Merrimack (AO 179) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING orricED MtCHAN 6AQAn JACK60N BOQN: 18 JUNE 1994 7 LB6 3 OZ COMMANDED DOBEDT C. JACR60N UNITED (STATE NAVY Commander Robert C. Jackson was born 18 December 1954 in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania and was raised in Lindenwold, New Jersey. He is a 1976 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Immediately following commissioning. Commander Jackson was assigned to the .Athletic Staff. U.S. Naval .Academy where he served as an .Assistant Football Coach for one season. Commander Jackson then attended Surface Warfare Officer Basic School and reported to USS CONC ORD (AFS 5) for his initial three year sea assignment where he served first as Communications Officer and then as Damage Control .Assistant. Commander Jackson ' s follow-on shore duty assignment was to Manhattan. New York, where he served as Officer in Charge of Officer Recruiting Programs for Navy Recruiting District. New York. In September 1983, after graduating from Department Head School. Commander Jackson reported to USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS (DDG 5) and served as Engineering Officer for two years. Follow-on orders in September 1985 assigned him to USS GU.AM. where he served as Engineering Officer until November 1987. Commander Jackson was then assigned to Commander. Naval Surface Force. U.S. ■Atlantic Fleet staff where he served as Conventional Propulsion Training Coordinator for east coast surface ships. In October 1989, Commander Jackson reported to USS KALAMAZOO (AOR 6) as the Executive Officer, This tour of duty included a major deployment to the Red Sea and .Arabian Gulf in direct support of Operation Desert Storm. Following his Executive Officer tour he reported to Commander. Combat Logistics Squadron FOUR in June 1991 where he served as Chief Staff Officer until reporting to the Naval War College as a student in the Senior Officer course. Commander Jackson became USS MERRIM.ACK ' S(AO 179) 7th Commanding Officer in December 1993. Commander Jackson ' s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards). Navy Commendation Medal (three awards). Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation, and Southwest .Asia Campaign Medal. Commander Jackson resides in Virginia Beach. Virginia with his wife Gerri. his sons Keith. Brian, and Gregory, and daughter Meghan. frf ffffff fffffffffffffffffffffafffffffffffffffffffrffffrnfffff f

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Merrimack provided the highest quaHty in midshipmen summer training. Three groups midshipmen from various colleges and universities received training in hoarding operations from the Coast Guard Law Enforcement Team, and were active participants in a CW shoot and various foreign nax ' ) ' exercises, includ- ing astern refueling and tactical maneuvering. Throughout the deployment. Merrimack, steamed over 30,000 miles to safely conduct 71 underway replenishments servicing 25 different U.6. and NATO ships. hc delivered over 10 million gallons of diesel and aviation fuels and 912 pallets of cargo, transferring over one million pounds of car o. Flight deck per- sonnel kept busy logging over 60 hours of flight operations in transferring pas- sengers, mail, and cargo to other fleet units. The 17 officers and 241 enlisted personnel onboard enjoyed portcalls in Qota and Palma, Mallorca, 6pain, Au- gusta Bay, 6icily. Hurghada. Egypt. Jeddah, 6audi Arabia. Djibouti. Africa, and Ros. Greece, While away from homeport Norfolk, b crew members achieved Enlisted Sur- face Warfare Specialist qualification and 5 qualified ofllcer of the deck under- way. For many onboard it was their first deployment, and one not likely to be forgotten. From donating blood and supplier to the needy in Djibouti, to bring- ing the George Washington and Thomas . Gates alongside in the gulf of Suez, even the old hands would describe this cruise as both exciting and enjoyable. Merrimack has once again proved she is indeed the World ' s Finest Fleet Oiler.

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WHAT ' S THAT YOU ' DE SMOKIN ' cSlD? SHIcSHA CMC CHUCKLES AT ANOTHED ONE OE THE CO ' S QU1P6. I ■■■■■■ H -! 1 LOVE THIS JOB! SHEEQ ADOQATION!