Rowan (DD 782) - Naval Cruise Book

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if Ex Nuff x Fm '- , 1 Commanding Officer 8 Iune 1969-Present Commander Forrest R. JOHNS, USN, of Chicago, Illinois, enlisted in the regular Navy in March 1946 and after a year and one half of enlisted service, entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1947. He was commissioned as an Ensign on graduating in 1951 and his first tour as First Lieutenant in the destroyer USS HAILEY QDD-556, included four months of combat operations in Korean waters and an Around-the-Worldw cruise. CDR JOHNS then served two years in coastal minesweepers as Executive Officer, USS BARBET QAMS-41, and Commanding Officer, USS BOBOLINK QAMS-ZJ. This was followed by tours on the staff of Commander Mine Squadron FOUR as Assistant Training Officer and on the staff of Commander Amphibious Squadron THREE as Readiness and Training Officer. His next tour as First Lieutenant in the attack transport USS NOBLE QAPA-218j included Western Pacific operations involved with the Laos crisis of 1959. This was followed by a tour as Executive Officer in the destroyer escort USS ROBERTS CDE-7495 which included operations off of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion. CDR JOHNS next served three ears with the U.S. Naval Mission to Venezuela where he was TLS. Naval Advisor to both the Venezuelan Naval Academy and Naval Trainin Center. He also served in the Venezuelan destroyer ARV ZULIA QD-215 during the Cuban Quarantine operations. On his return from Venezuela, CDR JOHNS served a tour as Executive Officer in the destroyer USS BACHE QDD-4-705 which included operations involved with the Dominican Republic crisis, four months of combat operations in Vietnamese waters, and his second HAround-the-Worldw cruise. For his contributions during Vietnamese combat operations, CDR JOHNS was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat VR ln May 1966, CDR JOHNS relieved as Commander Mine Division EIGHTY-FIVE, a division consisting of the four ocean minesweepers ABILITY fFlagshipQ, NOTABLE, RIVAL and SALUTE. Following this tour he reported for duty in Wash- ington, D.C. with the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff as military Secretary of the U.S. Delegation to the lnter-American Defense Board. CDR JOHNS took command of ROWAN during combat operations on B June 1969.

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Vwv X- gf' ' ' WW' M A .A vw x HRA ii 3 . f,,. yn. . A s,1 f?ffY'if V ME., ,W 4, - W'fw?ek1L3i, 1 Deplo ment arch 1969 18 .1 9 ' 3' X38 Cahber Roundisfi