Coral Sea (CVA 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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x COMMANDING OFFICER CAPTAIN HARRY E. SEARS was born in Beverly Mass. in 1906. He attended schools there and in Wash- ington, D. C., before entering the Naval Academy from which he graduated with the class of 1928. Receiving his aviator designation from Pensacola Fla. in 1930, Captain Sears' varied career in Naval Aviation has led him to command one of the world's laregst car- riers. He won his Presidential Unit Citation during World War II when he piloted the famed Liberator Bombing Squadron VB-104, The Buccaneers? against the Japanese in the South Pacific. ' He commanded two aircraft squadrons a tactical .air control group, the seaplane tender USS SAN CARLOS and the escort carrier USS SIBONEY before becoming Director of Naval Public Relations in Washington during 1949-50. Captain Sears later attended the National War as Director of Aviation Training with the Chief of Naval Operations. Numerous awards have been presented the Captain most noteworthy among which are the Navy Cross Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross! Air Medal and the Commendation Ribbon. Captain Sears was selected for Rear Admiral in July. College, Washington, D. C. More recently he was assigned

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REAR ADMIRAL EDGAR ALLEN CRUISE, Com- mander Carrier Division SIX, was born in Hebron, Neb. in 1899. He attended Hebron High School prior to enter- ing the Naval Academy. Graduating from the Academy in 1922, he received his commission as Ensign. Admiral Cruise served aboard the USS DELAWARE and the USS WEST VIRGINIA before entering Hight training at Pensacola, Fla., from which he received his designation as a Naval Aviator in 1926. From Pensacola he was assigned to 'duty with Scouting Squadron ONE. Since the he has served with three aircraft squadrons and commanded a Carrier Air Group and the seaplane tender, USS TEAL. Rear Admiral Cruise has seen duty as Commander Naval Bases, Fifth Naval District, Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va., as instructor and Hight test officer at the Naval Air Station, San Diego, Calif., Chief of Air Warfare with the Chief of Naval Operations and as Commander Fleet Air Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean at Naples, Italy. Among the Admiral's varied decorations are the Navy Cross, the Commendation Ribbon and the Legion of Merit. SIX COMMANDER CARRIER DIVISION 1 ' ,I , 'GH , 'Q : V 5 if 'M ' ' 'f i t -A . 5. Q , -. ! , , f I ,F VV i f .., ,,,,, .,. X fn v 1 1 i A I s af I ,V , XXV, M, ,Q ' i xg! n I 5, 45 . ' ' I ' .X ' ' n in-f-,..,,r,. r ' I' ff f f ' I, f If X ,, s. 14 . 3 44 Xjlfff ' 5 ,f 'y ik, I N.

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CAPTAIN G. L. KOHR, USN, was born in York, Penn- sylvania. After graduation from the U. S. Naval Academy in June 1929, he was assigned to the battleship Missis- sippi. Transferred to the Navy's Flight School at Pensa- cola, Florida, was 'designated a Naval Aviator in Septem- ber 1931, and served in all phases of naval aviation from 1931 to 1939. In a diverse naval career, Captain Kohr has served as aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander Air Force Atlantic Fleetg on air operations against enemy sub- marines -during World War IIQ a training instructor for Navy pilots getting versed on the Mariner Seaplanesg Commanding Officer of the USS FLOYDS BAY3 Com- manding Officer of the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, Anacostia, D. C., as Chief of Stai to Commander Carrier Division Fifteen, a student in the Industrial College of the Armed Forcesg head of the Aviation Base Section of the Aviation Plans Division with the Chief of Naval Operations, and he was instrumental in furthering the development of aircraft drones and assisted in the intro- duction of gui-ded missles within the Operational Develop- ment Force. CHIEF of STAFF COMMANDER CARRIER DIVISION SIX 9 .Q