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Captains and Executive Officers of the USS Cusk

    This page honors the Cusk's 15 commanding officers.  No words can adequately describe life at sea, or the relationship between a submarine's captain and his crew.  It is also unlikely that our beloved Captains will ever really know the amount of respect, loyalty and admiration that each crewman feels for him.  It transcends understanding, except for those of us who sailed under his command. 

    Over the years, we'll forget many of our shipmates - but we'll never forget our Cap'n.

Apologies to Mr. Walt Whitman for this paraphrased and slightly adapted version of his wonderful poem,

                    "Captain, Oh My Captain!

O CAPTAIN! My Captain! our fearful trip is done;

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

O Captain! My Captain! we rise and hear the bells;   

We Rise—for you the flag is flown—for you the bugle trills;

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;

For you they call, the grateful men their eager faces turning;

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;

From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

 

Cusk Captains:

  Year Captain Executive Officer Chief of the Boat (COB) Additional Pictures of Cusk Captains
1

1945 to 1947

Paul Edward "Pete" Summers, CDR

William Edward Norrington, LCDR Paul Golden Saunders, GMGC(SS)

Captain Summers shaking hands with Admiral Nimitz

   
2

1947 to 1949

Frederick B Clarke, CDR Eugene P "Dennis" Wilkinson, LCDR        
3 1949 Fredrick Thomas Berry, Jr., LCDR          
4

1949 to 1951

Frederick Birchfield Tucker, CDR

Clifford M Essler, Jr., LCDR

George Henry "Mac" Mahoney, LT

       
5

1951 to 1953

Charles Bowers "Swede"  Momsen, Jr., LCDR

Walter Eugene Dedrick, LCDR        
6

1953 to 1955

Eugene Pridonoff, LCDR

Walter Eugene Dedrick, LCDR        
7

1955 to 1957

Richard Martin Clark, LCDR Robert Haddock Blount, LCDR        
8

1957 to 1959

Richard Joseph Cooke, LCDR Robert Haddock Blount, LCDR        
9

1959 to 1960

Robert Elliot Crawford, LCDR Frank M Murphy, Jr., LCDR Vernon Rhodell Atha, TMC(SS)      
10

30 April 1960

to

1962

William Thomas "Tom" Mawhiney, CDR

Frank M Murphy, Jr., LCDR

William V Surman, Jr., LCDR

Eugene Gaito, ENC(SS)

Frank Zamarron Fraga, EMC(SS)

     
11

1962

to

23 May 1964

George Frank "Tiger" Comstock, Jr., LCDR

William V Surman, Jr., LCDR

Eugene AG Beaumont, LCDR

       
12

23 May 1964

to

10 June 1966

 

William Walde Von Christierson, LCDR

Eugene AG Beaumont, LCDR

Robert Bryan "Hoot" Gibson, Jr., LCDR

Denton W West, LCDR

Robert Eugene Shaeffer, ENC(SS)      
13

10 June 1966

to

30 July 1968

 

Donald Joseph Killian, LCDR

Denton W "Denny" West, LCDR

W Tyler Brown, LCDR

 

Relinquishing command of the Cusk

(Photo courtesy of Don Killian)

At sea during WestPac, 1967

(Photo courtesy of Dave Duerr)

 
14

30 July 1968

to

27 June 1969

Albert William "Sam" Houston, CDR

Tommy D. Sawyer, LCDR  

The famous "Buddha" hat

(Photo courtesy of Lee Krabill)

Entering Pearl Harbor early in

1968 WestPac

(Photo courtesy of Sam Houston)

"That danged Redfish coat!"

The Cusk put to sea shortly after

Sam Houston took command and

before he could get more appropriate

attire on his new command

(Photo courtesy of Lee Krabill)

 

Taking command of the Cusk

(Photo courtesy of Don Killian)

Watching the Cusk Softball Team

at the San Diego Sub Base, 1969

(Photo courtesy of Lee Krabill)

The Yellow Replacement Coat

At least it didn't say "USS Redfish" on it

(Photo courtesy of  unknown)

15

27 June 1969

to

24 September 1969

 

Thomas Francis Arnold, LCDR

Tommy D. Sawyer, LCDR  

 

   

 


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 All information and pictures herein were contributed by, and are the property of crewmembers of the USS Cusk.  It is intended solely for your enjoyment and education, and for preserving the memory and history of this great ship.  If you take anything or make copies, please give proper credit.  Your questions and comments are welcomed, as are any pictorial or historical contributions you might wish to donate or loan. 

Send an email to the USS Cusk webmaster at: USS Cusk Webmaster

This page was last updated: 01/11/19