U.S. NAVCOMMSTA LONDONDERRY, N.I.
Commanding Officers and Executive Officers
1942-1977
U.S. Naval communications in Northern Ireland began out of necessity when the U.S. Naval Operating Base (NOB) at Londonderry became a center of military activity at the beginning of World War II. Allied communications centered around a radio facility which was established as an integral part of the Naval Operating Base (NOB) on 3 February 1942. In 1943 the U.S. Navy acquired use of the land upon which the Clooney and Rossdowney compounds were later situated.
The U.S. Naval Radio Station (NAVRADSTA), Londonderry, was established as a separate activity from the U.S. Naval Operating Base (NOB) on 10 July 1944. Thus, this date is considered the actual commencement date of NAVCOMMSTA Londonderry . One month later, on 15 August 1944, the U.S. Naval Operating Base (NOB) was de-commissioned, leaving the NAVRADSTA, and its sailors, as the only remaining U.S. Navy activity in Londonderry.
On 7 November 1950 the NAVRADSTA at Londonderry was re-designated as a U.S. Naval Radio Facility (NAVRADFAC). It was later designated a U.S. Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) on 10 July, 1961.
U.S. NAVCOMMSTA Londonderry was disestablished on September 30, 1977, ending a 35 year history of U.S. Naval communications in Londonderry, N.I., and ending what had been a very long and close relationship of U.S. Navy Sailors with the Londonderry community. At the time of its closing, it had been the oldest U.S. naval facility in Europe. No other U.S. military service, neither the U.S. Army, nor the U.S. Marines, both of whom who left at the end of WWII, stayed in Londonderry longer than the U.S. Navy.
Commanding Officers (CO),
and Officers in Charge (OIC)
NOB
1942:
W. J. Larsen, Captain, CO
1942-1943:
James
A. Logan, Commodore, CO
1943-1943:
Harry L. Thompson, Captain, CO
1943-1943:
C. C. Baughman, Commodore, CO
1943-1944:
V. L. Kirkman, Captain, CO
NAVRADSTA
1944-1945:
Perry J. Johnson, Lieutenant Commander, OIC
1945:
John Fahey, Lieutenant, OIC
1945-1947:
H. J. Lang, Commander, OIC
1947-1950:
D. C. Ward, Lieutenant, OIC
NAVRADFAC
1950-1953:
F. G. Wilson, Lieutenant, OIC
1953-1955:
Wally Noel, Lieutenant Commander, OIC
1955-1957:
Claude E. Hale, Lieutenant, OIC
1957-1960:
Raymond Ward, Lieutenant Commander, OIC
NAVCOMMSTA
1960-1962:
R. M. Petty, Commander, CO
1962-1964:
R. G. Merritt, Captain, CO
1964-1965:
Albert P. Carpenter, Captain, CO
1965-1967:
Curtis J. (Casey) Zane, Captain, CO
1967-1970:
Raymond E. Ward, Captain, CO
1970-1972:
William Lynch, Captain, CO
1972-1974:
Albert J. Ashurst, Captain, CO
1974-1976:
Paul R. Byrd, Captain, CO
1976:
Robert McManis, Commander, CO
1976-1977:
Thomas McKeown, Jr., Captain, CO
Executive Officers (XO), and Assistant Officers in Charge (AOIC)
NOB
1942-1943:
Harry L. Thompson, Captain, XO
1943-1944:
John E. Williams, Commander, XO
NAVRADSTA
1944-1946:
Jennings Poole, Lieutenant, AOIC (may be incorrect)
1946:
F. S. Inman, Lieutenant(jg), AOIC (may be incorrect)
1947-1950:
unknown
NAVRADFAC
1950-1953:
W. E. Walker, CWO3, AOIC
1953-1955:
Clifton, Lieutenant(jg), AOIC
1955-1957:
John Kistner, Lieutenant(jg), AOIC
1957-1960:
John J. Flynn,
Lieutenant, AOIC
NAVCOMMSTA 1960-1962:
W. B. Lower, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1962-1964:
Edwin H. DeFriez, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1964-1965:
William D. Wilson, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1965-1967:
Robert F. Elfsten, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1967-1969:
Rodolphe E. (Rudy) Corbeil, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1969-1970:
John J. Boesenberg, Lieutenant Commander, XO
1970-1971:
Francis E. Cornett, Commander, XO
1971-1974:
C. A. Murphy, Commander, XO
1974-1976:
William B. Reinhart, Commander, XO
1976-1977: Robert McManis, Commander,
XO
1977:
Thomas S. Johnson, Lieutenant, XO
If you have any additions, modifications, or corrections to make to the above information, please send them via e-mail to Dennis Kolodziej, the Alumni Association web site manager.
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