Abbot’s Commanding Officers

Abbot had a dozen commanding officers, 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 nearly two decades of turmoil.

All of the skippers have brief biographies (click on a name below), though we always welcome additional information. If you can help with names, dates or photographs, please let us know.

Abbot’s 12 Skippers
World War II
1943–46		 Cold War
1951–65
Commander
Chester Edward “Blackie” Carroll, U.S.N.
(1900–1987)
April 23, 1943 — August 13, 1943		 Carroll Lieutenant Commander*
Rue O’Neill Jr., U.S.N.
(1918–1988)
February 26, 1951 — November 1952		 O'Neill
Lieutenant Commander*
Marshall Edgar “Skinny” Dornin, U.S.N.
(1907–1994)
August 13, 1943 — August 14, 1944		 Dornin Commander
Lowell Crosby “Doc” Savage, U.S.N.
(1919–1961)
November 1952 — May 5, 1954		 Savage
Lieutenant Commander*
Francis Walford “Waffles” Ingling, U.S.N.
(1912–1990)
August 14, 1944 — May 21, 1946		 Ingling Commander
Robert Samuel Salzer, U.S.N.
(1919–1988)
May 5, 1954 — April 1956		 Salzer
Commander
Willard Wendell DeVenter, U.S.N.
(1918–2000)
April 1956 — April 19, 1958		 DeVenter
Commander
Robert McHenry Pond, U.S.N.
(1921–1989)
April 19, 1958 — July 6, 1959		 Pond
Lieutenant Commander*
Robert James Norman, U.S.N.
(1919–2013)
July 6, 1959 — July 3, 1961		 Norman
Commander
Allan Hamilton Craig, U.S.N.
(1916–1992)
July 3, 1961 — August 28, 1963		 Craig
Commander
John Joseph Pirro, U.S.N.
(1921–2006)
August 28, 1963 — January 28, 1965		 Pirro
Lieutenant Commander
John Patrick Derr, U.S.N.
(1929–)
January 28, 1965 — March 26, 1965		 Derr
*Rank upon assuming command of Abbot. Promoted to commander while aboard.