Capt Robert E. Bodamer

Dear Captain Bodamer: 30 June 1976
On the occasion of your retirement, I wish
to express to you the Navy’s appreciation
for your years of long and dedicated
service.
     Following your graduation from the
University of Minnesota. you were
commissioned an Ensign in February 1946.
Your first shipboard assignment was in
USS RENDOVA (CVE-114) where you
served until February 1948. You attended
the General Line School. Monterey.
California until December 1948 when you
were ordered to the First Marine Division
as a Naval Gun Fire Liaison Officer. From
December 1949 until July 1951, you were
assigned first to USS WASHBURN
(AKA-108) and later to USS LST-846. For
the next three years you attended the
Naval Postgraduate School and the
Carnegie Institute of Technology, from
which you graduated in June 1954 with an
MS in Metallurgy. You next served in USS
GURKE (DD-783) from August 1954 until
August 1956 when you were ordered to the
staff of Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet. After a tour as Executive Officer in USS DUNCAN
(DDR-874) from April 1959 until November 1960, you took command of USS PICKET (AGR-7).
In November 1962, you became Director, Surface and Amphibious Programs at the Office of
Naval Research. In August 1964 you took command of USS PORTERFIELD (DD-682) where
you served until assuming command of USS MORTON (DD-948) in May 1965. From October
1966 to April 1968, you studied the Chinese language and received instruction in attaché duties
in Washington, D.C. You served as U.S. Naval Attaché and Naval Attaché for Air with U.S.
Defense Attaché Office, Taipei, Taiwan from June 1968 to September 1970. From September
1970 until April 1971, you were Commander, Destroyer Division 212. In June 1971, you
became Commanding Officer, USS DENVER (LPD-9) where you served until May l973. You
next reported to the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taipei, Taiwan in July 1973 for duty as
Senior Advisor (Chinese Navy), Republic of China. You reported to COMELEVEN in March
1976.
     During your career you have been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy
Commendation Medal, with combat distinguishing device, in addition to numerous campaign
and service medals.
     It is with a deep sense of loss that I see your career come to a close. On behalf of your many
shipmates. I wish to extend to you my personal best wishes for your continued success and
many years of good health and happiness.

The letter was signed by S. L. Gravely, Jr., Rear Admiral, US Navy, Commandant Eleventh
Naval District, Commander Naval Base, San Diego, California.

After retirement, Captain Bodamer pursued his lifelong hobby of stamp collecting by opening
“I B Stamps” in Imperial Beach, California. He and his wife Pat ran the business until his death
in 1992.
Captain Bodamer’s ashes were scattered at sea from the USS DENVER.
He was MORTON’s fifth Commanding Officer, serving from 13 May 1965 through 12 October
1966.
Updated March 19, 2001