La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHANGE OF COMMAND CAPTAIN HAROLD J. BERNSEN RELIEVES CAPTAIN ALVIN R. KARN JR. MARCH 23, 1980

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Captain Harold J. Bernsen participated in the Regular NROTC program while a student at Dartmouth College and upon graduation in June 1958 with a B.A. in International Relations was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. He was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1960 and received orders to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWELVE at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. While attached to VAW-12, Captain Bernsen served with detachments operating E-IB aircraft aboard USS SARATOGA (CVA-60) during two Mediterranean deployments. From October 1963 to October 1966, Captain Bernsen was attached to the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington. DC. He was next ordered to duty as Aide and Flag Lieutenant on the staff of Commander Carrier Division SEVEN serving aboard USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31), USS CORAL SEA (CVA-43) and USS TICONDEROGA (CVA-14) during the height of the air offensive against North Vietnam. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in January 1967. Captain Bernsen reported to RVAW-120 in October 1968 for familiarization training in the E-2B aircraft. During this training he worked with other officers to lay the ground work for a new early warning squadron which was commissioned as VAW-126 on 1 April 1969. After a tour under instruction at the Armed Forces Staff College. Norfolk. VA, during which time he was promoted to Commander, he returned to VAW-126 in February 1972 to become Executive Officer. On 3 January 1973, he became the Commanding Officer of VAW-126. Detached from VAW-126 in February 1974. Captain Bernsen reported to the USS FORRESTAL ' (CVA-59) in April 1974 as Navigator. In December 1975 Captain Bernsen assumed command of RVAW-120 in Norfolk, charged with providing transitional training for pilots and Naval Flight Officers reporting to all east coast VAW squadrons. Afterwards. Captain Bernsen completed two years of duty in the office of the Deputy CNO for Air Warfare (OP-05), the first year as the E-2 aircraft program coordinator, the second as head of the Program Management Section. During this period he was promoted to