Blue Ridge (LCC 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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cvadk 3-lttt $30 Commander Vice Adm. Robert J. Natter Vice Adm. Robert J. Natter was born April 9, 1945, at his home in Trussville, Ala. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve at the age of 17 as a seaman re- cruit. Following one year of reserve enlisted service and four years at the U.S. Naval Academy, he graduated and was commissioned an en- sign in June, 1967. Natter assumed com- mand of the Seventh Fleet on Sept. 13, 1996. His service at sea, all in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas, included de- partment head tours in a coastal minesweeper and frigate, and Executive Of- ficer tours in two amphibi- ous tank landing ships and a Spruance-class De- stroyer. He was Officer-in-Charge of a Naval Special Warfare detachment in Vietnam and commanded USS Chandler (DDG-966) and USS Antietam (CG-54). Shore assignments included Company Officer and later Flag Sec- retary to the Superintendent at the U.S. Naval Academy; Executive As- sistant to the Director of Naval War- fare in the Office of the Chief of Na- val Operations (OPNAV); staff mem- ber for the House Armed Services Committee of the 100th Congress of the United States; Executive Assis- tant to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (during Desert Storm Opera- tions in the Middle East); Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for officer and enlisted personnel assignments; and, before his assign- ment as Commander, Sev- enth Fleet, Chief of Navy Legislative Affairs. Natter was a distin- guished graduate of the U.S. Naval War College and attended graduate school, earning a Master ' s Degree in Business Management and International Rela- tions. His personal deco- rations include the Silver Star Medal; Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit (five awards); Bronze Star Medal with Combat V; Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal (two awards); Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V; Navy Achievement Medal with Combat V, and various unit and cam- paign awards. Natter is married to the former Claudia Kaine of Coronado, Calif. They have three daughters: Kelly Kaine, Kendall Alice and Courtney Elizabeth. s OHtktTK

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cvadk tflctt tHasvoxy The U.S. Seventh Fleet was es- tablished on March 15, 1943, when the Southwest Pacific Force was re- named. Today it is the largest for- ward-deployed U.S. Fleet and its area of responsibility includes the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet participated in several Pacific cam- paigns, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines during World War II as the Naval component com- mander under General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Com- mander Southwest Pacific Area. Af- ter World War II, on Jan. 1, 1947, the Fleet ' s name was changed to Naval Forces Western Pacific. On Aug. 19, 1949, just prior to the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, the force was des- ignated as U.S. Seventh Task Fleet. On Feb. 11, 1950, the force assumed the name that it holds today -- United States Seventh Fleet. Seventh Fleet units participated in every major operation of the Ko- rean War. Over the next decade the Seventh Fleet responded to numerous crisis situations including contin- gency operations conducted in Laos in 1959 and Thailand in 1962. During the Vietnam War, Sev- enth Fleet engaged in combat opera- tions against forces through attack carrier air strikes, naval gunfire sup- port, amphibious operations and mine warfare. After the 1973 cease- fire, the Fleet conducted mine coun- termeasures operations in the coastal waterways of North Vietnam. Two years later, ships and aircraft of the Fleet evacuated thousands of U.S. citi- zens and refugees from South Viet- nam and Cambodia as those two countries fell to opposing forces. In recent years, Seventh Fleet has maintained an active presence throughout its 52-million-square mile area of responsibility. Ships and aircraft of the Fleet take part in more than 120 exercises yearly, ranging from passing exercises with other naval forces to large, joint combined exercises such as Tandem Thrust. Since its establishment, Seventh Fleet units have promoted friendly relations through regular port visits to more than 20 nations. In response to the Aug. 2, 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, President George Bush directed Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet to assume addi- tional responsibilities as Command, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. The Fleet Commander departed Yokosuka, Japan immediately and was joined by the remainder of his staff aboard USS Blue Ridge on Sept. 1,1990. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Com- mander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command exercised command and control of the largest U.S. Navy ar- mada since World War II. At the peak of combat opera- tions, more than 130 U.S. Navy ships joined more than 50 allied ships to form a multinational maritime force to conduct maritime intercept opera- tions, minesweeping and combat strike operations against enemy forces in Iraq and Kuwait. After a decisive allied victory in the Gulf, Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet relinquished control of Com- mander, Naval Forces Central Com- mand to Commander, Middle East Force on April 2 1 , 1 99 1 . The Seventh Fleet Staff then returned to Yokosuka. s OHtktTK WPK£

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uss HC O PcUt Commanding Officer Capt. David K. Meier tao Capt. David K.Meier, a native of Baltimore, graduated from the Uni- versity of the South with a Bachelor of Arts in Politi- cal Science and was com- missioned through Officer Candidate School, New- port, R.I. in 1972. His sea tours have in- cluded Detachment Officer for Assault Craft Unit One, while serving in the West- ern Pacific with Com- mander, Amphibious Squadron Five; Antisub- marine Warfare Officer, USS Downes (FF-1070); Chief Engineer, USS Valdez (FF-1096); Executive Of- ficer, USS Sample (FF- 1048); Chief Staff Officer for Commander, Destroyer Squadron 33; Commanding Officer, USS Valdez (FF-1096); and USS Trippe (FF-1075); and Executive Of- ficer, USS Peleliu (LHA-5). Significant shore tours have included attendance at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Ca- lif, (where he earned a Masters of Systems Technology, Antisubmarine Warfare). Capt. Meier was an instructor for the Combat Systems Department Head program, Surface Warfare Officers School Command; Warfare Ana- lyst for the Force, Structure, Resource and Assessment Directorate (J-8), Politico- Military Assessment Divi- sion, the Joint Staff; and the Naval War College, where he earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. He recently com- pleted a tour of duty as Head, Amphibious Warfare Branch, Expeditionary Warfare Division on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. His personal awards include the Legion ot Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; the Merito- rious Service Medal (three awards); and the Navy Achievement Medal. He is married to Hilary Burnham Famolare of New York City. They have two sons, Joseph William and David Kirk Meier Jr. s ontktrK