Briscoe (DD 977) - Naval Cruise Book

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DAY OF DEPARTURE JUNE 28, 1996

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ADMIRAL ROBERT PEARCE iiali oiirf .-mcr illc. , ilmir;il HiImdo griuliialcil fioni the Na al Acailcmv in June IMIS. Diir- ng WorkI War I w sorvcil in ihc ballk-sliip ALABAMA nl ' lho Allanlic f led ' a nit in the clcsliincr UH.. o[Kraliny I ' roni Dicsl. 1 i ante. At iIk-cmuI Dl ' hoslililics. he iiKnk- iIk- I ' irsl posl-war Midship- nan cruise ni USS Ki:ARSAKCii; and in 1919 returned lo destroyer duly as Engineer Ol ' lieer nl ' llie l!SS IIUMPIIRH ' SS. stationed in Near Last waters at Conslanlinopk-. During the I urko- Cireek lighting in 1 920- 1 92 I . he eonimanded a Naval landing t ' oree at Derindge. Turkey. Kller further destroyer duty in the USS f-LlJSSER and USS HENDERSON, and recruiting dutv M Little Rock. Arkansas, he served as Senior Assistant Engineer of the battleship WES I ' VIR- (ilNIA (I9:6-I ' :9). then returned to the Naval .Academy as an instructor in Mechanical Engi- icering. Eroni 19.11-19.1. he was on China Station, assigned first as Executive Ol ' lieer ol ' the USS iDS. LL. on Yangtze Patrol during the Japanese occupation of Woosung and Manchuria, and Iter as Communications Officer of the USS IIOU.S EON. Ilagship of the Coniniander in Chief. Asiatic lleet. Me again returned lo the Navel Academy in June 19.14. and for three years served s Head ol ' the Department of Chemistry. Sea duty as Navigator of the battleship MLSSISSIPPI preceded a tour during the pre-war period as Assistant Director of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Na y Department Liaison Offi- cer with the National Defense Research Committee. He has been identified as one of the pio- neers of modern electronics development in the Navy. In May 1942 he assumed command of the USS PR0MEI ' HL;US. a recommissioned World War I repair ship. Under his command she joined the THIRD Fleet al Noumea. Caledonia, where he was detached to command Desliover Squadron 5 and operated as escort commander for I ' ask Forces 67. 68. and 10. In the intervening periods when the battleships and cruisers were not al sea. Admiral Briscoe operated as Com- mander I ' ask Ciroiip 67. .S (Cactus Striking E ' orce) in Guadalcanal waters. He was transferred to command of the USS DENVER in July 194.1. and returned that cruiser to ihe United Stales after le suffered severe battle damage off Rabaul in November 1 94.1. I February 1944 he joined the Staff of the Commander in Chief. U.S. Fleet, in Washington, as cad of New Developments, and with his promotion to Hag rank in April 1943. assumed com- mand of Amphibious Group 14. V-J Day found him in Manila, working on plans for ihe invasion the Japanese homeland. In September 1945 he took command of the Operational Develop- icnl l- ' orce. .Mlanlic Fleet with headquarters at Norfolk. Virginia. After two vears there, and a lurof duly as .Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Readiness), he became Commander Am- -|ihibious Force. .Atlantic Fleet, on November 1. 1950. w.ucicu in January IV.-.: to command the btvtN I H Heel in Korean waters, he retained this command until designated Commander Naval Forces Far East, in June ol that year. Ewo years later he reported as Depuly Chief of Naval Operations, for Fleet Operations and Readiness, and on Julv IV 6. heeaiiie C ommander in Chiet. Allied Forces. Southern Europe. For exceptional meritorious service ... (in thai capacilv) from Julv - I9 ' 56 to December - l- l ?! he vNas awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. On January 1. 1959 he was transferred lo the Retired List of the U S Navv iti died October 14. 1968 in Liberty. Mississippi.

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June 28, 1996