Catamount (LSD 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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OUNT iLSD-17)

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USS CAT — 2

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THE CAPTAIN COMMANDER RAYMOND PAYNE Clonimander Raymond Payne, Commanding Officer, was born in Corinth, Mississippi, and was appointed Midshipman, U. S. Navy, in 1930. He was commissioned Ensign on May 30, 1934, and reported to the USS Ran ger for duty, subsequently serving on destroyers and the cruiser Astoria, initil World War II. During the early part of the war he served in destroyers in the North Atlantic, and in the battleship Indiana until V-J day. For shore duty, he served as engineering instructor at the U. S. Naval Academy, as Commander of Sub Groups Three and Four of the moth ball fleet at Astoria, Inspector of Xavai Material, Detroit, and Executive Officer of the Naval Resereve Officer Training Corps at Notre Dame University. His three trips to Japan were under considerably varied conditions. In 1939 the Astoria arrived in Japan bearing the ashes of the late Ambassador Saito, who was a well-liked diplomat in the United States. The .Astoria was treated to a hearty welcome by Japan. Commander Payne was shortly transferred to destroyers during the war and the Astoria was sunk off Save Island by the Japanese. In 1945 he was serving on the USS Indiana in Task Forces 38 and 58, when she bombarded Kamaishi and Ilamamatsu, Japan. She subsequently anchored off Yokosuka after V-J Day. Mrs. Payne was the fornicr Miss Rosalie V ' alk Hrown of .Anu.ipolis, Maryland. They have one daughter, Nancy, 4 years old. .Another daughter, Rosalie, died of leiik rnia. - 4 —