Abbot’s Commanding Officers
Abbot was commanded by a dozen men, including several Pearl Harbor veterans and a few future admirals. One was a World War I army veteran. Eight were Naval Academy graduates. One later became commander of U.S. naval forces in the Vietnam War. Altogether they sailed Abbot through more than two decades of turmoil.
All of the skippers have brief biographies here, though we always welcome additional information. If you can help with names, dates or photographs, please let us know.
Abbot’s Skippers |
*Rank upon assuming command of Abbot. Promoted to commander while aboard. |
Commander Chester Edward “Blackie” Carroll, U.S.N. (1900-1987)
April 1943 to August 1943 |
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Lieutenant Commander* Marshall Edgar “Skinny” Dornin, U.S.N. (1907-1994)
August 1943 to August 1944 |
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Lieutenant Commander* Francis Walford “Waffles” Ingling, U.S.N. (1912-1990)
August 1944 to February 1946 |
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Lieutenant Commander* Rue O’Neill Jr., U.S.N. (1918-1988)
February 1951 to November 1952 |
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Commander Lowell Crosby “Doc” Savage, U.S.N. (1919-1961)
November 1952 to April 1954 |
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Commander Robert Samuel Salzer, U.S.N. (1919-1988)
April 1954 to April 1956 |
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Commander Willard Wendell DeVenter, U.S.N. (1918-2000)
April 1956 to April 1958 |
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Commander Robert McHenry Pond, U.S.N. (1921-1989)
April 1958 to June 1959 |
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Commander Robert James Norman, U.S.N. (1919-)
June 1959 to July 1961 |
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Commander Allan Hamilton Craig, U.S.N. (1916-1992)
July 1961 to September 1963 |
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Commander John Joseph Pirro, U.S.N. (1921-2006)
September 1963 to January 1965 |
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Lieutenant Commander John Patrick Derr, U.S.N. (1929-)
January 1965 to March 1965 |
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