McMorris (DE 1036) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

DEDICATION COMMANDER WILLIAM KENNEDY The Officers and Crew of USS McMORRIS wish to dedicate this cruise book to Commander William E. KENNEDY, USN and the Staff of Escort Squadron ONE for their outstanding support during pre-deploy- ment preparations and throughout the cruise. The out- standing record achieved by McMORRIS could not have been possible without the leadership and guidance provided by our Squadron Commander and his Staff. The men of USS McMORRIS extend their ap- preciation and thanks to a staff whose every effort has been to support the ships of the Squadron.

Page 7 text:

VICE ADMIRAL CHARLES HORATIO McMORRIS, USN Vice Admiral McMORRIS was born in Wetumpka, Alabama, on August 31, 1890. He attended public schools in Wetumpka before entering the U. S. Naval Academy on June 26, 1908 from the state of Alabama. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 8, 1912, he served consecutive tours aboard the battleships DELAWARE, MONTANA and NEW HAMPSHIRE, participating in the occupation of Vera Cruz in the Mexican Campaign in 1914. After reporting aboard the battleship MARYLAND, he was promoted to the rank of Lt(jg) on June 8, 1915. While serving aboard MARYLAND, he assisted in salvaging the USS F-4 which sank off Honolulu in 1915. Leaving the battleship navy during World War I, Lt(jg) McMORRIS served aboard the newly-built destroyers USS SHAW and USS MEREDITH becom- ing executive officer of the latter. In June 1918, he was promoted to Lieutenant and one year later assumed his first command, the destroyer USS WALKE. In the following years, he had tours of duty aboard the cruiser BALTIMORE, the destroyers BURNS, SHIRK and ELLIOTT, and the battleship CALIFORNIA. Interspersed with the sea duty were assignments with recruiting in Pittsburgh, with the Bureau of Navigation in Washington as a student at the Naval War College, Newport, and two tours of duty at the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis. During this period, he advanced in rank to LCDR in June 1922, CDR in October 1931, and Captain to date from July 1, 1939. In February, 1941, he became War Plans officer on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet. While serving in this capacity, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for contributing materially to the con- duct of operations against the Japanese Empire. CAPT McMORRIS then assumed command of the cruiser USS SAN FRANCISCO from May-November 1942. For heroism during the action on 11-12 October 1942, he was awarded the Navy Cross. The citation •read in part For extraordinary heroism. . . .(he) fought his ship valiantly, maneuvering with the expertness of an able seaman and striking at the enemy with deter- mined and effective gunfire despite the difficulties of night combat. For this action, the SAN FRANCISCO also was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for sinking one enemy destroyer, silencing and disabling an enemy battleship and severly damaging two other vessels. On November 14, 1942, he attained the rank of Rear Admiral and one month later assumed command of Cruiser Task Force 8, operating in the North Pacific. Subsequently, in what became known as the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, a running gunfire duel pitted the cruisers SALT LAKE CITY and RICHMOND against a superior enemy force. Followed rapidly by a U. S. destroyer torpedo attack, the enemy ships were forced to retire with heavy casualties. As a result of Rear Admiral McMORRIS ' complete rout of the enemy, he earned the Distingushed Service Medal. In June 1943, he assumed duty as Chief of Staff and Aide to Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, and in this capacity received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distingushed Service Medal. He was temporarily promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral from September 23, 1944, until July 1948, when he reverted to the rank of Rear Admiral. During the subsequent years, Vice Admiral McMORRIS served as Commander, Fourth Fleet, and president of the General Board at the Navy Depart- ment. He assumed duty on August 25, 1948, as Comman- dant of the Fourteeth Naval District, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii with additional duty as Commander, Naval Base, Pearl Harbor from which duties he retired to Marietta, Pennsylvania.

Page 9 text:

COMMANDING OFFICER LCDR RICHARD MILLIGAN Lieutenant Commander Richard D. Milligan received his commission upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1959. He was first assigned to the USS AULT (DD 698) homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. During this tour he served as CIC Officer, and later as Operations Officer. In 1962 he was reassigned to Charleston, South Carolina as Aide to the Comman- dant of the Sixth Naval District, and in 1963 was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. LCDR Milligan was then assigned to serve as Com- manding Officer of the USS SOMERSWORTH (EPCER 849) at New London, Connecticut (1964-1965), and as Executive Officer of the USS JOESPH K. TAUSSIG (DE 1030) at Newport, Rhode Island (1966-1967). The year 1968 was spent at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Com- mander in April and awarded a Masters Degree in Management in December. Prior to his current assignment as Commanding Officer of the McMORRIS, LCDR Milligan served in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations where he oc- cupied a position in the General Planning and Programming Division from January 1969 to August 1971. For service during that tour he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. LCDR Milligan is married to the former Miss Mary Bourke Reid of Roanoke, Virginia and has one daughter, Mary Hunter (9) and two sons, Bourke (7) and Reid (1).