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Adapted from "Commander Lawrence B. Caine, Jr, United States Navy" [biography, dated 26 July 1956] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

Topic
  • Communications--Visual –Signals, Radio and Voice
Document Type
  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
File Formats
Location of Archival Materials

Lawrence Ballif Caine, Jr. 

24 January 1914 - 

PDF Version [2.3MB]

Lawrence Ballif Caine, Jr., was born in Richmond, Utah, on January 24, 1914, son of Lawrence B. Caine and the late Vee Elizabeth (Frazee) Caine. He attended Utah State Agricultural College, Logan, Utah, where he participated in Football and Track, and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He was commissioned Ensign in the US Naval Reserve on December 12, 1940, after four months training (V-7) at Abbott Hall, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. He subsequently advanced to rank  of Lieutenant Commander, USNR, July 15, 1946; and was promoted to Commander, USN, to date from January 1, 1951.        

In January 1941 he reported to the USS St. Louis, and was serving as a junior officer in communications at the outbreak of World War II in December 1941. He remained on board that cruiser for a year thereafter, and from January to April 1943 was a student Naval Aviator at the Naval Air Station, Moffett Field, California, where he was designated Naval Aviator (LTA) on April 30,1943. For three months he had advanced training in ZP-33, an Airship Squadron, and from September 1943 until January 1945 served as Training Officer and Assistant Operations Officer in ZP-33. During the latter months of the war he was Staff Training Officer on the staff of Fleet Airship Wing, Pacific, remaining in that capacity until December 1945.   

During the period January to May 1947 he served as Officer in Charge, Detachment One, attached again to Airship Squadron 31, with additional duty the last year as Executive Officer of Airship Squadron One. He commanded ZP-1 in June and July 1947 and from August 1947 until May 1948 was Executive Officer of that Squadron.        

He was a student at the General Line School, Newport, Rhode Island, from June 1948 until May 1949, after which he had a tour of duty as Assistant Experimental Officer at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey. From June 1951 until August 1952 he was a Student Naval Aviator (HTA) on August 15, 1942. During the year to follow, he had special operational training under Commander Air Force, Atlantic Fleet.         

In September 1953 he reported to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), Navy Department, Washington, DC, where he served until July 1955 as Executive Assistant and Assistant for LTA to the Head of the Aircraft Programs Section, as head of the Aircraft Allowances Section, Aviation Plans Division. In August 1955 he became Executive Officer of Patrol Squadron 42. He is now under orders to assume command of that squadron in August 1956. 

Commander Caine has the American Defense Service Medal; the American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with two operation stars); World War II Victory Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal. 

END

Published: Thu May 17 07:22:38 EDT 2018