On 26 July 1974, while the ship was enroute from Subic Bay to Hawaii (at the end of a WestPac), CDR Andrew Bleakley, Jr. relieved CAPT Frederick C. Johnson (interim CO) as MORTON's twelfth Commanding Officer.    Captain Bleakley was born in Ancon, Canal Zone, in 1937. He received his reserve commission upon graduation from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1959 and augmented into the regular Navy in 1964.     His initial sea assignment was Chief Engineering Officer of USS EXCEL (MSO-439). Subsequent sea tours prior to command of MORTON included duty as Operations Officer COMDESDIV-32 Staff; Operations Officer USS HARRY E YARNELL (DLG-17); Commanding Officer USS HERBERT J THOMAS (DD-833); Commanding Officer USS WEXFORD COUNTY (LST-1156); and Executive Officer USS FOX (DLG-33). This sea duty included four WestPac deployments, homeporting of the first destroyer squadron in Japan, and operations off Vietnam.     He Commanded MORTON until 1 October 1976. He retired from the Navy in 1987 as Captain. The photograph was taken in 1985, and came from the Navy Memorial Foundation web site. http://www.lonesailor.org/ Updated: August 10, 2003

Andrew Bleakley, Jr.

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