Elokomin (AO 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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RICHARD A. SAVAGE Captain Savage enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Cadet on March 10, 1943. Upon completion of flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas, he was designated a Naval Aviator and commissioned as Ensign in the Naval Reserve on May 16, 1945. He was then assigned to the Instrument Instructor ' s School at NAS Atlanta, Georgia. After finishing the Instructor ' s School, he returned to NAS Corpus Christi in August 1945 for duty as a flight instructor. While at NAS Corpus Christi, Ensign Savage accepted a commission in the Regular Navy. He left Corpus Christi in August 1946 and reported to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Here he was a ' ' five term student officer studying engineering. After advanced refresher training and a short temporary duty with TACRON 2, he reported to VF-12 in January, 1949. In VF-12 he served as Flight Officer, Training and Education Officer and Air Intelligence Officer. During this tour of duty, which ended in March 1951, he saw service in the North Atlantic and Caribbean aboard the USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CV-47). Leaving VF-12, Lieutenant (junior grade) Savage was assigned as Production Liaison Officer with the Bureau of Aeronautics, General Representative, Central District in Dayton, Ohio. While in Dayton, he was promoted to Lieutenant. He served there until being ordered to TACRON 1 in June 1953- While attached to TACRON 1 he was Ordnance Officer and Training Officer. During this time he deployed to the Western Pacific aboard various amphibious ships. In December 1954 he was order ' d to VF-93 where he served as Administrative Officer and Assistant Operations Officer. With VF-93 he deployed to the Western Pacific aboard the USS ORISKANY (CVA-34). In September 1956 Lieutenant Savage was selected as an exchange pilot with the U.S. Air Force. Until ¥arch 1958 he saw duty with the 498th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, a part of the Air Defense Command, in Spokane, Washington. He served as Flight Commander with the squadron flying the F86D and F102A. While attached to the Air Force he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the Navy on February 1, 1957. After his tour with the Air Force, Lieutenant Commander Savage became Administrative Assistant and Aide to Vice Admiral W. F. RABORN, Director of Special Projects, Bureau of Naval Weapons in Washing- ton, D.C. He served in this position until August 1961 when he was selected to attend the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. Upon completing the course at the Armed Forces Staff College he reported to VF-14 as Executive Officer in June 1962. During his two and a half year tourwith VF-14 he fleeted up to Commanding Officer. From the Squadron the Captain was ordered to the USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA-42) in Janu- ary 1965 as Operations Officer. Captain Savage reported to the USS ELOKOMIN (AO-55) from a three year tour in Washington, D.C. He served in the Naval Air Systems Command Headquarters as the F4 Phantom Sparrow III Project Manager. In addition to his studies at Illinois Tech he has studied at George Washington University. The Captain has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, World War II Victory, American Theater, National Defense, Korean Service and United Nations Medals. He has logged more than 4200 flight hours of which more than 1800 have been in jets; he has made more than 400 carrier landings.

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COMMANDING OFFICER 9 n ' »»■ m ' , . - J vtL fl

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER LCDR Gerald I. Ainsworth began his Naval career in May of 1957. Having graduated from the University of Illinois, he enrolled in the Naval Officer Candidate School at Newport, R.I., and, in September of 1957, he was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Naval Reserve. During his first tour of duty aboard the USS MIDWAY (CVA-41). Ensign Ainsworth served as Second Division Officer and Mark 37 Director Officer. Upon reassignment, LTJG Ainsworth served on the statf of CCMWESTERNSEAFRON as Assistant for Shipping Control. Following a brief period of inactive duty, Lt. Ainsworth joined the USS PICTOR (AF-54) as Damage Cont rol Assistant and Electrical Officer, and subsequently served aboard the USS NECHES (AO-57) as First Lieutenant. From January 1966 until he came aboard the ELOKOMIN in September 1968, LCDR Ainsworth was on the staff of COMSEVENTHFLT in Yokosuka, Japan, serving as Assistant, Surface Operations, and as Service Force Officer. In the course of his naval career, the ' ' XO has attended naval training courses in Shiphandling, Damage Control, Firefighting, and in operation of the Mark 56 Director. During 1964 and 1965, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, where he received a Master of Science Degree in Management. As a result of his years of naval service, LCDR Ainsworth is authorized to wear the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with six stars. Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat ' ' V , Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary M edal with one star. Presently LCDR Ainsworth makes his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia with his wife, the former Linda Kleppinger; his daughter Catherine, 9; and his two sons, Scott, 11 and Christopher, 7.