Macon (CA 132) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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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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AH KNOWS HOW PROUD VO ' FELLAS OM TH ' MACON MUS ' E E, FO ' WINNIN ' TH ' BATTLE EFFICIENCY COMPV-TISHUM. MAH MAMMY HAS WON TH ' DOGPATCH BATTLE EFFICIENCY TITLE, FO ' Y ' ARS AN ' Y ' ARS.V ' Al Capp salutes the MACON too! '