Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Naval Cruise Book

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REAR ADMIRAL EDWARD W. CLEXTON JR. COMMANDER. CARRIER GROUP THREE Commander Carrier Group THREE is under the administrative command of Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and is directed operationally by Commander THIRD Fleet while operating in the Eastern Pacific and by Commander SEVENTH Fleet while deployed to the Western Pacific. The command normally functions as the operational commander of a ta sk group or force in addition to duties as an inspector or evaluator of ship and air wing readiness. Currently, Commander Carrier Group THREE serves as the administrative commander for USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) and USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65). Commissioned in March 1950 as Commander Carrier Division THREE, the command has completed 35 deployments to the Western Pacific, and has been commanded by 35 rear admirals and one captain. During that time, the command has embarked on 19 aircraft carriers. Carrier Division THREE was designated Carrier Group THREE in 1973. Since the end of the Vietnam conflict, Carrier Group THREE has made regular SEVENTH Fleet deployments, leading carrier battle groups in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, participating in numerous multi national training exercises in support of America ' s national interests. Rear Admiral E. W. Clexton, Jr. assumed the duties of Commander, Carrier Group THREE February 28, 1986, on board USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70). Rear Admiral Clexton was formerly the Director of the Total Force and Fleet Operations Divi- sion in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Washington, D.C. A native of Arlington, Va, Rear Admiral Clexton enlisted m January 1955. He received a fleet appointment to the Naval Academy and graduated in I960. After making two Western Pacific Deployments with Fighter Squadron 143, embarked in USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64), and serving as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md, he completed 200 combat missions while deployed twice to the Western PacificA ietnam with Fighter Squad- ron 114, embarked in USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). He then deployed to the North Atlantic and twice to the Mediterranean as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 102 embarked on USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) from 1971 to 1973. Rear Admiral Clexton attended Nuclear Power School in 1974 and subsequently served for three years as the first Executive Officer of USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). He was Commanding Officer of USS EL PASO (LKA 1 17), an amphibi- ous cargo ship, before being assigned as the U S Navy representative to the Department of State Executive Seminar on National and International Affairs. Rear Admiral Clexton returned to USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) in July 1981, serving as the Commanding Officer for three years. The IKE deployed three times to the Caribbean, twice to the North Atlantic and twice to the Mediterra- nean under his command, including four months of continuous operations in the eastern Mediterranean during the Libyan and Lebanese crisis. Rear Admiral Clexton is married t(» the former Catherine Boecker of Naperville, II. They currently reside in Alameda, Ca with two sons, David, 20, and Matthew. 13. °