Macon (CA 132) - Naval Cruise Book

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BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN RAY E. MALPASS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE U.S.S. MACON (CA-132) Captain Ray E. Malpass was born in Albany, New York, ond entered the Naval Academy from Milford, Connecticut, in 1926. He was graduated and commissioned Ensign in 1 930. Captain Malpass is a graduate of the Naval War College and a post- graduate in Marine Engineering from the Naval Academy. He also attended Submarine School. Upon completion of submorine school he served as Torpedo Officer aboard the USS S-16. He olso served aboard the battleships USS OKLAHOMA and USS IDAHO. Most of his experience, however, has been with destroyers, having served as Engineering Officer aboard the USS ANHEIM (DD-355), Commanding Officer of the USS ROBINSON (DD-562), Division Commander of Destroyer Division 102 and as the Assistant Chief of Staff Operations for the Staff Commander Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet. He later served as Commanding Officer of the USS AKENNAN (AKA-53). In 1946 Captain Malpass served as Shop Superintendent for the Chorleston Navy Yard and as Material Officer for the Charleston Group 16th Fleet. The Captain also served as the Head of the Intelligence Staff for the Offices of Chief of Naval Operations (ONI), and as the Assistant Director on the Joint Staff for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He assumed command of the USS MACON (CA-132) November 13, 1956. BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN V. L. LOWRANCE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE U.S.S. MACON (CA-132) Captain Lowranee entered the Naval Academy from Catawba, N. C, in 1926. He lettered in baseball and basketball and graduated in 1930. Captain Lowranee is a graduate of the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut. The General Line Post Graduate school of Monterey, California, and the National War College at Washington, D. C. He has spent much of his time in Submarines, having served aboard S-41, and R-4 and served as Commanding Officer of the R-16, and Kingfish (SS-234), and the SEADOG (SS-401). During World War II Captain Lowranee suc- cessfully completed seven war patrols in the Pacific ai commanding officer of the KINGFISH and SEADOG. In 1945 he assumed command of Submarine Division 121, and in 1950 he was appointed Commander of Submarine Squadron Eight. Captain Lowranee has served as executive officer of the submarine base of New London and as plans officer on the staff of CINCLANTFLT. Before taking command of the MACON he was Commanding Officer of the attack transport USS ROCKBRIDGE (APA-228). Captain Lowranee holds the Navy Cross, the Silver Star with 2 gold stars ond the Bronze Star Medal with 1 star and Combat V. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF COMMANDER LESLIE S. ROBINSON Commander Leslie S. Robinson was appointed to the U.S. Naval Acad- y from the U.S. Naval Reserve and commissioned in 1939. His first duty upon graduation was putting the USS HELENA (CL-50) into commission. In 1940 he was ordered to the USS SIMS (DD-409) and from there to the U.S. Naval Submarine School in April 1941. After serving aboard the R Boats operating out of Key West, Commander Robinson was ordered to command the USS S-1 2 (SS 1 1 7), operating in the Caribbean and the ap- proaches to Panama. In 1945 Commander Robinson was assigned as thi Executive Officer of the USS TUNNY (SSG 282) and assumed command for - ' pose of decommissioning. Commander Robinson was then ordered rutive Officer of the USS ARTEMIS (AKA-21) for the Bikini Ate Bomb Tests. On completion of these tests he was placed in command the ARTEMIS, putting her out of commission in January 1947. After two years ashore in the FOURTH Naval District as Submarine Naval Reserve Coordinator and Enlisted Distribution Officer, CDR. Robinson was ordered to command the USS IREX (SS-482) attached to Submarine Squadron EIGHT at New London, Connecticut. In April 1951 he was assigned as Undersea Warfare Officer on the Staff of Commander SIXTH Fleet. In 1953 CDR. Robinson reported to duty as Plans and Projects Officer at the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office, Suitland, Maryland, where Officer of the MACON.

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REAR ADMIRAL ROBERT W. CAVENAGH UNITED STATES NAVY Robert William Cavenagh was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 18, 1904. He attended public schools in Cleveland, and had one year at Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, before his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from the 20th District of Ohio in July 1922. He was graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 3, 1926, and through subsequent pro- motions attained the rank of Captain to date from August 1, 1943. His selection to the rank of Rear Admiral was approved by the President on July 26, 1954, and was later confirmed by the Senate to date from July 1, 1954. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, he was as- signed to the USS ARKANSAS, and was transferred to the USS NIAGARA in February 1928 for duty until May 1 930. Reporting a month later to the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut, he had instruction in sub- marines there and with Submarine Division 20, after which he was assigned to the USS ARGONAUT for duty at sea from March 1931 to February 1933. Returning to Annapolis, he was under instruction in Engineering at the Postgraduate School for two years. Continuing at the University of California, at Berkeley, he was there owarded the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in June, 1936. He was next assigned to Submarine Division 10, Squad- ron 5, of the Asiatic Fleet, with consecutive duty aboard the USS S-39 and USS S-37, and from March 14 to November 25, 1938, was Commanding Officer of the USS S-41. Detached from the latter, he returned to the United States, reporting on Januory 27, 1939, to the Bureau of Engineering, Navy Department, Washington, D. C. He was detached in July 1940, a month after that Bureau was combined with the Bureau of Construction and Repair and redesignated Bureau of Ships. Ordered to the USS BROOKLYN, he joined that cruiser in August 1940, and was aboard her when the United States entered World War II in December 1941. In February 1942 he assumed command of the USS DAHL- GREN, a destroyer having on experimental engineering plant, employed in East Coast anti-submarine operations and also as a sonar training vessel for the Sonar School at Key West. In December 1942 he was ordered to command the USS STANLY. After shakedown training at Guantanamo the USS STANLY joined the Pacific Fleet, in the then forming Destroyer Squadron 23. That squad- ron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, and he was personally awarded the Novy Cross. The citations follow in part: Presidential Unit Citation: For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces during the Solomon Islands Campaign, from November 1, 1943, to February 23, 1944. Boldly penetrating submarine-in- fested water during a period when Japanese naval and air power was at its height, Destroyer Squadron TWENTY THREE operated in daring defiance of repeated attacks by hostile air groups, closing the enemy ' s strongly fortified shores to carry out sustained bombardments against Jap- anese coastal defenses . . . Commanded by forceful lead- ers and manned by aggressive, fearless crews, the ships of Squadron TWENTY THREE coordinated as a superb fighting team; they countered the enemy ' s fierce aerial bombing attacks and destroyed or routed his planes; they intercepted his surface task forces, sank or damaged his warships by torpedo fire and prevented interference with our transports ... Navy Cross: For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the USS STANLY, in action against enemy Jap- anese forces in the Solomon Islands on the night of No- vember 1-2, 1943. With his Task Force engaging a Japanese surface force of superior fire power (he) hurled the full fighting strength of his ship against the enemy and, by his inspiring leadership ond skilled combat tactics, aided his Task Force in sinking five hostile warships, in damaging four others, and in completely routing the enemy, thereby contributing materially to the successful establishment of our beachhead on Bougainville Island . . . Detached from command of the STANLY on January 1, 1944, he assumed command of Destroyer Division 46, a part of Destroyer Squadron 23. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V , and cited For heroic achievement as Commander Destroyer Division FORTY SIX ... in action against enemy Japanese forces Northwest of the Bismarck, Archipelago, at Kavieng, New Ireland, and on the Duke of York Island, February 17 to 23, 1944 . . . (He) fought his ships gallantly despite intense fire from hostile shore batteries and aircraft (and) directed his vessels in destroying two Japanese auxiliary vessels, one large cargo ship, a mine layer and four barges, and inflicting heavy damage on important shore installa- tions, subsequently bringing his destroyers through these hazardous engagements without damage . . . He was also aworded a Gold Star in lieu of the second Bronze Stor Medal, the citation stoting in part: . . . While serving as Commander of a Destroyer Division under the operational command of the SEVENTH Amphibious Force, and forming a part of the screen of the first Mindoro resupply echelon in December 1944. When attacking Japanese planes damaged two landing ships and a liberty-type merchont ship, setting them on fire, (he) was ordered to take charge of the rescue operation. Fire and explosion finally forced the abandonment of both landing ships, and while survivors from these ships were being picked up, the rescue group was attacked by four Japanese planes, three of which were shot down. The ves- sels of the rescue group arrived of destination in time for the scheduled unloading . . . As Commander of a Task Unit in operations in support of landing forces for the liberation of Bataan-Corregidor, and Panay-Negros in the Philippines, from February 16 to April 24, 1945, he was also awarded a Gold Star in lieu of the third Bronze Star Medal with Combat V , and cited for contributing materially to the success of these operations. Under orders of May 1945, he returned to the United States and reported for duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Department. Commencing January, 1949 he served as Commander Destroyer Squadron 5 for one year. From the spring of 1950 until August 1951 he was officer in charge of Naval Engineering Curricula on the staff of the Navol Postgraduate School, Annapolis, being then detached to attend the National War College, Wash- ington, D. C, as a student. In June 1952 he became Commander Transport Squad- ron ONE. In August 1953 he reported to the Com- mander in Chief, Naval Forces, Far East, to serve as Deputy J -3, Joint Stoff, Commander in Chief, Far East and CinCUNC. In April 1955 he become Deputy Director of Intelligence, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D. C. In addition to the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster and Combat V , Bronze Star, Medal with two Gold Stars and Combat V , and the Presiden- tial Unit Citation Ribbon, Rear Admiral Cavenagh has the China Service Medal; the American Defense Service Medal with Bronze A ; the American Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World Wor II Victory Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Korean Service Medal; the United Notions Service Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Mrs. Cavenagh, the former Miss Mabel M. Goodyear, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from Western Reserve University. With their son, Robert W. Cavenagh, Jr., who was also born in Cleveland (1943), the Cave- naghs look for any opportunity to spend time in Ohio with family and friends. Mrs. Cavenagh ' s mother and sister live in Bay Villoge, and Admiral Cavenagh ' s mother lives in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

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• I ! i V K { K n v n D n •, ' r r i • r • « « ■ J 1 .« b . ««MlUt4fc Mi, ' , T ny sb r ■ MACON WINS TOP FLEET AWARD Departs For Near East Tomorrow NORFOLK, Sept. 7 — Realising peak performance in battle readiness ai a man of war today, the heavy cruiser USS MACON (CA-132) wos presented the 1956 Battle Efficiency Award by Rear Admiral Kennmore M. McManes, Commander Battleship • Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet. Receiving the number one award in shipboard ceremonies early this morn- ing wos Captain V. L. Lowrance, USN, ] the MACON ' S skipper. Rear Admiral McManes congratulated Lowrance and his officers and men fori their achievements and noted that the I accumulative efficiency score of the winning vessel was appreciably higher I than the top mark last year. I think it is significant that the MACON is the world ' s first guided mis- sile ship to receive the Battle Efficiency { award, McManes said. Aside from her distinction as the top cruiser in the powerful Atlantic Fleet, the MACON is the only cruiser armed I with the Navy ' s supersonic guided mis- sile, Regulas . The Ragulas-armed cruiser departs tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the Mediter- ranean where it will strengthen the U.S. Sixth Fleet with the Navy ' s fore- most atomic-capable weapon. The departure, however, has nothing to do with the gathering war clouds in the Middle East.