THE COMMANDING OFFICER
     Captain Floyd T. Thompson, a native of Fostoria, Ohio, graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1936 and served for a time thereafter aboard the battleships ARIZONA and NEW YORK. From 1939 through 1942, he was assigned to duty aboard the destroyer DUPONT participating in neutrality patrols and escorting convoys to England and Iceland during the first months after this country's entrance into the war.
     Completion of a post-graduate course in Aerological Engineering led to service on the aircraft carrier INTREPID during the campaigns in the Marshall, Truk and Philippine Islands. Early 1945 found him in Chungking, China as Officer-in-Charge of the U. S. Navy's secret aerological network throughout China. Later, he assumed additional duties as Executive Officer of the U. S. Naval Group China which involved operations and intelligence work in collaboration with the Chinese Secret Police in such remote cities as Kunming, Shanghai, and Chungking. Captain Thompson received the Bronze Star Medal for his service in China and the Yun Hui decoration from the Nationalist Government of China.
     Captain Thompson returned to the continental United States for a regular tour of shore duty early in 1946, but 1949 found him back at sea as Executive Officer of the U. S. S. MONTAGUE, an attack cargo ship which participated in the Inchon invasion. Transferred to the Staff of Commander Seventh Fleet as Assistant Operations Officer, he received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Bronze Star Medal for such duty.  He then assumed command of the destroyer BARTON in time to take part in Korean operations.
     During the past three years, he has been the Executive Officer of the Department of Marine Engineering at the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis Maryland.