St Louis (LKA 116) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 9 text:

..., D- -.a..--,,...,- ,,... .,..,. f 1-.-F -.-ff v. -v-1 EXECUTIVE OFFICER Lieutenant Commander William D. Morris was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Bellarmine College and received his commission as an Ensign in 1967 through the OCS proram. Initial assignment was in USS BOXER ILPI-I 41 as a Deck Officer. Subsequent assignments include USS EL PASO ILKA-1171 Pre commissioning detail as Boat Group Commander, a tour of Recruiting at Naval Recruiting District, Columbus Ohio, Operations Officer in the fleet oiler USS CANISTEO IAO 99j, a brief tour in USS MONIESTER IFF 1097j, Chief Engineer in USS TOWERS IDDG 91. His most recent tour was at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.

Page 8 text:

,:b,,,:,7::LV, .. --,-.-... T. . ...--,., .- . 4532? , 1 'F':'32 '22 T CQNlulVlANl9l 5 G e3tif5Kf'0'qhH1i1t if9?P s. OFFICER ' Born in San Diego, Captain Morris grew up in Tooele, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1957 and received his commission through the NROTC program. He served in USS OAK HILL fLSD-7j as an Ensign, then reported to Pensacola, Florida for flight training. Upon his designation as a Naval Aviator in Iune 1959, he reported to Fighter Squadron 124 at NAS Moffett Field, California as a F8U 'Crusader' fighter pilot. He subsequently flew the Crusader in five fighter squadrons prior to reporting as Assistant Air Operations Officer on the staff, Carrier Group FIVEfAttack Carrier Striking Force Seventh Fleet in October 1969. He then served a tour in Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 4 as Administrative Officer and project test pilot. Following a tour as Executive Officer he took command of Fighter Squadron 24 in May 1972 while deployed in USS HANCOCK ICVA-19j conducting combat operations off the coast of Vietnam. Captain Morris next attended the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama during which time he also received a Master of Arts degree in political science from Auburn University. His next assignment was in USS RANGER ICV-611 where he performed as Air Operations and Operations Officer. His most recent tour was Executive Assistant and Flag Secretary for the Commander Naval Air Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet. Captain Morris was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal,,the Navy Achievement Medal, and numerous other personal decorations for more than 300 combat missions over North Vietnam. ' He is married to the former Shannon Puckett of San Diego, and has three children, a son Darin and daughters Cyndy and Drew.

Page 10 text:

SCPOC BMCS CRIGSBY SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER OF THE COMMAND MAA FORCE lL to R1 CHIEF MASTER AT ARMS MA1 TREINEN, GMGz SHELEKIS, BM2 CRODESKA, SGT MORROUGH, VBM1 BELL, BM2 ROBLEDO, OS1 GUMZ, CPL BOATMAN, SM2 WARD, CPL IACKSON, CPL HENDRICKSON