Captain O. Clarke Chisum, United States Navy, was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Naval Reserve from Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island in February 1952. He studied at the United States Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California, Ordnance Engineering Curriculum, graduating with a Master of Science Degree. He has also attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Defense College in Rome, Italy.

Captain Chisum’s initial shipboard assignments were in the Engineering and Gunnery Departments of the west coast destroyer escorts George and Currier and in the Operation Department in the cruiser Los Angeles where he augmented into the Regular Navy. He served as Executive Office USS Barney (DDG 6) and as Weapons Officer USS Forrestal (CVA 59). Captain Chisum has commanded Barney and USS John King (DDG 3). Captain Chisum has served on the Staff Cruiser Division One, in the Bureau of Naval Weapons, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and on the staff Manager Anti-Submarine Warfare Special Project Office. Captain Chisum took command of Josephus Daniels on 13 December 1975 after serving as Director, Naval Armaments Directorate on the Staff, United States Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Following his tour as Commanding Officer USS Josephus Daniels, he assumed command of the Surface Warfare Development Group, Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia.

Captain Chisum , whose home is San Francisco, California, is married to the former Caroline York of Baltimore, Maryland. They have a daughter and three sons.