 1- -- . . ' ,, i f M . f -. f fy Wifi f,,gQfM.?fff . A T . ,wa- f Vita A ' . 5 . .I y f f ' ' ' ' ' f 0 ' '10 'M' W -nv ff 'if' if 3.fiW LZ'f'Tff f Nw. ffgj. .ff l, r , , .af ,, , , ., . , , . fx jgff- ' 6fl,. f' l, .ya ,I . ,f',.,ffW,,.4-'f.,?'. .Aff i',,fF'V f f -4' .vm ff-if A H ' ' -' ' f 5 ' -. M, 1 if-A,.M'fM.az,.w.2'.-gf -af .yi '. i f .. IV, , fi ,f f 2? fa 47 ,Q A , M- -.1w,2w?',:wq,Qi ,ofhflfyfagf zb1:.',.-,V I APTAIN ROBERT BEAIVIAN ELLIS, USN, Command- ing Oliicer of the USS DES MOINES QCA-1341-j, as- sumedrthis command on 1 September 1951 at Norfolk, Virginia, succeeding Captain Henry Crommelin, USN. Prior to this time, Captain Ellis Was assigned to duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D. C. Born in Durham, North Carolina, May 20, 1903, Captain Ellis attended public schools in that city and in Salisbury, North Carolina, which has been his oliicial residence since 1920. He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1922 and graduated with the class of 1926. Following graduation from the Naval Academy, Captain Ellis' pre-War sea service included tours of duty aboard the USS PENNSYLVANIA, USS GILMER, the submarines S-31 and S-38, USS ARKANSAS, USS CANOPUS, USS AS- TORIA, and on the staff of Commander Cruiser Division FOUR. His pre-War shore duty included Line School and Applied Communication instruction at the U. S. Naval Post Graduate School, and duty in the Oliice of the Chief of Naval Opera- tions in Washington, D. C. During World War II, Captain Ellis served four years in destroyers in the Mediterranean and Atlantic areas. He Was Commanding OHicer of the destroyers USS SCHENCK and HILARY P. JONES, Commander Destroyer Division 58, Commander Destroyer Division 25, and Commander Destroyer Squadron 3. Since World War II, Captain Ellis has served in the Oiiice of the Chief of Naval Operations, on the staff. of Commander Naval Forces in the Marianas, and in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Captain Ellis married the former Miss Elizabeth James Stewart of Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1929. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Ann, age 16.