Dwight Eisenhower (CVN 69) - Naval Cruise Book

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ommanaing SS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) ' CAPT Dantone was bom in Baltimore, Md., and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. Va., in June 1960. He then entered the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., from which he was graduated and commissioned ensign in 1964. That same year, he entered flight training. He received his wings and was designated a naval aviator in September 1965. In May 1966. CAPT Dantone reported to Fighter Squadron 84. where he flew F-4 Phantoms and made an extended Mediterranean Sea deployment aboard USS Independence (CV 62). He was subse- quently assigned to Fighter Squadron 16 1 in March 1967, making two Western Pacific combat deploy- ments aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43). In August 1969, CAPT Dantone reported to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., where he earned Master of Science degrees in Aero- na«tical Engineering and Material Management. He then joined the F- 14 Tomcat Fleet Introduction Cadre at Naval Air Station Miramar. Calif., in June 1973 and was a plankowner when Fighter Squad- ron One emerged as the Navy ' s first F- 14 squadron. During his tour, the squadron deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean aboard USS En- terprise (CVN 65) and fiew fighter cover during the 1975 evacuation of Saigon. Republic of South Viet- CAPT Dantone reported to the Naval Air Systems Command in May 1976 as the F-14 Tomcat program ' s assistant deputy for training. Returning to the fleet in August 1977, CAPT Dantone became the executive officer, and subsequently the com- manding officer, of Fighter Squadron 14, which flew F- 1 4s from the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) . After his squadron command tour, he served as fighter training officer for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. This tour was followed by 18 months of nuclear power training and a follow-on assignment as the executive officer of the USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Following his tour ' aboard Enterprise, CAPT Dan- tone assumed command of the replenishment oiler USS Wichita (AOR 1). He was assigned as the pre- commissioning commanding officer of Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in November 1987. In September 1988, CAPT Dantone assumed command of IKE. His decorations include three Meritorious Serv- ice Medals, six Air Medals, the Navy Commendation Medal with combat V, and the Vietnam Service Medal. He is married to the former Maria Szolnoky of Buffalo, N.Y. The Dantones reside in Virginia Beach, Va., with their son. Jay, and daughter, Mame.

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Captain J, J. Dantone

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Captain John M. Luecke