Enterprise (CVN 65) - Naval Cruise Book

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142 I COMCARGRU 3

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COMMANDER CARRIER GROUP THREE, October 1982 — 23 June 1984 Rear Admiral Edwin R. Kohn, Jr., U.S. Navy AnativeofSmethport, Pa., Rear Admiral E.R. Rudy Kohn graduated from Pennsylvania State University and was commissioned an Ensign in January 1955. He attended flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in June 1956. His first assignment as an aviator was with Attack Squadron NINE FIVE flying Douglass Skyraiders aboard USS TICONDEROCA. After a tour in the Advanced Flight Training Command, Rear Admiral Kohn served as Assistant Combat Information Center Officer and Assistant Operations Officer on the aircraft carrier USS HANCOCK during 1964-65. He served with Attack Squadron FIVE FIVE in 1966 and 1 967, aboard USS RANGER and USS CONSTELLATION with combat cruises off Vietnam. His next assignment was in the Corsair II Replace- ment Air Wing Attack Squadron 122, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., as Operations Officer. Rear Admiral Kohn was Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron NINE THREE in 1970 and 1971 with Vietnam combat deployments aboard USS RANGER and USS MID- WAY. He then attended the Naval War College in Newport, R.i. After War College he commanded Attack Carrier Airwing ONE aboard USS JOHN F. KENNEDY. Upon completion of his tour as Air Wing Commander, he served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, first as head Air Combat Placement Branch and then as Executive Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Officer Deployment and Distribution. Rear Admiral Kohn commanded the replenishment oiler USS KALAMAZOO from August 1976 until December 1977. He assumed command of the aircraft carrier USS FORRESTAL in March 1979. In September 1980 Rear Admiral Kohn became the Chief, Current Operations Division, Commander in Chief Pacific. In July 1981 he assumed the duty as Director, Logistics-Security Assistance Directo- rate also on the staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific. Rear Admiral Kohn was assigned as Commander Carrier Group THREE in October 1982. Rear Admiral Kohn has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, two individual Air Medals, thirty Strike Flight Air Medals for over 300 missions in Vietnam, the Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals with Combat V , three Navy Unit Commendations, the Vietnam Government Gallantry Cross, and the Vietnam Service Medal with nine campaign stars. Rear Admiral Kohn and his wife Marilyn have four children: Jenni- fer, Peter, Thomas and Edwin. COMCARGRU 3 141

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COMMANDER CARRIER GROUP THREE, 25 June 1984-Present Rear Admiral John R. Batzler, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral John Richard Batzler, son of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Batzler, was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, December 9, 1932. A graduate of La Jolla High School, La Jolla, California, he also attended the University of California at Berkeley, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. Commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in June of 1 955, RADM Batzler reported for flight training in Pensacola, Florida, and received his wings in January 1957. As a photo reconnaissance pilot with VFP-63, he completed deployments to the Western Pacific aboard USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA 31) and USS ORISKANY (CVA 34). During his first tour of shore duty, RADM Batzler served for one year at the U.S. Naval Academy as a mathematics instructor and three years at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, as a graduate Navy Test Pilot and Project Pilot in the Weapon Systems Test Division. Reporting to Fighter Squadron 31 in November 1965, he served as Maintenance and then Operations Officer during one and one-half deployments to the Mediterranean aboard USS SARATOGA (CVA 60). A west coast tour with Fighter Squadron 96 followed, where RADM Batzler served as the squadron ' s Operations Officer while completing his first combat tour to Southeast Asia in USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN 65). U.S. Naval Postgraduate school followed, culminating in a Master ' s Degree in ComputerSystems Management in 1969. In 1970 he reported to Fighter Squadron 24 as Executive Officer and became Commanding Officer in July 1971. With the Flying Red Checkertails RADM Batzler made two com- bat deployments to Southeast Asia in USS HANCOCK (CVA 19). Following one full year of nuclear propulsion engineering training in June 1973, RADM Batzler served a short tour on the staff of Comman- der Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet. He then reported to USS ENTER- PRISE (CVAN 65) as Executive Officer in January 1975. During this tour, the ship conducted Indian Ocean operations and was a major supporting force in the evacuation of Saigon. Selected for major command at sea in 1976, RADM Batzler took over the Pearl Harbor based USS ASHTABULA (AO 51) in January 1 977, completing that tour in August 1 978. In February 1 979, RADM Batzler became Commanding Officer of USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). Dur- ing this tour USS NIMITZ made two Mediterranean deployments, one to the North Atlantic, and a record setting 1 44 continuous days at sea in the Indian Ocean. The highlight of RADM Batzler ' s tour was the shooting down of two Libyan SU-17 Fitter aircraft by NIMITZ-based VF-41 Tomcats. He was selected for Flag rank in February 1981 after having completed two of his three years as skipper of NIMITZ. On February 24, 1982, the then Captain Batzler was relieved as Comman- ding Officer, USS NIMITZ, in a ceremony at which the CNO, then Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, gave a major address on U.S. Naval Aircraft Carriers. Upon his promotion to Flag rank, he was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the Deputy Director for Operations (Reconnaissance, Space, Electronic Warfare, and C3 Countermeasures) where he is currently serving. In RADM Batzler ' s flying career he has flown more than 50 different Navy aircraft, including fighters from the F9F Panther and Cougar thru the current F-14 Tomcat. His combat experience includes more than 270 missions in Viet Nam. RADM Batzler ' s awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, numerous Air Med- als, Navy Commendation and various service and campaign ribbons for participation in the Viet Nam Conflict. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Association of Naval Aviation, the U.S. Hang Glider Association, and the Cousteau Society. RADM Batzler is married to the former Carolyn Wright of Exeter, California. They have three children, Michael, Karen, and Gregory Shane. COMCARGRU 3 I 143