Reminiscences of Rear Adm. Frederic Stanton Withington, USN (Ret.)

This memoir concentrates on Admiral Withington’s career in the field of naval ordnance. After graduation from the Naval Academy in 1923, he was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd) and then was involved in fitting out the new battleship West Virginia (BB-48); he would serve in her for five years. He had postgraduate instruction in ordnance engineering, service in the USS Nevada (BB-36), a tour at the Naval Gun Factory, and then various staff duties during the 1930s. After another tour in BuOrd, he was in the commissioning crew of the new battleship USS Indiana (BB-58) and served in her in the Pacific, first as gunnery officer and later as exec. After more BuOrd service, he commanded the test ship USS Mississippi (AG-128) and the light cruiser USS Manchester (CL-83). He was a student at the National War College and served with the Atomic Energy Commission. As a flag officer, he was Commander Amphibious Group Three, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, and Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan. He retired in 1961.