Frontier (AD 25) - Naval Cruise Book

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This is our Captain A change of command ceremony on 28 May, T958 gave to The Frontier a man whose Naval career reads like an exciting novel. Rodney J. Badger's history in the Navy begun as soon as he was commissioned as an Ensign upon graduating from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1935, He was ordered to the battleship ARIZONA, where he spent his first two years aboard one of many fighting ships. His next two ships were the destroyer STEWART and the gunboat MINDANAO, which brought him to the eventful time ot the fall of Shanghai and Canton. History was now being made. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Lieutenant Badger was stationed aboard the cruiser VINCENNES. The Battle of Savo Island saw the death of this proud ship-and the award ot a Letter of Commendation from COMSOPAC For devotion to duty under adverse conditions while serving on board a cruiser which was badly dam- aged during the engagement of Japanese naval forces ol'T Savo Island on 9 August, l942. Lieutenant Badger extinguished fires in the vicinity ol the five inch battery, placed life jackets on the wounded, and lowered them over the side. He placed his own life jacket on the executive ofticer, who had been severely wounded and was unable to move... A kaleidoscope of commendations, ribbons, medals and stars followed. For outstanding hero- ism in action Solomon Islands Campaign, FOV exceptionally meritorious service in action South. Pa:ific Campaign, For excellent service ...during operations against the enemy in the Mindoro, Luzon, Iwo lima and Okinawa Campaigns. The Asiatic! Pacific Campaign Medal with nine engagement stars, the China Service Medal, World War ll Vict0fY Medal, Philippines Liberation Medal, United Nationf Service Medal, Korean Service Medal are but 0 small percentage of the many instances in Which Captain Badger's valor was formally recogniled' '

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CAPTAIN JOHN M. STUART. ..was our Commanding Otticer for seventeen months. When he reported aboard in December, 7956, he had over twenty-three years of service to his country behind him. His naval career began in I933, when he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U. S. Naval Reserve. The following year he transferred to the Regular Navy and was ordered to the battleship NEVADA, where he served as a junior division officer. He then saw service aboard-the GREER, PHILIP, DALLAS, and NEW MEXICO. While still Lieutenant li.g.i, he received orders to the comnand of the PC-450. World War II saw LCDR STUART in the capacities of Commanding Officer of two DEs- the COONER and the WILLETT. His enviable war record shows service in two theatres -the Mediter- ranean and the Pacific. Among his awards are the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, China Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Korean Service Medal, Korean Presidential U it Citation, and the United Nations Service Medal. After the war, CDR STUART's globe-trotting took him to Shanghai, China, where he served with the Seventh Fleet staff. Back in the States, he became ComDesDiv 32 after a tour of duty as Executive Officer of the Fleet Sonar School, San Diego. The men of the FRONTIER witnessed a change of command ceremony in December, 7956, when CAPTAIN JOHN M. STUART took command of our ship. He acted in the dual roles of Captain and Ambassador of Good Will when we visited Melbourne, Australia for twenty-eight days, on our return to WestPac. After seventeen months as Commanding Ofiicer, FRONTIER IAD-25I, I. M. STUART received orders to the position of Assistant Chief of Staft' of Logistics for the Thirteenth Naval District. ,

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- ' 'th ' 't of California W' M 7947 after graduating from fha Umvefs' y ReserVe on 75 ay . U, S. NOW' ' siofled 'n the MCCLURE was Comm Our Executive Officer, CDR- R' E' a Bachelor of Arts degree. ' Officer Of . Commandmg hgnf vesse-IS, . aboard mC1fC d gum-d units . mcgf of Orme . andlng O W ld war ll including: Comm . ' ' in Of ' He served in a varrefY Of Posmlons hip. H f fhe game 3 Utlve Office' O d th CALVERT an APAf and assfgnmen' Us Exec an LCU unit, Gunnery Officer aboar 9 '