Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain Ralph F Smith Executive fficer icgaaiii siaitii ' ' lata C5555 C ivrafaii is 924915 l ii wiiaag5fQl iiiiii1iit5'1QQii He graduated 2 from Windsor High School and attended Eastern Illinois State College before entering the Navy 12 May 1943. He was commissioned Ensign and designated a Naval Aviator l November I944. During World War II he served with VC-82 and Air Group Nineteen where he received the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. In April I946, Captain Smith left the Navy until May 1948. when he joined the Organized Reserve and served with Fighting Squadron 901. He returned to active duty in October 'l952 and was assigned to VC-35 in San Diego as Officer-in-Charge of a night attack unit. Hisfnext tour of duty was at Barbers Point, Hawaii with the Fleet All Weather Training Unit. s Q I In September 1958, Captain Smith reported to Commanding Officer, Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Michigan for twoyyez1fSy duty under instruction. He graduated in June 1960 with a Bachelor's Degree In Business Administration. A tour of duty with Attack Squadron yl45 as Execu- tive Officer was followed by orders to Armed Forces Staff College. In October 1963, he assumed command of Attack Squadron 25, stationed at Lemoore. California. lt was during this period that the squadron was among the first t0 be deployed to Vietnam, where Captain Smith earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. three awards of the Air Medal. and the Navy Commendation Medal fOl' combat flying. In June 1965, he reported to the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He served in this capacity until re- ceiving orders to report to FORRESTAL where in June l967, he relieved CHP' tain Jess Taft as Executive Officer. After leaving FORRESTAL, Captain Smith reported to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base. M l 1 3 i i . t 'z l 1

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l Captain Nance was born in Monroe, North Carolina and attended North ,Carolina State College in Raleigh., He is a graduate ofthe U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of l945.l He subsequently advanced in rank, atf taining that of Captain,to date from l July l965. After serving his first tour of duty on the battleship USS NORTH CAROLINA, he underwent flight training and was desig- nated Naval Aviator on tl'7: December lj946. From .April 1954 to July 1 A1955 he had exchange duty with theyBritish Royal Navy. tWhile in that assignment, he iflew developf ment and .test flights trgr with the Service Trials Unit ofthe Royal Navy and qualified in all operational-aircraft inithe English Navy. He also made the first' carrier landing ion -H. M. S.1BULWARK.t t . Vi Returning to the United States, he served untilijulyi 1957 A as ta, Project Piiopywyith the Flight dTest Divyisionrut the Naval Air T'estQCenter,' Patuxent River., Maryland. ,In that capacity The performed fallj oft. the ,-:initially Cayrieria suitability test fflying eofpthef iA3f i Skywarrior .A aircraft. and made the first, ilanding tests off iil2,lf'LtlI'Cdlittl'l',, ftiattaekf 1 squadron, 1Augck learner 'Aiyfiwinglw EIGHT, based ,gn,s,5Qatgqf thefgUSsieEo1gREsTAi, apdthe,Uss,RALE11o iniaqgusdtj ystgi h eff reported 'igt as ,afisgtugdyentldatgithe',Nati0nall liggv Wiairfogllegge ,W,aShi,ngton,,,gD'.Ct.,f and that g assignment received, WCM-asteftiy 'Qff Arts ttit i'D9gT9 ?7f 'ins ilFTl ?F'7?il'0U?ll t Aiflillfs L-from A QCZYPWH I-NQUCG felis f5I1?iFilCSif' W' the t:A1i1CfiC4FT riii C,?IFP?12D1 gASi9?iCz 1Pacifi6,i valign Mtedailtiiwiirih 3SiItV'Cf Star ts ,engiaeefnentslze j1Wdf1d Wafaili' iViC10fY +MCda'?j'Nf1YMC0Cf fcupationi, yt Sgfyige Medal:V'EuropeV Claspid A National, Defense QsefviceYJM,edial itbronzeggtar, 'andthe 'Philippine ,Liberty nonrkiybbontrwithisigr. ,jj 'at' y g isiimaiffied tothe farnjeti- tMay Lycia Fauik 0f'iC0e55i, Florida, rand' they have children, James Lee, Mary Catherine, Andrew Monroegand Susan Elizabeth. V ' Captain Nance assumed command of USS 'FORRESTAL CCVA-593 on ll December, l968g. y y i C

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f- .-Ze 2. 4 M, fs , at SS ' 'irc J 5' 7'fas 6 , .M . Wa.. J. rf.. iT, TE. 5 Born in Little Rock. Arkansas, Captain Small was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June l948. After a brief tour in USS PHILIPPINE SEA, he entered flight training. and was designated a Naval Aviator in November 1949. Flying TBM's, he was first assignedytot a night attack squadron at North Island, California. Subsequently, this squadron wasvredesig-A nated VS-25. and Captain Small completed two WEST PAC deployments flyingAF 'fGuardians'.' aboard CVE's. In l952, he was ordered to the Fleet Sonar School, Key West, I-'loridarwhere he was an Anti-Submarine Warfare tactics instructor in the Senior Course. During this ttour he. served as an exchange Instructor at the Canadian Maritime College, Halifax. In September? l954, he was ordered to Staff. Carrier Division SEVENTEEN as aide and I-'lag rLieutenam4 completing two additional deployments to the Western Pacific. I J ,tr yvvv In I956 he was reassigned as aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander Task Force ployed in BON HOMIVIVE RICHARD. In January I957. Captain Small transitioned Skyhawk at lvloffett Field and was ordered to Attack Squadron II3, homeported at Mitrztiiiyttgrgff California. After a WESTPAC deployment in SHANGRI-LA. he was selected for at the U. S. Air Force Academy. Colorado. where he served three years as manding Cadet Wing. During this tour, Captain Small flew a number of USAF aircrafttriynclfuifdignjgffj FIOI and FIO4. Captain Small attended the Naval War College in 1961 andupongfgradtiatyitofnt giyrq assigned to the Staff, Commander-in-Chief. U.S. Atlantic Fleet, where he served as tAei r .yOpgg q:... tions Officer and Deputy Director CINCLANT Joint Reconnaissance Center. In ttyyit was selected to command VA-65, one of the first squadrons to train in the command tour of twenty months included formation of the squadron, deployment to Vietnam aboard CONSTELLATION. I I 1 Q fi In July I966, he returned to Oceana as Commanding Officer Attack Squadron the A6A training Squadron. On I2 September I967, Captain Small reported aboard as Operations Officer: he assumed the billet of Executive Officer in July I968, to the former Janet Cubbisontof Long Beach, California and resides in Virginia ...... ..,. .... .... . . . , . ., . . J ,, .,,. ,,.. , J... . Executive fficer ' ' , I i Y - A ggfiglf'-gtg.