Long Beach (CGN 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPT. W. A. SPENCER On June 15, 1968, Captain William A. Spencer relieved Captain Kenneth C. Wallace of command of the LONG BEACH, becoming the fourth skipper of the 721-foot cruiser. Returning for the second time, Captain Spencer was the commissioning Engineer and remained with the LONG BEACH until July 1963. Born in St. Charles, Minnesota on 21 June 1924 of the late Mr. and Mrs. John E. Spencer, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943. He graduated and was commissioned an Ensign on 5 June 1946. He was subsequently advanced to the rank of Captain on 1 July 1967. Captain Spencer's first duty station was on board the USS O'BRIEN QDD-7255. This was followed by service with the USS R. K. HUNTINGTON CDD-7815, .the USS INGRAHAM HDD-6945, and as Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Escort Squadron Eight. In September of 1952 Captain Spencer attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, for two years and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. In October of 1955 he 'became Electrical Officer for the commissioning crew of the USS FORRESTAL CCVA-595 and remained aboard until June 1957. The following month he reported to the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Idaho Falls, Idaho, as a student. He was then assigned as Chief Engineer for initial critical operations of surface prototype nuclear re- actor plant in January 1958. COMMANDING OFFICER Captain Spencer's next assignments were with the USS LONG BEACH CCG tNJ9D and the USS BAIN- BRIDGE CDLGCN 5253. This three year tour included duty with the Sixth Fleet, as a unit of Nuclear Task Force One in the round-the-world cruise, and with the Seventh Fleet. He assumed command of the USS BUCHANAN CDDG-145 in October of 1966 while on station with the Seventh Fleet. In December 1967 the reported to the Strategic Plans and Policy Division of the Chief of Naval Operations. Captain Spencer assumed command of the LONG BEACH on 15 June 1968. Change of command was held in Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, during the ship's deployment to the Western Pacific. During his naval career Captain Spencer has earned the following awards: American Theater, World War II Victory, China Service, Navy Occu- pation, National Defense and the Vietnam Service medal.

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CAPT. J. D. WATKIN Captain James D. Watkins was born in Alhambra, California, but claims Pasadena, California, as his home of record. The LONG BEACH Executive Of- ficer attended the University of California, at Berke- ley, for one year before entering the Naval Academy in 1945. He was commissioned an Ensign in the academy class of 1949 and subsequently advanced to the rank of Captain in August 1968. Captain Watkins' first duty station was aboard the destroyer USS FECHTELER CDD-8707. In Janu- ary of 1951, he entered the U.S. Naval Submarine School at New London, Conn., and in July of the same year reported aboard the submarine VOLA- DOR QSS-4909 where he served until 1953. He then joined the staff of the Commander, Submarine Di- vision 52, in November 1953, where he served as Division Engineer until 1955. In 1955 Captain Watkins attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate at Monterey, California, and earned a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineer- ing, Nuclear Power. He then completed an additional six months of study at Oak Ridge School of Re- actor Technology in Tennessee before reporting aboard the submarine USS BARBERO CSSG-3175 as Executive Officer in September 1958. He was next selected for duty in the Navyis Nuclear Power program in 1960 and attended the six month course at the Nuclear Power Training Unit, Schenectady, N. Y. This was followed by one month at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory at Pittsburgh, Penn. Captain Watkins reported aboard the nuclear powered attack-type submarine USS SNOOK CSSN- 592J in October 1960 as Executive Officer and a member of the SNOOK's initial commissioning crew. Following this tour of duty, he served in the Bureau of Ships, Washington, from March 1962 to September 1964 as assistant to the Manager, Naval Reactors, AEC. He then returned to the SNOOK as Commanding Officer, the post he held until Septem- ber 1966. Captain Watkins was Commanding Officer of the USS SNOOK when, in 1965 and 1966, she became the first nuclear submarine ever to visit the Republic of Korea and Yokosuka, Japan. His service on SNOOK won Captain Watkins the Legion of Merit award and the Navy Commendation medal. He also earned the Navy Unit Commendation for the ship during a 1965 deployment to the Western Pacific. He assumed the duties of LONG BEACH Executive Officer in April 1967 during the shipis first deploy- ment to the Western Pacific. A Captain Watkins' medals include, in addition to those mentioned above: the World War II Victory medal, China Service medal Cextendedlz Navy Occu- pational Service medal CAsiaJg National Defense Service medal Cwith starlg Korean Service medal, United Nations medal, Vietnam Service medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. EXECUTIVE OFFICER