Los Angeles (CA 135) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

REAR ADMIRAL R.C. JOHNSON, USN Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Eleven Ralph Clarence Johnson «ab born January 4, 1911. Following graduation from the I ' .S. Naval Academy in 1932 he was assigned to the battleship ISS NEW YORK. He then served as Communications Officers on the staff of the Commander. Battleships Battle Force, as First Lieutenant on the destroyer I SS MOX. (iH.- N. and as Gunnery Officer of the destroyer IS.S DC PONT. .At the outbreak of the war he was an instructor in the Department of Ordnance at the Naval Academy. Ordered to Boston, Massachusetts in February 1942, he assisted in fitting out the destroyer I ' S.S COWIE, and became her Executive officer in June. He commanded the COW IE from August 1943 until January 1945, during which time he received a letter of conmiendation. During the latter part of the war he was Gunnery Officer on the slalT of Commander Destroyers, .Atlantic Fleet, and for outstanding service in that capacity was awarded the Bronze Star .Medal. Detached from staff duty in .August 1946, he served for two years as Ordnance Officer at the Naval Mine Depot, Yorktovvn, irginia, and for seven months thereafter had instruction at the .Armed Forces Staff College. He served from March 1949 to June 1950 as Chief of Staff to Com- mander Transport Division ELE EN then became Exe- cutive Officer of the cruiser NEW PORT NEWS. In April 1951 he reported as Conmianding Officer of the Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island, and in October 1951 became Commanding Officer of the Naval Schools Command there. In August 1954, he took command of the attack cargo ship I ' .SS ARNEB which was followed a year later by duty as Chief of Staff, .Aide and Operations Officer to Commander Cruiser Division SIX. In February 1956 he was transferred to the Field Ciommand, .Aniied Forces Special Weapons Project, .Albuquerque, New Mexico. In .March 1958 he assumed command of ISS COLU.MBLS. In January 1959 he reported as Deputy Naval Inspector General, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he was promoted to the rank of Rear .Admiral effective June 1, 1959. In May 1960 Admiral Johnson left Washington and reported in June to .Ankara.Turkey as Chief, Navy Group, Joint I nited States .Military Mission for .Aid to Turkey. He was detached from that duty in .April 1962 and re- ported as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Eleven on June 7, 1962.

Page 10 text:

PEOPLE People make a ship what le is. l.os Anu;eles is a com- )site of the following •ople, like a jigsaw puzzle, ach man from the Admiral own to the newest recruit in point to his part and now that his elTorts are .sential to the aeeomplish- lents for which the entire lip, the Navy and our luntry receive credit. Smiling, frowning, laugh- ig, working playing, busy r bored, these arc the eoplc.

Page 12 text:

CAPTAIN ASBURY COWARD, USN Commanding Officer Asbury Coward was born No cmber 4, 1914. Following graduation from the l.S. Naval Academy in 1938 he was assigned to ISS LEXINGTON and sur ived the sinking of that vessel in May 1942. In 1943 he was awarded the Bronze .Star Medal while ser ing on board ISS WI- CHIT. . Captain C oward returned to the Naval .Aca- demy in 1946 as a member of the Department of Marine Engineering, and coached the Navy Plebc football team in 1949. .At the time of his departure in 1950 he served as Flag Lieutenant and .Aide to Superintendent of the Naval .Academy. .Subsequent assignments took Captain Coward to duty on the StaflT, Conmiander Cruiser Force, l.S. .Atlantic Fleet: Coimiianding Officer of the destroyer ISS RO- BERT L. WILSON and tours of duty at the .Armed Forces Staff College, Bureau of Naval Personnel and Commander of Destroyer Division 242. Captain Cioward then became C hief of Staff and .Aide to Commander. Destroyer Flotilla SIX and in .August 1958 assumed duty on staff of Coiraiiander in Chief, East- ern Atlantic and Mediterranean Naval Forces. Most recently he served as Director of .Athletics at the L ' .S. Naval Academy. Captain Coward assumed conmiand of LOS .ANGELES in July. 1962. As ;tr approach llw iiid of our operations with 7th Fleet we can look back on a job well done. Each man of LOS ASGELES had made his contribution to the successful accomplishment of our tasks. To each of you I extend my personal gratitude and highest regards. t - C ri-u sJ