"Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an entire ship reflects the personality and ability of one individual...her Commanding Officer. To a landsman, this concept is difficult to understand, and for us mariners, it may be hard to comprehend, but it is so.
A ship at sea is a different world unto herself. In consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, responsibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command.
In each ship, there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one man who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire, and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is THE SHIP."
This assignment is the most demanding and difficult in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as Commanding Officer that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligations are almost ludicrously small; nevertheless, this is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders.
It is a duty which most richly deserves the highest, time-honored title of the seafaring world..... CAPTAIN!"
-Joseph Conrad
This page is dedicated to all of the Bainbridge Commanding Officers.
| VADM Raymond E. Peet | 06 October 1962 - 27 July 1964 |
| CAPT Hal C. Castle | 27 Jul 1964 - 17 December 1966 |
| VADM James H. Doyle Jr. | 17 December 1966 - 30 August 1970 |
| CAPT William R. Sheridan | 30 August 1970 - 09 February 1974 |
| RADM B. Bruce Newell | 09 February 1974 - 26 March 1977 |
| RADM T. A. Almstedt Jr. | 26 March 1977 - 20 May 1980 |
| RADM J. F. Shaw | 20 May 1980 - 24 June 1983 |
| VADM J. Paul Reason | 24 June 1983 - 28 June 1986 |
| CAPT J. Thomas Gilmartin | 28 June 1986 - 23 June 1989 |
| CAPT Laurance M. Bergin | 23 June 1989 - 23 December 1991 |
| CAPT G. M. Ziller Jr. | 23 December 1991 - 24 November 1993 |
| CAPT James M. Brown | 24 November 1993 - Decommissioning |
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at webmaster@bainbridgeassociation.org