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Commander Richard H. Tibbets, USN (ret.)
was “Commissioned as an Ensign in the Naval Reserve in 1941, he reported for active duty a few months later aboard the
USS American Legion. He served as a landing boat-wave officer during the invasion of Guadalcanal and later served on the island
temporarily in the port director's office. He rejoined his ship in time for the invasion of Bougainville. In 1944, he
was transferred to the USS Prentiss for duty as executive officer. After the Japanese surrender, the Prentiss remained in
the Pacific for mopping-up operations in Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea.
He transferred to the regular Navy
in 1946, serving as executive officer aboard the USS Mona Island and the USS Zellars. In 1951, he completed the Naval officers
program at George Washington University and was promoted to commander. Other sea assignments included command of the USS Jeffers
and the USS Ingersoll, which fought in the Korean War. During the Suez Canal crisis of 1956, he served as commanding officer
of a tanker.
From 1957 to 1960, Commander
Tibbets served as the Executive Officer of the U.S. Navy Sub-Board of Inspection and Survey, based in Newport, Rhode Island.
He retired in 1964. (arlingtoncemetery.net). Commander Richard H. Tibbets died in January 2007.
He is the author of The Ghosts of Genteng: A Tale of Post WWII Mutiny.
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