Served aboard Mercury, battleship Pennsylvania, cruisers Delaware and Camden, and destroyer Badger. Became Executive Officer aboard destroyers Lawrence and Buchanan. After a tour in JAG and with Commander Destroyers Battle Force, he commanded destroyer Sands and DESDIV 67, with additional assignment as Commanding Officer destroyer Herndon. Assumed command of amphibious ship Regulus, and subsequently assigned to the staff Commander, Amphibious Force South Pacific, earning the Legion of Merit for the Solomon Islands Campaign. He subsequently had command of cruiser Pasadena, earning a Bronze Star at the end of World War II. After a tour with the Military Staff Committee in the UN, he successively had command of Amphibious Training Command, Pacific Fleet and Commander Amphibious Group One. As commander of the amphibious operations during the critical amphibious events of the Korean War at Inchon, Wonsan, and Hungnam, he received the Army Silver Star and the Navy Distinguished Service Medals. Not only was his expertise and leadership in amphibious warfare critical to the successful offensive landings at Inchon and Wonson, but he brilliantly extricated from underneath Chinese Army guns at Hungnam one Marine and two Army Divisions, one Republic of Korean Army Corps totaling 105,000 fighting personnel; 17,500 tanks and vehicles; 350,000 tons of cargo; 91,000 Korean civilian refugees. He subsequently was assigned as President of INSURV and then Chairman of the Joint Amphibious Board. |
