Essex (CVA 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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Chief Of Staff nil Captain William A, Moffett, USN INI William Adger Moffett was born April 16, 1910, in San Francisco, California, the son of Rear Admiral and Mrs. W.A. Moffett. After preparatory studies at Gunston and Columbian schools, he won an appoint- ment to the Naval Academy and graduated with the Class of 1930. Captain Moffett completed flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and was designated a Naval Aviator in March of 1932. His present rank of Captain dates from July 1, 1949. Normal tours of sea and shore duty followed graduation from the Naval Academy. At the outbreak of World War II, Captain Moffett, then a Lieutenant Commander, was serving as Executive Officer of Patrol Squadron 51 in the Hawaiian Islands. He later assumed command of this squadron. From December, 1942, to September, 1943, he was Commanding Officer of Bombing Squadron 101, engaged in the Solomons campaign. For heroism and personal valor displayed during combat flight operations against the enemy. Captain Moffett was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal. The cessation of War II hostilities found Captain Moffett, by now a Commander, serving as Executive Officer of the USS Ticonderoga. He returned from the Pacific campaigns for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He completed courses of instruction at the Armed Forces Staff College and the Naval War College in Newport, R. I., graduating from the latter in 1949. After duty with Tactical Group One, Captain Moffett assumed command of the USS Floyds Bay in 1950 and participated in the patrol of the Formosa Straits in 1950-1951. Detached from command of the Floyds Bay in June, 1951, Captain Moffett was ordered to duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as Head of the Aviation Liaison Section. He assumed his present duties as Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander Carrier Division Five in November, 1953. 12

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■I Rear Admiral William V. Davis, Jr., USN ♦ || Rear Admiral William V. Davis Jr., was born on January 28, 1902, in Savanah, Georgia, where he attended primary and high schools. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in June of 1914, he was commissioned Ensign and sent to the USS Idaho. In January of 1926 he reported to NAS, Pensacola, for flight training and was desig- nated a Naval Aviator a year later. He was assigned to duty with Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, attached to the USS Langley and later to the USS Saratoga. As a result of his participation in the Dole Air Races from Oakland to Honolulu, in August of 1927, RADM Davis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for navigating the winning aircraft and becoming the first naval officer to reach the Hawaiian Islands by air. In July of 1929 he reported to NAS, Pensacola, for three years of duty as an instructor. With the exception of two years at NAS, Anacostia, Washington, D.C., RADM Davis served at sea from June of 1932 to June of 1941 with aircraft squadrons aboard the USS Saratoga, USS Concord, USS Idaho, and USS Yorktown. He was Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron Five aboard the Yorktown. He was then ordered to NAS, Norfolk, as Officer-in-Charge of the Aircraft Armament Unit until July of 1943. In August RADM Davis reported for duty with the Air Force, Pacific Fleet, and in October he was appointed to the Staff, Commander Aircraft Central Pacific Force. From May until December of 1944 he was Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Commander Shore- Based Air Force, Forward Area, Central Pacific; and then he was Chief of Staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Force Pacific Ocean Area until Feburary of 1945. For outstanding service in those assignments, RADM Davis was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat V. In May of 1945 he assumed command of the USS Tulagi, which was supporting operations at Okinawa. He then reported to the Operational Development Force, Atlantic Fleet, at Norfolk as Project Coordinator. From June of 1947 until July of 1950 he was Director of Flight Tests at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, where he flew a Douglas Skyrocket faster than the speed of sound. RADM Davis assumed command of the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in July of 1950. A year later he was ordered as Commander Naval Test Center, Patuxent River, and on October 1, 1951, was appointed to his present rank. In April of 1952 he was ordered as Navy Deputy Commander, Field Command, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Sandia Base, New Mexico, where he remained until assuming command of Carrier Division Five on February 11, 1955.

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