Mississippi (CGN 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain Raynor A.K. Taylor, USN Commanding Officer Captain Taylor was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on December 22. 1935. He graduated from the U.S. Naval . ' cademy in June of 1960. He then joined the USS ABBOT (DD 629) in Newport, Rhode Island and served as Main Propulsion Assistant, Damage Control Assistant, and Engineer Officer until March 196.3. Duty aboard ABBOT included operations in the Artie and Mediterranean, with CENTO Forces in the Indian O cean and participation in the Cuban missile crisis and quarantine operations. Subsequent assignments in the Surface Nuclear Power Program included leading EOOW and Assistant to the Engineer for Training at the DIG Prototype in West Milton, New York. In 1966, he was assigned as Engineer Officer, USS HOEL (DDG 13) out of San Diego and participated in Northern SAR and gunline operations in Southeast Asia. In 1967 he was selected as a Navy Olmsted Scholar. This tour included studies at the Defense Language Institute, Institute of Political Studies at the University of Grenoble in France, and the American University in Washington, D.C. He was awarded a French Diplome d ' Etat with distinction and a Master of Arts in International studies. Captain Taylor then assumed duties as Main Propulsion Assistant, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65), an assignment which included nuclear refueling and subsequent deploy- ment to Southeast Asia and to the Indian Ocean. In 1972 he reported to the USS HALSEY (CG 23) Precommission- ing Unit in San Diego and subsequently participated in HALSEY ' S commissioning in Bath, Maine and deployment to the Pacific. Duty in HALSEY included implementation of the first shipwide Combat Systems organization. He then served in Washington, D.C. as Head, Surface Nuclear Power Branch and Head, Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Captain Taylor assumed command of the USS SEMMES (DDG 18) in 1978 and deployed to the Mediterranean when he was ordered to command of USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40). His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. He is authorized to wear the Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Service Medal. Captain Taylor is married to the former Mary Jane Stevens of Newport News, Virginia, and they have two sons, Raynor and Andrew.

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Men of the Mississippi 13

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•§■■ ' .: ;--v- ; ' ■ ' •■■;. ' : ■■:.:■ ' ' ' MBw Commander Ralph H. Lipfert Executive Officer Commander Ralph Lipfert was born in Washington, D.C . on April 7, 194f). He grew up a service junior living various places on the eastern seaboard. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1966, and immediately entered Surface Nuclear Propulsion School in Bainbridge, Maryland and West Milton, New York. F ' ollowing completion of nuclear power training, CDR Lipfert was assigned to USS TRUXTON (CGN 35) in Long Beach, California where his duties included Reactor Controls Division Officer and Electrical Officer Duty aboard TRUXTON included two deployments to Southeasl Asia and a trip to the Sea of Japan when the USS PUEBLO was captured. Crossing the country for shore duty, CDR Lipfert spent two yeais at the Maj8acii ' . ' .setta Institute of Technology studying Ocean Engineering. He next joined the Precommissioning Crew of the USS NIMITZ CVN 68) as Renctor MecbKnical Assistant. After that rewarding tour he was next stationed on the Commissicniiig Crew of the USS VIRGINIA (CGN US), as the Engineer Officer. This demanding but also rewarding assignment included the entire propulsion plant test program, commissioning, and the long weapons systems workup following commissioning. After a brief stay at the Armed Forces Staff Ci;ilege, CDR Liofert joined the staff of Admiral H.G. Rickover at Naval Reactors in Washington He then reported as B iecut.ive Officer of the USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN tOi. Hj is authorized to wear the Battle Efficiency E ribbo i for service on VlRGINfA, the National Defense Service M (!(il, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medc.l. CDR Lipfert is married to the former Christine Bonds and they reside in Virijini.! 3o h with their three children, Jennifer, Michael, and John. 15