Belleau Wood (LHA 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHANGE OF COMMAND for USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3) at which Captain Frederic R. Ruehe, United States Navy will be relieved by Captain W. Harris, Jr., United States Navy onboard USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3) U.S. Fleet Activities, Sasebo, Japan 1000, the Ninth of January, 1998 The Change of Command ceremony is a time-honored, Navy tradition which formallv restates the continuity of command to the officers and crew of the command. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assem- bled company of the command. The Change of Command ceremony is unique in the world today in that it is the transfer of total responsibil- ity, authority, and accountability from one individual to another. Captain Harris Mrs. Harris Introduction

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U.S. NAVY REGULATIONS, 1990 ARTICLE 0807 At the time of turning over command, the com- manding officer to be relieved will call all hands to muster, read the orders of detachment and turn over the command to his or her relief, who will read the orders or relief and assume command. BELLEAU WOOD arriving Captain United States Navy departing 8 Introduction Captains and wives

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Captain Thomas A. Parker Executive Officer Captain Tom Parker, a native of Savannah, Georgia, gradu- ated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1974. Entering the U.S. Navy in Aviation Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned an Ensign in January 1976. Following flight training he was assigned to fly the E-2C Hawkeye. Operational tours followed in VAW-123 in the Maintenance and Operations Departments from 1977-1980 and VAW-120 in the NFO Training Department from 1980- 1983. Captain Parker served as the Anti-Air Warfare Officer and Force Tactical Action Officer on the staff of Commander Cruiser Destroyer EIGHT from 1983-1985. Subsequently, he was assigned to the staff of Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet from late 1985 until 1988 as the Atlantic Fleet CV Combat Information Center Training Officer. Dur- ing this period he earned a Masters Degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University in 1987. Returning to sea, he served as Maintenance, Operations and Administrative Officer in VAW-122 from 1988-1990. This tour was followed by assignment to VAW-124 as Exec- utive Officer and Commanding Officer from 1990-1993. Af- ter this successful tour, he was chosen for a Federal Execu- Introduction tive Fellowship and assigned to the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, CA from September 1993-July 1994. Captain Parker next served as Operations Officer in USS America (CV 66) where he coordinated the ship ' s UPHOLD DEMOCRACY operations in Haiti from August-October 1994 as well as assisting in the planning and coordination of the successful offensive air strikes in Bosnia-Herzegovina in September 1995. During his tour, USS AMERICA won de- partmental and ship Battle E ' s and was also awarded the Battenburg Trophy as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet for 1995. Prior to reporting as Executive Officer, USS BELLEAU WOOD in July 1998, Captain Parker ' s was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy in the office of Program Appraisal as the Tactical Aircraft Analyst. Captain Parker ' s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Strike Flight Air Medal (two awards). Navy Commendation Medal (five awards) with Combat V , and numerous campaign citations. Captain Parker is married to the former Ann Boley of Ke- wanee, Illinois. They have an 11 year old son, Jacob.