Contributed by Mike Smolinski
| 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.) |
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Thanks to Robert M. Cieri; Ron Reeves & Wolfgang Hechler; Bill Gonyo.
Photo of CAPT Smith courtesy of Ed Palmer.
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This page was created by Paul Yarnall and is maintained by Fabio Peña
Last update: 12 July 2024
