Gatling (DD 671) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 6 text:

- .G Ex ,J- K 1 CDR. W. D. OWEN, a native of Vermont, graduated from Green Mountain Junior College and the U. S. Naval Academy, An- napolis, Maryland, Class of 1941. During.World War ll he partici- pated in the following naval engagements: North Atlantic Patrol, 1941, Salameau and Lee, New Guinea, Marshall and Gilbert Islands, Battle ot the Coral Sea, Battle of Midway, Sicilian Campaign, Philip- pine Campaign, Iwo Jima, Formosa and Okinawa Campaign, Attacks on Japanese Mainland. CDR. OWEN is survivor ofthe sinking ofthe carrier YORKTOWN during the Battle of Midway. After World War II, he graduated from the Post Graduate School, Annapolis, Maryland, served on the Staff, Commander Battleship-Cruiser Force, Pacific Fleet, and later in London, England, on the Staff, Joint Ameri- can Military Advisory Group. On 2 July 1952 CDR. OWEN took command of the GATLING.

Page 5 text:

Commander W. D. Owen, Henry C. Wilkinson, Chairman Armed Services Y. M. C. A., Newport, R. I., and the Hon Dean J. Lewis, Mayor of the City of Newport, Rhode Island boarding ship to ioin in Operation Springboard. --W -

Page 7 text:

LT. CDR. J. F. GAVlN was born in South Boston, Mass. but spent most of his youth in Albany, New York. He graduated from Holy Cross College in June of 1937 and was commissioned an Ensign in the U. S. Naval Reserve January 1942. During World War ll LT. CDR. GAVlN'S duty assignments, all in minesweepers, were: North Africa Invasion, Atlantic Patrol - 1942, Marshall Islands Campaign, New Guinea Campaign, Philippine Campaign, lwo Jima. ln 1945 LT. CDR. GAVIN was released to inactive duty, however, nine months later he returned to active duty as Inspector-Instructor, Naval Reserve Unit, Troy, New York and recently was in Pearl Harbor on the Staff, Commander Mine Forces, U. S. Pacific Fleet. He relieved as Executive Officer aboard the U. S. S. GATLING on 14 February 1953.