USS Tarawa Veterans' Association  Official Website

CV-40    LHA-1

U.S.S. Tarawa (CV-40)  

Commanding Officers

Captain Alvin Ingersol Malstrom

Assumed command at the original commissioning, Saturday, 8 December 1945; was commanding officer during first Caribbean shakedown and Pacific cruise.

Captain Josephus Asa Briggs

Assumed command 21 March 1947.

  Captain Howard Leyland Young

Assumed command 28 February 1948; was in command during the 1948-49 world cruise.

Commander Ray Cannon Needham

Became Executive Officer to Captain Young 27 August 1948; he assumed command in April 1949 to oversee the first decommissioning which took place 30 June 1949.

  Captain John Hook Griffin

Assumed command at recommissioning, Saturday, 3 February 1951.

Captain Clifford Henderson Duerfeldt

Assumed command 27 July 1951; was CO during 1951-52 Mediterranean cruise.

Captain Jack Pendleton Monroe

Assumed command 9 August 1952; was CO during 1953 Mediterranean Cruise.

Captain William Oscar Burch, Jr.

Assumed command 8 August 1953; was CO during 1953-54 world cruise.

Captain Stanley Carter Strong

Assumed command 16 June 1954 at the end of the 1953-54 world cruise.

Captain John Patrick Rembert, Jr.

Assumed command 7 June 1955.

Captain Harvey Paul Burden

Assumed command 13 June 1956.

Captain John Shannon

Assumed command 19 June 1957; was CO during 1957 NATO Cruise.

Captain Cecil Kelly Harper

Assumed command 25 January 1958; was CO for Operation Argus.

Captain Charles Ford Garrison

Assumed command 7 January 1959.

Commander Rufus Timothy Brinn

Named Executive Officer to Captain Garrison in April 1959, he assumed command 22 January 1960 to oversee final decommissioning which took place 13 May 1960.