Dwight Eisenhower (CVN 69) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 14 text:

Rear Admiral C.A. Easterling U.S. Navy Commander Carrier Group Four Rear Admiral Crawford Alan Easterling was assigned as Commander Carrier Group FOUR until June 20 1980 and is currently assigned as Commander Task Force Sixty. Upon completion of the NROTC pro- gram at Rensselaer Polytechnical Insti- tute, he was commissioned as Ensign in 1951. Following an initial tour of duty in USS PERRY (DD-844), he completed flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator. Commands have included Fighter Squadrons 13 and 124, the combat stores ship USS CONCORD (AFS-5) and the aircraft carrier USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA-42). He also served as operations officer on USS SARATOGA (CVA-60), as Tactical Air Warfare Analyst to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare), and as Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research and Development). He was also Director, Command, Control, and Information Systems Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute and Master of Science and Engineer in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology. Awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award) and the Legion of Merit (2nd award). Rear Admiral Easterling is married to the former Beverly Sherburne of Jacksonville, Florida. They have two children, a son Alan and a daughter Karen. 10

Page 13 text:

Commander William R. Needham U.S. Navy Commander Carrier Air Wing Seven Commander William R. Needham graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1961 and after receiving his wings in October 1962 and completing Maintenance Officer School, he report- ed to VA-44 and later to VA-106 where he flew the A4-D and A4-C. In August 1966, Commander Needham reported to the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, CA., where he gained experience in a variety of aircraft, including the T-38, B-57, F-104, OV-10, C-1A and A-4. In August 1968, Commander Needham was assigned to VA-42 for transition training in the A-6 Intruder. He then became a member of VA-85 and saw combat action in Vietnam. In June 1971, Commander Needham reported to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Upon receiving his Masters Degree in Financial Man- agement, he reported to Washington, D.C., working under the Chief of Naval Personnel as head of Enlisted Strength and Advancement Section. In January 1975 Commander Needham reported for duty as the Operations Officer for Carrier Air Wing ONE em- barked aboard USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67). He became Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of VA-65 embarked aboard USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69) from Sep- tember 1976 to March 1979, before assuming command of Carrier Air Wing SEVEN in December 1979. Commander Needham ' s decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, Navy Commandation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Battle Efficiency Award, the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Meritorious Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal and Campaign Stars and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device. Commander Needham is married to the former Karia Greer of Santa Fe, NM. They reside in Virginia Beach, VA. with their two children, Mark, and Meg.

Page 15 text:

. A k W » I ! Cm % ?i g m 7 . « - . 1 F r 1 ■1 f ifm mmui lid • 1 II ■! « ■ ■- H Rear Admiral Robert Byron Fuller, USN, was born November 23, 1927 in Quitman, Mississippi, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. Following a year of active enlisted service in the Navy at the end of World War II, Admiral Fuller entered the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign In 1951. After designation as a naval aviator in 1952, his first assignment was with Fighter Squadron 192 flying the F9F Panther. This was followed by tours at the Combat Information Center School, NAS Glynco, Georgia; as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander Carrier Division SEVEN; as an aviation Rear Admiral R. Byron Fuller U.S. Navy Commander Carrier Group Four detailer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel; and in Attack Squadrons 55 and 44 flying the A-4 Skyhawk. He also attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. Admiral Fuller was serving as Com- manding Officer of Attack Squadron 76 operating from USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31) off the coast of Vietnam when he was shot down on July 14, 1967 while leading a strike mission over North Vietnam. He was held as a prisoner-of-war by the North Vietnamese until his release in March of 1973. On August 6, 1974, Admiral Fuller assumed command of USS DETROIT (AOE-4). He became Commanding Officer of USS AMERICA (CV-66) on September 7, 1976. After selection for promotion to Rear Admiral in January 1978, he reported as Deputy Director for Operations (Reconnaissance and Electronic War- fare) with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC. He assumed com- mand of Carrier Group FOUR on June 20, 1980, embarked on board USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) in the Indian Ocean. His decorations include the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Combat V , four Distin- guished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Star Medals with Combat V , 11 Air Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V , two Purple Hearts, and a Vietnamese Air Gal- lantry Cross with Silver Wings. Rear Admiral Fuller is married to the former Mary Anne McGinley of Jacksonville, Florida. They have four children, Robert Jr., 1st LT, USMC, presently in flight training; Mary Jane; Susan; and Peggy. 11