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NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS INDEPENDENCE   (CVA-62)
(later CV-62)

Commanding Officers
Captain Rhodam Yarrott McElroy, Jr. USNA 1935 10 January 1959 – 3 October 1959 RADM
Captain James Wadsworth O'Grady USNA 1936 3 October 1959 – 15 October 1960 VADM
Captain Harvey Peter Lanham USNA 1937 15 October 1960 – 22 September 1961 RADM
Captain Evan Peter Aurand USNA 1938 22 September 1961 – 1 September 1962 VADM
Captain Leroy Vincent ("Roy") Swanson NAVCAD 1939 1 September 1962 – 23 August 1963 RADM
Captain James David ("Jig Dog") Ramage USNA 1939 23 August 1963 – 31 July 1964 RADM
Captain Robert Wilks ("Duke") Windsor, Jr. USNA 1941 31 July 1964 – 11 August 1965
Captain John Eugene ("Blackie") Kennedy NAVCAD 1942 11 August 1965 – 25 August 1966 (1)
Captain John Peter Fox, Jr. USNR 1942 25 August 1966 – 8 July 1967
Captain Clarence Arthur ("Mark") Hill, Jr. USNA 1944 (2) 8 July 1967 – 2 September 1968 RADM
Captain Herbert Spencer Matthews, Jr. USNR 1944 (3) 2 September 1968 – 14 August 1969 RADM
Captain Bernard Brown ("Beetle") Forbes, Jr. USNA 1945 (4) 14 August 1969 – 19 August 1970 VADM
Captain Gerald Gerrard ("Gerry") O'Rourke USNA 1945 (4) 19 August 1970 – 9 October 1971
Captain William Newell Small USNA 1948-B 9 October 1971 – 1 December 1972 ADM
Captain Charles Ross Smith, Jr. USNA 1949 1 December 1972 – 25 June 1974  
Captain William Bertram Warwick AvMid 1951 25 June 1974 – 24 June 1975 RADM
Captain James Edward ("Jim," "Snake") Service USNR 1952 24 June 1975 – 29 March 1977 VADM
Captain George Morgan ("Skip") Furlong, Jr. USNA 1956 29 March 1977 – 9 September 1978 RADM
Captain Thomas Campbell ("Tom") Watson, Jr. USNA 1954 9 September 1978 – 28 May 1980 RADM
Captain Thomas Edward Shanahan USNR 1955 28 May 1980 – 5 December 1981
Captain Jerry Creighton ("Felter") Breast NROTC 1958 5 December 1981 – 7 June 1983 RADM
Captain William Adam Dougherty, Jr. USNA 1958 7 June 1983 – 29 October 1984 VADM
Captain Kenneth Leroy Carlsen USNA 1963 29 October 1984 – 28 July 1986 RADM
Captain William Ray ("Buzz") Needham USNA 1961 28 July 1986 – 24 February 1989
Captain Thomas Stafford Slater USNR 1963 24 February 1989 – 14 July 1990 RADM
Captain Robert Lee Ellis, Jr. USNA 1966 14 July 1990 – 21 December 1991 RADM
Captain Carter Beaumont Refo USNA 1965 21 December 1991 – 6 July 1993
Captain Dennis Wayne Irelan USNA 1968 6 July 1993 – 25 January 1995
Captain David Pierce Polatty III   [Biography] USNA 1971 25 January 1995 – 5 August 1996 RADM
Captain Tom Steven Fellin   [Biography] AOC 1971 5 August 1996 – 12 August 1997 RADM
Captain Mark Reed Milliken USNA 1975 12 August 1997 – 30 September 1998 RADM

(1)  CAPT John E. Lacouture was Acting Commanding Officer, 26–28 October 1965, while CAPT Kennedy was on bereavement leave (CAPT LaCouture had been CO of USS Saratoga (CVA-60), 28 September 1963–2 October 1964, and in October 1965 was Chief of Staff to RADM James R. Reedy, CTF-77). The ship's XO, CAPT Sam Rorex, Jr., was in temporary command of Independence, 28 October–7 November 1965.  (Back.)

(2)  Graduated on 9 June 1943 with the Class of 1944.  (Back.)

(3)  Enlisted in the Navy in 1940. He was a "Mustang," i.e., a commissioned officer who began his career as an enlisted man. Read his biography at Arlington National Cemetery website. (Thanks to W.F. Mathers, PAO, Executive Division, USS Independence (CVA-62), 1969–1971.)  (Back.)

(4)  Graduated on 7 June 1944 as a member of the Class of 1945.  (Back.)

Thanks to Robert M. Cieri; Ron Reeves & Wolfgang Hechler; Bill Gonyo.
Photo of CAPT Smith courtesy of Ed Palmer.


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Last update: 12 July 2024