Callaghan (DDG 994) - Naval Cruise Book

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Executive Officer LCDR Ronald Stephen Cooper, USN LCDR Cooper is originally from Phoenix, Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University in 1972. He received his commission through Officer Candidate School in 1973. His first sea tour was as a member of the pre-commissioning crew of USS TARAWA (LHA 1) homeported in San Diego, where he served as Signals Officer and Assistant Communications Officer. His next assignment was onboard USS ENGLAND (CG 22) where he served as Missile Officer participating in two Western Pacific deployments. After attending the Destroyer Department Head Course in Newport, Rhode Island, he was assigned as Operations Officer aboard USS OLDENDORF (DD 972). While on OLDENDORF he made a South Pacific cruise participating in numerous exercises with our New Zealand and Australian allies and a Western Pacific deployment. His follow-on Department Head split-tour assignment was USS GRIDLEY (CG 21) where he served as Weapons Control Officer. During his tour the ship went through a year long overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard and received an extensive combat systems upgrade. His next assignment was at COMNAVSURFPAC where he served as the Anti-Surface Warfare Officer. Responsible for various ASUW projects, he was involved in the Pacific Fleet introduction of TOM AHAWK, and the advanced Harpoon Weapons Systems. Among his decorations are two Navy Commen- dation Medals, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Battle “E” Ribbon and the National Defense Medal. He is married to Betty Cooper and they have two children, Summer and Amber, and they currently reside in Lakeside, Calif. 22 Executive Officer

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Commanding Officer Commander Sutton hails from Brunswick, Geor- gia. Following graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1970, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the Immediate Graduate Education Program, completing a Master of Science Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. His first sea tour was aboard USS JONAS INGRAM (DD 938) where he served as Anti- Submarine Warfare Officer and collaterally as Squadron ASW Officer. During this tour he participated in numerous Caribbean and special operations and deployed to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. After attending the Destroyer Department Head Course in Newport, Rhode Island, he was assigned as Weapons Officer and was Senior Watch Officer aboard the Mayport, Florida homeported frigate USS PAUL (FF 1080). While in PAUL, he partic- ipated in two Northern European NATO exercises and again deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1977, under the Department Head split-tour program, he transferred to USS SURIBACHI (AE 21), home- ported in Earle, New Jersey, and served as Operations Officer and Navigator through two additional Mediterranean deployments. An abbreviated tour ashore followed, teaching Naval Systems Engineering at the Naval Academy. Upon the short notice acquisition of the four warships under construction for the Shah of Iran, Commander Sutton was selected to be the commissioning Executive Officer of the USS KIDD (DDG 993), the lead ship of the class and sister ship to CALLAGHAN. Serving as Officer in Charge of the KIDD pre-commissioning unit in Norfolk, Virginia, he was responsible for the development of the baseline training and organization for the ship class. Following commissioning in Pasca- goula, Mississippi, he participated in shock-testing and all the initial trials associated with the lead ship. He served in this billet until November 1982, when he was appointed to a two-year tour as Naval Aide to the President of the United States. Among his decorations are the Defense Superior Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commenda- tion, Battle E Ribbon, National Defense Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He is married to Commander Elizabeth B. Sutton who is currently the Commanding Officer, Person- nel Support Activity, Naval Training Center, San Diego. Commander Sutton assumed command of CAL- LAGHAN on 9 January 1986. Commanding Officer 21

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The Wardroom The wardroom of USS CALLAGHAN is an impressive one indeed. Comprised of officers representing various educational and geographical backgrounds, it has built up one of the strongest reputations among the ships of the Pacific Fleet for carrying out its many crucial missions in accordance with CALLAGHAN’S motto “Intrepidity.” It is this dedication to success, well-coordinated teamwork and leadership skills displayed by the officers which have had high-ranking officials calling upon the CALLAGHAN to perform many difficult tasks. This was never more evident than during our 1987 World Cruise when CALLAGHAN executed a number of sensitive, real world missions. Wardroom 23