John F Kennedy (CV 67) - Naval Cruise Book

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.' x 'a HlE1xW9gk'-4 Commanding Officer USS JOHN E KENNEDY CCV 672 aptain Herb Browne was bom in Mc- Kinney. Texas and although he claims the bone Star State as his home, he is in fact an Am1y Brat and graduated from high school in Nuremburg, Gennany. He enlisted in the Navy after attending two years of college at Texas A8zM Univer- sity. Following a couple of years as a sea- man. he was assigned to the Naval Aviation Training Command for Naval Flight Officer training and was designated and commis- sioned in March I966. Following A-6 bombardierlnavigator training. Captain Bmwne reponed to Attack Squadron Sixty-Fi ve t VA-653 and deployed to WESTPAC aborad USS Kitty Hawk. In September I969. Captain Browne reponed to Attack Squadron 42 tVA-42I, where he served as a flight instructor. In April l972, he again reponed to VA-65 and completed a Mediterranean deployment on board USS Independence. He then reported to the Armed Forces Staff College and following graduation was assigned to the Staff of Commander Me- dium Attack Wing One, where he served as the Readiness Officer until November I977. During this assignment, Captain Browne attended night school at George Washing- ton University and graduated with a Bache- lor of Science Degree in March I977. Captain Browne began his third tour with VA-65 as Executive Officer in December I977. He assumed command in March I979. During his command tour. the squad- ron completed a Mediterranean and an In- dian Ocean cruise. In I98l. Captain Bmwne deployed for a second Indian Ocean cruise on board USS Independence as Air Officer. In July l982. Captain Browne assumed command of VA-42. training flight and maintenance crews for Atlantic Fleet A-6 squadrons. He subsequently served asCOM- CARGRU Two Operations Officer from November l983 to January l985. Then he reponed to the Office ol' Naval Operations, Director ol' Navy Program Planning tOP- 09Ill. as special assistant for Aviation and RDT8r E. Captain Browne commanded USS Niagara Falls from June l986 to January I988 and completed another Indian Ocean May 1909-December 1990 - 9 I' ' if Alf' milf Captain Herbert A. Browne, Jr. deployment. To round out his WESTPAC experi- ence. he was assigned for one year to COMSEVENTH FLT as Operations Officer prior to beginning his PCO training enroute to USS John F. Kennedy. Captain Browne's awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal. the Air Medal. the Navy Commenda- tion Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal. Captain Browne is married to Lieutenant Jill Browne. who is his best friend and favor- ite sailor. Ja

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li h 'iw Qvlxits, M W' I 'ff Z I v I Redl' Admifdl Riley D. MiXSOfl 4 D

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,-,,,.,,4. .'.-. .- '--Q. -,-Y.:-vfgf.-:u v-rt- intl, , ,' -. 'L -NNN' ',-P-1'J? -- '.x' s?:Z'.YtLl-::i7 T liZ':.:1.f-f 1- '!lg'Z' f. - ,a if - ' A I - 'ft-L-- . .-.'b..e,af P-'11- - Commanding Officer- U JOHN E KENN DY CCV 671 Captain John R Gay, the son of Elbert and Loretta Gay, was bom December 4, l94l, in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Johnsonburg Area Joint High School and then attended Penn State University. ln August I963, he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet QNAVCADJ program at NAS Pensacola, Florida, and received his com- mission and wings in Beeville, Texas, in Febmary I965. H Upon completion of A-4 Skyhawk Fleet Readiness Squadron Training in October l965, Captain Gay reported to the Black Diamonds of VA-2 I6. He completed two combat deployments on board USS Han- cock tCVA I9I and USS Coral Sea CCV 43I and a Mediterranean cruise on board USS Saratoga QCV 60l. In May I969. lbllowing his final cruise with the Black Diamonds. Captain Gay reported to the Dam Busters ol'VA- I 25 as an instructor pilot and LSO. During this tour, he also served one year additional duty to COMLATWINGPAC as the Wing LSO. Completing transition to the A-7B Corsair II. Captain Gay then reported to the Ra- vens of VA-93 and completed two combat deployments on board USS Midway. Captain Gay then reponed to the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey. Califor- nia, and completed his undergraduate work in Govemment and Intemational Relations. After graduating in June I975, he reported to Commander. Carrier Group Four in Nor- Iblk. Virginia. where he served as Flag Secretary and Aide. Upon completion of this tour in April I977. Captain Gay re- poned to the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations tOP-96J as a systems analyst. Following A-7E refresher training. Cap- tain Gay served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of the VA-86 Side- windersf' on board USS Nimitz tCVN 683 from November I979 through June l982. Following a brief tour on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, Captain Gay re- established Carrier Air Wing Thineen and served as the Commander from March l984 to November l985. During this tour. Cap- tain Gay introduced the FIA-I8 to the East Coast and established live new squadrons. Another tour on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations followed where Captain Gay served as a Navy planner. ' December 1990 - 5 ,- 7-.. Nz... 0 Captain John P. Gay Captain Gay then commanded the Guam- homeported USS Niagara FallstAFS 33 from January I 988 to August I 989. He once again reported to Washington, D.C., to serve as Executive Assistant to Commander. Mili- tary Sealift Command. Captain Gay has accumulated over 4.500 hours in I8 aircraft models and l.257 land- ings on I3 diflerent carriers. He is a veteran of 430 combat missions and 28 combat support missions in Southeast Asia. His awards include the Silver Star, three Legions of Merit. the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Meritorious Service Medals. 47 Air Medals and various commendations, serv- ice. and campaign medals and rihhons. Captain Gay is married to Carol Steven- son, fonnerly ofArlington, Virginia, and has two sons, John. Jr.. and Justin. who reside in northem Virginia.