Rowan (DD 782) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commanding Officer Biography 25 April 1967-8 Iune 1969 Commander Loren 1. MOORE, USN, Commanding Officer of USS ROWAN QDD-782D began his naval 'n Jul 1946 as an enlisted man ln June 1947 career 1 y . he was selected to attend the University of Colorado through the NROT C program and was commissioned Ensign, USN upon receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree. Upon graduation CDR MOORE reported to his first ship, USS WISEMAN QDE-6775, and served as Gunnery Officer in 1952-1953. Upon completion of WlSEMAN's WestPac deploy- ment, .CDR MOORE received orders to the University of Kansas ,NROTC unit as assistant professor of ordnance. While serving at the university he earned the Bachelor of Education degree and was promoted to Lieutenant. ln June 1956, CDR MOORE received orders to USS RENVILLE QAPA-227, where he served as First Lieutenant until J une 1958. He then participated in the Naval Mine Warfare Staff Officer Course until December 1958. Upon completion of the course, the Commander assumed the duties of Chief Staff Officer Mine Squadron 10 with additional duty as Commander Mine Division 101. While serving in that capacity he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. ln August 1961 the Commander returned to the education field as Assistant Professor of Weapons at the NROTC Unit, University of Michigan. While there he earned the Master of Arts degree. CDR MOORE returned to sea in 1963 as Execu- tive Officer of USS KENNEBEC QAO-365 and in August 1964 was transferred to USS COWELL QDD-5471 where he was again Executive Officer. From COWELL he was assigned in November 1965 as Plans Officer at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California where he remained until April 1967. On 25 April 1967, Commander MOORE assumed the duties of Commanding Officer USS ROWAN QDD-7825.

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1 ...W 1 J We, t W 7, ft. W , ff.:f, xfg,f 5 ftff. RWM, w .' 1. XA, . 2 . +2 . V, 4 its .inn ,, ming,- R 5 ali fx , ,? v , I .14 Change of Command Ceremony The purpose of a Change of Command Ceremony, as practiced in the US. Navy, is almost unique in the world today. It is a formal ceremony conducted before the assembled officers and men of the command. The ceremony is a time-honored Navy tradi- tion which formally restates to the officers and men of the command the continuing authority of that command. The change of command itself is a transfer of total respon- sibility and authority from one individual to another. Normally, the change of command cere- mony is held in port and, hopefully, with numerous interested guests present. However, on 8 June 1969, even though ROWAN's change of command took place at sea in a combat environment, the entire ceremony with all of its ritual was carried out modified only to suit the inclement weather conditions. .J f 7' f X fl- X 3 1 f 1 f 1 ---sU'xOF

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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.