Capt. O.J. Bilderback, USN
1972 BIOS

Captain O.J. Bilderback enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June, 1941, immediately after his seventeenth birthday. He was assigned to Bombing Squadron Three in the Pacific during World War II, where he served aboard the aircraft carriers SARATOGA and ENTERPRISE, supporting the invasion of Guadalcanal and the Doolittle bombing raid of Tokyo. He was presented the Presidential Unit Citation for service aboard the USS ENTERPRISE.

He received a Secretary of the Navy appointment to the U.S.Naval Academy in 1944 and graduated in the class of 1948.

Upon graduation from the U.S.Naval Academy, he served aboard the USS CHEVALIER (DDR-805) which supported operations during the Korean War. He was then assigned to Tactical Air Control Squadron One which controlled naval air strikes over Korea.
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Captain Bilderback began his submarine career at the U.S.Naval Submarine School, New London, Connecticut, and upon graduation reported for duty aboard the USS STERLET (SS-392), followed by service aboard the USS BESUGO (SS-321). He then served a tour as Company officer at U.S.Naval Officerer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island.

From 1958 to 1961 he was Executive Officer of the USS SEA ROBIN (SS-407) in New London, Connecticut. After serving as Commanding Officer  of the USS ASPRO (AGSS-309), Captain Bilderback served as Commanding Officer of the USS CAIMAN (SS-323), where he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

In September 1963 he was assigned as Chief Staff Officer to Commander Submarine Group, San Francisco Bay Area. From July 1966 to August 1967 he was Submarine Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Group Three.

He reported  for duty as Chief Staff Officer to Commander Submarine Squadron One  and Operations Officer for Commander Submarine Flotilla Five in September 1967.

He served as Commander Submarine Division Seventy-Three from September 1968 to August 1969, and assumed command of the USS BUSHNELL (AS-15) on October 8, 1969.

Captain Bilderback graduated from the Air War College in July 1971. He was awarded a Master's Degree in Political Science from Auburn University. He then reported as Commanding Officer of USS KAWISHIWI. After his tour on Kawishiwi, he became the Commodore of squadron, SERVGRUFIVE, in Pearl Harbor.

Captain Bilderback is married to the former Miss Dorothy Deese of Citronville, Alabama. They have four sons and one daughter.

Living in Gulf Shores, Alabama; they survived Hurricane Ivan in 2004.