Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 19 text:

2 is ffl s head of the Operations Department, CDR . M. ARMSTRONG has the administrative esponsibility of coordinating Communica- ions, Electronics Repair, and the Combat ln- ormation Center, and has seen that all phases f the work of the Operations Department ave been carried out in a most efficient man- er. For his efficient planning of the ROCH- STER'S operations during its third tour in orenan waters, CDR ARMSTRONG was warded the Bronze Star with the Combat Dis- 'nguishing Device by the Commander Sev- Fleet. Before reporting aboard in Feb- ry of l952, CDR ARMSTRONG was a r of the staff of the Commander, Am- ibious Training Command, U. S. Pacific . He calls Washington, D. C., his home. ff , f X' COMMANDER DONALD N. CLAY reported on board the ROCHESTER in July of i952 to assume the duties of executive officer. A i935 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, CDR CLAY was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V and the gold star in the lwo Jima and Okinawa operations, and the Commendation Ribbon for services in Korea in the Fall of l95O. An executive officer, CDR CLAY coordinates all the departments to form a smooth working team. Much of the success of the ship's operations in Korea was due to CDR CLAY'S hard work. For his excellent services during the last cruise, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of his third Bronze Star. r,..3

Page 18 text:

, CAPTAIN RICHARD H. PHILLIPS, USN assumed command f h O i Q RocHEstER on sepiemiser 26, I'952. A 1927 gmqs uate of the US. Naval Academy he has served in aII Icinas of combatant vessels, from minesweepers to battleships and aircraft carriers. As engineering officer of the U.S.S. BEL- LEAU WOOD QCVLZLII, he took part in operations in the Pacific for which the ship was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Commanding the U.S.S. SHAW CDD373D, he earned the Bronze Star at Saipan and Guam. Leading Destroyer Division IO8, he earned the Navy Cross at Leyte Gulf. After I9-45, he was assigned shore duty, save for a period in which he commanded the USS FREVION . . . I -I' CAPA 445, Prior to coming to the ROCHESTER, CAPT. PHILLIPS was on duty in Washington as the Assi t s ant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for th J e oint Chiefs of Staff, For his outstanding command of the ROCHESTER during her Iast tour in Korea he was awarded the Legion of M ' - l erit with Combat Distins, guishing Device.

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Lcdr. F. M. Betts come oboord the ROCHES- TER in November of 1949 os ossistont gun- nery officer. He wos oppointed heod of thot deportment in Jonuory, 1952, ond wos re- lieved by Lcdr.A. J. Hoskomp in Morch, 1953. He is o veteron of 27 yeors octive novol duty. Lcdr. Betts wos primorily responsible for the supervision ond direction of ordnonce equi p- ment ond equipment ossocioted with deck seomonship. In oddition, he wos responsible for the troining, direction ond co-ordinotion f h o t e Iorge number of men ossigned to his deportment. Moking his home in Long Beoch, he wos sent to the Novol Amphibious Troin- ing Unit ot Coronodo, Colifornio, upon being relieved. Although constontly busy counseling nel, bringing spirituol uplift ond 0 to the religious needs of oll honds, Lcd Beukemo hos found time to speorheqd . , for such worthy couses os the Chest, the Morch of Dimes, Red Cross Relief ond the Netherlonds Relief. ing oboord lost August, Choploin took chorge of the ship's librory ond it into one of the finest oboord ony in the Pocific Fleet. ln spite ofthe demonds upon him, he finds time to orticles for the ship's newspoper entitled it Choploin's Corner ond eoch doy hos o pray ond o few words of 'every doy' philosophylt eoch mon to think obout.