Harry Hill (DD 986) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER CDR JAMES CUTLER DAWSON, JR Commander JAMES CUTLER DAWSON was born in Richmond, Va. on January 27, 1948. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1970 and received his MS in Financial Management in 1978 from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Ca. Commander Dawson is a 1986 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. His first sea tour was as Electronics Material Officer and Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS SAMPLE (FF 1048). Following a tour as Weapons Officer aboard USS ALBERT DAVID (FF 1050), Commander Dawson served as Commanding Officer of USS MO- LALA (ATF 106). After Naval Post Graduate School, he served as the Flag Secretary on the Staff of Commander. Cruiser-Destroyer Group THREE. Commander Dawson served as commanding officer of the USS BRONSTEIN from December 1 980 to February 1 983. He subsequently served ashore in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare (OP 30). He is designat- ed as a proven subspecialist in Financial Management. Commander Dawson ' s awards include the Meritori- ous Service Medal (2 awards), Navy Commendation Medal. Navy Achievement Medal (with Combat V), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Combat Ac- tion Ribbon. Commander Dawson is married to Deborah Loudon of Seattle. Wa. They reside in Coronado, Ca.. with their three children, Daryl Anne, James Cutler III, and Devon Lee.

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ADMIRAL HARRY W. HILL USS HARRY W. HILL (DD 986). is named in honor of Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill. U S Navy, a distinguished naval officer who achieved ex- traordinary success and much honor as commander of numerous am- phibious operations during World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy in 1 91 1 , he served successively in USS MARYLAND (ARC 8), torpedo boat tender USS IRIS, USS PER- RY (DD 11), with the Pacific Flotilla, as the Engineer Officer in USS AL- BANY (CL 23), and during World War I. in USS TEXAS (BB 35), and as navigator in USS WYOMING (BB 32), when both battleships were attached to the British Grand Fleet Immediately after WWI he served as navigator in USS ARKANSAS (BB 33) until January 1919 when he was assigned duty as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Admiral R. E, Coontz. Commander of the Atlantic Fleet s Division Seven In July of the same year he transferred to similar duty on the staff of Commander, Division Six, Pacific Fleet, Continuing as aide to Admiral Coontz as Chief of Na- val Operations from 1919 to 1923, Lieutenant Commander Hill then joined USS CONCORD (CL 10) as gunnery officer from 1923 to 1926 After serving the next three months as Aide to the Commander in Chief, U,S. Fleet he again had duty afloat as gunnery officer in USS MEMPHIS (CL 13). After duty as executive officer of the receiving barracks at Hampton Roads, he was gunnery officer in USS MARYLAND (BB 46) from 1928 to 1931 and then served in the Executive Department at the Naval Academy, Since a number of ships won gunnery awards while under his di- rection, he served as Force Gunnery Officer on the Staff of Commander Battle Force. US, Fleet, in the Pacific from 1933 to 1934 As a Com- mander he commissioned and commanded USS DEWEY (DD 349) from October 4. 1 934 until June 1 7. 1 935, when he was again assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department. In May 1938 Commander Hill completed the Senior Course at the Naval War College, and was promoted to Captain, Captain Hill then served as War Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief. US. Pacific Fleet, until February 1 940. after which he had a third tour of duty in the Office of Naval Operations, where he was attached to the War Plans Division until January 1942, Captain Hill then took command of the heavy cruisers. USS WICHI- TA (CA 45), which operated for several months on convoy duty with the British Home Fleet to the north Russian port of fVlurmansk In Sep- tember 1942, he was promoted to rear admiral and reported as Com- mander Battleship Division Four. Flagship USS MARYLAND (BB 46), serving a year in the South Pacific He was also Commander of a task force which was the first ever to comprise both battleships and escort carriers. In September 1943 he became Commander Amphibious Group TWO, FIFTH Amphibious Force, and in that capacity participated in the capture of Tarawa, and later in operations against the Gilberts. Mar- shalls. f arianas. Iwo Jima. and Okinawa, where he commanded the amphibious and support operations of that force until the island was secured at the end of June At the close of the war in August 1945. Admiral Hill commanded the Amphibious Force that landed the Sixth Army for the occupation of Japan He later served as first Commandant of the National War College. Chairman of the General Board of the Navy, and Superintendent of the U.S. Navy Academy Although he retired in the rank of Admiral in May 1952. he was not detached from his final assignment until the following August Admiral Hill then reported as Governor of the Naval Home at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he continued to serve on active duty until May 21 . 1954, Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill passed away on July 19, 1971

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COMMAND AT SEA Only a seaman realizes to what extent an entire ship reflects the per- sonality and ability of one individual, her Commanding Officer. To a landsman this IS not understandable and at times, it is even difficult for us to compre- hend, but it IS so! A ship at sea is a distinct world in herself and in consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, responsibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one alone who is ultimately responsi- ble for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is the ship. This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instance during his tour as commanding officer that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligations are almost ludicrously small; nevertheless, command is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders. It is a duty which most richly deserves the highest, time-honored title of the seagoing world . . . CAPTAIN. '