Oriskany (CV 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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jig! lm S AN aircraft carrier serving with the Sixth Fleet, the Oriskany functioned as part of Carrier Division Six under Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery, USN. His flag flew above the Coral Sea, which accompanied the Oriskany in most of its Mediterranean operations. Rear Admiral Gallery was born July 10, 1901, in Chicago. He attended parochial schools and St. Ignatius High School in Chicago before his appointment to the Naval Academy from which he graduated with the Class of 1921. While at the Academy, he represented the United States in wrestling competition during the Olym- pic Games of 1920. His early career included service on destroyers, cruis- ers, and battleships. Developing an early interest in aviation, Admiral Gallery learned to fly at Pensacola. He received his wings as a Naval Aviator in 1927. Later he attended post-graduate school at Annapolis for three years, specializing in Aviation Ordnance. When World War ll began Admiral Gallery com- manded the U. S. Navy Fleet Air Base in Iceland. From there he was assigned to command the Hbaby flattopw Guadalcanal. Under his command at sea the ship cap- tured the German submarine U-505. After this historic action, the first capture at sea of an enemy naval vessel since 1815, Admiral Gallery assumed command of the U.S.S. Hancock, just in time to be in on the surrender of Japan. From 191116 to 1949 he served as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations QGuided Missilesj. Rear Admiral Gallery achieved the distinction of being the first flag oflicer to land a fighter plane on a carrier. His first appearance on the Coral Sea, the year before he became ComCarDiv Six, was as pilot of a Corsair on the carrier7s flight deck. He is the holder of a Hgreenn card, issued to specially qualified instrument pilots by the Navy. He has received the following awards and citations: Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Presi- dential Unit Citation ftwicej, and Commander of the British Empire.

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V ws? in HEN the Oriskany steamed into the Mediterranean Sea, it joined the famous U. S. Sixth Fleet, com- manded by Vice Admiral Matthias Bennett Gardner, USN. Admiral Gardneris command was the largest American Fleet in foreign waters during peacetime. Born in Vlfashington, D. C., November 28, 1897, HMatt'7 Gardner had attended Tennessee Military Insti- tute, Sweetwater, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania State College before his appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Graduated and commissioned Ensign in June, 1918, fwith the Class of 19195 he was ordered to the usual sea and shore duty assignments of a junior officer and in 1922 was designated Naval Aviator. After 1931 he served in Fighter Squadron Six in the aircraft carrier Saratoga, on the Staff of Commander, Aircraft, Battle Force, again in the Saratoga, in the aircraft carrier Ranger, in the Oflice of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in the aircraft carrier Wright. At the outbreak of World War ll, Vice Admiral Gard- ner served as Chief of Staff to the Commander, Aircraft Scouting Forces. ln May of 1942 he became Chief of Staff, Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific, and in December, 1942, he returned to the United States as Aviation Officer, Plans Division, Headquarters, Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet. i X X On November 7, 1943, Vice Admiral Gardner took command of the 27,000-ton aircraft carrier Enterprise, which emerged from the war as one of the most dec- orated ships in the Navy. As the war drew to a close, he became Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans, Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet. After Japan surrendered, he was designated Chief of the Strategic Plans Division, Ofiice of the Chief of Naval Operations. ln August, 1946, he assumed duty as Com- mander, Naval Air Bases, Fourteenth Naval District. In August, 1948, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Naval Operations. Two years later, he took command of Carrier Division Four. The next month, with the rank of Vice Admiral, he assumed command of the Second Fleet, relieving Admiral Robert B. Carney. From the Second Fleet Com- mand, Vice Admiral Gardner came to the Sixth Fleet. ln addition to the Wo1'ld War 1 Victory Medal, De- stroyer Class, the American Defense Service Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Libera- tion Ribbon, Vice Admiral Gardner wears the Distin- guished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, with Gold Star and Combat 448,75 and the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Wfir' and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon.

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APTAIN JOHN OSGOOD LAMBRECHT, USN, took connnand of the Oriskany at Izmir for the second half of the cruise, relieving Captain Percy H. Lyon, USN, on Thursday, july 26, 1951. Captain liambrecht came to the Oriskany from the Na- tional Wlar College in Vlfashington. Previously, he had had wide experience in highly responsible naval assignments. A member of the Annapolis Class of I925, he first served in engineering and gunnery on the battleship Pennsylvania and in the Far East. In 1930 he took flight training at San Diego and Pensacola. By 1934 he served as an instructor at Pensacola. After that, he spent more than three years as an air ollicer in Asiatic waters. Iust before Pearl Harbor he went to Corpus Christi as Operations Olhcer, leaving that assignment just after he made Captain in July, 1943. He became Chief of Staff, ComCarDiv II, Pacific Fleet. Then he was ordered to NAB Manus as Commandant. In July, 1945, he took command of the aircraft carrier Makassar Strait. The next year he was assigned to OpNav as Assistant Chief, CommitteeslAviation1, General Planning Group. In February, I943, Captain Lambrecht joined the Staff, Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, staying until August 1950. He was Assistant Chief for Plans, and Assistant to the U. S. Representative to the North Atlantic Ocean Regional Group. From there, he moved to the National War College, before coming to the Oriskany. CAPT. J. 0. LAMBRECHT COMMANDING OFFICER SAYS OW that the good ship Oriskany having had its first Hbirthdayi' and its I0,000th landing, and at the same time having completed its hrst Mediterranean cruise with the Sixth Fleet, a good opportunity is provided for the skipper to sound off. I continue to be delighted and pleased with the excellent performance turned in by all hands and the fine spirit of cooperation and team work habitually exhibited in the shipis operations. This is equally true of those times when we are engaged in fleet or individual ship exercises as well as those periods when recreation is the order of the day and our athletic teams are busy hauling in the championships. Everywhere we have been, Turkey, Greece QI passed through Athens on my way to join the Oriskany and I was looked upon with envious eyes when I told people I was going to command herb, Crete, Genoa, Cannes, and other places, I have heard nothing but the finest compliments for the Oriskany and those compliments are, of course, for you. the Shipis Company, because you are the Oriskany. Furthermore. it has not been just a matter of coincidence that when people ashore wanted to visit a U. S. warship. they picked the Oriskany-llzey 'LUKIFIYCI1 Io sec fl real fglzting ship. Wliat Iim trying to say is that each one of you in the Ships Company rightfully can be very proud of your fine ship-you made her that way. For myself, I was very proud the day I took over commandgthat pride has grown by leaps and bounds and I expect it will continue to do so. As the Admirals in the Fleet have 81211311011 lo the Oriskany so many times. 'tWe11 Donef'