Wasp (LHD 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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I . - ,, -..-.,,,.,,., , , V , V 4 Y . ,,,-Qgaiip-1v ,-,.-w,...--,.-W ,.. . .. ,L Colonel Emerson N. Gardner United States Marine Corps Commanding Officer 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Colonel Emerson N. Gardner Jr. has been Commanding Officer of 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit CMEUJ since Slay 3l. l99S. He is a l973 cum laude graduate of Duke University and was named an Olmsted Scholar for 1978 and studied history and political science for two years at Goetingen, Germany. Col. Gardner is a graduate of The Basic School, Defense Language Institute, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Armed Force Staff College and the Norwe- gian Defense College. A Naval aviator since 1974, Col. Gardner has served as a helicopter pilot in all three Marine Air Wings. From l9?5fl- l 9555 he was a White House Liasion Officer and Presidential Helicopter Pilot at HMX-l. As Commanding Officer of HMM-261 from 1989-1991, he led the Raging Bulls in Operation Sharp Edge, the evacuation of Liberia. and Operations Desert Shield and Storm. He has logged more than 4.300 flight hours in most of the aircraft currently in the Nlarine Corps inventory. Col. Gardner has served with the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade and ll Marine Expeditionary Force as staff officer. He xt as the assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Logistics from 1993-1995 at Allied Forces Northern Europe at Kolsas, Norway and Allied Forces Northwestern Europe, High Wycombe, England. Prior to his current assignment, he was Operations Officer for the Standing Joint Task Force. MARFORLANT. His tiret deploj rnent as Commanding Officer was with the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group, which participated in Operation Siler Wake, contingency support for a non-combatant evacuation CNEOJ of Albania. and Operation Guard- iari Petrie. al. contingency support for a NEO of Kinshasa. Zaire. ffmloriel fiardrierl, aixartls and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal. Legion of Merit. Defense '2ler1ff,i iou . Ser .tree Nledal. Vleritorious Service Medal. Air Medal with Strike Numeral NavyCommendation 'ilefial arid lfr'ef,iflei'itial Ser 'i.i ice Badge Ile and his wife. the former Barbara Becker of Hanover. Germany, are the H it if' of thief: bo p'l. l'liilip Cfliristian. and Nicholas. l

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1. ...,..,..., ,- .. ,M -.........-....- .. ,....,,f ---,.,......,-.-up-.,-.-,-Q---4v'v-f ', ' - -- - ' ' ' ' Captain Leon F. Mahoney United States Navy Commander, y Amphibious Squadron Six Captain Mahoney graduated from Seattle University in 1969 with a degree in Politaical Science. He earned his commision from Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island that same year. Following his comissioning. he served as Combat Information Center Officer in the commisioning crew of USS KANSAS CITY tAOR 31. From 1971 to 1972 he was assigned to the Naval Advisory Group in the Republic of Vietnam, serving in the Vung Tau and Camau areas of operation After completing his min countryw tour, Captain Mahoney reported to USS MYLES C. FOX QDD 8291 as First Lieutenant. In 1973, he attended Naval Destroyer School and subsequently reported to USS MEYERKORD LFF 10581 as Weapons Officer. Captain Mahoney was then assigned as a Combat Systems Instructor at Surface Warfare Officers School, in Coronado, California. In 1979, he returned to sea duty abourd USS DENVER CLPD 91 as Operations Officer and Overhaul Manager and completed his second department head tour. Captain Mahoney assumed the duties as Executive Officer on USS MOUNT VERNON CLSD 395 in August 1981. In January 1983, he reported to Commander. Amphibious Group THREE in San Diego. California as Flag Secre- tary. He assumed command of USS SCHENECTADY CLST 1 1851 in January 1986. Upon completion of his com- mand in May 1988. Captain Mahoney was assigned duties as Chief Staff Officer to Commander. Amphibious Forces SEVENTH Fleet. homeported in Okinawa. Japan. Captain Mahoney's next tour of duty was as Commanding Officer. USS PONCE tLPD 151 from February 1995 to December 1996. During this tour. PONCE visited Odessa, Ukraine on the Black Sea and deployed to the west coast ot' Africa in support of Operation Assured Response. Captain Mahoney assumed command ol' Amphibious Squadron 81X in March 1997. Captain Mahoney's awards and decorations include the Legion ol' Merit with Gold Star. Meritorious serx icc Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat and Gold Star and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He is originally from Lowell. Massachusetts and is married to the former llamela .lane Turner ot Muncie, Indiana. They have three daughters1 Erica. Jessica. and Rebecca. 8

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