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. °

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CAPTAIN JAMES B. PERKINS III COMMANDER, DESTROYER SQUADRON NINE Destroyer Squadron NINE was originally formed with eighteen World War I four pipers homeported in Charleston, South Carolina in 1920. After nine subsequent years in Newport, Rhode Island, the squadron was dises- tablished until 1937 when it was reformed for seven years in the U.S. Pacific Fleet. During the two years preceeding the end of World War II and a second retirement, the squadron conducted ASW operations back in the Atlantic out of Recife, Brazil. In January 1946, DESRON NINE was re-established in San Diego, Calif., with ships manned by battle veterans of the Pacific Campaign. During the next 30 years, the squadron was actively involved in wartime operations off the coast of Korea and later Vietnam where DESRON NINE became the first destroyer squadron to be awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Medal. From 1975 to 1983, Destroyer Squadron NINE was the Pacific Fleet Introduction Squadron for SPRUANCE (DD 963) Class Destroyers, OLIVER HAZARD PERRY (FFG 7) Guided Missile Frigates and PEGASUS (PHM 1) Missile Hydrofoils. Ships of the Squadron made major contributions to the technical and operational evaluations of such systems as AEGIS, TOMAHAWK, HARPOON, NATO SEA SPARROW and OUTBOARD. The Secretary of the Navy awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation to Staff, Commander Destroyer Squadron NINE for the period 1 July 1976 to 31 May 1978 for these efforts. Homeported in Long Beach, Calif., the En Garde squadron currently includes USS BERKELEY (DDG 15), USS MARVIN SHIELDS (FF 1066), USS ROARK (FF 1053), USS GRAY (FFG 51), USS PAUL F. FOS- TER (DD 964) and USS BRADLEY (FF 1041). All but USS ROARK are assigned to Battle Group CHARLIE. Captain Perkins is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Blenn Perkins Jr., and was raised in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1964 and first served in USS SARATOGA (CVA 60) as a Deck Division Watch Officer during two Mediterranean deployments. Following a brief tour in USS CHARLES H. ROAN (DD 853), he attended Destroyer School and subsequently reported as Weapons Officer in USS HENDERSON (DD 785) in November 1967. Upon return from a Western Pacific deployment in response to the TET offensive of 1968, then Lieutenant Perkins reported as Executive Officer, USS JOHN WILLIS (DE 1027) wherein he served until being ordered to the Naval Postgraduate School in March 1972. After graduating with a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Acoustics, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College. He then served as Executive Officer in USS DOWNES (FF 1070) from September 1975 to January 1977 during the test and evaluation of the Harpoon, NATO Sea Sparrow and TAS MK-23 combat systems in that frigate. His next assignment was as Aide and Flag Secretary to Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group FIVE until March 1979. Following that tour. Commander Perkins served in the ASW Section on the staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Surface Warfare). Captain Perkins commanded USS SCHOFIELD (FFG 3) from 11 January 1983 to 3 July 1985. During his tenure, USS SCHOFIELD completed a successful deployment to the Persian Gulf, for which he was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and won the CINCPACFLT Gold Anchor Award and Destroyer Squadron THIRTEEN Battle Efficiency E . Captain Perkins graduated with distinction from the Naval War College in June 1986 and assumed command of Destroyer Squadron NINE on 29 July 1986. He is authorized to wear the following personal decorations and unit awards: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and Gold Star in lieu of Second Award, Meritorious Unit Com- mendation (second award) and the Battle Efficiency E (second award). Captain Perkins is married to the former Connie Deam Patten of Neptune Beach, Florida, and has two children; Susan and Jimmy. J fS m