Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

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IZAPIAI lu f vi , I. 4 1 XX 'Qu Commander Gordon Gemmill entered the U. S. Navy inJuly 1941. He had previously attended Phoenix and Arizona State Colleges. During the early part of World War II, he served aboard the U. S. S. MC FARLAND, which received the Presidential Unit Citation for out- standing performance in combat. After attending school in Key West, Florida, Commander Gemmill reported aboard the U. S. S. BERNADOU 1 DD I53Q for duty as Executive Officer, and six months later was the Commanding Officer of his own destroyer the U. S. S. UPSHUR QDD 1441. The next three years saw three more destroyers for Commander Gemmill, and then in November of 1948, he reported for duty at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis. In 1951 he reported aboard the first big ship of his career, the U. S. S. MANCHESTER, where he served as Navigator, then in September of 1952, Commander Gemmill assumed command of the U. S. S. BRINKLEY BASS CDD 8879. It has been said that, there is no substitute for experience , and Commander Gem mi1l's complete mastery of the destroyer command is certain proof of that axiom 5

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. as iEE,Ei, ,,,,. g, js' A 3 -. f j-l 4v '-'V , , .A , 4' - 't- Osh F -f Q v2 4-,-.14- --'-' ' ! ! v- -Y 4' IZUMMANIIEH IIESTHUYIR ! 1 l I Captain Paul S. Savidge, Ir, , relieved Captain A. L. Gebelin as Commander Destroyer Division FIFTY- TWO on I7 September 1953, ' Captain Savidge entered the U. S. Naval Academy in 1930 from the state of Washington. Upon graduation, he served in the U.S.S. Tennessee, U.S,S. Jarvis CDD- 393 and U. S.S. Colorado, During the war he was navi- gator of the U.S. S. Massachusetts in the Pacific. He received the Bronze Star Medal with combat device dur- ing operations with the Fast Carrier Task Force. In 1946, Captain Savidge took command of U. S. S. Collett IDD-7301, and during this tour spent a year in the Far East. In 1947, he was assigned as Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Destroyer Flotilla ONE. From 1948 to I95I, he was on duty in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, and then attended the Naval War College at Newport, R. I. His present assignment was preceeded by duty as Direc- tor of Pl n ' a ning on the staff of Commander Western Sea Frontier, With such an impressive and well-rounded back- ground, it is apparent that the ships in Destroyer Divi- sion FIFTY-TWO can look forward to serving under a very capable and experienced Division Commander, IIIVISIII HHY-TWU Captain Albert L. GEBELIN entered the U. S. Naval Academy in 1930, and graduated with the class of 1934, Upon graduation, Captain GEBELIN was assigned to the U.S. S. WEST VIRGINIA where he spent four years. In June 1938 he was ordered to report for duty on his first destroyer where he served as Communications Officer and Gunnery Officer, and five months before the attack on Pearl Harbor he was assigned to the U. S. S. MAURY qDD 4011. After campaigns in the Pacific, where the MAURY received the Presidential Unit Citation, he was transferred to the Atlantic Coast where he reported aboard the U. S. S. DOYLE QDD 4941. In December 1943, Captain GEBELIN assumed command of the U. S. S. THOMPSON CDD 6271 and during D-Day Operations he transported Admirals KIRK and KING, and Generals EISENHOWER, MARSHALL, and ARNOLD to the Nor- mandy beach-head. For his performance in that cam- paign, Captain GEBELIN was awarded the Silver Star Medal, and the Croixe de Guerre. From November 1944 to March 1949, the Commodore received a variety of ship assignments, and then in May of 1949 he reported for duty with the Bureau of Naval Personnel, at Washing- ton, D.C. In August of 1952, Captain GEBELIN assumed command of Destroyer Division FIFTY-TWO. I Leadership and responsibility are common capa- bilities in Americans, but outstanding leadership and re- sponsibility are characteristic to only a few. Captain GEBELIN is one of those few. He is truly a credit to the great Navy of a greater nation.

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:YF 5 II II 1 It II EXEEIIIEIVE IIEEIIIEIE ,,.... .Lf-,,, Lieutenant Commander Buster E. Toon received his commission in the United States Navy on January 6, 1942. Before coming into the Navy Mr, Toon attended East Texas State and Northwest- ern University. He was the Executive Officer of the U.S. S. LST 382, and later became the Commanding Officer of that ship. He served as Gunnery Officer aboard the U.S.S. RENDOVA QCVE II4j, and then assumed duties as Officer in Charge of Fire Control School, at Washington D,C. During World War ll, Mr. Toon served in the cam- paigns of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Normandy. Mr. Toon assumed duties as Executive Officer of the U. S.S. BRINKLEY BASS, during her yard period of I952 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyards. His skill and strict ad- herance to drill has made the BASS one of the cleanest and well organized ships in the Navy.