Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Naval Cruise Book

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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