Bunker Hill (CG 52) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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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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COMMANDER DANIEL D. THOMPSON, USN I EXECUTIVE OFFICER NOV 90-PRESEN T A native of Cleveland, Ohio, CDR Thompson gradu- O ated from the United States Naval Academy, Annap- olis, in I977 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Operations Analysis. After graduating from the Surface Warfare Officer School in October l97Z CDR Thomp- son reported to the USS CONNOLE IFF-I056j. He was assigned as Hrst Lieutenant and subsequently as Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, completing deployments to the Mediterra- nean in l977 and l980. In February I98I, CDR Thompson was assigned to the staff of Commander, Na val Surface Group FOUR in Newport, Rhode Island, as Combat Systems Officer. In May I983, he received a Master's Degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. After graduating from Surface Warfare Department Head course in December l983, CDR Thompson was sent to the Charleston based destroyer USS DE YO CDD-9932 as Operations Officer. He participated in .ICS special operations in the Central American region, several fleet exercises in the Western Atlantic and drug interdiction operations in the Caribbean basin. In .lanuary I985, CDR Thompson was transferred to the guided missile destroyer USS KIDD CDDG-9932 homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. In I98Z he completed a deployment of Operation EA RNES T WILL, the protection of reflagged Kuwaiti tankers during the Iran-Iraq Tanker War. He participated in Operation NIMBLE ARCHER, the U.S. retaliatory strike against Iran 's Revolutionary Guard facility at Rostam. After graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College in .luly I988, he was assigned to the Headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Atlantic Command, as an exercise planner and Head, .loint Training Branch. He also served as Na val Liaison Officer to the U.S. Southern Command during Operation .IUS T CAUSE the U.S. invasion of Panama. He became the Executive Officer of the AEGIS cruiser USS BUNKER HILL ICG-522 in November I990. He participated in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM during which USS BUNKER HILL served as the Anti-Air Warfare command ship for the largest coalition of maritime forces since the Second World War. CDR Thompson was promoted to his current rank in .lune I99I. He is married to the former Deborah Sue Fletcher of Annapolis, Maryland. They ha ve two children, Sean and Meghan, and reside in Yokosuka, Japan. 11