Merrill (DD 976) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 10 text:

EXECUTIVE OFFICER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER DAVID C. BEAM Lieutenant Commander David C. Beam is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a 1977 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in June of that year. Previous sea tours have included duties as Anti-Submarine Warfare Of- ficer and Navigator on board USS BARNEY (DDG-6), Combat Systems Officer on USS HEWITT (DD-966) and Combat Systems Offi- cer on board USS JOUETT (CG-29). Most recently, Lieutenant Command- er Beam was assigned as Aide and Flag Secretary to Commander, Cruiser- Destroyer Group THREE. Addition- ally, he has served ashore as Surface New Construction Placement Officer at the Naval Military Personnel Com- mand. Lieutenant Commander Beam ' s awards include the Meritorious Ser- vice Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars in lieu of second, third and fourth awards, the Navy Achievement Medal and various unit and campaign awards. He resides in La Jolla, California.

Page 9 text:

A graduate of Stephen F. Austin University. Nacogdoches, Texas, Com- mander C. Craig Covington received his commission from the Officer Can- didate School, Rhode Island. Sea assignments for Commander Covington include tours as Weapons Officer and then Chief Engineer, USS COBBLER (SS-344); Chief Engineer, USS BONEFISH (SS-582); Opera- tions Officer, USS JOSEPHUS DANIELS (CG-27); Executive Offi- cer, USS GLOVER (FF-1098); and Operations Officer, USS NEW JER- SEY (BB-62). Shore assignments include Force Training Officer for Commander Sub- marine Force. U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Executive Officer, Enlisted Personnel Management Center. Commander Covington is autho- rized to wear the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguished Device, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star in lieu of second award, the Com- bat Action Ribbon, the Joint Meritori- ous Unit Award, the Navy Unit Com- mendation Ribbon, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Bat- tle Efficiency Ribbon with Bronze E in lieu of second award, the Navy Ex- peditionary Medal with Bronze Star in lieu of second award, and the Sea Ser- vice Deployment Ribbon with four Bronze Stars in lieu of four awards. Commander Covington is the son of the Reverend and Mrs. Clifford Covington of Dallas, Texas and is mar- ried to the former Beverly Carol Baird of Houston, Texas. They have one child, Cristin.

Page 11 text:

COMMAND MASTER CHIEF MASTER CHIEF PERSONNELMAN ARTURO MERCADO Master Chief Personnelman Arturo Cortez Mer- cado was born in Pampanga, Republic of the Phi- lippines. He joined the U.S. Navy at Sangley Point, Cavite, Philippines on February 7, 1968. PNCM Mer- cado ' s sea duty assignments include USS PUTNAM (DDG-757), USS CORAL SEA (CVA-43), NMCB- 4, USS AMERICA (CV-66), and presently USS MERRILL (DD-976). Shore duty assignments in- clude VA-125, NAS Lemoore (1970-1973), PSD Le- moore, CA (1977-1979), COMLATWINGPAC, Le- moore, CA (1979-1981) and Office of the Chief of Na- val Operations (OP-13), Washington D.C. His cur- rent assignment is as the Command Master Chief of the USS MERRILL (DD-976). Master Chief Mercado ' s military decorations in- clude three Navy Achievement Medals, a Meritori- ous Unit Commendation, Humanitarian Service Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and five Good Conduct Me- dals. Master Chief Mercado is married to the former Diane Lynn Rogers. They have three children: Lisa, Nathan, Matthew.