Boston (CAG 1) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 17 text:

I 1 1 1 I I I I 1 I I I I 1 1 I 1 I I The spirit 1 is maintained 1 I I by leadership, 1 1 sustained I 1 1 I by hard work , I ease I 'I 1 .V I I I 1 I I 11' CAPTAIN RICHARD G CULBERT COMMANDING OFFICER Upon graduation from the U S Naval Academy In June 1937 Captain Colbert was ordered to duty In the U SS YORKTOWN ICV 131 rn the rank of Ensrgn and served rn her from commlssron mg untrl July 1939 when he was assrgned to the U S S BARKER CDD 2135 In the U S Aslatrc Fleet He reported to the U S S BARKER as an Ensign and remained on her for a period of frve years the last year and one half of which he served as Commanding Officer In the rank of Lreu tenant Commander During this extended tour on BARKER the shrp had various assignments After the Java Sea Campargn when the Asratrc Fleet was dlsestabllshed BARKER served In the Pacrflc Fleet on escort assignments and fmally moved to the Atlantlc Fleet late In 1942 There she was assigned escort of convoy duty and participated as well In a number of Hunter Krller CASWI operatlons In September 19411 Lieutenant Commander Colbert reported as Commanding Officer of U SS MEADE lDD 602l then In the Pa clflc Fleet and remained rn that command until the end o World War Il when he was promoted to the rank of Commander and assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel For the next two and one half years he served as Pe sonnel Plannrng Officer In connection with the establishment of the Post War Naval Reserve Program In June of 1948 he Nas ordered to London England where he was assagned as Aide and F ag Secretary to Adm ral R L PON NOLLY USN CINCNFLIV' Trvo and one nan years later at the former Prudence Ann RODBFASOI7 or Lordon Eng and In ce e monies at St Pauls Knightsbridge On December 19 1950 Commander Colbert reported for duty In the offece of the Chief of Naval Operations where he was assigned to OP 35 the Polltlco Mllltary Affairs Drvrslon During this assignment he accompanied Admiral Forest SHERMAN USN CNO as hrs special assrstant on a vlslt to Spam to lnltrate negotlatlons for U S Base Rights Captain Colbert was with Ad mural SHERMAN when he tragically dled ln Naples Italy rn August 1951 Upon completion of this tour ln Washington Commander Col bert reported to the USS ALBANY lCA123l as Executlve Of flcer After two years In this assignment during which ALBANY was Flagshlp of COMBATCRULANT Commander Colbert was or dered to the Naval War College Newport Rhode Island as a student rn the Naval War College In October 1955 he was pro moted to the rank of Captain Just prror to completion of hrs course rn the lat sprung of 1956 Captam Colbert was assigned to organize and act as director of a new course fo Senlor Free World Naval Offrcers This course was established by Admiral Arlergh BURKE USN CNO In August 1956 and Included student representatlon frofn up to 30 allred and friendly countries After two years In thus assrgnment at the Naval War College Captain Colbert was ordered to the Joint Staff Joint Chrefs of Staff In Washington DC I-le was assigned to the Long Range Plars and Basr War Plans Branches rn the Plans and Polrcy Ds e torate during this tour ALTAIR IAKS 323 servmg In th s capacity untrl he assumed com mans' or is S S BOSTON KCAG ll on October 7 1961 : ' . X. , I I ,QI I I E S VV 1 ' .1 1 ,J I I I 1 - I I 1 . I I VV V., 1 f, . ,, V. V.1VV' V,V - V', 'V .VV V I V I - V... V V -V FV t. V VV f VV I V - - I. I , . .. .. VVV. .' V. . . I V . V V 'V'iV V VV..V ' V.V ,V -V V VV V 1 1 . -. . t ..V . ..-. V, V V, g.,V - , 1 VV 1. V - 'V V ' . . - ., I VV. VV V . VV V-P 1: . . L 1 1 1 .1 , .' I ' . I 1. , 4 1 ' I ' -' - - - - A - , - I .I yrrf 111 . 'I It . f rj . It '1 1. V V k ,V 1 I , . A . ' I .V , . I . 1 V , , -1- jg V- 1- 1 1 1 I V V I ' I ' . V . I . 1 V , V, V V1 V V A , V I I ' I .V' I V - , . ,' , 1 'V 1 I I ' ' f ,A - . 7 7 7 . . I . ' - A ' V A ' ' V' VV V I ' 1 ' . I . I . V ...g V,1 VV V VV .L. . I JV V I Vg , V I ,, . L . . ' ' I ' . . . 7 - ' VV x ' , 1- 4. . v 1 - ' A . . . , A I ,ir - - I . , I I . . . 'V V V V , L. 'V ' . . .V . .1 I V I I Vp V V u 1. If .x- '-'.', I 4 ff. :I YC A ' .' completion of this tour, Commander Colbert was marrreq to the V On June 4, 1960 Captain Colbert assumed command of U.S.S. V ., I 1. . F l ., .V Ia . s I' - I . ' r ' , l - ' ' 1 . f I N VV V '. V 1 , V L ,D . f - 4 V '- - - ' , . V I 1

Page 16 text:

'.. V .., -, - V . .--.. 1- 1 - -'-' -- I 9- ,. -.W ,. . 51. .,1.,, 111. . ,y -.44 --ew-'f'r,,:g14a1.LL1:. '-if 14,11 , - .. 1- .,1,,u- L.. Ng, ., ,...,,.. . , L-. :,.-S..-v .L , 'V ,E ff z R ,. . - ,1 . 4 . .,,. -. . ., .,, H L .,., E Z. , ,.-l M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 CAPTAIN 1 amvfn T. rfnauson I 1 1 COMMANDING GFFICER CAPT Glover T. FERGUSON, USN, son of James and Mary Ferguson, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 29 June 1912. He attended Annapolis High School, Annapolis, Md. and upon graduation in 1929 enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Shortly after enlistment he was granted a Congressional ap- pointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1933. His first ship was USS MISSISSIPPI followed by tours on USS CLARK KDD-361 and USS NEW ORLEANS lCA-321 in which he served during World War Il. Late in 1943, now a commander, he was ordered to the Naval Academy as a Gunnery Instructor. In August, 1945 CAPT FERGUSON left the Academy, ordered to the USS OREGON CITY KCA-1221 as Navigator. Following this tour he went to USS ST. PAUL in July 1946, as Executive Officer. After leaving ST. PAUL he went aboard USS WILTSIE lDD-7161 as Commanding Officer. Following this he went to BUPERS for shore duty in 1949. The Korean Conflict found CAPT FERGUSON back at sea, as Division Commander, Escort-Destroyer Division 12. After April, 1953 he served on the staff of Commander Service Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, until ordered to USS HENRICO CAPA- 45l as Commanding Officer. In 1958 CAPT FERGUSON returned to Washington for another tour of shore duty followed by a course at the National War College. Upon graduation in 1960 CAPT EIERGUSON reported to USS BOSTON CCAG-ll as Commanding icer. During World War II CAPT FERGUSON was aboard the USS NEW ORLEANS at Pearl Harbor when the Imperial Japanese Navy struck. Later he participated in the battles of Coral.Sea and Midway, and the Guadalcanal and Tassafaronga operations. For services in both conflicts he was awarded the following: Silver Star Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theatre, American Defense, Korean Service Wf2 Stars, United Nations, China Service Occu- pation Medal lAslaJ, WWII Victory Defense Service Medal. CAPT and Mrs. FERGUSON reside in Newport, R. I. with their two children. .. .ww ne' ,:,- ' --1... . ,, , .,,, ,,,,,',.- .3 -35511 V7 1 xg L--.Z L, , J, -fc ,-21-.F g.: , . , ,T -1 . W 1 -3 Lifl,- -Q: -.lj-I-f:: . 0 L-Riga, X221 Z-':.'11,, -., , ,-1'-.mc ,gg V, . .., p , -4-1.-:Uv--ag, 1. 1-,wsgzf-,-.., 4' , ..1..-..:3,j. ,W k F g ,

Page 18 text:

....7-w-- If f I V r wwrxiha H AN ml Q .1 iv Q- -.J In FM QEL W Z-.5 3fH,,Q,5a mi1.,.-'3::,j.,m 1' . f 1. , -1.5.1, I , .. nf' Uni. ,,.. .fp 1. V' 'flirknm11'+'9.i?g'j-L-r1g'g..7,, 5. wg:--'f-rg,-i.k .1 fi .- 'gg 5 , M , J., ., - .iw-'-4 1 .r :A 4, , .. ' - ' f -ff, --wa snt-in -f -- M- -W ' Gi r Lefteris Lavrakas, son of Apostle and Fofo Lav- ralgajswrilnlizrsdiaorn in Watertown, Massachusetts on 18 October, 1919. He entered the United .States Naval Academy and grad- uated as an Ensign in 1943. His first ship was the USS EBERLE KDD-430I, followed by the USS ARON WARD CDM-84l. While On Okinawa picket station, the WARD was hit by six kamlkazes. During the Second World War, Commander Lavrakas also served in the North African Landings, the Anzlo Campaign, and IODGVE' tions against raiders and submarine wolf-packs in the Caribbean Sea. , . Following the war, he served as Navigator and Executive Of- ficer aboard the USS MANSFIELD CDD-728l. After serving as the Commanding Officer of the USS WHEATEAR CAM-3901, Com- mander Lavrakas returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor in seamanship and navigation. n i During the Korean conflict he served as commanding officer of the USS HORACE A. BASS KAPD-124l and commanding officer Executlve Born and educated in Pittsburgh Pa Commander Smyers re celved his Navy commission from the Naval Academy in June 1942 His initial duty as a World War ll Ensign was aboard the U SS MINNEAPOLIS QCA 36l serving in the Pacific Fleet While aboard the MINNEAPOLIS he participated In the land ings at Guadalcanal and a night battle during which the ship was torpedoed and seriously damaged While the MINNEAPOLIS lumped into port for repairs Ensign Smyers was assigned duty aboard the U SS NEW JERSEY CBB 62I for the latter stages of the War in the Pacific The NEW JERSEY was involved In many of the operations for the remainder of the war and served as the fleet flagship for both Admiral Halsey and Admiral Spruance Following the war Lieutenant Smyers came East to serve l I from 194951 he was assigned duty as ordnance and gunnery instructor at the Naval ROTC unit of Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute Troy N Y Fresh from his promotion to Lieutenant Commander he re turned to sea duty aboard the USS WASP KCVA 181 and the U S S BENNINGTON CCVA 20l serving for 15 months on each He served as Gunnery Officer for both of these carriers as they were being recommissloned From 1953 55 he returned to in of commando task elements of British and' South Koreans. Fol- lowing the Korean War, he served as executive officer aboard the USS WILKINSON CDL-Sl, followed by duty with CNO. I From 1958-1959 Commander Lavrakas was the Commanding Officer of the USS DAVIS CDD-937I. Commander Lavrakas reported aboard the USS BOSTON as Executive Officer in November of 1959. For services in both World War II and the Korean War he was awarded the following: Bronze Star with Gold Star Medal, Presi- dential Unit Citation with Star, Europe-Italian-North African with two stars, American Service with one star, Asiatic-Pacific with one star, World War Il Victory, China Service, Japan Occupation, Korean Service with three stars, United Nation, Korean Presl- dential Unit Citation, and National Defense Medal. 1 U Commander Lavrakas and Mrs. Lavrakas reside in Hingam, Massachusetts with their four daughters. Offlcers structor duty in ordnance and gunnery this time at the Naval Academy His next tour of duty found him on destroyers for the first time initially as Executive Officer of the USS MCNAIR CDD 6793 for 15 months In 1955 he was promoted to his present rank of Commander During the years 1957 58 Commander Smyers received his first command that of the USS HAR WOOD CDDE 861I Returning to shore duty following his tour on the HARWOOD he was assigned duty as Executive Officer of the Naval Ammu niton Depot at Hingham Mass from 1958 59 From then until 1961 Commander Smyers was made Commanding Officer of the ammunition depot In the fall of 1961 he left Hmgham to relieve Commander Smyers was married to the former Pauline Whites of Pittsburgh on New Years Eve 1946 They now have three chil dren Robert 14 Karen 7 and Richard 6 The Commanders parents are still living in Pittsburgh Since coming to the East Coast after World War Il Com mander Smyers has been deployed eight times to the Mediter ranean Sea on various ships He looks forward to his ninth Sixth Fleet tour this fall aboard BOSTON Q 0 ' , ' ' c d L ' ' ' - n aboard the USS. PROVIDENCE CL-8? Them. - I omman er avrakas as Executive Officer of the BOSTON. . I4 I l