Tarawa (CVA 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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flux COMMANDING OFFICER Captain JACK P. MONROE Commanding Officer U.S.S. TARAWA was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1904, Captain Monroe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1927. He spent the succeeding two years aboard the battleship U.S.S. TENNESSEE, and then went into flight training. By 19310 he was a naval aviator, during the next seven years his assignments included flying from the cruiser NORTHAMPTON, the battleship NEVADA, and the carriers RANGER and LEXINGTON. Shore duty at Pensacola followed, then command of the seaplane tender U.S.S. GANNET. Captain Monroe was on the staff of Commander Carrier Division Two aboard the U.S.S. LEXINGTON when she was sunk in the Coral Sea battle of May 1942. As the war progressed he became Air Officer of the escort carrier U.S.S. BOGUE, Director of Armament Tests for the Bureau of Aeronautics, and commanding officer of the carrier U.S.S. KADASHAN BAY. i A His experience was still further broadened by subsequent assignments. In 1946 he took over command of the Naval Air Station at Sangley Point in the Philippine Islands. A year later he became Operations Officer for Commander Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. His next duty, from 1949 to 1951 was with. the Naval Ordnance test Station in Inyokern, California, from there he went to the Operational Development Force in Norfolk as Chief of Staff. A On August 9, 1952 Captain Monroe assumed command of the U.S.S. TARAWA. I

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The U. S. S. TARAWA QCVA LLOJ was first commis- sioned at Portsmith, Virginia, on December 8, 1945. Too late for the conflict that inspired her conception, she was duly shaken down and operated on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as a training ship. Finally in October 1948, she set out on a world cruise that took her from San Francisco to New York via Hawaii, Asia, Suez and Gibraltar. Upon her return she was placed in the reserve fleet and decommis- sioned. On February 3, 1951, the TARAWA was commis- sioned for the second time with Captain John H. Griffin USN as Commanding Officer. Shortly thereafter she enjoyed the unique distinction of being officially adopted by the State of Connecticut. The remainder of 1951 saw her plodding the Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Cuba, until she departed in November for the Mediter- ranean Area with Carrier Air Group Eight embarked. Upon her return, the 'G Ter- rible TM put into the yard for repairs and in August 1952 Captain .lack P. Monroe assumed command. ln October 1952, the TARAWA again pointed her bow southward as she headed for the pale blue waters of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for yet another shake-down and training exercise. Pausing at Jacksonville, Florida to take E aboard the last of her new . air group, she became the first carrier to use the dock facilities of the then newly completed NAS Mayport, Florida. Her assignment in the Carribean completed, the TARAWA headed north in December for anxiously awaited Christmas leaves before departing for her second cruise with the Sixth Fleet. New Years Day 1953, found her moored at NAS Quonset, Rhode Island as she feverishly readied herself - for the sailing date of January 7, 1953. All of her hundreds , of people were filtering back from final leaves, her cranes worked day and night loading supplies and aircraft. Finally the dawn of the seventh ar- rived. It is from that dawn whence hangs the tale that follows. A tale, not so much of a ship, but more of the people that go to make her up, the people that are her lifc's blood.

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ficer' .y in avai ears vent torg ded ship 3N. the was ard Jral nme :tor ind AN by ,nd inc for ry. CSI to ief nd Commander HAWLEY RUSSELL, USN was born in Salem Massachusetts, .Iuly 27, 1913. Graduating from Colby College, Waterville, Maine, he entered flight training and received his wings at Pensacola in 1936. The next three years were spent aboard the Uss WEST VIRGINIA, returning to Pensacola as an instructor in 1939. Assignment to the USS WASP as Hangar Deck Officer, Flight Officer of VF-71, and later Flight Officer with VF-16 aboard the second USS LEXINGTON followed. He served as Commanding Officer of VF-33 at Guadalcanal and Bouganville. The Commander was aboard the USS WASP when she was sunk in September 1942 after the engagement at Savo Island. On Christmas Day 1943 he was shot down while leading a fighter sweep at Rabaul. Wounded in both legs., he was returned to the United States for recovery. He was subsequently attached to ComFairQuonset Staff and later Commanding Officer of FawTuLant, with 1946 finding him in Officer's Line School. Later he was Commander Air Group 17 until ordered to ComFair,Iax Staff in 1949. In July 1950 Commander Russell was transferred to the Office of CNO, Fighter Tactics and Doctrines, for two years until he relieved Commander Upham as Executive Officer of the USS TARAWA on August 9, 1952. E :Aw ww rt- ft' U , VI., A: -u., A - if 'QE ez' -fi' .ln ,V 4 V, 1 ,: t1lIA'v nicest! if facie a iw. r 'A f g visas.,-4 ' 1 - ff? .11-Q' ,- -Z.?ia?Q' V I, . 'S fmgil'-11' ' EXECUTIVE OFFICER