Oriskany (CVA 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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skit. During the program Captain Iarrobino, on behalf of the crew presented Sister Margareta Prubst, Mother Superior of the home, with a 553,000 check. On October 20, 1962 eighty members of the Defense Orientation Conference Association QDOCAQ, made up of Business and Industrial Leaders of the United States, visited ORISKANY for a day at sea off Manila, P.I. The world famous Bayanihan Dance Group performed traditional dances of the Philippines aboard ORISKANY anchored in Manila Bay, on November 24, 1962. This was the first time they ever performed on any U.S. Navy Ship. On December 17, 1962 ORISKANY returned to her homeport of San Diego, California, and commenced a leave and upkeep period and on january 5, 1963 CDR O. L. DAUPHIN relieved CAPT C. S. BROOKS as Executive Ofiicer. Two ORISKANY sailors, L. Lotz, SN, and H. Linn, FN, rescued two Coronado, California sisters, Andrea and Diane Laird, from the waters of San Diego harbor when the two girls capsized the small kayak in which they were riding on March 2, 1963. Lotz and Linn received letters of commendation from Vice Admiral Paul D. STROOP, Commandar Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet, for the rescue March Sth. On March 29th CAPT Herman TRUM relieved CAPT IARRABINO as Commanding Officer of ORIS- KANY. ORISKANY became the subject of a television docu- mentary April 9 when television reporterfphotographers from KCRA TV, Sacramento, California flew aboard to film life on an attack carrier. On April 30, 1963 ORISKANY was named by Vice Admiral Paul D. STROOP, Commander Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet, as having the best general mess under his command. PLAT fPilotfLanding Aid Television, System was added to ORISKANY May 7, 1963. PLAT essentially con- sists of three cameras, two center line cameras imbedded in the flight deck, one aft and one forward, with a third manned by a technician located six decks above the flight deck. May 13, 1963 brought a new type of aircraft to ORIS- KANY when two UH-2A fSea Sprite, jet powered rescue helicopters set down on the flight deck, replacing the HUP-2's previously used for angel duty at sea during flight operations. ORISKANY participated in an operational readiness demonstration for President john F. Kennedy off the coast of Southern California on june 6, 1963. The President visited the ship at sea, received honors in flight deck cere- monies and viewed a demonstration of the Naval Tactical Data System. After departing ORISKANY, President Ken- nedy flew to USS KITTY HAWK QCVA-63, to spend the night. Among other ships participating in the demonstra- tion were the NTDS equipped USS KING QDLG-105 and USS MAHAN QDLG-11j. June 22, 1963 ORISKANY was named by the Naval Subsistence Office as runner up', in the Fleet wide Ney Award competition. This was the first time a carrier had ever gone that far in the competition. CDR Jonathan CROWDER relieved CDR O. L. DAUPHIN as Executive Officer on June 17, 1963. From July 15th through the 20th ORISKANY was the key unit in the U.S. First Fleet Exercise GOLF BALL off the California coast. Exercise GOLF BALL was a major fleet strike and anti-aircraft warfare exercise which in- volved 15 ships. Also in july, Admiral George W. ANDERSON, Jr., Chief of Naval Operations, announced on the 19th that ORISKANY had won the Admiral Flately Award for aviation safety in the attack carrier class for fiscal year 1963. August 1, 1963 ORISIQKNY, now flagship for Rear Admiral Frederick L. ASHWORTH, Commander Carrier Division ONE, departed her homeport of San Diego for her sixth Far East cruise with Carrier Air Group SIXTEEN, commanded by CDR R. B. BALDWIN, Embarked. CVG-16 is composed of VF-161, VF-162, VA-163, VA-164, VA-165, VAH-4, Detachment GOLF, VAW-11, Detachment GOLF and VFP-63, Detachment GOLF. Liv

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-.-1--ia -Q.-, - , Chief of Staff and Aide CAPT Leroy V. SWANSON, United States Navy CAPT Leroy V. SWANSON was born in Oneida, Illi- nois, on 11 November 1915, and was graduated from Brad- ley University in 1937. Immediately upon graduation he entered the Navy as an Aviation Cadet. His first duty as- signment was with Scouting Squadron TWO, which at that time was assigned to the carrier USS LEXINGTON. After a tour as instructor at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida he reported aboard one of the original escort car- riers, USS CORE, where he was one of the early participants in the submarine battle of the Atlantic. CAPT SWAN- SON's next duty station was in Torpedo Squadron 50 where he helped commission the light carrier USS BATAAN. He first served as Executive Officer and then as Commanding Officer of this squadron in the Pacific. This sea duty followed by a tour as Operations Officer, NAS, Miami, Florida and a tour as Officer in Charge of the Carrier Qualifications Unit and Landing Signal Officer School located in the Pensacola area. CAPT SWANSON attended the General Line School in 1947 and, upon completion of this course with distinc- tion, became Commanding Officer, Attack Squadron 45 aboard the carriers USS ROOSEVELT and USS MIDWAY. After a tour in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations he became Commander Carrier Air Group SEVENTEEN. During the latter tour he participated in an around the world cruise aboard USS WASP and arrived in the Pacific in time to close the Korean War. After a short tour ashore on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Air Advanced Training at Corpus Christi, Texas, he was assigned as Executive Oflicer of USS SHANGRILA. CAPT SWANSON was then ordered as Commanding Officer of the Naval CIC School in Brunswick, Georgia. While there, he was selected for duty with Operations Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Following this he was ordered to duty as Commanding Officer, USS HALEAKALA. Next came a year at the National War College, Washington, D.C. From the War College he was ordered to duty as Commanding Officer, USS INDE- PENDENCE, one of the first ships on the scene in the recent Cuban emergency. CAPT SWANSON reported to Commander, Carrier Division ONE as Chief of Staff and Aide on 23 Septem- ber 1963.