Amphib decks commanded by SWOs ?

Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the
USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers
to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ??

I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA.

MW

Mike Weeks wrote:
Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the
USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers
to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ??

I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA.

MW

During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and
XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI
(LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64
and they were all aviators.

Rick

Yofuri wrote:
Mike Weeks wrote:
Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the
USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers
to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ??

I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA.

MW

During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and
XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI
(LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64
and they were all aviators.

Thanks Rick. Further digging strongly suggests that only aviators or
NFOs commanded LPHs until the last was decommissioned.

And I found one early example of a SWO commanding an LHA (Saipan), so I
have to assume that was the policy from the get-go when the LHAs came
on-line -- the first in 1976.

MW

Mike Weeks wrote:
Yofuri wrote:

Mike Weeks wrote:

Does anyone have any knowledge (general or otherwise) as to when the
USN changed its policy regarding authorizing surface warfare officers
to command the large amphib decks (the LPHs/LHAs/LHDs) ??

I'm thinking it didn't happen until after the 1970s. TIA.

MW


During my time with the gator-freighters in '81-83, all LPH CO's and
XO's were aviators. LHA's had SWO CO's and alternating XO's. TRIPOLI
(LPH-10) had a photo board of their CO's back to commissioning in '64
and they were all aviators.


Thanks Rick. Further digging strongly suggests that only aviators or
NFOs commanded LPHs until the last was decommissioned.

And I found one early example of a SWO commanding an LHA (Saipan), so I
have to assume that was the policy from the get-go when the LHAs came
on-line -- the first in 1976.

MW

Yep, it was interesting duty.

At that time, six LHA/LPH AIMD Officer billets (three on each coast)
were LDO billets; the remainder were Aircraft Maintenance Duty Officer
(AMDO/1520) billets. Life could be real fun for them when the senior
Navy aviator aboard was the OPSO. Things like enforcing hydraulic
contamination standards could result in some real faceoffs with senior
Marine officers.

One of my LHA LDO cohorts had a SWO XO whose pet peeve was finding
telephone lists and other references attached to the pullout writing
board of office desks. Any time he found a desk with a desecrated
pullout board, he pulled it halfway out and bent it double with his knee!

IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with
the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health
at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg,
Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget. In 1983 TRIPOLI's
mission was changed to Mine Warfare flagship, and it became the "Polish
Minesweeper" of GW1 when a mine blew away a big chunk of the starboard
bow area.

I never found the answer to one curious fact: Aviator XO's and OPSO's
of LHA's and LPH's were not required to be underway qualified.

Rick

Yofuri wrote:


IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with
the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health
at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg,
Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget.

Perhaps this helps; taken from a 1993 ship's brochu

66-67 Hank Suerstedt
67-68 Bill Adams
68-69 Don Shelton
69-70 Vince O'Rourke
70-71 Paul Hatley
71-72 Jim Gammon
72-74 Warren Lockwood
74-75 Cecil Kempft
75-77 Lee Levenson
77-79 Al Smith
79-81 Collins Haines
81-82 Chuck McGrail
82-84 Tom Cliff

I show Lake as being JFK's skipper (69-70) and Nyberg had
Kearsarge(CVS-33) in 66-67.

I was really sadden to learn of McGrail's passing a few years back; his
squadron command tour had been VF-96, and had the opportunity to meet
him while doing research on that squadron's history.

MW

oops; that should be: 74-74 Cecil Kempf

"Mike Weeks" wrote in news:1134783725.162353.119350
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:


Yofuri wrote:


IIRC, every CO of TRIPOLI from 1964 to 1982 went on to two stars with
the exception of CAPT Collie Haynes, a former POW who was in poor health
at the time. It was quite an honor list, including Willie Nyberg,
Julian Lake, Chuck McGrail and others whom I forget.

Perhaps this helps; taken from a 1993 ship's brochu

66-67 Hank Suerstedt
67-68 Bill Adams
68-69 Don Shelton
69-70 Vince O'Rourke
70-71 Paul Hatley
71-72 Jim Gammon
72-74 Warren Lockwood
74-75 Cecil Kempft
75-77 Lee Levenson
77-79 Al Smith
79-81 Collins Haines
81-82 Chuck McGrail
82-84 Tom Cliff

I show Lake as being JFK's skipper (69-70) and Nyberg had
Kearsarge(CVS-33) in 66-67.

I was really sadden to learn of McGrail's passing a few years back; his
squadron command tour had been VF-96, and had the opportunity to meet
him while doing research on that squadron's history.

McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy.

Dave in San Diego

On wrinkle nobody has mentioned was the fact that the PHIBRON Commodore was
the luck of the draw - I had a submariner, an aviator and a crusty old black
shoe during my two amphibs - and the culture accommodations that had to be
made depended a lot on their attitudes. And yes, the LPHs all had 1310s in
my day as did the LPDs, IIRC.

"Dave in San Diego" wrote...

McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy.

'Good evening, this is the Captain speaking. The sky is clear, and sunset
coming up soon -- a great day to come up and watch the "green flash"! Come on
up and join me for a FOD walkdown'! [or words to that effect]

....not to mention the "stealth transit" from Japan to NorPac to join Enterprise
and Coral Maru...

John Weiss wrote:
"Dave in San Diego" wrote...

McGrail was my skipper on the Midway after his Tripoli tour. Great guy.


'Good evening, this is the Captain speaking. The sky is clear, and sunset
coming up soon -- a great day to come up and watch the "green flash"! Come on
up and join me for a FOD walkdown'! [or words to that effect]

...not to mention the "stealth transit" from Japan to NorPac to join Enterprise
and Coral Maru...


Did you have a "McGrail's Navy" sundeck above the bridge, with chaise
lounge, patio carpet, potted palm, SP phone to the bridge and the SPS
radar shut down when in use? Tripoli did.

Rick