Hancock (CVA 19) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 19 text:

'X ..--.A---- 1 .Q 1 . Y 1 Capt C.F. Rank Chief of Staff Commander, Carrier Group Three RADM O. H. Oberg A native of Athol, Massachusetts, Rear Admiral Oberg entered the Naval Aviation Cadet program from Holy Cross College in 1944. He received his wings and was commissioned an Ensign in March 1946. After operational training in torpedo bombers he served two and one-half years in VJ-16, a utility squadron based in Guamtanamo Bay, Cuba, followed by two years as a flight instructor in Pensacola, Fla. He reported to VF-11, NAS Jacksonville, Fla. in 1951 and the two years tour included a deployment on USS Kearsarge to the Sea of Japan where he flew 70 jet fightermissionsover Korea. A tour as an Air Force exchange pilot with the 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis Air Force Base, Cape Cod was followed by duty at the Naval Air Test Center, NAS Patuxent, Md. He then attended Stanford University where he received his Bachelor degree in March 1957. Graduation from the Armed Forces Staff College was followed by two years on USS Independence as executive officer and then commanding officer VF-41, NAS Oceana, Va. Fifteen months as Air Officer on USS Forrestal led to assignment as Commander Carrier Air Wing Eight aboard USS Forrestall and USS Shangri La in 1966. He then served as Electronic Warfare Officer in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Upon graduation from the National War College in July 1969 he received the degree Master of Science in International Affairs from George Washington University. He was Commanding Officer, USS Caliente from September 1969 to January 1971 and Commanding Officer, USS Kitty Hawk from April 1971 to June 1972. He assumed duties as Chief, Fleet Coordinating Group, Saigon on June 10, 1972, Admiral Oberg is married to former Miss Margaret L. Owens of Wyandotte, Michigan. They have four childreng Mrs. Robert Nixon, Owen Jr. Michael and Beth ComCar GRU Three

Page 18 text:

i ,..Ag l- ommanding The Carrier Groups Hancock proudly served as flagship for two carrier groups during the course of Deployment 73. Contrasted with the one-month stay in june of Rear Admiral W.L. MacDonald and his Carrier Group Seven staff was the extensive land extendedl visit of Rear Admiral O.H. Oberg and his Carrier Group Three staff-a visit that lasted so long that they became members of the Hancock family. Rear Admiral Oberg arrived on board in July and didn't leave the ship until it stopped in Hong Kong for an October visit, but quickly returned at the end of October ffollowing a stay aboard USS Midway barely long enough to allow for unpackingj when Hancock was dispatched to the lndian Ocean. Carrier Group Three did not again depart the ship until it was headed for home in late December. RADM Oberg became known throughout the ship as the man who tanned himself on the sundecks above the O-6 level and always rushed out to greet arriving distinguished visitors-aswell as the admiral who knew his way around the ship and knew many individuals in its many reaches. -41' 'X'-.4 T -T' 'W' ' 'TH' AW ' ' 'T ' ' ' f.- 'i ' ' T 'f ' W aww. , Commander, Carrier Group Seven RADM W. L. MacDonald Wesley Lee McDonald was born in Washington, D.C,., on July 26, 1924, son of Wesley E. and Thelma E. fDulinl McDonald. Following graduation from the Naval Academy in. 1946, he reported on board the USS Philippine Sea fCVA-471. Designated a Naval Aviator on June 20, 1950, he had training with jet Transitional Training Unit ONE and in August 1950 joined Fighter Squadron ELEVEN as Assistant Maintenance Officer. Assigned in March 1954 to the Naval Air Station, Kingsville, Texas, he served as Safety Officer, Assistant Training Officer and Standardization Officer with Advanced Training Units TWO HUNDRED and TWO HUNDRED TWELVE. In July 1960, he joined the Staff of Commander Carrier Division THREE as Aide and Flag Secretary. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and a Gold Star in lieu of the Second Distinguished Flying Cross. He was also awarded the Air Medal with Gold Stars in lieu of achievement for meritorious in aerial flight in Southeast Asia from July 14, 1965 through June 20, 1966. In addition, he is entitled to two stars on the Ribbon, and facsmiles of the Navy Unit Commendations awarded the USS CORAL SEA and USS CONSTELLATION. In October 1971 he became Commandant of the Thirteenth Naval District headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with additional duty from July 1972 as Commander Fleet Air, Whidbey, with headquarters at the Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Washington. ln Augu-st 1972 he was ordered detached for duty as Commander Carrier Division THREE. He is married to the former Morma M. Joy of Arlington, Virginia, and they have four children, Thomas O., a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, Kathryn L. Overman, Joy Anne and Toni Marie McDonald. ,mm-i

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up f Y .---....:..:.i.f..f,' .-.A .... ,.,.., g ....-Q.L-.- e..1..L-.A,g,.f j Aw, H I ab. Fw I1 33,4 I W . N, Wm . , . 1 . ,il V r I' 1 f I -6, .ff:+- ., :MOI-15 QZYP' 3' 1, i , .. . A 'Y A , -' - -'-' 1 ,, ,xg ' .fr I f ggf-1 A ,A 4' I ffopj Admiral Oberg, in white helmet, frequently rode in the rear seat of a TA-4 on sorties around the ship. The Admiral was also a welcome guest at many ceremonial occassions. fAb0vel Here he cuts the cake at the Navy Birthday celebration. fRight middlel Seated, L to R: PN2 R. L. Hammons, QM3 T. D. Ray, YN3 K. W. Albertson, BMI M. Moriorty, OS2 L. W. Connally, YNZ P. P. Barron, Jr., YNI R.T. Pypniowsky. Standing, L to R. SDSA R. W. Brown, QM3 R. C. Taliaferro, SA W. R. Pruitt, SA D. L. Stark, YN3 R. J. Roussell, QM3 S. S. Dingman, YNC F. R. Huffschmidt. iRighrlv L to R: SD3 Munoz, SDI F. A. Masolabe, SDI B. P. Fields, SDI E. Ledesma, SN A. D. Dela Cuesta, SDSA-I. M. Law, SN M. Acustin. 5,