New Jersey (BB 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPTAIN RICHARD ROCKWELL PRATT Executive Officer I August I954-I8 August I955 Graduating from the Naval Academy in 1936, Captai.n Pratt was assigned to the cruiser USS Cheste-r, and later to the cruiser USS Augusta until the outbreak of World War II. During the war, he participated in the Naval battles of the Solomons, Bou- ganville, Bismarks, Marianas, lst Philippine Sea, Dalau, Iwo lima and Okinawa aboard the destroyers USS Lansdowne and USS Hudson. Among Captain Pratt's decorations are the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars, two Navy Crosses, Commendation, Atlantic and Pacific Theaters, and China Service. Captain Pratt assumed his duty as Executive Officer of the New Iersey on 2 August 1954, before which he was assigned to the Chief, Navy Section, Military Assistance Advisory Group in Spain. Following his departure from the- New Iersey, Captain Pratt assumed duty as Commander, Destroyer Division 222. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COMMANDER CHARLES CONWAY HARTIGAN, JR. Executive Officer ' Commander Hartigan graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1938, and subsequently progressed in grade to that of Commander, to rank from 5 November 1945. ln Tune, 1938, Commander Hartigan was assigned to duty on the USS ldaho, After a years service in that battleship, he be- came Communication Officer of the USS Hammann, and later while serving as Gunnery Officer of the Hammann, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for outstanding services. Commander 1-lartigan's next assignment was that of Gunnery Officer aboard the USS Conway, during which time he received the gold star in lieu of a second Silver Star Medal, He then served on board the USS Benham from her commissioning in December, 1943, until May of 1944, when she reported at Pearl' Harbor and he assumed command of the USS Farragut. Com- mander 1-lartigan received a letter of commendation, with authori- I ty to wear the commendation ribbon, and the Bronze Star Medal for services as Commanding Officer of the Farragut from Tune, 1944 until September, 1945. ln October, 1945, Commander Har- tigan reported for duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, serving as Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Naval Per- sonnel tOperationsJ until Ianuary, 1948, when he left to attend the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia. ln August, 1948, Commander 1-lartigan was ordered to the United States Naval Mission in Caracas, Venezuela until May, 1951, when he was directed as Commanding Officer of the USS Cushing upon her commissioning in August, 1951, until 1952, when he assumed a position on the staff of Commander, Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet. Commander I-lartigan assumed the duties of Executive Officer of the USS New Iersey in August of 1955. ln addition to the Silver Star Medal with Gold Star in lieu of a second Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the 'Commendation Ribbon, Commander Hartigan is entitled to the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp A , the European-African-Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, the American Area Campaign Medal, the Philippines Liberation Ribbon, and the. World War ll Victory Medal. .-N..-. .mm ..... 4. -.,-..,.i.-. e'i::i :r:'f::ff.2'f-51-,,,,-0-x A

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'LQ HYfa.,. t.'4,...' :J.5.' '..Q,L - ,f.LLk'lLJ'f:.'Q.1.f' CAPTAIN EDWARD JOSEPH O'DONNELL Commanding Officer Captain Edward I. O'Donnell graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1929, after at' tending schools in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. Early in his Naval career he served aboard the USS Florida, USS Ford, USS Houston and the USS San Francisco, in addition to doing postgraduate work in ordnance engineering, The beginning of World War Il found Captain O'Donnell serving on the USS Lexington. He was Gunnery Officer of that ship when it was lost during the battle of the Coral Sea. Assigned to the USS Birmingham, Captain O'Donnell continued his duty as Gunnery Officer throughout the many raids and invasions that followed in both theaters. During the post-war years, Captain O'Donnell served as Commander, Destroyer Division Thirty-Two and on the staffs of the Bureau of Ordnance and Commander of Naval Forces in Germany. He then commanded the USS George Clymer in operations off Korea and Iapan during 1952 and 1953. For his services he wears the Bronze Star with a V and gold star, the Commendation ribbon with a V and gold star, the Pacific C4 starsl, the European fone starl, Korean tone starl, American Defense and Nicaraguan ribbons. Prior to assuming command of the New Iersey on 18 March 1955, Captain O'Donnell was Assistant Superintendent of the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. - Yi!!

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CAPTAIN RALPH CLARENCE JOHNSON Chief of Staff-Cruiser Division Six Captain lohnson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1932, and proceeded to the USS New York for duty. Following this, he served one year of communication duty with Battleships, Battle Force Staff, and then went to destroyer duty aboard the USS Monaghan and USS Dupont. Captain Iohnson next reported to the Postgraduate School of the Naval Academy and later served as instructor in the Ord- nance and Gunnery Department. From here he was ordered to the USS Cowie as Executive Officer and later became her Com- manding Officer, receiving a letter of commendation for his service in the latter position. Captain lohnson went from the Cowie to the Staff of Com- mander, Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his contributions as Gunnery Officer. He was then assigned to the Naval Mine Depot as Ordnance Officerg the Armed Forces Staff College as a studentp and as Chief Staff Officer on the Staff of Transport Division Eleven. Captain lohn- son then reported to the USS Newport News as Executive Officer from August of 1950 to April of 1951, when he reported to Newport, R.I. to assume command of the newly formed Officer's Candidate School. While serving in this position, the training organization at Newport was modified and a staff designated Naval Schools Command established with Captain lohnson appointed Commanding Officer in charge of seven different schools. In September of 1954, Captain lohnson assumed command of the USS Arneb, where he served until luly of 1955, when he reported for duty on the staff of Commander, Cruiser Division Six as Chief of Staff, Aide, and Operations. THE STAFF CAPT RALPH C IOHNSON Chief Of Staff LCDR LACHLAND D MCLAUGHLIN Asst Operations Officer LT ROBERT L MCELROY LTIG JOSEPH METCALF IH Flag Secretary Gunnery G Readiness Officer LT FREDERICK F IEWETT LTIG DANA PECKWORTH Communication Officer Flag Lieutenant LT. MCELROY LT. IEWETT , LTIG. METCALF LTIG. PECKWORTH . . ,A -wg 1 v 1 1 t 1 1 C E t I i