Iwo Jima (LPH 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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Com- mcmder Russell J. Henry Commander Russell J. Henry, a naTive of San Francisco, California, received his com- mission in The U.S. Navy in 4962. He became a Naval AviaTor in July 496A afTer receiving flighT Training aT Pesacola, Florida. He has seen duTy wiTh HS-7 and HS-5 aboard The CVS's USS lnTrebid, USS Essex and USS Randolph. He has been aTTached To HelicobTer LighT ATTack Squadron Three ho- meborTed in Binh Thuy, Republic of SouTh VieTnam and was Officer in Charge of HACLQ-3, DeTachmenT EighT in Rach Gia where he flew over 700 combaT sorfies. During his Tour in SouTheasT Asia, Com- mander Henry was awarded The DisTin- guished Flying Cross, The Bronze STar and Three Air Medals in addiTion To 22 STrike- fFlighT Air Medals. He also was awarded The F5residenTial Unif CiTaTion and The Navy UniT CommendaTion. While an insTrucTor aT The U.S. Naval TesT PiloT School, Commander Henry also con- ducfed The Take-off, landing, acrobaTic and sbin phases of The OberaTional TesT and EvaluaTion of The T-341C airplane. He was accepfed as a member of The SocieTy of ExberimenTal TesT PiloTs in SepTember 49741. He reTurned To HS-5 in 4975 and made lvlediTerranean debloymenTs aboard USS ln- debendence and USS DwighT D. Eisenhower. AfTer being relieved as Commanding Offi- cer of HS-5 in July 4979, Commander Henry reporfed To The lndusfrial College of The Armed Forces. Following graduaTion in 4980, he reborTed To USS Iwo Jima as ExecuTive Officer.

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The Captain Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an entire ship reflects the per- sonality and ability of one individual, her Commanding Officer. To a landsman this is not understandable and sometimes it is even difficult for us to understand. But a ship at sea is a distinct world in herself and in consider- ation of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, respon- sibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. ln each ship there is one man, who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. ihere is one who alone is ul- timately responsible for the safe navigation, engineer- ing, performance, accurate gunfire, and morale of his ship. l-le is the Commanding Gfficer. He is the ship. This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as Commanding Officer that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obli- gations are almost ludi- crously small, nevertheless, command is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders. lt is a duty which most richly deserve the highest, time-honored title of the seafaring world . . . Cap- tain. Joseph Conrad

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,f Top: CDR Henry Toosrs with Capt. Henk Innes ond CDR Roberf Jones. Lower leff: CDI? Henry Qreers newly arrived rnidsniprnen. I Q W.-H , H 3 X I Ccrcning up on pc1perwOrk.