Oriskany (CV 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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-5 4 ,-V Nm.. . K fl-ww - ' W V H,-3-L, E I lv 'I.l - ,-QD ,,,...a45 . , A H. ,.. .,., , ,,. A , . I ' ., J.. is., -, .. Us , , - Executive Otticer Upon the Oriskanyls arrival in San Diego, Commander Arthur T. Decker took over the duties ot Executive Otticer from CDR. James Mahan Wright. Commander Decker, tormerly the ship's Operations Otticer, graduated trom the Naval Academy with the class ot B5 and served with many responsible positions both on shore and at sea. The new Exec is no stranger to the Oriskany, having been aboard trom July, I95I, to January, I952. Following his tirst tour ot duty aboard the Oriskany, he served on the USS TICONDEROGA ICV-I4l, until he returned to the Big O on May I9th ot this year. During World War Il, Commander Decker earned the tollowing awards: the Distinguished Flying Cross with a gold star, the Bronze Star Medal with a combat the Air Medal with three gold stars, the Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star, the Navy Unit Citation, the Racitic Theatre Ribbon I9 engagementsl, the Ameri- can Theatre Ribbon, the Pre-Pearl I-Iarbor Detense Ribbon with a bronze star, the WWII Victory Ribbon, the Euro- pean Occupation Ribbon, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two bronze stars. A tamily man, Commander Decker is married and has two children. I-Iis home is in Newport, Rhode Island. 31 Illlriqhst lhwnmanden USN Executive Officer CDR James Mahan Wright, USN, Executive Otticer ot the ORISKANY, was a specialist in Aviation Ordnance. I-Iis career in the Navy, atter graduating trom Annapolis in I934, trained him in armament, tactics, and tlying. Atter Annapolis, he spent three years in the Pacific learning the ropes as a young otticer aboard the battle- ship NEW YORK. In I937 the Navy trained him as a pilot at Pensacola. The next two years he spent as Gun- nery Otticer on the aircratt carrier RANGER, in the Ra- ctic. I-Ie took post-graduate work in Aviation Ordnance at Annapolis trom I94O to I942. Then he became Chiet, Guns and Mounts, Aviation Subsection at the Bureau ot Ordnance. In June, I943, he went to the South Pacitic as Gunnery and Tactics Otticer with Commander, Fleet Air. While on this assignment he made the rank ot COfTTfTTaFlClef. In July, I944, CDR Wright returned to San Diego as Gunnery and Tactical Otticer on the statt ot Com- mander, Fleet Air, West Coast. In July, I945, he was named Commander, Carrier Air Group BO. In the summer ot I946 he joined the Statt, ComCarDiv 5, where he served as Gunnery and as Operations Otticers until late in I947, when he was engaged as Operations Otticer, Statt, Carrier Division 3, in inter-type exercises. CDR Wright, in January, I948, became I-lead, Avi- ation Ordnance Branch, Fleet Maintenance Division, Bureau ot Ordnance. I-Ie came directly trom the Bureau ot Ordnance to the ORISKANY.

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O Courtney Stands Captahn USN At IOZOO, July 23, l9S2, under ti warm sunny Califorriia sly, Captain Courtney Shands took command of the U.S.S. ORISKANY, mit-.r:-at member of the Pacific Fleet, which had just arrived in San Diego after her unprecedented trip around Cape Horn. Captain Shands was born on Dec. I, l905, in Ferguson, Missouri. He attended public schools in both Webstttr Groves and Kirltwood, Missouri. On July 2, l923, he entered the U. S, Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, as a midshipman, graduating and being commissioned as Ensign, June 2, l927. The next two years were spent capably performing his duties as line officer on bath battlcships and destroyers. ln l929 he entered Flight Training at Pensacola, Fla., and in Decem- ber of that year was designated as a qualified Naval Aviator. Subse- quently he served in the Pacific and Asiatic Fleets in aircraft carriers and cruisers, and as a flight instructor at Pensacola, Fla. During World War ll, Captain Shands was the commanding officer of thc Fighting Squadron 7, Fighting Squadron 7l, Fighting Squadron 72, and also served as Commander Air Group 7. During the relief of Malta and thc historic battle of the Solomons, he served aboard the carrier Wasp. ln the latter action hc was forced to iump into the sea, later being piclced up by a destroyer, as the mortally wounded carrier sanlc. He put in distinguished duty with the Ranger and Yorktown, also serving with the lst Marines at Guadalcanal. ln I944, Captain Shands became a member of the staff of Com- mander Air Force, Atlantic Fleet, and later Commander, Fleet Air Ouonset Point, Rhode Island. He was then transferred baclc to sea duty as the Commanding Officer of thc U.S.S. Talcanis Bay lCVE-89l in the Pacific Fleet. Following this duty he was appointed a member of the United States Strategic Bomb Survey in Japan, where he served until becoming a member of the Staff of the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. ln I948 he was appointed Chief of Staff, Carrier Division 3, in the Pacific Fleet. The U.S,S. Boxer was the flagship. ln I949, he was as- signed to duty as Fleet Air Operations Officer in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He attended the National War College prior to taking command of the U.S.S. ORISKANY. Captain Shands is married, his wife residing at 507 N, Taylor Ave., Kirkwood, Mo. He has two children: a daughter, Mrs. Richard King Lane of Jacksonville, Illinois, and a son, Courtney Jr., who is attending Harvard University. He was awarded the Navy Cross in the battle of Guadalcanal where he shot down four enemy fighters and two bombers in 23 minutgg, HQ also has the following awards and citations: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with Star, American Defense Service Medal with American Area Cam. paign Medal, European4African-Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal with Two Stars, Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with Three Stars World War Il Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, I . U. lambrecht Captahu USN Commanding Officer Captain John Osgood Lambrecht, USN, came to the ORISKANY from the National War College in Washing- ton. Previously, he had had wide experience in highly responsible naval assignments. A member of the Annapolis Class' of l925, he first served in engineering and gunnery on the battleship Pennsylvania in Asiatic waters. ln l93O he toolc flight instruction at San Diego and Pensacola. By I934, Captain Lambrecht served as an instructor at Pensacola. After that he spent more than three years as an air officer in Asiatic waters. Just before Pearl Harbor, he went to Corpus Christi as Operations Officer. Leaving that assignment just after he made Captain in July, l943, he became Chief of Staff, ComCarDiv l l, Pacific Fleet. Then he was ordered to NAB Manus as Commandant. ln July, I945, he toolc command of the aircraft carrier MAKASSAR STRAIT. The next year he was assigned to OpNaV as Assistant Chief, Committees lAviationl, General Planning Group. ln February, l948, Captain Lambrecht joined the Staff, Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, staying until August I95O. l-le was Assistant Chief for Plans and Assistant to the U. S. Representative to the North At- lantic Ocean Regional Group. From there he moved to the National War College before coming to the ORIS- KANY. Captain Lambrecht was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while serving in the USS ESSEX as Chief of Staff for Commander Carrier Division ll, Pacific Fleet, the Bronze Star and commendation Ribbon while serving as Commander, Naval Air Base, Manus Island. Captain John O. Lambreeht malces his home at Clarlcs Valley, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.

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