Captain Oliver D. Compton

As commanding officer of the Canberra, Captain Compton led us through the most intense shore bombardment activity in the ship's history.  During the 1967-68 Viet Nam tour, Canberra fired in excess of 56,000 rounds, a record that stands to this day.

This was a grueling time for all aboard.

Captain Oliver Doty Compton was born on May 26, 1918, in Pasadena, California.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California Berkeley in 1940, entering the U.S. Naval Reserve that same year.  He married the former Catherine Alan Durrell, of South Pasadena, California, on October 31, 1942.

During World War II, Captain Compton served aboard the USS Benham (DD-397) (March 1941 to September 1942), the USS Wadsworth (DD-516) (January 1943 to February 1944).  He also served as gunnery instructor attached to Commander Service Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander Destroyer Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and the San Diego shakedown group.

He received a Master of Science degree from Rensselear in 1947, after intensive studies in ordnance engineering.  During this period he received a regular commission as a Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy.  He was then ordered to duty as Bureau of Ordnance Liaison Officer for Guided Missile Matters at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.  He served as Gunnery Officer on USS Pasadena (1949) and on USS Valley Forge from 1950 to 1952.  From 1952 to 1955, he was Ordnance Officer at Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard.

In November, 1955, Captain Compton became Commanding Officer of USS Alfred A. Cunningham (DD-752).  While serving as the Maintenance and Logistics Officer on the staff of Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet, January 1957 to June 1960, he was promoted to Captain on April 1, 1960.  He was then ordered to Destroyer Flotilla ONE staff where he assumed the duties of Chief of Staff. 

Captain Compton became Commanding Officer of USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) in January 1963.  In July 1964 he became Project Manager, Munitions at the Bureau of Weapons, Washington, D.C.  Captain Compton attended the National War College from August 1966 until July 1967, when he received orders to assume command of USS Canberra.  From 1968 to 1970, he was Deputy Director, Electronic Warfare Division, Office of Chief of Naval Operations. 

In July 1970, Captain Compton became Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence on the staff of Commander, Allied Naval Forces, Southern Europe in Malta and Naples, Italy.  He retired from the U.S. Navy after 32 years of service in 1972.  He then went to work in private industry in Northern Virginia.

In 1980, Captain Compton retired to Coronado, California, where he became active in community affairs and the local floral association.  Catherine Compton, his wife of 54 years, died in 1995.  Captain Compton died on May 31, 2000 at the age of 82.  He is survived by his son, Oliver Durrell Compton, daughter Margaret Doty Compton, and one grandchild, Amy.

Captain Compton's daughter, Maggie, provided the photos presented above.  Along with the photos, she included the following note.  With her permission, I thought it appropriate to include it here.

Dear Mr. Hagan,

Here are some photos of my dad.  If they don't work well enough, please let me know and I will send originals.  I know Dad would be proud of what you are doing for him.

I am also sending a copy of the pamphlet from his memorial service.  The rose on the front was one of his.  Gardening, and roses especially, was a hobby all his life.  He also played a mean game of tennis, into his seventies.

I am free (poem)

The photos in the pamphlet show him with children - one is my daughter Amy, and the other, Carolyn, is a close family friend.  Dad loved children and was wonderful with them.

You knew him as a naval officer and, I'm certain, he was a good one.  But, I guess I wanted to tell you what a very fine man he was, too.  He had a tremendous sense of humor and was known for his story-telling.  I think this was one of the reasons kids were drawn to him.  That, and his kindness and gentleness, and there hasn't ever been a greater dad, ever.

I visited your web site and am very impressed.  Thanks for doing this for my father and all the others like him.

Sincerely,

Maggie Compton

Revised: Sunday, May 12, 2002

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