USS Essex CVA-9 Air Department Roster – 1953–1954 Far East Cruise

Rosters for the Third Far East Cruise of the USS Essex Aircraft Carrier, 1953-1954, Section 1. | GGA Image ID # 233502eccb

Air Department Officers

1. Gordon K. Ayres GUN (⚠️ “GUN” — likely “Gunnery Officer” or “Gunner,” but should be confirmed)
2. Fred T. Cockrell LT
3. William B. Hocutt CHMACH (⚠️ “CHMACH” — almost certainly “Chief Machinist”)
4. Lawrence H. Hunts LT
5. William S. Mainord CHBOSN (⚠️ “CHBOSN” — almost certainly “Chief Boatswain”)
6. Francis D. McGaffigan CDR
7. Robert S. Merritt CDR
8. John H. Moore II ENS
9. Daniel J. O’Hern LTJG
10. Donald M. Phillips LT
11. Hans P. Schonenberg LTJG
12. Larue T. Sims LT
13. Joel E. Tilley Jr. LT
14. Francis J. Trefero LT
15. Norman A. Tuft LCDR

V-1 Division

1. Arnold L. Alberty AOAN
2. William G. Appleton AN
3. Jack D. Baxter AA
4. Homer T. Bentley AN
5. Frank E. Bervert AN
6. Marvin D. Binkley AOAN
7. Russell L. E. Bishop AN
8. Harold D. Bock AN
9. Raymond L. Buck AN
10. Haverd E. Burk AN
11. Norris W. Bushnell Jr. AN
12. George E. Bye ABAN
13. Billy E. Campbell AMAN
14. Richard F. Caples AN
15. Ellison J. Carter AN
16. Clarence E. Carver AN
17. William L. Casey AN
18. James F. Cates AA
19. Kenneth E. Claflin ABAA ⚠️ (verify “ABAA” — likely typo for ABAN or AA)
20. Joseph M. Clark AN
21. Fred E. Cooper AA
22. Billy R. Copeland AA
23. Jack B. Davis AOAN
24. Alan G. Deweese AOUAN ⚠️ (verify “AOUAN”)
25. William A. Dewhurst Jr. ABAN
26. Urban L. Dixon ABC ⚠️ (verify “ABC”)
27. Charles R. Domagalski AN
28. Dewey W. Evans AN
29. Stanley W. Evans AN
30. Norman W. Everhart AN
31. William F. Farr AA
32. Monte C. Farrell FN
33. Ramon C. Filer AN
34. Wilburn H. Fischer AN
35. Thomas D. Fleming AN
36. Alvin W. Fowler AN
37. Loyd E. Garner AB2
38. Rodney Gary Jr. AD3
39. Melvin J. Gagaulden AN ⚠️ (verify spelling “Gagaulden”)
40. Robert R. Gibson AN
41. Avis H. Goad AN
42. Helio Gonzalez AN
43. Elzie E. Good AA
44. John P. Gorman AB3
45. Artis L. Haaksma AN
46. James N. Hanson ADAN
47. David F. Heavner AN
48. Leroy E. Helmick AN
49. James E. Henderson AA
50. Raymond H. Hill AA
51. William H. Holladay AN
52. Rex Hunt AN
53. Earlie G. Inman AN
54. Therrell C. Jones AN
55. Matthew D. Jurich AOUAN ⚠️ (verify “AOUAN”)
56. Clyde M. Keith Jr. ABAN
57. Robert M. Kilpatrick AN
58. Neil N. King AN
59. William J. King AN
60. Thomas J. Klessig ABAN
61. Lawrence R. Lacy AN
62. Sterling F. L. Lampe AN
63. Robert H. Landreth AN
64. Earl Liggett ABAN
65. James W. Long AN
66. Pat Lowe AN
67. Robert E. Lunt AN
68. Jerry Malfait AN
69. Pete H. Marguerite AN
70. Howard A. Matheny AN
71. Dale E. Mauck AN
72. Clint McAteer AN
73. Jerry Mendelson AN
74. Dale H. Miller AB2
75. Charles W. Moore AB3
76. Mitchell E. Morrow AA
77. Ralph G. Mosely AN
78. Rudolph Munyas ABAN ⚠️ (verify “Munyas”)
79. Donald J. Murray AN
80. Julian A. Nevico AN ⚠️ (verify “Nevico”)
81. Charles W. Ogg ABC ⚠️ (verify “ABC”)
82. Billy G. Peeples ABAN
83. Frank Perez AN
84. Orville A. Perley AN
85. Donald R. Powers AN
86. Sam L. Price AMAN
87. Fred B. Primeaux AN
88. Clarence G. Red AB2
89. Lawrence J. Regan Jr. AOAA ⚠️ (verify “AOAA”)
90. Clyde M. Roberts Jr. AN
91. Gonzalo L. Rodriguez AN
92. Edward L. Rose AN
93. Max J. Rosenboom AN
94. Lynn H. Schimmels AN
95. Howard S. Shinn AN
96. John F. Shiver AOAN
97. Jimmie L. S. Short AN ⚠️ (verify middle initials spacing)
98. Allen O. Simpson AN
99. Ivan R. Simpson AN
100. Bob K. Smith AN
101. Robert E. Smith AN
102. Ernest W. Snyder AN
103. Nils S. Sorenson AN
104. William D. Strahan AB3
105. Roy R. Stuckmeyer AN ⚠️ (verify “Stuck Meyer” vs. “Stuckmeyer”)
106. Darrell A. Stutesman AN
107. Richard A. Subdon AN ⚠️ (verify “Subdon”)
108. Thomas J. Sweeney ABAN
109. Ray C. Tarrant Jr. AOAN
110. William R. Tatum AN
111. R. L. Tedrow SN ⚠️ (initials only — confirm full name)
112. Carl B. Thomas AOAN ⚠️ (typo in source looked like “AOA N”)
113. Robert J. Tracy AN
114. Harry F. Van Horn ABAN
115. Melvin L. Waldron AA
116. Robert S. Walker AN
117. Carl F. Welch Jr. AB2
118. Terry F. Weller AN
119. John F. White Jr. AB2
120. Richard H. White Jr. AB3
121. Russell L. Williams AN

V-2 Division

1. AB2 Floyd L. Allen
2. AB3 Robert O. Anthony
3. AN James F. Boote
4. ABAN Sam Bradburn
5. AB3 Earl E. Burkhart
6. AA Marvin E. Canfield
7. ADAN Robert L. Cannon
8. AN Richard A. Coffey
9. AN William T. Coleman
10. AN Kenneth D. Crawford
11. AN Fred D. Critter
12. AB2 Harold F. Croly
13. AN Walter E. Darst – ✅ restored
14. ABI Duane Dove
15. AB3 Gaylen B. Dyreng
16. AN Dudley R. Edwards
17. SN James N. Elston
18. AB3 Gerald G. Farley
19. AN Harold G. Frost
20. ABAN John Geraghty
21. AB2 Edward C. Gering
22. ABAN Donald A. Girard
23. AB3 Joseph T. Gorski
24. ABC Thornton A. Gray
25. ABAN Edward G. Hall
26. AA Bill G. Haynes
27. ABAN Eugene L. Hoskins
28. AB1 Errico T. Iannotti
29. AN Vaughn L. Janssen
30. AB2 Daniel John
31. AN Kenneth M. Kujawa
32. AN Santo J. La Placa
33. ABAN Philip A. Leone
34. AB3 Bruce E. MacGregor
35. AB1 Jack D. McAuliffe
36. AB2 Donald D. McCown
37. AN Leonard N. Moore
38. ABAN William W. Moran
39. AB3 Walter F. Newby Jr.
40. ABAN Angelo P. Pallotta
41. AB3 Richard V. Patrick
42. AB3 Rasmus L. Pedersen
43. AN Richard C. Peterson
44. AN Robert J. Prosser
45. AB3 Tony S. Putinsky
46. AN Alfred “E” Ray
47. ABAN Ronald D. Reutter
48. ABAN Carroll H. Ritchie
49. AN Norman E. Rountree
50. AN Stanley E. Sampson
51. AB1 Robert H. Simmons
52. AN Alfred J. Skow
53. AN Jacob E. Spratt Jr.
54. AN Wayne E. Stevens
55. AN Victor L. Stunkel
56. AD3 Gerald D. Suttles
57. ABAN Richard L. Tosti
58. ADAN Donlev L. Walker
59. ABAN Joseph R. Willauer

V-3 Division

1. AN Kenneth P. Alderedge
2. AN Richard C. Arrington Jr.
3. AN Charles W. Barber
4. AN Deryl L. Bateman
5. AN Vernon L. Beck
6. AN Ray H. Bruno
7. AN Richard Cantu
8. AA Paul S. Carpenter
9. AN John W. Clark
10. AN Daniel L. Clarke
11. AB3 James R. Cottrell
12. AB1 Donald W. Dau
13. AN Clifford E. Denham
14. AN Rudy J. De Valentine
15. AN Floyd C. Dickerson
16. AA Charles A. Dietrich
17. AN Bill A. Donoho
18. AN Robert P. Drake
19. AN Carl B. Duellman
20. AA Marvin O. Eads
21. AA Richard E. Elmlinger
22. AN James C. Evans
23. ABI Richard E. Evans
24. AN Paul F. Feld
25. AN Don R. Ficklin
26. AN Dwight P. Freeze
27. AN Robert C. Frisbee
28. AN Fidel Garcia
29. AN Kenneth W. Goin
30. AN James W. Crammer
31. AA Michael Gross Jr.
32. AN Waller C. Hall Jr.
33. AN Ferrell S. Hambley
34. AN Bruce S. Ingle
35. AN Bill E. Jameson
36. AN Raymond A. Jenkins
37. AN Donald R. Jones
38. AN Lawrence W. Keen
39. AN Pat M. Keener
40. AB3 Gail D. Kimbro
41. AA Kenneth L. Kirby
42. AN Richard W. Koth
43. AN Edward J. Krejci
44. AN Cecil L. Lomg
45. AA Richard A. Marion
46. AN Franklin R. Markin
47. AN William N. McCracken
48. AN Rex W. McDonald
49. ABAN Dale E. McMillin
50. AN William C. Metzler
51. AN Calvin R. Miller
52. AB3 Lloyd L. Nerden
53. AN Herschell M. Orr
54. AN Charles E. Park
55. AA Roger D. Paul
56. AN George Peltier
57. AN Paul F. Perez
58. ABC John T. Popp
59. AN Robert D. Powell
60. AN Francis J. Rogers
61. SA Jack G. Shaw
62. AN Frank M. Silver
63. AN Jack C. Smith
64. AN William A. Snyder
65. AN Weldon M. Stout
66. AB3 Delmar N. Tapp
67. AN Thurmon K. Thomason
68. AN George D. Thompson
69. AA James H. Travis
70. AN Henry B. Turner
71. AN William F. Turner
72. ABAN Luis Unamuno
73. AN Vernon R. Van Cleave
74. AA Howel W. Wallace
75. AN Clerc A. Weller
76. AN William E. Westland
77. AN Haskal P. Whitworth
78. ABAN Jack G. Willis

V-4 Division

1. HM3 Alan G. Amsberry
2. YNSN Ray A. Anderson
3. AD1 Martel Applegate
4. AEAN Jerome H. Bell
5. AD1 Arthur L. Beyers
6. AN Charles A. Blalock
7. AD2 Donald A. Bower
8. ATC Keith Britain
9. ADC Ozay G. Burt
10. AD3 Earl R. Callaway
11. AE2 Phillip O. Carlson
12. ADAN Marion S. Center
13. ATAN Earnest R. Clay
14. AN Thomas F. Cockrum
15. AMAN Anthony A. Colucci
16. AD1 George W. Cook
17. AD1 Robert Crosby
18. AN Richard L. Crum
19. AT3 Marvin D. Cumbie
20. ADC John G. Dawsey
21. AMAN Philip A. Decicco
22. AN Robert P. Draeger
23. AD3 Ronald L. Essner
24. ADAN Ronald K. Evans
25. AM2 Carlos Fernandez
26. AD3 George O. Finazzo
27. AN Richard G. W. Gaskins
28. AD2 William L. Gilbert
29. AM2 Donald G. Grewe ⚠️ (“A M2” in source)
30. AN Don K. Jennings
31. ATAN Thurston King
32. ADAN Robert H. Kline
33. AT3 John R. Knapton
34. AD2 Harold G. Knight
35. AMAN Stanley D. Knight
36. AA Harold L. Kortsen
37. AT3 Donald F. Kramer
38. ADAN Charles J. Lambert
39. AN Thomas A. Leis
40. AD1 Philip A. Liggett
41. AD3 William M. Love
42. ADC Pierce J. Lyons
43. AN George A. Macaluso
44. ADAN William D. Manning
45. AMAN Y. D. Martin ⚠️ (initials unclear — needs check)
46. AE2 Henry J. McAllister
47. AD3 Howard L. McCord
48. AMAN Jimmy D. McDivitt
49. ADAN Ronald F. Merlino
50. AM1 Ross Metzger
51. AM2 Donald A. Meuse
52. AT2 James A. Mogford
53. AMAN Richard A. Montgomery
54. AN Richard J. Moran
55. AD3 Donald H. Ponts ⚠️ (unusual surname — confirm)
56. ADAN Carl F. Rhoda
57. AD2 Thomas R. Ritzman
58. AE2 Joe H. Rogers
59. YN3 John W. Rohart
60. ADAN Charles Rosato ⚠️ (spaced as “AD AN” in source)
61. AE3 Walter F. Rozinski
62. AD1 Francis H. Schatzinger
63. AN Tyrus R. Sibley
64. AM3 Eugene R. Sinclair ⚠️ (“A M3” in source)
65. AN Edward J. Snock ⚠️ (surname uncommon — check)
66. ATAN John W. Stafford
67. PR3 Hoyt L. Stevens
68. AEAN Herbert W. Stokes
69. ATAN Larry E. Stout
70. AN Geoffrey F. Stretch
71. AD2 John J. Susko
72. AE2 Charles L. Suss
73. AEAN William A. Swartzwelder
74. AT3 Robert J. Thomason
75. PRAN Edward F. Tracy ⚠️ (“PR AN” in source)
76. AM1 Robert T. Trinkle
77. ADAA Richard Van Cleve ⚠️ (“ADAA” unusual rating)
78. AE2 James M. Varilly
79. PR2 Obert J. Vattendahl
80. AMC Truman R. Vinson Jr.
81. ADAN James L. Wagner
82. ADAN James L. Wetherington
83. ADAN Gary E. Whitford
84. AE3 Thomas E. Williams
85. ATAN Omar E. Winter
86. AT2 Thomas K. Wirrick

V-6 Division

1. AOAN Robert W. Adams Jr.
2. AN Robert L. Aguilar
3. AOAN Dennis M. Ahearn
4. AA Cap H. Allen
5. TM2 Joseph E. Allen
6. AOAN Russell E. Anderson
7. AOU1 Malcolm L. Barham ⚠️ (rating “AOU1” uncommon — likely AO1 or AOUAN)
8. AOC William A. Barker
9. AO3 Stanley R. Barnes
10. AOAN Forrest J. Berghorn
11. AN Olin L. Bishop
12. AO3 James E. Blair ⚠️ (source “A03”)
13. AOAN Ray A. Bryant
14. AO3 Michael P. Byerle III
15. MN3 Charles S. Cowell Jr.
16. AO1 Richard P. Crouch
17. AO3 Jack E. Crume
18. AN Allen F. Curnutt
19. AO2 Dennis I. Davis ⚠️ (source “A02”)
20. MN3 Roy I. Dayton
21. AOUAN Thomas A. Deeming ⚠️ (source “DEEM1NG”)
22. AA Urban L. Deiter Jr.
23. AO3 John J. Durkin ⚠️ (source “A03”)
24. AO1 Thaddeus Eggleston Jr.
25. AOAN Walter O. Elkins Jr.
26. AO3 Wiley T. Evans
27. AO3 John M. Finn
28. AOAN Kenneth F. Fuller
29. AO3 Daniel L. Geske
30. SN Clarence N. Gosanko
31. AO3 Nils G. Gray ⚠️ (source “A03”)
32. AO1 Arthur L. Griffith
33. AD3 Charles P. Hahula
34. AA Edward L. Hamm
35. SN Lloyd A. Headley
36. AN Richard T. Hewlett
37. AO3 John A. Jackson
38. MN3 Thomas C. Johnson
39. AOC Jack M. Kemp
40. AO3 Wayne H. Knox
41. AOAN Larrie L. Lambeth
42. AA Floyd C. Lay Jr.
43. AOAN Cecil T. Lewis Jr.
44. AO2 Philip E. Lowery ⚠️ (source “A02”)
45. AO1 Thomas J. Lyden
46. AOAN John J. Mahoney
47. AOC Alfred H. Mason
48. AOAN Sam A. Masters
49. AO3 James P. Morgan ⚠️ (source “A03”)
50. AO3 Wayne A. Mourer
51. AO1 James M. Nelms
52. AOAN Donald R. Nicholson
53. AO3 Darrell W. Nolen
54. AN Lewis E. Osler
55. YNSN Marion F. Patrone
56. AO2 Wayne H. Phelps ⚠️ (source “A02”)
57. AN Richard F. Poitras
58. AO3 Frederick W. Reichman ⚠️ (source “A03”)
59. AO1 Ralph E. Rhodes
60. AO3 Charles E. Roddy ⚠️ (source “A03”)
61. TM2 Francis A. Roeseler
62. AO3 Charles E. Rogers
63. AO2 Robert L. Rogers ⚠️ (source “A02”)
64. AOC Leonard H. Rohren
65. AO2 Jerry C. Roundy ⚠️ (source “A02”)
66. AO2 Harold A. Sanders ⚠️ (source “A02”)
67. AOAN Stanley L. Sawyer ⚠️ (missing comma in source)
68. AOC John A. Scieszka
69. AO3 Clarence L. Sells ⚠️ (source “A03”)
70. AN M. Roy Settem
71. AO1 James B. Shupe
72. AO3 Frederick H. Smalley ⚠️ (source “A03”)
73. AOAN Kent W. Smith
74. AO1 Loren O. Sorenson
75. TMSN Jack P. Spradlin
76. AO3 Jack S. Sprague ⚠️ (source “A03”)
77. AO1 Bernard L. Stark
78. AOUAN Richard A. Stone ⚠️ (rating “AOUAN” uncommon — confirm)
79. AO3 Carl C. Strickland ⚠️ (source “A03”)
80. AO3 David E. Swindell ⚠️ (source “A03”)
81. AOAN Robert F. Tremper
82. MN3N William B. J. Wenk ⚠️ (rating “MN3N” unusual — likely MN3)
83. ATAN Charles R. Yetter

V-7 Division

1. AN John E. Adams Jr.
2. AD1 Ralph L. Althoff
3. AN Edmondo Atencio
4. AB3 Mack D. Atkinson
5. ABAN Milton L. Bailey
6. AB2 Charles A. Beasley
7. AN Roy F. Beaver
8. AN Floyd W. Berryhill
9. AA Sidney L. Biggs
10. AA Arthur J. Borodzik
11. AN Anthony I. Brown Jr.
12. AN Michael D. Caggana
13. AN Joe Castillo
14. ADEAN Richard T. Chenaur ⚠️ (rating “ADEAN” unusual — confirm, likely ADAN or AEAN)
15. ABAA Salvatore Ciraco Jr.
16. AA William L. Clapper
17. ADC Marvin W. Cline
18. AA Ralph L. Conn
19. AN Robert E. Coon
20. AN Glenn B. Covey
21. AB2 Herbert Cox
22. AA George E. Crabtree
23. AB2 Thomas H. Crawford
24. AN Mark H. Curren
25. AN John W. Davis
26. AN Oscar Davis
27. AN Allen A. Denton
28. MM2 Henry W. Dixon Jr.
29. ABAN Richard E. Dolan
30. BTC Richard Draskovich
31. AN James B. Duncan
32. AN Royd A. Gamble
33. ABAN Danny Garcia
34. AB3 Melvin K. Gardner
35. ADAN Clarke C. Garo
36. ADAN Edmunde B. Garo
37. AN Kenneth T. Gentry
38. AD1 Jewell D. Gryder
39. AN James W. Gunn
40. AN Jim D. Horry
41. ABAN Richard A. Hull
42. AN Donald L. Jaquess
43. SA David F. Jennings
44. AN Louis E. Jordan
45. ABAN Harold L. Kelsey
46. AN Jack G. Kirkland
47. AB2 Walter E. Lacey
48. AN Gary D. Lambert
49. AD2 Norman E. Lassen
50. AD3 William B. Leintnger ⚠️ (last name spelling questionable — “LeintnGer”)
51. AA Joseph F. Losciuto
52. AA Joseph Lutz
53. AN John W. Madden
54. AD2 Lester G. Marsing
55. AB2 Harry Matte
56. ABAN Richard P. McAneney
57. ABAN James C. Melvin
58. AN Bert L. Meredith
59. AMAN Richard L. Michele
60. AD1 Richard C. Miller
61. AN Frank Mittiga Jr.
62. AE3 Harold E. Mixon
63. AB3 Marshall M. Myers
64. AN Lawrence E. Pearce
65. BT2 Richard C. Poindexter
66. AN Carl R. Pridgen
67. AOC Dale S. Reitenour
68. ABAN Harlan E. Rogers
69. AN Richard J. Rogers Jr.
70. BT2 Harry N. Sheetz
71. AN Robert Signall ⚠️ (last name spelling questionable — “Signall” uncommon)
72. AN Willie Spence Jr.
73. AN William K. Stillinger
74. AN Ernest D. Stoker
75. AN John D. Tatterson Jr.
76. AB2 David W. Thomas
77. AN Donald E. Weber
78. MM1 Robert D. White
79. AN Harold E. Wilburn
80. SN James A. Willburn ⚠️ (surname duplicated with diff. spelling: “Wilburn” vs. “Willburn”)

Helicopter Unit on Detachment Officer-in Charge

1. LT Edward A. Nelson

Helicopter Unit One Detachment

1. AMAN Phillip B. Burkhalter
2. ADC Malone H. Farrar
3. AD3 Donald R. Hunter
4. AD3 Gerald A. Leever
5. ⚠️ ACC(AP) William T. Long
6. ADAN Gene W. Mundell
7. ADAN Edwin P. Rhoden
8. ADAN John W. Wilkins
9. AT3 Richard A. Zimmer