Iwo Jima (LPH 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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.ff Q O. -if AF , COMMODORE T. C. HARBERT For seven months low Jima has been the flagship for Commodore Harbert, Commander Amphibious Squadron Three, and Amphibious Ready Group Alpha. For his fine leadership and professionalism the men of the Iwo will remember him always as one of our team .

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1 ABO TOUR CAPTAINS... 1 CAPTAINJ. T. SHEPHERD Captain john T, SHEPHERD, a native of Seattle, Washington, attended the University of Washington and is 3 1942 graduate of the U, S. Naval Academy, After World War II service in the destroyers USS MACOMB, USS MCCOOK, nnd USS MORRISON, he completed flight training in 1945 and served in Fighter Squadron 75 aboard USS F,D, ROOSEVELT, Captain SHEPHERD was awarded a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering by the California Institute of Technology in 1950 and then served in a variety of technical aviation billets, including duty as the Head of the 'Carrier Suitability Branch, Flight Test Division, Naval Air Test Center, From his station at Patuxent River he deployed in 12 different attack carriers conducting experiments and trials of the new steam catapults and mirror landing systems. He was the Senior Project Officer for the A3j,fRA5C weapons systems in the Bureau of Naval Weapons, and prior to returning to gea in 1962, served on exchange duty with the U, S. Air Force as the first Navy Program Director for the F-111 QTFXJ weapon system. His duties then included successive totu's as Staff Operations Officer for Commander Carrier Division ONE, embarked in USS RANGER, KITTY HAWK and ORISKANY, and a brief period as Operations Officer for the Commander, U, S, Naval Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe. Proceeding to Vietnam for duty in 1965 he served in the Naval Advisory Group and as Operations Officer for the Coastal Surveillance and River Patrol Forces, and for the Commander, U, S. Naval Forces, Vietnam, He reported for duty as the Commanding Officer of the Yokosuka-home ported general stores ship, USS POLLUX QAKS-41 in October 1966 and remained there until reporting as the seventh Commanding Officer of USS IWO JIMA QLPH-21 on 15 December 1967 He wears various World War II campaign ribbons, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal and three decorations from the Vietnamese Government for service in Vietnam. Captain SHEPHERD's wife, Niildred Roof SHEPHERD A D THEEXECUTIVE of San Francisco, and their two teen-age children, jim y and janet, cturently reside in Coronado, California. CA PTA nv FX. TI MMES Captain Francis X. TINLXIES, USN w ' Y f York City, the son of Dr. and Mrs, jolin FSS 'lF'E'1iE'v1IESNeu Captain TIMMES attended St, johns Universit from' 1938 to 1941 then entered the U.S. Navy as ash Aviatio Cadet in March of 1941. He first reported for duty as an pilot in VS-201 aboard the Naxwds first jeep Carrier USS LONG ISLAND. ' Q .During WWII Captain TIMMES was a fighter pilot flying off USS LONG ISLAND QCVE-lj and USS FRANKLIN ICV-131 as well as land based in the Soloman Islands. He is credited with shooting down two japanese aircraft, with two enemy planes probably shot down and two aircraft damaged in the air, In addition he led an aircraft Division that sank a japanese DD AK and eight tcu ,.i' tsr'S and new 21 total of 135 misstonfs, Captain TIMMES has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross plus Gold Star, the Air Medal, and a Navy Commendation Medal in addition to the WWII Korean! Philippine,fVietnam service Medals, ' Since W'WII, and after attaining a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1949 from the University of Minnesota, Captain TIMMES has held positions in Operational, Technical and Staff Fields, He attended Nuclear Weapons Bomb Commander School in 1950 and the National War College in 1961-62, He was the project officer on the F4-Phantom II aircraft during design stages, Prior to reporting to IWO HMA, Captain TIMMES commanded USS MAUNA KEA QAE-22l, Fighter Squadron 124 and Fighter Squadron 154, Captain TIMMES resides in Coronado, California, with his wife Mary Ellen and their six children: Christopher, Francis lr., Mary Ellen, Daniel, Peter and Theresa, , COMMANDER R.S. VERMIL YA Commander Robert S. VERMILYA enlisted in the Navy in january 1944. He commenced flight training under the V-5 program in March 1945 and was commissioned and designated a Naval Aviator in january 1947. He has served in numerous operational squadrons and has participated in World Cruises aboard the USS RENDOVA QCVE-1445, USS TARAWA QCV-401, and the USS BURTON ISLAND CAGB-11. Other sea duty tours include a Korean cruise in the USS VALLEY FORGE QCVA-451 and Aide and Flag Secretary to Commander Fleet Air San Diego. More recently he served as Commanding Officer of Helicopter Anti- Submarine Squadron SIX while aboard the USS KEARSARGE QCVS-331 on deployment in the TONKIN GULF, In December 1966 he reported aboard the USS IWO HMA CLPH-21 as Operations Officer and in September 1967 he became the IWO's Executive Officer. His shore duty assignments have included Flight Instructor, General Line School, Ohio State University, and Operations Training Officer of CVSG-51. Commander VERMILYA has been awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Air Medal with gold star, and Navy Unit Citation in addition to the World War II, Korean and Viet-Nam Service MedalsxRibbons. Commander VERMILYA and his wife, the former Miss Virginia JENSEN, reside at 588 Douglas Avenue, Chula Vista, with their two sons, Robert and Richard.

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