Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHIEF OF STAFF - CAPTAIN JOHN J. LYNCH U.S.N. John Joseph L -nch was bom in Boston, Mass., October 21, 1911, son of the late Patrick and Nora Scanlon Lynch. He attended Boston College High School 1925-29; Boston College 1929-33; and Boston College Law School in 1933. While in college, and from 1930. he was a correspondent for the Boston GLOBE and in 1939-40 was a Civil Aeronautics Authority Inspector in the St. Louis office. Appointed Aviation Cadet July 12, 1935, he had flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, from July 1935 until Sept. 1936, when he was designated Naval Aviator and commissioned Ensign in the Naval Reserve, to date from September 1, that year. Through subsequent advancement and his transfer from the Resene to the Regular Na%T, he attained the rank of Captain, USN, to date from July 1, 1955. As a Naval Aviator he was first assigned to Bombing Squadron 2. and served with that squadron, based at the Naval Aii Station. San Diego, and later in USS SARATOGA, USS LEXINGTON and USS RANGER, from Oct.-.her 1936 until July 1939. During that period the squadron was redesignated VB-3 and later VB-4. From August 1939 until November 1940 he served with Resene Squadrons at the Naval Air Stations at Anacostia, D.C., and St. Louis, Mo., and during the next eight months was Chief Flight Instructor at the Naval Resene . viation Base, St. Louis. In August 1941 he joined Bombing Squadron 8 in USS HORNET and during the early period of World War II sened as Material Officer, Flight Officer and Executive Officer of that squadron. For heroism and outstanding achievement while attached to ' B-8, he was awarded the Na 7 Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the .- ir Medal, and a Gold Star in lieu of a second Air Medal. He next sened as Commanding Officer of Composite Squadron 33, in USS CORAL SEA, from January 1943 to February 1944. and during the remainder of 1944 was Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander Carrier Division Two, attached to the flagships USS YORKTOWN, USS WASP, USS FRANKLIN and USS ENTERPRISE. He is entitled to the ribbon for the NaiT Unit Commendation awarded USS ENTERPRISE for heroic senice in the Pacific area, and was personally awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct as Operations Officer (on that Staff) in the Western Pacific area from May 20, 1944, to December 7, 1944. During the latter months of hostilities and until May 1946 he senfd as Plans Officer on the Staff of Commander Fleet Air, West Coast, and after attending the General Line School, Newport, R.I., sened fiom June 1947 to September 1948 as Commander Air Group 13. He then had a tour of duty as Air Member. Air Defense Board, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department. After 18 months ' senice as Assistant for General Plans on the Staff of Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, he joined the USS L. KE CH.A.MPL. IN in July 1952. He received a Letter of Commendation (Ribbon and Combat V ) from Commander SEVENTH Fleet, ... for meritorious service as Executive Officer and Operations Officer of USS L. KE CH. MPLAIN during combat operations in the Korean Theater from 13 June 1953 to 27 July 1953 ... Detached from LAKE CH.AMPLAIN in May 1954, he was a student at the Naval War College the next year, and in July 1955 assumed command of the Navl Auxiliary Air Station, Whiting Field, Milton, Florida. He continued in that command until April 1957, and after briefing in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, reported as U.S. Naval Attache and Naval Attache for . ir, Moscow, USSR. Returning to the U.S. in December 1958, he was ordered to USS M. NATEE (AO-58J and assumed command of that fleet oiler in January 1959. Captain Lynch was detached from M. NATEE in November 1959 and a month later reported to the Staff of Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet for duty as the Fleet Operations Officer. .After sening in this capacity for a year. Captain Lynch was ordered to L ' SS COR. L SEA (CVA-43) and assumed command of that attack aircraft carrier December 5, 1960. On November 15, 1961, Captain Lynch assumed duties as Aide and Chief of Staff, Commander Carrier Division SEVEN. In addition to the Navy Cr oss, Legion of Merit with Combat . Distinguished Flying Cross, . ir Medal with Gold Star, Commendation Ribbon and Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. Captain Lynch has the .American Defense Senice Medal, Fleet Clasp; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with eleven major combat stars: World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Senice Medal with one star; United Nations Senice Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. Married to the former Miss Virginia Boutelle of La Jolle, Calif., Captain Lynch has a stepson, Byron Charles Gwinn II, a Naval Resene Officer now attending George Washington University Medical School, Washington, D.C. Captain Lynch ' s official residence is 595 . shmont St., Dorchester, Mass. RELIEVED BY CAPTAIN PAUL K. BLESH. U.S.N., IN JANUARY 1963 Captain Blesh comes to Carrier Division SEVEN after a successful tour of duty as Com- manding Officer of the attack aircraft carrier USS HANCOCK (CVA-19). Capt. Blesh was bom in Conifer. N.Y., and was graduated from Syracuse University in 1935. He began his Naval career in 1936 as an Aviation Cadet, being designated a Naval Aviator in September 1937. His early duty assignments included various flying and staff biUets. Since World War II, he has sened as executive officer and operations officer of the carrier USS ORISKANY (CVA-34). Capt. Blesh is a former Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Facility at Annapolis, Maryland. Upon graduation from the National War College in 1957. he served on the Staff Commander SECOND Fleet and Commander Striking Fleet .Atlantic as Plans Officer and later as Operations Officer. Capt. Blesh has also sened as Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations for the Commander Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe. Prior to his duty aboard HANCOCK, he sened as Commanding Officer of the USS ELKOMIN iAO-55). Capt. Blesh is married to the former Mathilide Macintosh Brewerton who is presently living in Alameda, California. Their daughter Elizabeth Brewerton ' Blesh is a student at Lake Erie College, Painesville. Ohio.

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GOMMANDER DONALD D. ENGEN Commander Donald D. Engen took command of Carrier Air Group ELEVEN in January 1962 at Miramar Naval Air Station, San Diego, Calif. A native of Pasadena, Calif., he assumed command following a tour of duty as Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 21 based in the carrier USS MIDWAY. His career as a naval officer dates back to 1943 when he was commissioned Ensign and designated a naval aviator at Corpus Christi, Texas. During World War II. CDR Engen flew combat missions in the Philippines, Okinawa. Formosa and in the famous battle of Leyte Gulf. After the war he attended the University of California at Los Angeles iL.C.L.A.) under Navy sponsorship. In 19 49 and 1950 he served with Fighter Squadron 51 pioneering in jet instrument flving and was among the Navy ' s first aviators to make a night jet carrier landing. In the Korean Conflict, CDR Engen flew with the Navy ' s first offensive Strikes against the North Koreans. After the ceasefire, he was ordered to Dallas. Texas, as Bureau of Aeronautics Flight Test Officer. In 1953 he attended Empire Test Pilots ' School. Farnborough. England, a personal highlight of his career. From 1957 to 1959, as Assistant Head, and Head, Flying Qualities and Performance Branch, Flight Test Division. Naval Air Test Center. Patuxent River. Id., he evaluated the Navv and Air Force ' s newest planes and tested rocket power for aircraft. Among his many decorations CDR Engen has earned the Navv Cross. Distin- guished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He was awarded Presidential Lnit Cita- tions with Bombing Squadron 19 in the carrier LEXINGTON during World War II. and for similar service to his country in Korea. He also wears the Navy Lnit Commendation for service with Fighter Squadron 51 in the USS VALLEY FORGE. CDR Engen is married to the former Mary Baker of Pasadena. Calif. Mrs. Engen and children, Candace, Christopher and Tucker, live in Del Mar. Calif., north of San Diego. i 3 ' y H 20 RELIEVED BY COMMANDER WARREN O ' NEIL. U.S.N. Commander ' arren H. O ' Neil assumed command of Carrier Air Group ELE EN on January 3, 1963, aboard USS KITTi ' HAT TC at sea. He was bom in Methuen, Massachusetts. In 1944 he was graduated from the United States Naval Academy. During World War II. CDR O ' Neil served aboard the USS BOSTON (CA-69) in the Pacific theatre of operations. After a short tour of occupation force duty. Re returned to flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1947. His subsequent sea dutv consisted of cruises in the .Atlantic and Pacific fleets in Attack Squadron 44 aboard USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and USS MIDWAY; as Officer-in-Charge of a FVAW jet detachment of VC-3 during the Korean cam- paign aboard USS KEARSARGE: with VFAW 193 aboard USS ORISKAVi ' : as Executive Officer of VF-102 aboard USS FORRESTAL: and as Commanding Offi- cer of VF-92 aboard USS RANGER. CDR O ' Neil was graduated from the Personnel Management Post Graduate School at Stanford University with a Master of Arts Degree in Education. In 1962 he was graduated from the Industrial College of the .Armed Forces. Washington. D.C. His other shore tours include instructor duty at Pensacola. Florida, and a tour in Manpower Planning in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. In addition, he sened as Aide to the Ch ' ef of Naval Operations. CDR O ' Neil is married to the former Elizabeth Fitzgerald whose parents reside in Santa Ana. California. Mrs. 0 Neil and children Michael, Patrick, Susan, and Kathleen live in San Dieso. Cal.