Higgins (DDG 76) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER Commander William R.Ault United States Navy Commanding Officer USSHiggins(DDG76) { , ommander William R. Ault. a native of Pittsburgh. PA, was raised in Los Angeles. CA. graduating from Warren High School in Downey, CA. in 1977. After attending California State University at Long Beach for a year, he received an appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1982. His initial sea tour was in USS ROARK ( FF 1 053 ). where he served as Gunnery and Missile Officer and Damage Control Assistant from November 1982 to February 1985. He was then assigned as Combat Information Center Officer in USS HORNE (CG 30) from May 1 985 to February 1987. From March 1987 to June 1989. CDR Ault was a student at Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. and received a Master of Science degree in Computer Science. After completion of the Surface Warfare Officer Department Head Course, he reported to USS GRIDLEY (CG 2 1 ) as Chief Engineer, serving from January 1 990 to November 1 99 1 . His next assignment was as Operations Officer in USS COWPENS (CG 63) from May 1992 to July 1993. He then served as Flag Secretary to Commander Cruiser- Destroyer Group Five and Commander. Kitty Hawk Battlegroup, from September 1993 to March 1995. From September 1995 to January 1997. he served as Executive Officer in USS VINCENNES (CG 49). Rotating ashore, he then served as the CRUDESPAC placement officer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington D.C. from February of 1997 to July 1998. He is a 1999 graduate of the National War College. Washington D.C. where he received a Master of Arts degree in National Security Strategy. CDR Ault s personnal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal. Navy Commendation and Navy Achievement Medal .

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HIGGINS ' NAMESAKE I Colonel William R. I liggins, United States Marine Corp 15Januan W45 -6Jul 1990 ss I IK .( .I S is named in honi)[ ul Colonel William R Higgins, I SM who disappeared 01 I the Chief, )bservei ( iroup Lebanon as Senioi Militai States Military ( )bservei Group, I nited Nations rruce Supervision ( hganization (Palesl Born in Danville, Kentucky, on January I II graduated from Southern High School in Louisville and earned his bachelor ' s degree from Miami I fniversit) in Oxford, hio A scholarship student in the Na v Reserve ( MTicersl raining ( orps. he received the Marine Corps Association Award and was commissioned in the- Marine ( ' orps m 1967 He lalei obtained Masters degrees from Pepperdine Universti) and Auburn University. He graduated from the Arm) Infantry ( fficers Advanced Course, the n I orce Command and Stafl College, and the National Wai ( ollege. n .1 1 ieutenant, he participated in combat operations durii u ithC Company, 1st Battalion. 5rd Marines in the Republic ol Vietnam as a rifle platoon commander and rifle compan) executive officer, and was aide-de-camp to the Assistant 3rd Marine I)i ision Commander. In 1969 Lt. Higgins served at the Mai me Corps Headquarters and in 197 hTicer-in-Charge ol the Officer Selection Team in Louisville. HA (aptam Higgins returned to Vietnam in 1972 as an infantrj battalion advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Corps, then he served as a rifle compan) commander w ithC Company.! st Battalion . 4th Marines From 1973 to 1977, Captain ii is served al the Stafl Noncommissioned ( )fficers Academ) and fficers( ' andidate School, both inQuantico. V Returning to the Fleet Marine Force in l977,Capt. Higgins was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, NC, where he again served as a rifle compan) commander with A Company, 1st Battalion. 2nd Marines Upon promotion to Major, he was reassigned as the Logistics ( )fficer for Regimental Landing Team 2.4th Marine Amphibious Brigade. ftei completion of the Air Force Command and Stafl College at the Maxwell Air I n 1 980 and designated a distinguished graduate, he returned to Washington, where he served al the I sMt I leadquarters as Plans Officer until his selection to the Office of the Secretar) ol Defense During 1981 and 1982. he served as Militar) Assistant to the Special Assistant to the Sceretar) andDeput) Secretar) ol Defense, then as ssislanlfor Interagenc) Matters to the Executive Secretar) for the Department ol Defense. fter( Iraduation from ihcNational Waj College in 1985. he returned to the Pentagon as the Militar) Assistant to the Secretar) ol Defense, where he served until he was transferred to his 1 nited Nations assignment in Jul) 1987. He was promoted to Colonel on March I, - ttei being held captive b pro-Iranian terrorists in 1 cbanon.Col Higgins was murd laicol death in uncertain; however, he was declared dead on Jul) 6, 1990 I lis remains were eventual I n interred at Quantico National Cemelerv onDecembei U). 1991 tins ' military decorations include the Defense Distinguisl IS Service Medal. Legion ol Merit (posthumous), Bron e Stai with combat V. Purple Mean l posthumous Service Medal. Nav) Commendation Medal with bronze stai and combat V. Combat Action Ribbon S Cross ol (iallantrv with silver star. Stall Service Honoi Medal. I nited Nat commendations and campaign ribbons )n March I - Presidential ( ' itizens Medal (posthumous) II ns is proud to ha ' ns ' wife. Lieutenant Colonel Rob sponsoi

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER L ieutenant Commander Da id L. Schiffman is a native ol San Diego, CA. He graduated from Chula Vista High School in 1 983 and from the! S NavalAcademj with a degree in Computer Science. His initial sea tour was on I ss |.m Ki DWlDdl I050)asthe Mam Engines, Auxiliaries and Mam Propulsion Assistant from March 1988 to September 1989. Following the decommissioning of ALBERT DAVID, he served on USS FORD FFG 54 1 as ( )rdnance ( )fficer from Ni ember 1 9N9 to Jul) 1 99 1 u ith a deploy ment in support l Desert Shield Desert Storm. From August 1991 to September 1993, LCDR Schiffman was a student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and received a Masters of Science in Operations Logistics. Follow ing this, he attended the Surface Warfare Officer Department Head course. He next served on USS COPELANDl FF( i 25 i as Chief Engineer from June 1994 to January 1996. During this tour, he made the first 6-month deployment oi a Naval Reserve Force ship in support ofl NTTAS. His next assignment was the pre- commissioningcrev, of USS MILrUS(DDG 69) as Chief Engineer from February 1996 to March 1998. LCDR Schiffman next served ashore as the Officer in Charge of the Surface Warfare Development Group Detachment West m Coronado, CA. During this assignment, he as the Assistant Tomahavt k. Ordnance Logistics and S stems Interoperabilit) Officer for Commander. Naval Surface Force Pacific Fleet. He reported to CSS HIGGINS i DDG 76) as Executive Officer in April 2000. LCDR Shiftman ' s personal awards include the Na Commendation Medal. Navy Achievement Medal. Combat Action Ribbon, and Expert Ritle and Expert Pistol medals. COMMAND MASTER CHIEF M. iter Chief Michael R. DiBiccaro was born in Butler. Pennsylvania, in 1965. He joined the Navj in 1984 and weas sent to RTC Great Lakes to attend basic training. Upon completion of basic training, he attended Gunners Mate A school and then completed training on the Mk 1 Terrier Guided Missile System. Master Chief DiBiccaro served aboard his first ship, the CSS GRIDLEY (CG 2 1 . here he made two deploj ments to the Indian Ocean TheGRIDLFY participated in Earnest Will missions b escorting oil tankers through the Strait ofHormuz. After finishing almost six years of sea duty, he reported to RFC San Diego as a Company Commander. There he led six recruit companies, five of which achieved the highest honors b being the Color Company. In 1 993 and after a promotion to Chief Pett) Officer, he reported fordutj to the! SSFOX(CG . ;:; i [he I OX made one Persian Gulf deploy ment in support of Operation Southern Watch. The FOX also made histoiy on that deployment b being the first warship to deploj into a combat one with female officers aboard. The I SSFOX was decommissioned in 1994, and Master Chief DiBiccaro reported to the 1 SSSID1 S(l FG 14) as the Command Senior Chief. The SIDES ' primaiy mission during that time period was counter-narcotics in the Caribbean. In 1997, he reported to FTSCPAC for shore dut) and was selected for Master Chief in 1999. After completion of the Senior Enlisted Academy, he reported for dut on USS HIGGINS (DDG 76) as her second Command Master Chief. Master Chief DiBiccaro ' s personal awards include the Na Commendation Medal i two awards). Navj Achievement Medal i four awards i. and various other campaign and sen ice medals.