Commander S. E. Rameey
Captain H.B. Sherry
Commander M. A. Zimmerman
Commander R. H. Buckley
Commander C.J. Peterson
Commander R.E. Muller
Commander W.K. Wilson
Captain T.C. Williamson
Commanding Officier W.G.Matton
In Feb, 1941 Captain Matton received his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy. After serving two years on USS WASHINGTON, he was awarded his Naval Aviator wings in Nov, 1943. Following a tour as a flight instructor, he became Executive Officer in 1945, of Photo Squadron 4 which was engaged in mapping operations of post World War II China. Captain Matton was later to serve as an intelligence officer on the staff of CINCLANTFLT, as Executive Officer of Patrol Squadron 24 and then to attend the U. S. Naval War College. In June, 1951 he commenced a tour of duty with the Central Intelligence Agency and then served as Executive Officer of the USS CORREGIDOR In April, 1954 he took command of Patrol Squadron 5 which won the CNO Safety Award in fiscal year 1955 Captain Matton then went to the U. S. Naval Photographic Center as Executive Officer and to Commander, Fleet Air Wings, Atlantic as Assistant Chief of Staff for Readiness. Captain Matton was on the faculty of the Armed Forces Staff College from 1960 to 1962. Captain Matton was Commanding Officer USS DENEBOLA from Aug 1962 to Aug 1963 and then Commanding Officer of the Naval Reconnaissance and Technical Support Center until Dec 1965. He was Commander Fleet Air Wing Two from February 1966 until May 1967 and FAW-2 received the Navy Unit Commendation during this period. Prior to his retirement in 1968 he was Deputy Inspector General, CINCLANTFLT.
Captain Matton died in July 1992.
Commanding Officier Refo
During a one year tour of duty, with Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-127, he held positions of Flight and Executive Officer.
Just prior to VE-Day, Captain REFO, reported to the U.S. Navy Academy Post graduate School for a course in Ordnance Engineering (Aviation) culminating in a year of advanced study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Captain REFO was Deputy Missile Development Officer in the Bureau of Naval Weapons Sept, 1962 to Aug 5, 1963, at which time he assumed command of USS DENEBOLA. His next command was Commanding Officer of USS RANDOLPH (CVS-15). He died Nov 1986. Reference: Ships Crew Book dated 1963-64
Commanding Officier Eggeman
Crew Book dated 1964-65
Captain Leland B. Cornell
As a fighter pilot during WWII he participated in the Solomon Islands Campaign. During the pacific war, he downed 5 enemy planesand is listed as an "ACE".Captain Cornell was Assistant Air Officer on USS TARAWA (CVA- 40) In 1956 he served on staff of COMCARDIV FOUR as Air Operations and Special Weapons Officer. In 1957 he took command o fVA-25 and in 1959 took commandof VA-65. After Commanding USS DENEBOLACaptain Cornell served in the Pentagon ( Op-05 ) for a few months and then became Commanding Officer of Lemoore Navel Air Station, Lemoore, California from July 1967 to July 1969 After Lemoore, he served on staff of the Commandant 12th Naval District San Francisco from 1969 to 1971. In July 1971 he became Chief of Staff of the 12th Naval District San Francisco and retired in July of 1973.
Leland B. Cornell remains very active and will be celebrating his 86th birthday this November.
Following an initial tour as Security Officer, U.S. Naval Biological Laboratory, Oakland, California, he embarked upon a series of sea duty assignments commencing when he reported to USS Brown (DD546), in Nov 1957. Succeeding tours, in order, included assignments oin USS Saint Paul (CA73), Beach Jumper Unit ONE, USS Chicago(CG11) and USS Bayfield(APA33).
In April 1967, then LT. CMDR. Dewey commenced a dual assignment with the Naval Advisory Group, Republic of Vietnam, and the US Navy River Patrol Force in the Mekong Delta region of Southeast Asia.
During this tour he saw combat action on numerous occasions including during the Viet Cong Tet Offensive of 1968.Then came a tour ashore with the NATO staff of Commander Naval Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe. Following promotion, Commander Dewey returned to sea as Executive Officer, USS Concord(AFS5) In Jan.1974 to Jan.1976, he served as Commanding Officer, USS Denebola(AF56). A series of staff assignments started when he reported for duty as Operations Officer, Commander Service Group ONE in Feb.1976. It was while serving as Training Officer and Chief Staff Officer at Fleet Training Group, San Diego, that he was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 April 1978. Next came duty as Chief Inspector and Chief Staff Officer, Military Sealift Command, Pacific, followed by a tour on the staff of Commander Naval Forces Marianas.
Captain Dewey's final tour of duty was as Commanding Officer, Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Readiness Center, Sacramento, California from which he transferred to the retired ist effective 1 July 1987. Captain Dewey's decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Action Ribbon plus various unit citations and service medals. He is qualified for both the Navy Expert Rifleman and Navy ExpertPistol Shot Medals. Captain Dewey is married to the former Diane M. Morgan of La Mesa, California. Their marriage has been blessed with four children and seven grandchildren. In the course of their naval career they have lived in the areas of San Diego, Long Beach and San Francisco, California: Norfolk, Virginia: Yokosuka, Japan: Naples, Italy: and the Territory of Guam, Mariana Islands. The Dewey's reside in retirement near Colfax, California where they enjoy the many opportunities for hunting, fishing and skiing offered by that region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Captain Dewey passed away on April 12, 2007 of heart failure. He will be missed by his family, friends and the Denebola crew.
He also wore the Presidential Unit Citation for service aboard USS HORNET during World War II.
Later tours of duty have included five deployments to the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. During the first two, Captain Bach was Operations Officer and Officer-in-Charge, respectively, of night attack detachments of VA (AW) 33. The third was as Commanding Officer of light jet attack squadron 106, and the last two were as Air Officer of USS INDEPENDENCE. Captain Bach has also commanded a large replacement Air Group Squadron 43. Attack Squadron 106 won the Airlant Battle Efficiency award under Captain Bach's command. He personally scored six "E's" in eight competitive events. USS INDEPENDENCE won the Admiral Flatley Award for safety in carrier air operations during Captain Bach's tour as Air Officer.
Captain Bach has a BA in Foreign Affairs from George Washington University, and is a graduate of the Naval Test Pilot School and the NationalWar C ollege. He took command of the USS DENEBOLA on 7 Sept 1966. Captain Bach and the former Sally Ann Glidden of San Diego, California have one daughter, Rebecca.
Reference: Ships Crew Book dated 1967
Commander Doolittle then served as Operations Officer of USS Uvalde (LLA-88) until Septr 1968 and from Oct 1968 to Nov 1970 h He was Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Center, Binghamton, New York. His next duty was as Executive Officer of USS Waccamaw (AO-109) from Jan 1971 to April 1972. He served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel from June 1972 to July 1974 and in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations from Aug1974 to Nov 1975. He assumed command of USS Denebola (AF-56) in Jan 1976 and served in that capacity until the ship's decommissioning in April 1976. He was promoted to Commander on 1 July 1973. A native of Hamden, Connecticut, he is married to the former Katherine Ann Hill, of Hyde Park, New York. The Doolittle's have a daughter, Ann and a son, Scott. After Denebola, Commander Doolitte reported for duty as Commanding Officer, USS
Nitro (AE-23).
Captain Quinley R. (Dutch) Schultz
He truly cared for his crew and frequently would stop the ship dead in the water and over the 1MC you would hear "Now swim call." I grabbed my trunks and put them on running to the port side bulwark. As I climbed up I looked to my right and up on the 03 level port wing was "Dutch", a perfect dive. I nearly killed myself diving from main deck Another time In Valletta, Malta the ship ran a ground in the harbor. If I remember correctly "Dutch" got scuba equipment on and went down under the ship to "Assess" any damage. There was none. I have written to Dutch to see if he can give us his bio and photo.
Submitted by John Train EM2 1969-1973
Commander Todd Studied Engineering Electronics at the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California and taught at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. He also served as Plans Officer for Fleet Electronics Warfare Support Group and Commanding Officer, USS TUTULLA (ARG-4) which was transferred to the Republic of China Navy on 21 Feb 1972 after it completed duties in the brown rivers of Vietnam. Change of Command ceremonies were on 21 Jan 1974 when Commander Richard F. Dewey assumed command of USS DENEBOLA .Reference: Welcome aboard brochure