Bunker Hill (CG 52) - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain Marfiak's awards include the Legion of Merit with gold star, Defense Meritorious Service award, Meritorious Service medal with gold star, Navy Commendation medal, and Republic of Vietnam Staff Honor medal and Service awards. Captain Marfiak and his' wife Patricia reside in Yokosuka, Japan. They ha ve three children, Jennifer, Thomas, and Sarah. Dear Families and Friends of USS BUNKER HILL: When we look back over the past deployment, we see a veritable kaleidoscope of faces, events, days and nights on the front edge of the battle followed by a rapid trip home across the wide reaches of the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. We stood watch together by day and night guarding the multi- national forces from air attack during Operation Desert Shield. When H-hour finally arrived, we were there as our Tomahawk cruise missiles thundered towards the enemy. We took control of the skies with Aegis, with SP K with our fellow cruisers and our CAP. We worked with the USS RANGER as the final flurries of Desert Storm swept -over the Iraqi forces leaving Kuwait and, having completed the voyage home to Yokosuka, Japan, received a wonderful welcome from our families and friends. From Summer's work ups through the high speed transit to the Gulf from the first days of facing the Iraqi air threat through the rigors of the battle itself we pulled together as one team, one family. I am very conscious of the unstinting support and courage of our families, waiting and hoping, confident of our return. You kept the banners flying, and even a sudden downpour could not dampen the warmth of our welcome home. ' Across the United States, young and old wrote to express their pride in this wonderful ship and the men who sail her. The letters came, often accompanied by a child's drawing or a mother's prayer. We answered over IO, 000 letters, to let peo- ple know that, in the midst of the conflict, we returned their pride and concern as Americans. Now the guns are silent. The Battleships ha ve returned. Our empty missile canisters lined the pier after our offload. Yet even as we sail in pursuit of of new horizons, memories of what we accomplished together will never fade. I This victory is shared by many men and woman, of all services, from many nations. USS BUNKER HILL, your ship, was privileged to play a role, at the heart of four carrier battle groups, in the midst of an air defense system that covered the entire Gulf region, in the first operational employment of the Tomahawk missile system. Never forget that you are what makes our Navy and our country great. Iam proud of each and every one of you.

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CAPTAIN THOMAS F MARFIAIC USN Captain Thomas F Marfiak graduated from the United States Naval Academy in I966 and was immediately assigned to duty in destroyers. Captain Marfiak first reported to U55 BRUMB Y KFF-l044j, operating in the Mediterranean and Af- Iantic, as Main Propulsion Assistant. In October l968, he joined USS CAMP TDER-250, then serving off Vietnam as Engineering Officer. He relieved as Executive Officer in June, l970. Following duty in the Pacific, Captain Marfiak was as- signed to the Bureau of Na val Personnel in the Officer Assign- ment Branch. In .lune l972, he was selected to be the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy. From .luly l973 to .lanuary l97Z Captain Marfiak completed studies at the Institute of Political Studies fM.A.j in Paris, France and at the Fletcher School of l.aw and Diplomacy fM.A., M.A.l..D.1, Cambridge, Massachusetts as an Olmsted Scholar. Reassigned to sea duty, Captain Marfiak served aboard USS BIDDLE CCG-342 as Engineer Officer through a series of fleet operations and deployments before becoming Executive Offi- cer, USS CONYNGHAM CDDG-ID in l980. In .lanuary l982, Captain Marfiak joined the Strategic Con- cept Group COP-603j on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as Action Officer in Maritime Strategy and Nation Security Affairs. In October l983, Captain Marfiak was chosen to join the immediate staff of the Secretary of Defense as Special Assistant and Speech writer to the Secretary and depu- ty Secretary of Defense. In .lune l985, Captain Marfiak assumed command of the USS DO Yl.E KFFG-39j engaged in contingency operations with the Sixth Fleet. During his tour, the USS DOYLE was actively employed throughout the Mediterranean, North Atlantic and Caribbean. In .lanuary l988, Captain Marfiak joined the immediate staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Director, CNO's Executive Panel COP-OOKBQ, serving until his detachment in September l989. In March l990, Captain Marfiak assumed command of the Aegis Cruiser USS BUNKER HILL ICG-522 forward deployed to the Western Pacific. He served as Anti-Air Warfare Com- mander KAAWCQ for the Arabian Gulf Battle Force during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As such, he exer- cised tactical control of a 26-ship AAW Task Group and hundreds of fighter aircraft from four aircraft carriers com- prising the largest coalition of maritime forces since the sec- ond World War.

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COMMANDER ROY J. BALCONIS2 USN EXECUTIVE OFFICER JULY 89-NOV 90 CDR Balaconis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Balaconis, was born and raised in Boston, Mass., and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in l976. His initial assignments at sea were as Communications Officer and Combat Information Center officer aboard USS SOMERS IDDG-341, homeported in Pearl Harbor. Following this, he was assigned as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Representative Philippines Commander U.S. Na val Forces Phil- ippines from February I980 to December I98I. His next two sea tours were as Combat Systems Officer onboard USS ELLIOTT TDD-9572 and USS ENGLAND TCG-222, both home- ported in San Diego. While deployed to the Western Pacific onboard ELLIOTI he participat- ed in the joint rescue effort for the Korean AirIine's Flight 007 shot down off Sakalin Island, USSR. He achieved his Qualification for Command while assigned to USS ENGLAND. CDR Balaconis completed a Master's Degree at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California in the Weapon System Engineering Technology curriculum. His awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation and the Navy Achievement Medal, Pacific Fleet Shiphandling Award and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. He is married to the former Susan Davila of Gonzales, Ca. They have two children, Anika and Zoe. After detaching from USS Bunker Hill in November I990, CDR Balaconis was assigned to the Joint Staff in Washington, DC, where he was an Action Officer in the National Military Command Center during Operation DESERT STORM.