Commanding Officer - LCDR E. W. Hays, USN

LCDR E. W. Hays, USN relieved as commanding officer, USS Wilhoite on 2 December 1966, while operating off the coast of Vietnam on Market Time Operations. He came to Wilhoite having previous destroyer experience as Executive Officer, USS Coontz (DLG-9) and Weapons Officer, USS Hoel (DDG-13)

LCDR Hays was born and raised in Giltner, Nebraska. Following graduation from high school in 1949 he entered the United States Naval Academy as a midshipman. He graduated from the Naval Academy with the class of 1953.

As an Ensign he served aboard the USS Menifee (APA-202) during the Korean Conflict as Second Division Officer and later as C.I.C. Officer. As a LTJG he was assigned as operations Officer, USS Raymond (DE-341) operating out of Newport, Rhode Island and Key West, Florida. During the period 1957 through 1959 he attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate school, Monterey, California in the weapons electrical engineering curriculum. Following schooling he was assigned to the pre-commissioning detail and initial crew of the USS Topeka (CLG-8) as Assistant Terrier Missle Officer, later advancing to the Missile Officer Billet.

In 1962 he was on the pre-commissioning detail for USS Hoel (DDG-13) in Bay City, Michigan. This afforded him the opportunity of going through the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Boston, and through the Panama Canal to San Diego, California. During the years 1963 to summer 1965 he was an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy teaching weapons engineering to the first class midshipmen. During this period he attended night classes conducted by George Washington University, obtaining a degree in 1965.