Hancock (CVA 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDER JOHN J. GALLAGHER, U.S. NAVY Executive Officer Born 19 April 1921 in Lansford, Pennsylvania, Commander Gallagher graduated from St. Ann's High School in Lansford and enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Cadet in November 1942. He completed flight training and was commissioned Ensign in December 1944. After serving with Fighter-Bomber Squadrons Ninety-Eight and One Hundred, he reported aboard the USS Boxer where he flew with Fighter-Bomber Squadron Ninety-Three until April 1946. Until 1948, Commander Gallagher attended the University of Pennsylvania under the five-term program, majoring in Political Science. He joined Attack Squadron One Hundred Seventy-Four as Ordnance Officer that year, and during the following two years, the squadron operated from the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Nlidway, USS Leyte and the USS Coral Sea in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and Panama areas. After a tour as Flight Instructor and a two-year tour as Assistant Operations Officer on the Staff of the Commander of the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force in Korean waters, Commander Gallagher attended the General Line School and was later assigned to the Bureau of Aeronautics Office in Inglewood, California. ln 1956 he joined Attack Squadron One Hundred Five as Operations Officer for a year and a half and as Executive Officer for one year. The squadron deployed to the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific as part of Air Task Group Two Hundred One during that period. Commander Gallagher's next duties were as First Lieutenant aboard the USS Randolph from 1958 to 1960, after which he headed the Senior Officer Space and Astronautics Orientation Course at the U.S. Naval Missile Center, Pt. lVlugu, California, until 1963. Following a year at the U.S. Naval War College CNaval Warfareb, Commander Gallagher reported aboard as Weapons Officer of Hancock in July 1964. In February of this year he assumed duty as Executive Officer.

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CAPTAIN FRANK B. STONE, U.S. NAVY Commanding Officer, December 1964- December 1965 Captain Stone graduated from Ursinus College at Collegeville, Pennsylvania in 1937 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He attended post-graduate lschool at Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio in June 1951 and received his IVlaster's Degree in Public Administration. He attended Naval War College in 1958. During his Navy career, Captain Stone's assignments included Flight Instructor at both NAS Pensacola and NAS Jacksonville, Florida, Landing Signal Officer on board USS Princeton CCVL- 23D and USS Randolph CCV-153 and for Carrier Air Groups Eighty-One and Eighty-Seven, Enlisted Personnel Officer, NAS Jacksonville, Florida, Executive Officer, Attack Squadron Ninety-Four, Commanding Officer, Attack Squadron Eighty-Five, BUPERS Enlisted Schools Assignment Officer, Air Operations Officer, Carrier Division Two, Commanding Officer, Chemung CAO-305. Under his command the Chemung won the Battle Efficiency E Award for 1964. Captain Stone's awards include the Legion of lVlerit, which he won for his service as Com- manding Officer, USS Hancock and Commander Task Group 77.7 during Hancock's operations against North Vietnam from February to Nlay 1965. After being relieved as Commanding Officer, USS Hancock, Captain Stone returned to his old Staff, Carrier Division Two, for duty as Chief of Staff on board the new attack aircraft carrier, USS America CCVA-663 which is currently on tour in the Mediterranean Sea. 10 1

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CAPTAIN RICHARD J. LICKO, U.S. NAVY Executive Officer, lVlarch 1965-February 1966 Captain Richard J. Licko was born on 23 lVlarch 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. He entered the Naval Service on 18 September 1942 and was commissioned Ensign and designated a Naval Aviator on 1 September 1944. After serving two years with VBF-81, as a fighter pilot, Captain Licko was assigned to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Saufley, Florida, as a flight instructor in June 1947. He served a five month tour of duty at NAS Glenview, Illinois attending Combat information Center School and was ordered to NAS Key West, Florida to serve as an Air Control Officer until llllarch 1950. He reported to the USS Bataan CCVL-295 as Assistant CIC Officer in April 1950. Departing the USS Bataan in December 1951, he served a twelve month tour of duty at Fleet Air Weapons Training Unit, Pacific as an Air Control and Night Fighter Pilot Instructor. Following a six month tour of duty, at the General Line School, in lVlonterey, California, Cap- tain Licko was ordered to the Naval Reserve Officer Training Unit at Northwestern University. He reported to carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron Twelve in July 1955 to serve as Officer- in-Charge of one of the squadron's detachments. Captain Licko served as Aide and Flag Secretary for the Commander Carrier Division Fourteen from June 1957 until July 1959, when he was ordered to the Naval Air Development Center at Johnsville, Pennsylvania. Departing Johnsville in July 1962 he reported to Attack Squadron One Hundred Twenty-Two as a Fleet Replacement Pilot before assuming the duties of Executive Officer for VA-215 in January 1963. Prior to reporting to the attack aircraft carrier USS Hancock in July 1964, as Navigator, he was Commanding Officer of VA-215. In lVlarch 1965 he became Executive Officer of the USS Han- cock. ln February 1966 Captain Licko left the Hancock to assume his new duties at BUPERS in Washington, D.C.