Hector (AR 7) - Naval Cruise Book

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1f 1 Captain I Bennett, USN Commanding Ujjtcer On 22 September 1967, Captain Bennett, assumed command of the HECTOR thus becoming her 21st skipper. Captain Bennett was born in 1922 in Kewanee, Illinois, and entered the Navy in August 1942. He was commissioned in 1945 following appointment to the Fort Schuyler Midshipman's School at Fort Schuyler, New York. He was assigned to, USS YMS-235 as Commanding Officer and Engineering Officer. In July 1946, he became Engineering, Operations, and Gunnery Officer Aboard USS RABY QDE-6981 until July 1948, when he returned to student life at the General Line School in Newport, Rhode Island. 5 From June 1949 until June 1951, then-LTJG Bennett was performing the duties of Operations, Navigation, and Communica- tions Officer aboard USS LST-1110. A A The months from July 1951 to June 1953, were spent studying at the Electronics Maintenance School, Great Lakes, Illinois, and NSW 1233, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. - A Four years of Sea Duty followed, as he served aboard USS WASP CCVA-181 as Nuclear Supervisorg USS HANCOCK CCVA-191, as Weapons Division Officer and Nuclear Supervisor 5 and aboard USSO'BANNON CDDB-4501, as Executive Officer and Gunnery Officer. Assigned to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. PACIFIC Fleet in June 1957, he worked in Nuclear Weapons Readiness and Logistics. October 1959, retumed him to sea as the Commanding Officer of USS STURDEVANT QDER-2391, which was followed by command of USS F ORESTER QDER-3341 in 1960.- . . The course in Nuclear Weapons at the Naval War College, in Newport, RI., in 1961, was followed by duties in the Strategic Plans and Policy Division of the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1962. . From September 1964, until February 1966, he was Commanding Officer of USS ROBERT A OWENS CDD-8271, and in March 1966, Captain Bennett reported to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. ATLANTIC Fleet. His duties were those of the Assis- tant Fleet Plans Officer until September 1966, when he entered the Navy College Degree Program at George Washington University. Upon completion, Captain Bennett traveled to Long Beach to assume command of USS HECTOR QAR-71.

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Commander V CC 99Pin , fri, USN Executive Officer Commander Ping, Holder of the Navy Commendation Medal and Combat Distinguishing Device, reported to HECTOR from the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare School in San Diego. While there, he was Tactical Instructor in charge of the operation of coordinated Anti- Submarine Warfare Tactical Trainer. He was commissioned from the NROTC unit at Columbia University upon graduation in 1952. His first duty station was USS KEARSARGE QCVA-331, where he was the Assistant Air Intelligence Officer. A Subsequently, he was assigned to the NROTC unit at Tufts University as an instructor in Naval Machinery, Leadership and Military Justice. In June 1956, he became Engineering Officer aboard USS RENVILLE QAPA-2271, and in September 1958, he assumed the duties of Operations Officer and Navigator aboard USS UHLMANN CDD-6871. V From July 1960 until June 1961, -he was a student at the Naval Intelligence Post-graduate School. The Intelligence Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel was his next assignment. While there, he performed liason with the intelligence-collection agencies of the C. I. A., F. B. I., Army and Air Force. From July 1963 to August 1964, Commander Ping was the only Naval officer on the Staff of the Commander, U. S.Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. His was the Staff responsibility for Seabee Technical Assistance Teams. While attached to this command, he participated in several operations with U.. S. Army Special Forces units against the Viet Cong. . In August 1964, he became Executive Officer and Navigator aboard USS BOYD fDD544j. He remained here until assigmnent to the Fleet ASW School in San Diego in February 1966, and subsequent assignment as Executive Officer of USS HECTOR CAR-71 in October 1967. ' I P 3