Mount McKinley (AGC 7) - Naval Cruise Book

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,, TQFQ USNQQ O IO ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE CAPTAIN R.F. FLYNN. . . . . NI RELIEVE YOU SIR.n COMMANDER L.J. GOULET, USN.. PRESENTS CAPTAIN SCHWAB WITH HIS COMMAND PENNANT.

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CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY .... .... MARCH 23, 1963 HONOR GUARD IS READY FOR ALL GUESTS .............. HALL HANDS ARE ASSEMBLEDU ............. CAPTAIN SCHWAB COMMENDED US FOR SPLENDID COOPERATION AND OUR IMMENSE PRIDE IN MOUNT MCKINLEY. NI WISH ALL HANDS SMOOTH SAILINGU ..... SAID CAPTAIN E.L. SCHWAB, USN.

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Captain Russell F. Flynn, USN, relieves as Commanding Officer, USS MOUNT MCKINLEY CAGC-71 on March 23, 1963. Captain Flynn was born in Leesville, Connecticut, on August 15, 1918. He attended Nathan Hale High School, Moodus, Connecticut. He began his military career by enlisting in the Army with the intention of attending the United States Military Academy. However, while attending west Point Preparatory School, Portland, Maine, he obtained an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, graduating December 19, l9Al, class of 'A2. At the onset of World war II Captain Flynn was ordered to the Pacific Fleet as signal officer aboard the battleship USS MISSISSIPPI CBB-All until July l9A3. During the war he participated in the amphibious operations at Attu, South Pacific, Lingayen Gulf, Leyte, Surigao Strait and Okinawa. In l9AA he studied applied communications at the U. S. Naval Post Graduate School, Annapolis, Maryland, and during the years 19Ah-19L7 served as Conmmnication Officer aboard the battle- ships PENNSYLVANIA QBB-385 and IOWA CBB-611 in the Pacific theater. He was on board USS PLNNSYLVANIA when she was torpedoed at Okinawa the day before World War II ended. After the war, Captain Flynn became Executive Officer of USS GAINARD CDD-7061 operating in the Atlantic Fleet. He then served as Communi- cation Instructor at the General Line School in Monterey, California, and as Communication Officer on the staff of Conmander Carrier Division 16 CHunter-Killer Force Atlanticl, before becoming Executive Officer of USS WATTS CDD-5673. Captain Flynn served three years within the Office of the Director of Naval Communications, Office of Chief of Naval Opera- tions. In June, 1957, he assumed command of USS HAROLD J. ELLISON QDD- 86Aj and from August 1959 until December 1960, Captain Flynn was Senior Surface Instructor, and headed the Trainer Section at the Anti-submarine Warfare Tactical School, Norfolk, Virginia. During the two and one-half years prior to reporting to MOUNT MCKINLEY CAGC-7D, Captain Flynn was Operational Communications and Planning Officer on the staff of Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. Captain Flynn married Miss Belle walker Welch of Lothian, Maryland, in April 19A2, in San Francisco, California. They have three daughters, Patricia Gail, Kathleen Stirling, and Ellen Catherine Flynn, and thrge sons, Russell Francis, John J. M., and Henry P. Flynn. The Flynns cur- rently reside in Norfolk, Virginia. .,-.,,,.,,.,.,,-.,,,,...m......,.,.....,...,..-,....,... ....... A . Y,... A Y..-.-.. ...,,, N... THE NAVAL CAREER OF CAPTAIN RUSSELL F. FLYNN, USN, CCNNANDLNC OFFICER., use MOUNT MCKINLEY CAGC-75 'Mt