Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

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xecufive Officer Commander John V. Noel, lr., USN, assumed duties of Executive Officer in July, 1953, while the Rocm-:sn-:R was in Mare Island Naval Ship- yard, Valleio, California. Con Noel was born in Lima, Peru, on June 2, 1912. He attended school and college in New York and Charleston, South Carolina, be- fore entering the Naval Academy. He was graduated with the class of 1936. At the outbreak of World War ll, he was in the destroyer minelayer Uss Slcnnn in the Pa- cific. ln command of the SICARD, and later as commanding officer of the destroyer Uss LAMsou, he saw action in most of the Pacific campaigns. His decorations include the Bronze Star and Commendation Ribbon, both with Combat V's. After the war, Con Noel was assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. ln 1947 he was ordered to Stanford Universi- ty for postgraduate work in personnel admini- stration. He returned to sea in 1948 as planning and assistant operations officer for the Comman- der of Amphibious Group ONE tPacificJ. He Z , 1 'Qs ,J ,., ..,,R y CDR JOHN V. NOEL, Jr. participated in the first amphibious operation of the Korean War. Prior to reporting to the Rocussrzn, he was Executive Officer in the Department of Seamanship and Navi- gation at the Naval Academy. While on duty at the Academy, CDR Noel wrote THE Dlvlslou Orncsms Gum: and revised TH: WArcu Orr-'icr:n's Gum:-:. Operations Commander Robert .l. Baxter, USN, reported aboard the Rocnssrsn on 25 June 1953, while the ship was at Mare lsland Naval Shipyard, to assume duties as Navigator. On 4 March 1954 he relieved Commander David M. Arm- strong, USN, as the ship's Operations Officer. Commander Baxter was born in Seattle, Washington. He was graduated from the Uni- versity of California in 1941 with a degree in history. During World War ll he spent three years at sea in the Northern Pacific. After the war he was stationed for a year at the Naval Training Center, Miami, as an afloat in- structor. There followed a year and a half as Associate Professor of Naval Science at Stan- ford University before he again went to sea, this time as Executive Officer of the destroyer Uss Honusrsn. Since that time Commander Baxter has served as Personnel Officer for the Cruiser Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet, and Personnel Officer at Naval Training Center, Bainbridge. Between these last two stations he attended post graduate school at Ohio State University, From Bainbridge he reported to the Rocussrsn. -. hawk vw - V 6 9 i l CDR ROBERT J. BAXTER

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Commander-Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Alfred M. Pride, USN, is a native of Somerville, Massachusetts. His naval career began at the age of twenty when, in 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve Force as a machinist's mate second class. ln 1918, he was appointed Ensign in the Naval Reserve Flying Corps, and in 1921 he trans- ferred to the regular service. His commands have included: Bombing 'H-ff Squadron 5 and Fighting Squadron 3 on the Uss LANGLEY: Uss BI-:LLEAU Woong Air Control Unit, Amphibious Force, Pacific: Carrier Divi- sion 6 : Carrier Division 4: and Carrier Division 2. His duties ashore have included assign- ments in the Material Division, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy: Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics: and Commander of the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent, Md. During World War ll, he received a Letter of Commendation with Ribbon for his part as VADM ALFRED M- PRHDE skipper of the Uss BELEAU Wooo, in the Pacific Campaign. He was also awarded the Legion of Merit for his part in the planning, staging and execution of the assault and capture of Okinawa Shima while Commander Air Control Unit, Amphibious Forces, Pacific. Vice Admiral Pride assumed the command of SEVENTH Fleet on December 1, 1953. On 1 April 1954 he shifted his flag from the battleship WISCONSIN to the ROCHESTER. Chief of Staff Luther K. Reynolds was born and raised in Water Valley, Mississippi. He graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an enslgn on June 3, 1926. His present rank of captain dates from August 1, 1943. U Commands at sea during his naval career mclude : Uss BARRY: Uss CHARLES AUSBURNE: Uss COLUMBUS: -Destroyer Division 94: and De- stroyer Dlvrsion 14. His duties ashore include: U.S. Naval Academy: Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Va., Assistant Chief of Staff lfor Ad- mmlstrationb to Commander FIFTH Naval District: Head of Complement and Allowance Branch, Bureau of Naval Personnel: Head of Overseas Section, Current Plans, in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations: Head of Current Plans Branch, Chief of Naval Operations. Captain Reynolds has been decorated with the Navy Cross and a gold star in lieu of a second, the Bronte Star Medal, the Legion of Merit, and a Presidential Unit Citation. Prior to being ordered to duty as Chief of Staff, SEVENTH Fleet, Captain Reynolds was the CAP1' LUTHER K. REYNOLDS Y gg:-rzrggzgjng Officer of the heavy cruiser Uss 3

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LCDR H. J. BEUKEMA Chaplain