Independence (CV 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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.if-3.1 X... H A .JI . - -' 3 Rear Admiral Brent M. Bennitt Commander, Battle Force Seventh Fleet - '- ' ' ' 5 Y - ' .-...Af-f -V , :, t -lg -..,.. A - -'nv--'-- fa'

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THE COMING OF THE CARRIER For I dipt into the future, as far as human eye could see, Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be . . . Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain 'd a ghastly dew From the nations' airy Naoies grapplin in the central blue. y - Ahfred Tennyson 11 it

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ear Admiral Brent M. Bennitt, was born in Lakewood, California. I-Ie graduated from the Naval Academy in 1964, and was designated a Naval Aviator eighteen months later. After two combat cruises and 222 combat missions with VA 94 flying the A-4 v Skyhawk aboard USS HANCOCK and USS BONN E HOMME RICHARD, he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. This was followed by a tour as flight test tutor at the Empire Test Pilot School at Boscombe, England. He was commended by the Queen of England for valuable service in the air as the school's stall! spin program manager and as one of the first devel- opment test pilots on England's first variable stability aircraft. Returning to the United States in 1973, Rear Admiral Bennitt joined VA 83 serving as the Administrative and Maintenance Officer while flying the A-7E aboard USS FORRESTAL. He was a member of the team which represented the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the 1974 NATO South Weapons Delivery Competition. A tour as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet was followed by duty as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of VA 105 . aboard USS SARATOGA. During this tour, the Gunslingers were selected as the top A-7E squadron in the Atlantic Fleet and won the Wade C. McClusky il Award, a symbol of the Navy's most outstanding attack squadron. After leaving VA 105, Rear Admiral Bennitt served as the Attack Training Officer and Flying Hour Funds Program Manager on the staff, Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Following fifteen months of nuclear power Q training, Rear Admiral Bennitt reported to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier . NIMITZ as Executive Officer. In February 1985, Rear Admiral Bennitt 2 assumed command of USS LA SALLE, flagship of Commander, U.S. Middle S Q. A 1 East Force, forward deployed at Manama, Bahrain. , Rear Admiral Bennitt's next assignment was in Washington, D.C. where he served as Acting Director of Aircraft Carrier and Air Station Programs in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. He then received orders as Commanding Officer of USS NIMITZ, taking command August 28, 1987. In June 1990, Rear Admiral Bennitt assumed the duties as Deputy Director, Test and Evaluation and Technology Requirements IOP 09181 Washington, DC. . ln November 1991, he took command of Carrier Group Five and Battle Force Seventh Fleet. Rear Admiral Bennitt's personal decorations include the Legion of Merit lihree awardsl, Meritorious Service Medal, Individual Air Medals fthree i awardsi, Air Medal Strike Flight Q17 awardsi, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V Qthree awardsi, and the Vietnamese Air Gallantry Cross. Rear Admiral Bennitt is married to the former Beverly Diane Brumfield, of Southgate, California. Rear Admiral and Mrs. Bennitt have one daughter, . Sarah, and they reside in Yokosuka, japan. 'IN