John F Kennedy (CVA 67) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHIEF OF STAFF CAPTAIN C.V. MERREL Captain Merrell reported to COMCRUDESFLOT EIGHT as Chief of Staff in September 1971. Prior to his present assignment, he served as Chief of Staff for Commander Carrier Division TWO. Captain Merrell was attending the University of Oklahoma when he enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. He was selected to participate in an experimental education program, and was taught to fly while attending Colgate University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Upon completion of flight training in 1945, Captain Merrell was commissioned and awarded his Navy Wings of Gold. After serving three years with East Coast Fighter squadrons, he returned to school at Tulane University. Joining a fleet squadron in 1949, he served as Flight Officer and Landing Signal Officer lLSOl for VC-62. For the next five years, Captain Merrell attended line school in Monterey. California: instructed Air Intercept Controllers: and served as CIC Officer in USS ANTIETAM lCVA 361. Joining the Pacific fleet in 1960, Captain Merrell served as Executive Officer of VF 53 flying the F3H DEMON. He assumed command of VF 143, one of the first West Coast F4H PHANTOM squadrons, in 1961. In 1963, Captain Merrell took command of VX 4, the Navy's Fighter Test and Development Squadron. Returning to a surface assignment in 1965, Captain Merrell served as Operations Officer and Executive Officer of USS TICONDEROGA lCVA 14l. In 1967, he returned to the Atlantic Fleet as the Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Carrier Division FOUR aboard USS AMERICA lCVA 66l. Between staff assignments, Captain Merrell commanded USS MULIPHEN lAKA 611, making cruises to the Mediterranean and Carribean seas.

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COMCRUDESFLOT EEGHT REAR ADMIRAL HARRY DePUE TRAIN JR Rear Admiral Train is the son of the late Rear Admiral Harold C. Train and Mrs. Train of Washington, D.C. and is a 1949 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. His past service has included: Command of the guided missile destroyer CONYNG HAM and the attack submarine BARBEL: a tour as Assistant Chief of Staff lOperations and Readinessi on the Staff of Commander SECOND Fleet and duty in HAROLD J. ELLISON, ENTEMEDOR, HARRY E. HUBBARD and WAHOO. He has also served as Executive Assistant and Senior Aide to the Chief of Naval Operations, as Administrative Aide to Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitzeg as Military Assistant to Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy Howard W. Merrill: as Assistant Submarine Placement Officer, Bureau of Naval Personnel and as Assistant Military Secretary, J-2, Intelligence Directorate, Joint Staff. Prior to assuming command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla EIGHT on 15 September 1971, Rear Admiral Train served as Executive Assistant and Senior Aide to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Thomas H. Moorer.

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FLAG OPERATIONS OFFICER CAPTAIN R.J. COONTZ Captain Coontz reported to COMCRUDESFLOT EIG HT as Operations Officer in August 1971. Prior to his present assignment, he served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Research and Development Assistant for Flag Command and Control Systems. Captain Coontz graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1949. His first tour of duty was USS MISSOURI lBB 631, where he served as Main Battery Assistant and Communications Battery Assistant. During MISSOURl's first tour in the Korean conflict, he acted as MlSSOURl's airborne gunfire spotter. for which he was awarded the Air Medal. Captain Coontz's subsequent tours included CIC Officer School, Glenview. Ill.: Operations Officer, USS CHARLES S. SPERRY lDD-697I: Commanding Officer, USS PCE 870: General Line School, Monterey, Calif.: Electronics Instructor, U.S. Naval Academy: Executive Officer, USS SELLSTROM lDER-2251: NTDS R and D Assistant Computer Programmer, Navy Electronics laboratory and Fleet Computer Programming Center, San Diego, Calif: CIC Officer, USS CHICAGO lCG-11I2 Executive Officer, USS HALSEY lDLG-231: and Commanding Officer USS WEDDERBURN lDD-684l, from which he went to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and to his present billet. During his Naval career, Captain Coontz has had extensive tours of duty in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.