Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER ivMfe- aptain (Select) Douglas Whalen is a native of Michigan, where he was drafted Into the Army In 1971. After a tour In Vietnam, he was discharged In 1 973 and attended Michigan State University, graduating In 1976. Commander Whalen then at- tended Navy Officer Candidate School in 1977 at Newport, Rl, where he was commissioned an Ensign. Sea assignments Include Engineer Officer, USS IMPLICIT(MSO-455); com- missioning Main Propulsion Assistant, USS CALLAGH AN (DDG-994); Engineer Officer, USS ROARK (FF-1053); Engi- neer Officer, USS MOUNT VERNON (LSD-39); Main Propulsion Assistant, USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62); Executive Officer, USS MOUNT VERNON (LSD-39); Commanding Officer, USS COMSTOCK (LSD-45); Executive Officer, USS ESSEX (LHD-2). Shore Assignments consist of Engineering Readiness for Commander, Naval Surface Group Long Beach, CA; Readiness Officer, CINCLANTFLT Det South, Fort Amador, Panama; Executive Officer, Assault Craft Unit Five. Personal decorations Include the Navy Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (4), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (2), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Southwest Asia Service Medal. Commander Douglas Whalen

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER native of Montclair, NJ, Captain Connelly graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and Lwas commissioned an Ensign in June 1976. In ipvember 1977 he was designated a Naval Aviator. ■ ' r pon completion of his initial P-3C Orion training at W trol Squadron THIRTY-ONE, he was assigned to I ! t trol Squadron FORTY-EIGHT from June 1978 to pi. lime 1981. Captain Connelly participated in three estern Pacific deployments and detachments in sup- ort of fleet operations. Captain Connelly was assigned to the Office of le Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) from 1981 to 984 and served in the Systems Analysis Division and s Staff Assistant to the Director, Naval Warfare. . He reported to USS MIDWAY (CV 41) in Septem- !er 1984 and served as Assistant Navigator, General •JUarters Officer of the Deck throughout his tour and as designated Command Duty Officer (Underway), aptain Connelly next served as Assistant Mainte- ance Officer and Administrative Officer while as- signed to Patrol Squadron THIRTY-ONE from May 1986 to October 1987. In December 1987 Captain Connelly reported to Patrol Squadron EIGHT where he com- jleted deployments to Rota, Spain and Keflavik, Iceland while serving as the Safety Officer, raining Officer and Operations Officer. Assigned to OPNAV from January 1990 to August 1991, he served as Assistant Branch lead of the Western Hemisphere Plans and Policy Branch within the Politico-Military Policy and lurrent Plans Division. Additionally, he was assigned as the Assistant Branch Head of the East sia Pacific Branch and Lead Action Officer for the Philippine Base Re-negotiations. He oncluded his tour by serving as Aide and Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval perations (Plans, Policy and Operations) during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT TORM. Captain Connelly completed a one-year assignment as a National Security Fellow at the loover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, Stanford University. In September 1992 he Imported to Patrol Squadron FORTY-SEVEN as Executive Officer and assumed command one sar later. Following command. Captain Connelly was assigned to the CINCPACFLT staff as the PA PU Operations Officer until reporting to USS INCHON (MCS 12) in August 1996, serving as 1ie Executive Officer until his transfer in April 1998. He reported to USS ESSEX (LHD 2) in July 398 and is currently serving as Executive Officer. Captain Robert J. Connelly ■ J■,s::v ■-- ; : . .T?7■ ■?•.■. ■,T.j.-;jgt ai

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1 r COMMAND MASTER CHIEF aster Chief Gamiao was bom in January 1952, in the Republic of the Philippines. He J . enlisted in the Navy in January 1973 and attended Recruit Training in San Diego, California. ! = ollowing basic training, he reported aboard USS ' flkmerica (CV 66) where he made two cruises to the } yiediterranean. In May 1975, he completed Yeoman ■ ' A School at Naval Technical Training Center Me- i| 1dian, Mississippi where he graduated meritori- I 3usly. In November 1 976, Master Chief Gamiao was trans- ferred to the Armed Forces Examination and En- ' trance Station in Los Angeles, California. In Febru- ■ ary 1981, he reported aboard USS LOCKWOOD (FF , 1064) homeported at Yokosuka, Japan where he r served as the ship ' s secretary. He was promoted to . Chief Petty Officer September 19, 1983. In May 1984, I tie was ordered to the Staff of Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet Human Resource Management Support Division. During his tour, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration I degree from Waylan Baptist University. In January 1988, following a six-month tour as a student at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in Fort Bliss, Texas, Master Chief Gamiao reported to the Staff of Commander, Carrier Group 7, as Assistant Flag Secretary. He made three Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf deployments aboard USS NIMITZ (CVN 68), USS MIDWAY (CV 41), and USS RANGER (CV 51) for operation DESERT STORM. Master Chief Gamiao reported aboard USS CLEVELAND (LPD 7) as Command Master Chief ! in March 1 991 . Soon after reporting on CLEVELAND, he deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean Persian Gulf and made two South Pacific cruises including four Pananma Canal transits. In October 1997, Master Chief Gamiao took on the duties as USS ESSEX (LHD 2) Command Master Chief. Master Chief Gamiao ' s decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal. Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, (three awards), the Navy Unit Commenda- tion, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Navy E ribbon (two awards). Good Conduct Medal (five awards), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (eight awards), Kuwait Liberation Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait). YNCM(SW AW) James Gamiao