This page is dedicated to the nine men who served as our Captain. They guided us through unknown waters, stormy seas, typhoons, kamikaze attacks, long hours at General Quarters, and happy hours on Mog-Mog. They were all Naval Academy graduates, all high achievers, most made flag rank, some task force commanders, and one was Chief of Naval Operations.



CAPTAINS OF THE USS INDIANA BB-58
Click on names below to view their biographies 
 Aaron Stanton Merrill  30 April 1942 to 23 January 1943
Thomas Green Peyton  23 January 1943 to 10 August 1943
William Morrow Fechteler  10 August 1943 to 13 January 1944
James Mortimer Steele  13 January 1944 to 17 March 1944
Thomas Joseph Keliher, Jr.  17 March 1944 to 01 May 1945
Francis Paxton Old 01 May 1945 to 05 December 1945
Frank Russell Talbot  05 December 1945 to 20 July 1946
Lester Robert Schulz  20 July 1946 to 17 August 1946
James Herbert Carrington  17 August 1946 to 11 September 1946

Biographies were researched by Robert H. Stevenson, SM1c, CS Division. Thanks Bob 
Biographies of the Captains were compiled by Jean Ensley. Thanks Jean 
Biographies edited by the WebMeister

SOURCES:

Benjamin M. Givens, Jr.
World War II Diary
Unpublished
Vienna, VA, 1987-1998

Ship's Log, USS Indiana (BB-58)
Volumes 1-14
US Archives
Washington, DC, 1942-1946

Navy Office of Information
Internal Relations Division
Washington, DC

Navy Office of Information
Biographies Branch
Washington, DC

Last Updated 26 July 2000

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