Francis Marion (LPA 249) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER 6 JULY 1961 - 29 JULY 1963 CAPTAIN DAVID SPENCER BILL, JR., USN Captain BILL was born on 22 October 1916 in Richmond, Vir- ginia. He entered the Naval Academy from Ohio State University in July 1935. The USS LEXINGTON, Gunnery Division Officer, was his first duty assignment upon gi aduation from the Academy in June 1939. His following tours of duty included command of PC-583, the USS O ' NEILL (DE-188) and the USS HUGHES (DD-410). Captain BILL was Commander DESDIV 1, which participated in the Bikini tests of 1946. This was followed by tours as Commanding Officer USS SHEA (DM-30), Instructor Armed Forces Staff College, Chief of Staff to Commander Middle East Force, and command of three LST and LSMR (Rocket Ship) squadrons. He attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and came to the Francis Marion from the Logistic War Plans Branch of the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Captain BILL is married to the former Charlotte Harris of Norfolk and has two sons, David, age 18, Winder, age 14 and a daughter, Charlotte Randolph, age 10.

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COMMANDING OFFICER 29 JULY 1963 CAPTAIN RAYMOND M. HARRIS, USN Captain Raymond M. HARRIS, United States Navy was commissioned in the Navy in December 1940 as an Ensign from the Northwestern University ' s Midshipmen ' s School at Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, he was a member of the N. R. O. T. C. program prior to his appointment. Captain HARRIS served at the following duty stations and on the following ships: USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38); USS BREMERTON (CA-I30); Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington. D. C. ; Student, General Line School, Newport, Rhode Island; Executive Officer, USS DENNIS J. BUCK- LEY (DDR-808); Bureau of Naval Personnel, Enlisted Discipline Section, Washington, D. C. ; Commanding Officer, USS BOYD (DD-544); Executive and Commanding Officer, Fleet Air Defense Training Center, Virginia Beach, Va. ; Executive Officer, USS BREMERTON (CA-1 30); Commander Destroyer Division 132; Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Head, Navy Strategic Plans Sec- tion, (Op-605C); Washington, D. C. ; Commanding Officer, USS FRANCIS MARION (APA-249). Captain HARRIS holds the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, Navy Unit Citation, Navy Occupation, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge, Asiatic Pacific (9 stars), China Service (extended), European Theater, American Defense with one star, Victory Medal and Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars Captain HARRIS is married to the former Miss Francis E. SPEARS of San Bernadino, California, and they currently reside in Norfolk, Virginia with their teenage son.