Duluth (LPD 6) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 9 text:

CDR. LELAND E. MENCH, USN EXECUTIVE OFFICER Commander Leland E. Mench, USN, received his commission in June 1951 at the Univer- sity of Southern California. He had received a BA degree at USC in 1950, and after a graduate year in which he completed the NROTC curriculum he also received a California General Sec- ondary Teaching Credential. His first duty was in destroyers, serving on USS WALKER (DDE 517) and COMCORTDESDIV THIRTEEN Staff during the Korean War and until December 1954. As a Lieutenant (junior grade) he was Commanding Officer, USS VIREO (MSC 205) until August 1956 when he reported to shore duty as Ordnance and Gunnery instructor at the NROTC Unit, University of New Mexico for two academic years. In July 1958 he reported as Executive Officer, USS WHITEHURST (DE 634), later reliev- ing as Commanding Officer and then becoming Officer in Charge when WHITEHURST became a Selected Reserve training ship. He served one year from June 1959 as Executive Officer, USS LOWE (DER 325) and then spent one year of study at the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California. Following duty on the Staff of Commander Carrier Division SEVENTEEN until September 1963, he served on the Staff of Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet until May 1966. Next he was Officer in Charge, U.S. Naval Radio Station Fort Allen in Puerto Rico until July 1968. He relieved as Executive Officer of DULUTH in August 1968.

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CAPT. MARCELLUS T. PITZ, USN COMMANDING OFFICER Captain Marcellus T. Pitz was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1946 in June 1945. He served in the Gunnery Department in USS BATAAN and USS LEYTE prior to entering flight training. He received his wings in July 1948 and was assigned to Heavy Patrol Squadron TWENTY-FOUR, U.S. Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland. Captain Pitz ' s subsequent tours of duty have included Aviation Electronics School in Memphis, Tennessee; instructor in the Department of Aviation at the Naval Academy; flight officer in VR-31; and Communications and Operations Officer in USS CURRITUCK. Captain Pitz graduated from the Command and Staff Course at the Naval War College in June 1959. Following graduation, he remained as a member of the Instructor Staff at the Naval War Col- lege for a period of two years. He received a Masters Degree in Political Science from Bos- ton University in June 1960 while attached to the Naval War College. Captain Pitz subsequently served as Executive Officer in Air Anti-Submarine Squadron TWENTY- EIGHT and in Air Anti-Submarine Squadron TWENTY-TWO. He was assigned as Commanding Officer of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron TWENTY-TWO from June 1963 to May 1964 and as Commander Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group SIXTY from June 1964 to June 1965. Captain Pitz recently completed a tour in the Officer Distribution Division of the Bureau of Naval Personnel where he served as Placement Officer for Fleet Staffs and Carriers and thereafter as Aviation Captain Assignment Officer.

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2 November, 1968: DULUTH left San Diego, California. Underway for WESTPAC. UNDERWAY 8-10 November, 1968: Moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to receive fuel and supplies. 16 November, 1968: Arrived off the coast of Wake Island to offload ammunition barge.