Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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chief of staff WILLIAM A MACKEY CAPTAIN WILLIAM A MACKEY Chief of Staff reported to COMCARDIV FOUR on May 30 1969 on board the USS INDEPENDENCE QCVA 625 His previous assignment was as Commanding Officer of USS OKINA WA CLPH 33 Captain Mackey was born on 21 February 1924 in Tuscaloosa Alabama where his parents Mr and Mrs Parker Mackey still reside He graduated from Tuscaloosa High School and attended the Citadel in Charleston S C prior to World War II Subsequently while still on active duty he attended Georgia Tech in Atlanta Georgia and Washington University in St Louis Missouri grad uating from the latter with a B S Degree Entering the Navy in May 1942 as a Aviator Cadet Captain Mackey received his Naval Aviators Wings and was commissioned as Ensign in Corpus Christi Texas in June 1943 He Joined USS WAKE ISLAND in Sept ember 1943 as a fighter pilot with Squadron VC 69 manning with this squadron until March 1945 serving also aboard the carriers USS BOGUE USS MISSION BAY next assigned as Communications Officer aboard USS MED WAY and USS LEXINGTON from December 1954 until September 1956 In February 1957 Captain Mackey assum ed command of Squadron VF 114 aboard USS SHANGRI LA where he remained until November 1958 Next he reported to the Bureau of Naval Weapons Representative s Office at McDonnell Aircraft Corporation 1n St Louis as F4H Weapon System Project Officer Here he became one of the Navy s first pilots to fly the Phantom II Air craft Following this Captain Mackey underwent training with Air Group TWELVE in the A4D and F4H before assuming command of Carrier Air Group NINE While serving as Commander Carrier Air Group NINE he deployed to the Western Pacific aboard USS RANGER From this Job he reported to USS LEXINGTON in April 1963 as Executive Officer In 1964 Captain Mackey became the Navy Programs Officer F 111B Aircraft at General Dynamics in Fort Worth Texas where he remained until September 1966 During this period he became one of the first ten pilots 9 . , , .. 1 ' s ' ' . . , ' - - , - ' - . 7 ' . ' 1 9 s , . . . . ' . . ' D , 1 n 1 - 9 9 ' fy . . . .. . u , I ' a . . . 9 . a s Q . . . . . - . i 9 ' 9 9 . . . ' . .. , . . . . , . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . . , ,. , . a 1 1 , - , - , re- . . . . . . . . , , . 7 a 9 - 1 1 0 . . .. and USS GUADALCANAL From April 1945 until March 1948, he was attached to USS MIDWAY as a pilot with Fighter Squadron VF-74 and VF-18. From April 1948 until July 1950, Captain Mackey served as a flight instruc- tor at Pensacola, Florida. He next was assigned as a pilot in Squadron VF-51 aboard USS ESSEX from December 1950 until May 1952. During this period, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achieve- ment in aerial flight as a Flight Leader of Jet Fighters, flying the F9F Panther, during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea. From August 1952 until December 1953, Captain Mack- ey attended Georgia Tech under a Navy College Training Program and then the Navy Line School at Monterey, California, from March until September 1954. He was to fly the F 111 He assumed command of USS SKAGIT in December 1966 and was deployed to the Western Pacific aboard her from June-November 1967. From 23 February 1968 to 25 February 1969 he was Commanding Officer of USS OKINAWA QLPH-33. Captain Mackey left COMCARDIV FOUR in January 1971 and is now assigned to the two-fold billet of Com- mander Fleet Air Caribbean and Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range. Captain Mackey has the Legion' of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation and Navy Letter of Commenda- tion Ccombatj. , He is married to the former Sue,Warren Jemison, also of Tuscaloosa. They have two sons, William A., Jr., USN, Robert Jemison, USN, and daughter, Sue Warren Mackey.

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