Essex (CVA 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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Officers . . . nil • Captain Raymond N. Sharp, USN llli After the evacuation of the Tachen Islands was completed. Captain Raymond N. Sharp, USN, relieved Captain Frank Turner, USN, as Commanding Officer of the USS Essex on February 13, 1955. Captain Sharp is from Johnson City, Tennessee. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in June of 1930, the newly commissioned Ensign reported to the USS New York. In June of 1931 he under- went flight training at NAS, Pensacola, and was designated a Naval Aviator upon graduation. From July of 1932 until June of 1935 Captain Sharp was Material and Radio Officer with VF-2, then assigned to the USS Lexington. After two years as Assistant Gunnery Officer with VP-2, he spent four years aboard the USS Brooklyn as Senior Naval Aviator and aboard the USS Enterprise. His next assignment was Training Officer at NAS, Miami, until February of 1943, followed by a year as Air Officer and Navigator of the USS Yorktown. During 1944 and 1945 he was Operations Officer for Admiral J. J. (Jocko) Clark. In August of 1945 Captain Sharp became Executive Officer of NAS, Patuxent River, Maryland, and a year later he became Director of Armament Tests for two years on the same station. He next served as Executive Officer of the USS Midway from April of 1948 to July of 1949 and was promoted to Captain upon completion of this duty. Thereafter followed eleven months at the Naval War College. Captain Sharp commanded the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, Jacksonville, until October of 1951. He then recommissioned and commanded the USS Tripoli until September of 1952. Prior to assuming command of the USS Essex, Captain Sharp served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D. C. His decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Com- mendation Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation with two stars, and a Secretary of the Navy commendation.

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Commandir nil Captain Frank Turner, USN |||| Captain Frank Turner, USN, relieved Captain C. H. Duborg, USN, as Commanding Officer of the USS Essex on February 13, 1954, while ihe fhip was ojcialirg in the East China Sea. A graduate of the Naval Academy, ENS Tuirer seivcd aloaid the LSS Maryland for two years. In June of 1929 he reported to NAS, Pensacola, for flight trairirg. As a Naval Aviator, ENS Turner served with Scouting Squadron Six aboard the USS Detroit and USS Omaha. As a Lieutenant (junior grade;, he saw duty with Patrol Squadron Six at FAB, Pearl Harbor, and Fighter Squadron Five. Promoted to Lieutenant in June of 1936, he spent six months with Patrol Squadron Eleven, before returning to NAS, Pensacola, for two years as a flight instructor. From June of 1939 to June of 1942, he was attached to Scouting Squadron Seventy Two aboard the USS Wasp, eventually serving as Commanding Officer. LCDR Turner then reported as Air Operations Officer for the Gulf Sea Frontier. Ordered in Nove.nber of 1942 to the Moroccan Sea Frontier, LCDR Turner was awarded the Bronze Star for participation in assault landings during the North African campaign. In July of 1943, he was promoted to Commander and served as Operations Officer in the Flight Division, Navy Department. His present rank of Captain dates from March of 1945. As Commanding Officer of the USS Nassau, a CVE operating in the Pacific, Captain Turner was awarded another Bronze Star. He was Deputy Head of the Training Division in the Navy Department from 1946 to 1949. Captain Turner then commanded the Fleet All-Weather Training Unit, Pacific, and was Operations Officer on the staff of ComAirPac. He attended the National War College from August of 1951 to July of 1952. After serving on the Staff of Heavy Attack Wing One, NAS, Norfolk, Captain Turner reported to the USS Essex.

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Commander Carrier Division Five. Carrier Division Five Since the outbreak of Korean hostilities. Carrier Division Five has completed five tours of duty in the Far East, with nine admirals serving in command. The division ' s first cruise took place aboard the USS Princeton from September of 1950 to August of 1951, with RADM (now VADMi Ralph A. Oftsie in command. Admiral Oftsie commanded one of the first carrier task forces to participate in the Korean conflict. In ceremonies on board the USS Philippine Sea, RADM George R. Henderson assumed command in May of 1951. RADM (now VADM) Frederick W. McMahon relieved RADM Henderson prior to the second tour of duty from September of 1951 to May of 1952 aboard the USS Valley Forge. Before the end of that cruise, RADM John Perry assumed command of CarDiv Five. Aboard the USS Kearsarge on the division ' s third tour of duty, RADM Robert F. Hickey relieved RADM Perry. During this cruise RADM Hickey changed his flagship to the USS Oriskany. The USS Yorktown served as the next flagship for CarDiv Five from September of 1953 to February of 1954. Shortly after RADM John P. Whitney assumed command, the Oriskany was again designated as flagship. The unit spent the four and one half months from April to September of 1954 at NAS, San Diego. During this time. Captain Frank Turner, Commanding Ofiicer of the USS Essex, assumed temporary additional duty as ComCarDiv Five. On October 6, 1954, RADM R. W. Ruble, Commander Carrier Division Three, assumed temporary additional duty as ComCarDiv Five. He was relieved by RADM James S. Russell, who assumed command on October 31. RADM William V. Davis, Jr., assumed command on February 11 and the flag shifted from the USS Wasp to the USS Essex. 10