Holland (AS 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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W V -2 Z A A Z Q A ' J Z CAPTAIN DOUGLAS N. SYVERSON, U.S.N. COMMANDER SUBMARINE SQUADRON SIXTEEN -i I

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CAPTAIN CHARLES W. STYER, JR., WAS BORN IN ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ON 20 MAY 1919. HE STARTED HIS CAREER WHEN HE ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVAL RESERVE ON 23 JUNE 1936. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY ABOARD THE USS CUTTLEFISH ISS-1711, HE ENTERED THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, IN JUNE 1937. WHEN WAR BROKE OUT, THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM AT THE NAVAL ACAD- EMY WAS ACCELERATED AND HE WAS GRADUATED IN FEBRUARY OF 1941. HE THEN SERVED ABOARD THE USS ROWAN IDD-4051 AND THE USS MATACORDA IAVP-221. HE ENTERED SUBMARINE SCHOOL IN JUNE OF 1942 AND UPON GRADUATION HE REPORT- ED TO THE USS FLYING FISH ISS-2291. DURING THIS TOUR, HE COMPLETED FOUR SUC- CESSFUL WAR PATROLS, FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY COMMENDATION RIBBON, THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, THE SUBMARINE COMBAT INSIGNIA, AND COMTASKFOR FORTY-TWO LETTER OF COMMENDATION. IN MARCH OF 1943 HE BECAME QUALIFIED IN SUBMARINES, AND IN OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR HE WAS ORDERED TO REPORT AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE USS TILEFISH ISS-3071. DURING FIVE MORE SUCCESSFUL WAR PATROLS HE WAS AWARDED TWO SILVER STAR MEDALS, TWO BRONZE STAR MEDALS, AND THE SUBMARINE COMBAT INSIGNIA. IN JULY OF 1945, HE WAS GIVEN COMMAND OF THE USS MACKEREL ISS-2041. , IN THE LATTER PART OF 1945, HE BECAME A MEMBER OF STAFF OF COMMANDER NEW LONDON GROUP, 16TH FLEET. IN JUNE 1947, HE GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE POST GRADUATE SCHOOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. HIS NEXT DUTY WAS WITH THE OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE, WASHINGTON, D.C., AFTER WHICH HE BECAME ASSISTANT NAVAL ATTACHE AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN PARIS, FRANCE. IN 1950, HE REPORTED ABOARD THE USS RAZORBACK ISS-394I AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FOLLOW- ED BY TWO AND ONE HALF YEARS IN COMMAND OF THE USS CUTLASSISS-478I.HE SERVED FROM 1953 TO 1956 AS ASSIGNMENT OF FORCES OFFICER IN THE FLEET OPERATIONS DIVISION OF THE STAFF OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET. IN 1956, HE REPORTED TO THE STAFF OF COMMANDER SUBMARINE SQUADRON THREE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, AS OPERATIONS OFFICER. AFTER A YEAR IN SAN DIEGO, HE REPORTED FOR DUTY AS COMMANDER SUBMARINE DIVISION SIXTY THREE, THE ATLANTIC FLEET REGULUS GUIDED MISSILE DIVISI'ON. IN JUNE OF 1958 HE REPORTED TO THE OFFICE OF CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, AS HEAD, SURFACE TO SURFACE BRANCH, GUIDED MISSILE DIVISION. IN SEPTEMBER 1959, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO SPACE AND ASTRONAUTICS DUTIES IN THE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WHEREAHE WAS STAFF ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR, POLICY AND' PLANNING DIVISION? DURING THIS ASSIGNMENT, HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN. HE SERVED AS CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, SUBMARINE SOUADRON FOURTEEN, THE FIRST POLARIS MISSILE SQUADRON OF THE U.S. NAVY,DURING 1960-61.DURING THIS PERIOD THE FIRST POLARIS MISSILES WERE LAUNCH- ED SUBMERGED BY THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON ISSBN-5981, THE FIRST POLARIS TENDER WAS DEPLOYED TO HOLY LOCH, SCOTLAND TO TEND POLARIS SUBMARINES, AND THE FIRST FEW POLARIS SUBMARINES WERE DEPLOYED, TO THEIR DETERRENT PATROLS. IN APRIL 1961, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR FLEET BALLISTIC MISSILE MATTERS TO DEPUTY COMMANDER SUBMARINE FORCE, UNITED STATES AT- LANTIC FLEET. FROM THIS LATTER ASSIGNMENT, HE WAS ORDERED AS THE PROSPEC- TIVE COMMANDING OFFIC'ER OF THE USS HOLLAND IAS-321 DURING THE BUILDING PERIOD OF THAT SHIP IN 1963. CAPTAIN STYER BECAME THE FIRST COMMANDING OF- FICER OF USS HOLLAND IAS-32I ON 7 SEPTEMBER 1963 WHEN THE HOLLAND WAS COM- MISSIONED. ON 8 AUGUST 1964, CAPTAIN STYER WAS RELIEVED OF COMMAND OF HOLLAND BY CAPTAIN PUGH. CAPTAIN STYER THEN PROCEEDED TO NEW LONDON, CONN., WHERE HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF SUBMARINE SQUADRON TEN.

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DOUGLAS NEIL SYVERSON WAS BORN IN TOLEDO, OHIO, ON APRIL 2, 1916, SON OF AUGUST AND GENEVIEVE MARGARET SYVERSON. HE ATTENDED SHATTUCK MILITARY ACADEMY IN FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA, AND ENTERED THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, ON APPOINTMENT FROM MICHIGAN ON JUNE 28, 1935. HE WAS GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE OF BACHELOR OR SCIENCE AND COMMISSIONED ENSIGN IN THE U.S. NAVY ON JUNE 1, 1939, AND THROUGH SUBSEQUENT AD- VANCEMENT ATTAINED THE RANK OF CAPTAIN, TO DATE FROM AUGUST 1, 1957. AFTER GRADUATION FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY IN 1939 HE SERVED FROM JUNE UNTIL DECEM- BER AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF THE USS PENNSYLVANIA.HE THEN HAD A YEAR9S GUNNERY DUTY ON BOARD THE USS KENNISON, A RECOMMISSIONED DESTROYER, AND FOUR MONTHS DUTY AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF THE USS AUGUSTA, A CRUISER BEING OVERHAULED AT THE MARE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA, NAVY YARD, AND FROM APRIL 23, 1941, FLYING THE FLAG OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET. DETACHED IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR, HE HAD IN- STRUCTION AT THE NAVY S SUBMARINE SCHOOL, NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, FROM WHICH HE WAS DETACHED IN AUGUST FOR DUTY AT SEA. REPORTING TO THE USS SEAWOLF IN SEPTEMBER 1941, HE WAS SERVING AS GUNNERY AND TOR- PEDO ,OFFICER OF THAT SUBMARINE AT MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON DECEMBER 7, LATER BECOMING HER EXECUTIVEOFFICER WHILE SHE WAS OPERATING IN THE PACIFIC WAR AREA. ' ' FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AS TORPEDO AND GUNNERY OFFICER OF THE USS SEAWOLF DURING SEVEN AGRESSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL WAR PATROLS. . .M HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL. THE CITATION FURTHER STATES: DURING THE LAST, WHILE IN CONTACT WITH ENEMY JAPANESE IN THE GULF OF DAVAO, MIN- DANAO, ON NOVEMBER 2, 3 AND 8, 1942, LIEUTENANT SYVERSON, BY MAKING POSSIBLE EFFECTIVE DISCHARGE OF BATTLESHIP TORPEDOES WHICH HAD NOT BEEN FIRED FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS, ENABLED THESEAWOLF TO SINK ONE HOSTILE FREIGHTER TRANSPORT OF 9,310 TONS AND INFLICT SEVERE DAMAGE UPON ANOTHER. HIS CONSCIENTIOUS DEVOTION TO DUTY AND COOL PROFICIENCY UNDER FIRE WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE. HE WAS AWARDED A GOLD STAR IN LIEU OF THE SECOND SILVER STAR MEDAL FOR SERVICE AS ASSISTANT APPROACH OFFICER OF THE USS SEAWOLF, DURING THE TWELFTH WAR PATROL OF THAT VESSEL IN ENEMY-INFESTED WATERS FROM DECEMBER 12, 1943, TO JANUARY 27, 1944 . . .H THE CITATION' STATES THAT HE ' ' RENDERED INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE TO HIS COMMANDING OF- FICER IN SINKING FOUR ENEMY SHIPS TOTALLING 24,000 TONS AND IN DAMAGING THREE ADDITIONAL VESSELS DESPITE SEVERE HOSTILE COUNTERMEASURES. . .M HE IS ALSO ENTITLED TO THE RIBBON AND STAR FOR THE NAVY UNIT COMMENDATIONS AWARDED THE USS SEAWOLF FOR HEROIC SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II, THE FIRST FOR THAT SUBMARINE'S FOURTH WAR PATROL FROM FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH 7, 1942, THE NEXT FOR HER SEVENTH WAR PATROL FROM OCTOBER 7 TO DECEMBER 1, 1942. FROM FEBRUARY 1944UNTIL JUNE 1945 HE SERVED AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE USS SEA FOX, AND IN THAT CAPACITY PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF IWO JIMA AN-D OKI- NAWA IN FEBRUARY-MARCH 1945 AND FROM MARCH TO JUNE 1945, RESPECTIVELY. DURING THE LATTER MONTHS OF THE WAR HE HAD COMMAND OF THE USS THRESHER, ASSUMING COMMAND IN JUNE AND BEING DETACHED IN DECEMBER 1945. IN JANUARY 1946 HE RETURNED TO THE SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, TO SERVE UNTIL MAY 1948 ON THE STAFF OF THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE SUBMARINE SCHOOL. HE THEN ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE USS SEA ROBIN, WHICH HE COMMANDED UNTIL JULY 1950. DURING THAT' PERIOD THE SEA ROBIN WON THE MARJORIE STERRETT AWARD FOR THE OUTSTAND- ING SHIP IN THE U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET. UPON HIS DETACHMENT FROM THE SEA ROBIN HE RE- PORTED TOATHE ARMED FORCES STAFF COLLEGE, NORFOLK, VA., FOR INSTRUCTION, AFTER WHICH FROM JANU.ARY 1951 UNTIL SEPTEMBER 19.53 HE SERVED AS AIDE AND FLAG SECRETARY ON THE STAFF OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ATLANTIC FLEET. FROM OCTOBER 1953 UNTIL JUNE 1955 HE SERVED AS OPERATIONS OFFICER ON THE STAFF OF COMMANDER SUBMARINE SOUADRON 6, AND FOR TWO YEARS THEREAFTER HAD SHORE DUTY IN THE BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL, NAVY DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C., HIS ASSIGNMENT BEING HEAD OF THE SUBMARINE DETAIL DESK. 'IN JULY 1957 HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF SUBMARINE DI- VISION 71, AND AFTER A YEAR IN THAT COMMAND HAD ANOTHER YEAR AT SEA AS OPERATIONS OFFICER ON THE STAFF OF THE COMMANDER SUBMARINE FORCE, PACIFIC FLEET. IN JULY 1959 HE RETURNED TO THE NAVY DEPARTMENT FOR DUTY IN THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS AS LOGISTICS GROUP,BUDGET AND PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, MATERIAL DIVISION, LATER BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR GENERAL PLANNING. IN ADDITION TO THE SILVER STAR MEDAL WITH GOLD STAR, THE NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION WITH STAR AND THE ARMY UNIT CITATION'BADGE IFOR SERVICE IN THE PHILIPPINES AT THE OUT- BREAK OF WORLD WAR III CAPTAIN SYVERSON HAS THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE M-EDALS ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ENGAGEMENT STARS3 WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL? NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL, EUROPE CLASP5 THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDALS THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE, LIBERATION AND INDEPENDENCE RIBBONS3 AND THE SUBMARINE COM- BAT INSIGNIA WITH TWELVE STARS. CAPTAIN SYVERSON'S HOME TOWN IS MAROUETTE, MICHIGAN. HE IS MARRIED TO THE FORMER HOPE FURLONG OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, AND THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN, CADANCE HOPE AND PETER DONALD.