Wisconsin (BB 64) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 12 text:

V His office is always busy . Mm COMMANDER H. A. CASSIDY, JR. Commander Herbert A. Cassidy, Jr., USN, Executive Officer of the USS WISCONSIN lBB 641, was born in East Glastonbury, Conn., Oct. 25, 1915. He' attended the Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, for two years before enter. ing the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1935, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1939 gn June 1. He then reported to his first duty station qboqrd the USS NEVADA. Assuming duties aboard the WISCONSIN in 1955, Commander Cassidy came to this ship from duties at the Bureau of Personnel, where he was Assistant Branch Head in the Training Division. During his Navy career, Commander Cassidy has served aboard and commanded ships participating in aperq. tions in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres. The Executive Officer holds the following decorations: Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star Medal, with gold star and combat V, and the American Defense, with the A. His campaign medals include the European Medal, the American Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal, the World War ll Victory Medal, the Occupation Medal, and the National Defense Medal. Commander Cassidy is married to the former Miss Joan Bentley of Evanston, Illinois, and refers to Norfolk as being his present official address, Commander and Mrs. Cassidy have three children, Maureen, 11, Kathleen, 9, and Michael, 3. , N8 la

Page 11 text:

hh' CAPTAIN JOHN O. MINER Our commanding officer, Captain John Odgers Miner was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on June 22, 1910. He entered the U. S. Naval Academy in June, 1927, and graduated whh a Bachehr of Sdence degree as endgn on June 4, 1931. After graduation from the Academy he was assigned to the battleship Maryland, where he served for two years. In subsequent tours of duty pdor to VVoHd NVar ll, he served on destroyers, cruisers and the old battleship Utah. He placed the destroyer Tingey in commission and assumed his first command on that ship in December 1943. Commanding her for twelve months, Captain Miner and the Tingey partici- pated in Pacific Theatre operations with the Third and Fifth Fleets. Among his decorations is a letter of commendation for meritorious conduct while commanding the Tingey in the Pacific. Hewas also awarded the Silver Star Medal for con- spicugug gallantry and intrepidity as commonding officer of that some destroyer during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific War area. Upon detachment from command of the Tingey, he re- turned to the United States. From January 1945 until January 1954 Captain Miner performed various duties both ashore and afloat. Before boarding the Wisconsin on September 1, 1956, he served as U. S. Naval Attache in Rome, Italy, where he received the Order of Merit of the Itahna Repubhcf' In addition to the Silver Star Medal and the Commendation Ribbon, Captain Miner has the American Defense Service Medal with star, the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Cam- paign Medal with five engagement stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, China Service Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Captain and Mrs. Miner, the former Miss Juliet McLure Campbell of Wheeling, W. Va. have two children-Juliet Denney Miner, age I6 and John Odgers Miner, Jr., Age 14. His official address is Bellaire, Texas. Enjoys the dependent's day cruise with his family 1 4 ...J-if u 1 , Z f , W. , fz' .,,sWfN4fY4.PX i We , f .fiiggfs-fi .XWMNJM S f f ,f , , .H inspects

Page 13 text:

' 'cz gfdalazq HISTORY OF USS WISCONSIN IBB-641 USS WISCONSIN was launched on 7 December 1943, third of the powerful IOWA-class battleships. After her shakedawn cruise to Trinidad, British West Indies, the WISCONSIN set course on 24 September 1944 for the Pacific war zone. WISCONSIN earned five battle stars and the Asiatic-Pacific area service ribbon for participating in: Leyte-Luzon operations and attacks, Luzon operation, Formosa, China and Nansei Shoto at- tacks, Fifth Fleet raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto assault and occupation operations at Iwo Jima, Okinawa Gunto operation, and Third Fleet operations against Japan in July and August 1945. As part of the occupation force, WISCONSIN dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay on 5 September 1945. She had been continuously at sea for 66 days, had steamed 105,831 miles since her com- missioning, and had participated in every Pacific naval operation since joining the fleet. Following overhaul, WISCONSIN sailed to Caribbean and South American ports, returning to Norfolk on 2 December 1946. In 1947 the ship was mainly devoted to U. S. Naval Reserve training cruises. On 25 October 1951 WISCONSIN sailed for the Far East. As flagship for Commander Seventh Fleet, she lent heavy gunfire support to United Nations forces off the eastern coast of North Korea. tte Her ribbons American Theatre Asiatic-Pacific Theatre I5 Battle Starsl Philippine-Liberation I2 Battle Starsl World War Il Victory Navy Occupation Uapanesel National Defense Korean Service I1 Battle Starl United Nations While striking 'transportation facilities in the Sonpn Chaho area on 15 March 1952, WISCONSIN received a direct hit from on enemy shore battery-her first hit in two wars. The ship sustained only light damage. Following five months of action in Korean waters she re- turned to the East Coast and shortly after departed for another midshipman training cruise on 9 June 1952, visiting Greenock, Scotland, Brest France, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On 25 August 1952, WISCONSIN again departed Norfolk to participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise, Operation Main- brace starting at Greenock, Scotland and ending at Oslo, Norway. WISCONSIN departed for the Far East 9 December 1953. En route she stopped at Balboa, Canal Zone and on 12 October re- lieved the USS NEW JERSEY as flagship of the Seventh Fleet. In the following months WISCONSIN visited Kobe, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Otaru and Nagasaki, Japan and spent Christmas in Hong Kong, B.C.C. She was relieved in April 1954. On 11 July 1955 she took part in Midshipmen Cruise Baker visiting Edinburgh, Scotland, Copenhagen, Denmark and Guan- tanamo Bay, Cuba. The ship immediately proceeded to the New York Naval Shipyard for major overhaul, Upon completion of the overhaul period, she iourneyed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 23 Janulary 1956 to operate from there on her shakedown rcuise which! was combined with Operation Springboard. On this cruise WISCONSIN visited Tampico, Mexico, Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Cartagena, Columbia. The ship re- turned to Norfolk, Va. 31 March 1956 for local operations.