USS Mansfield DD-728 1969-70 Cruise Book

CO#2

COMMANDING OFFICER

Commander Paul Leland Anderson was born in Racine, Wisconsin and graduated from Washington Park High School in that city. In 1951, he received his B.A. degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota and entered the Navy shortly thereafter. He was commissioned on 24 January 1952 after from Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. His initial assignment was to the USS GHERARDI (DMS-30) where he served as gunnery officer. His next duty was as executive officer of the ocean minesweeper USS EXULTANT (MSO-441). During these first two duty assignments he completed four deployments to the Mediterranean and one to Northern Europe. In January, 1957 he was assigned as Aide And Flag Lieutenant, Commander First Fleet, in San Diego. In July of 1958 he reported to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations as a special project assistant in the General Planning Group.

From 1959 to 1961 he attended the U.S. Naval Post Graduate school in Monterey, California, majoring in Ordnance Engineering. Upon graduation he received a B.S. degree in Electrical engineering. He then joined the guided missile cruiser USS TOPEKA (CLG-8) in the Western Pacific as assistant weapons officer. CDR Anderson qualified for command of destroyers in 1964 while serving as executive officer of USS LYNDE McCORMICK (DDG-8) in the Pacific.

From 1964 to 1966 Commander Anderson was assigned to the Naval Ordnance Missile Test Facility, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, where he served as operations officer and test officer. During this period Commander Anderson was in charge of the consolidation of all land based tests of naval surface-to-air-missiles at the White Sands facility. He next served for two years as weapons officer of the guided missile cruiser USS LITTLE ROCK (CLG-4), flagship of Commander Sixth Fleet homeported in Gaeta, Italy.

Commander Anderson took command of the MANSFIELD on February 3, 1969. He is married to the former Carolyn LaVance, of Nanasquan, New Jersey. The Andersons have four children.