Newport News (CA 148) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

ff ff I ll I K l, I l H l I I l I I A . gi li RT ' V X f Q 1 W! ., B A X J . IQ' . X , 1 Z 1 Z a . 1 ' , i ful , ' ' 1 w , 3 AV 2 'N' ' ' 3 1 in ' ' 'J 2 W f' :V ' fi ' Z nj W V ' ' 'E X ,aa ' f M4 , , rp my Q' v'f49iif.,2 ' I 'I , , , ,w , . I. 5 , uf ,. ff' f W 5 ,ffff -A' 'f - . . .Q -3 ,,..,,.',-, .. ,,,... ...,..- ,.,.,. -..:-.,- , .. - -.-,...--..-r.-,A-,V -- D-ff-H ff- ' ' H' ' ' N -

Page 10 text:

Zion QZ-UZ? O F F A I C E Captain E. K. Van Swearingen . The Bible of the U. S. Navy, as the Bluejackets' Manual is sometimes called, defines a captain as one who, represents the ship, speaks for it and is accountable for it, he is responsible for the operation and fighting efficiency of his ship, he is responsible for all members of his crew and all their acts. . . . . On June 3, 1953, Capt. E. K. Van Swearingen accepted these responsibilities when he re- lieved Capt. Walter H. Price to become the sixth commanding officer of the USS NEWPORT NEWS. lt was the Captain's fifth command. , . Stationed at Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of Dec. 7, 1941, LCDR Van SwearingeI1,'PU ' ticipated in the defense of Pearl Harbor, the attempted relief of Wake Island, the first raid of the Marshall Islands, and in 1942, the landing on Guadalcanal. Later in 1942 he assumed his first command, the USS HENLEY. , The following year commanding the USS IZARD IDD-5891 he participated in ca.mpalgnS against the Gilbert Islands, the Marshalls, Truk, Hollandia and the Solomons and Marianas ls- lands. After his promotion to captain in 1945 he commanded the APA's SUMTER and MONRO- VIA respectively. After a tour of duty as Progress Officer at the U. S. Naval Gun Factory and TAD as con- sultant for the gunnery department at the Naval Academy, Captain Van Swearingen was ordered to the Naval Amphibious Training Center, Little Creek, as Officer-In-Charge of the Naval Gun- fire Support School. , In 1949 he returned to sea as Commander Destroyer Squadron Six operating in the Atldnlle and Mediterranean areas. Prior to taking command of the USS NEWPORT NEWS, he was GS- signed to the Bureau of Personnel, first as OIC, Enlisted Performance Branch and then as Direc- tor of Personnel Research. A ' Born June 15, 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri, he entered the Naval Academy 18 years later- Graduated and commissioned June 1927, Ensign Van Swearingen served as anti-aircraft offleel' and aircraft spotter aboard the battleships USS NEW YORK and USS COLORADO. On M07 29' 1930, LTJG Van Swearingen married the former Miss Eleanor Maria Chamberlain. While std- tioned at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, he qualified as a lighter than air aviator- In 1934 he served as assistant tactics and gunnery officer aboard the USS MACO.N Unhl the ship was lost in February, 1935. After a tour of duty aboard the USS MANLEY which waS then in the Special Service Squadron in Panama, Lieutenant Van Swearingen served as Gunnery Officer and later Executive Officer aboard the USS BAGLEY until 1941. Captain Van Swearingen has been awarded the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Combel V , the American Defense Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Seven Stars, the American Theatre Medal, the World War ll Victory Medal and the European Occupation Medel- .3 5 1 i I 3.-ai

Page 12 text:

off A 'cf X. 9 rn!--lCDrrlXn1 O F F I C E R 1 Commander W. A.. Overton K wr ii i n x 'ii 1 I ,. . ., ' ...I,.... -...,.........- ........ , V , . -. e uv- a . ... Q 1 in - a4.4 If- ? 1 A. Q 5 L 'i 4,--.q-pa-as .r ' 'ID' 3 P ? K ll I'.2 Y... ,. .....-,.,,r . ..a.i. . -- 'v' rmzzs--Aw V- 1 '--f'- ' ... M x.w:Q1--f'- mz::- -e V- -' ' William Arthur Overton was born in Kansas City, Missouri, December 13, 1909. At the age of five his family moved to Independence, Kansas, where he received his grammar and high school education. Entering the Naval Acad- emy from Kansas in 1929, he was graduated with the Class of 1933 with a BS degree in Engineering. He resigned upon gradugtion, accepting a commission as Ensign in the Naval Reserve. He returned to active duty October 1940 and was ordered to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as Commanding Officer of me Local Defense Forces and Assistant Captain Of the Yard. From February 1941 to September 1941 he served In mesweeps. ln September 1941, then a Lieutenant Junior Grade, he entered Submarine School and was graduated in December. His first submarine duty was on the S-18. After 14 months in the S-18 during which time he served in all departments including six months as Executive Officer, he was ordered to the USS SKATE CSS-3051. During the period on the SKATE he made war patrols in the Central Pacific and Japanese home waters. While aboard the submarine SKATE he distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity in action on two different occasions to receive both the Silver and Gold Star Medals. He was awarded a Silver Star for the sinking of a Japanese cruiser while serving as Gunnery Officer in 1944. He received a Gold Star, in lieu of another Silver Star for th f d d ' , e rescue o owne aviators off the coast of Wake Island from October 3 through 5. ln late 1944, he returned to the U. S. and placed the USS CATFISH CSS-3391 in commission as commanding of- ficer. He commanded the CATFISH until July, 1948. Commander Overton did his shore- duty from 1948-1951 on the Staff of the Commandant, Third Naval District as Assistant Reserve Coordinator. Prior to becoming Executive Officer of the NEWPORT NEWS he served 25 months on the Staff of Commander Submarine Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. He is married to the former Margaret V. Zink, of Baltimore, and the father of three girls andltwo boys. He is entitled to wear' the following ribbons and citations: Silver Star' Gold Star in lieu of second Silver Star' Navy Unit Commendation, American Defense, American Theatre' Asiatic Pacific Thebtre se b ttl t W flil , - , e a e s arsp o War ll Victory Medal, China Service Medal, Navy Occupation Medal for both Pacific and Atlafftic, National Defense and the Submarine Combat Insignia with five stars. p ' f 'lif'rt.: ':5 ' H ' 4: f ' Y 7 l e i. 5Qzf'eg',1' 'Q ' -' ' i L .. . Y ,,,,,,,,,, .-Y E -- 1 E l l 6