Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Boyd (DD-544)
CDR Bonnett was on board the U.S.S. Tennessee at Pearl Harbor during the attack on December 7, 1941.
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CDR IRA W. BONNETT Commanding Officer U.S.S. Boyd (DD-544) |
| CDR I. W. Bonnett was born near Weston, Virginia,
on August 22, 1916, and entered the Navy directly upon graduation
from high school in November 1934. Upon completion of recruit
training in Feb. 1935 at N.T.C. Norfolk, Virginia, Bonnett was
stationed aboard the U.S.S. Tennessee (BB-43) where he came up
through the enlisted ranks and made CPO in 1941. He was appointed
Warrant Gunner in 1942. In November 1942, he transferred to the
U.S.S. Nashville (CL-43) where he was commissioned an Ensign in
June 1943, LTJG in September 1944. October 1945, Bonnett was
transferred in Mare Island Naval Shipyard where he was ship's
superintendent and in April 1946 he was promoted to LT. As LT he
served in the following duty stations: Sept. 1946 to June 1948,
University of Virginia as a 5 term student; July 1948 to May 1949,
General Line School, Newport, Rhode Island; June 1949 to Feb. 1951,
operations officer on board the U.S.S. Meredith (DD-890); Mar 1951
to May 1952 senior primary instructor and head of Gunnery Underway
Training Unit at Naval Gunfire Support School, Little Creek, Va. At
this command he made LCDR on 1 January 1954. Sept. 1954 to Mar
1955, assistant to operations officer of Staff, CTF93; Mar 1955 to
July 1956, Staff Commander Naval Forces Far East as assistant
operations and United Nations operations officer; Aug 1956 to Apr.
1958, Executive Officer of the U.S.S. Richard B. Anderson (DD-786).
In April 1958 he took command of the U.S.S. Boyd (DD-544) as a
newly appointed CDR. CDR Bonnett was on board the U.S.S. Tennessee at Pearl Harbor during the attack on December 7, 1941. |
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