Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

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:born luly 17, 1908, in Marion, Alabama. : appointed to U. S. Naval Academy in 1926. :four years a member of the mid- shipman wrestling team. commissioned lune 3, 1930. : early sea duty: IDAHO, LEXING- TON, DALLAS, BULMER. :1934-1937, aboard the BULMER, With the Asiatic Fleet. :shore duty at Annapolis, 1937- 1938. :reported to the cruiser SAN FRANCISCO in 1939, in which he served throughout most of the War. :Navy Cross and Presidential Unit Citation, Battle of Guadalcanal, 1942. :Legion of Merit, Battle of Cape Esperance. :1944-1946, Bureau of Ordnance, Washington. :Commander Mine Division TWO, then on the staff of Commander Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet. :staff, General Line School, Mon- terey, California. lstaff, Commander Mine Force, Pacific Fleet. : postgraduate study at the National War College, Washington. :skipper of the FREMONT QAPA- 54 . :Chief of Staff to Commander, Blockading and Escort Force, Pacific Fleet. :assumed command of the ROCH- ESTER on February 4, 1955. :nine engagement stars on his ribbons, which include Pacific Theatre, American Theatre, Asi- atic-Pacific, Korean Service, Navy Occupation, United Nations, Ko- rean Order of Military Merit, Ulchi with Silver Star, in addition to the Navy Cross, Legion of Merit, and Presidential Unit Citation. Captain William W. Willbourne COMMANDING OFFICER ' .M

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operational commitments permit her to be in the area. Into the wind and out of the wind, steaming in company with carriers and destroyers, she gets the chance to limber up her equipment and participate in mock actions which come as close as possible to the real thing. New ideas can be tested, new systems evolved. New men get their sea legs and a thorough familiarity with their jobs. Old hands learn new details of jobs they thought they already knew perfectly. Under the theme of training, though, there is always the thought that the task force is ready. If, while the ships conduct maneuvers, the need for their services should arise, they are there. In a matter of hours they can be at almost any trouble spot in the Orient. And the communists know this. With the task force practicing at sea an amphibious landing in the Pescadores is diflicult to envision. Complete con- trol of the seas belongs to the free nations, and without a navy to force the issue with Task Force 77 the enemy can do little. Here, then is the reason we came. Not only to protect the interests of the United States in the Far East, but to improve our ability to protect those interests, the ROCHESTER has come half way around the world. Ready now, more ready tomorrow, waiting- that is the position the Navy has been assigned. It will be years before we can tell how successful the President's policy in Asia has been, but we can hope that our Far East tour of duty has been a contribution to discouraging communism in Asia and strengthening our friends there. M., .... - -23:5-1 1. mmm.. A afar'-' ' radii-N - Mew T 'fsfzfwmgar . . i A 1 i - ., frfii v - ' . gr L-ww j -Q '- ' T 1 ' t i s ' V M. .E 3,-Q v M . .,g.- ,. . . fm--1.f..,.qu.1Lz,,4fw ,,. -- ,,,...,,, up 4 V, g ,Mean M . A , , ,,.L,,,.:,,..a.AT,f: WwTZ,2. 4,F2wV an ' 'ft'L4..4Zw T -L-is L. A COUGAR IN THE LANDING PATTERN flashes by the Rochester as the Philippine Sea lunges into the wind, waiting to recover her brood of flying chicks. Operating with six carriers during tour in WestPac presented the ship with new challenges. f .,ts

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER ,f Q 1' I f vagw, f Commander William K. Rogers : : :born on October 25, 1915, in Haddonfield, New lersey. : : :football and basketball player in high schoolg graduated with hon- ors, 1933. : : : appointed to U. S. Naval Academy in 1934 by Senator W. Warren Barbour on the basis of a com- petitive examination in which he placed first in the state. : : : commissioned with Class of 1938, U. S. Naval Academy. : : :early service aboard IDAHO, O'BRlEN, HILARY P. IONES. : :aboard O'BRlEN when she was torpedoed and sunk by a lapa- nese submarine in December, 1942, exec of HILARY P. IONES. : : :exec of the HUNT, his third destroyer duty station. : : :first command, the ALYWIN, later to receive the Legion of Merit for his exceptionally meritorious conduct against lapanese forces. : : :still another destroyer, again in command, the TINGEY. : : :WEST VIRGINIA as Gunnery Officer and acting exec. : : :Naval War College, Newport, for postgraduate study, and then for duty on staff of the General Line School in Newport. : an command of the BENNER, for which he received a letter of Commendation from Commander Destroyers Atlantic Fleet as a result of his ship's placing first in the Battle Efficiency competition. : : :became exec of the ROCHESTER on luly 6, 1954. :::eight engagement stars on his ribbons, which include, in addi- tion to the Legion of Merit, Am- erican Defense, American Thea- tre, European Theatre, Asiatic- Pacific, Philippine Liberation,Navy Occupation.