Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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Minis? 512511555 MSW 2 Eefmwefvaisfff Aimemiliisw fatale risvss 9655? Rear Admiral Michael P. Nowakowski is a native of Torrington, Conn. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Ohio University. Following graduation, he entered Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in October 1974. At sea, he served in USS BARNSTABLE COUNTY fLST 1197i as Communications Officer and Assistant First Lieutenant, USS BIDDLE fCG 34l as Missile Battery Officer: USS PHARRIS QFF 1094i as Engineer Officer and USS WHIDBEY ISLAND fLSD 41l as Executive Officer. Il Other sea tours include Material Officer on the Staff of p , M Commander, Destroyer Squadron TEN and Flag Secretary 1 to Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group EIGHT. His - llZlll command at sea tours include USS GUNSTON HALL QLSD 44l and the amphibious assault ship USS SAIPAN QLHA 2l. He commanded Amphibious Group TWO from June to September 2000. Ashore, Rear Adm. Nowakowski has served as Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Crops Unit, State University of New York Maritime College, Department Head Engineering Instructor at Surface Warfare Officer School Command, Newport, R.l.g Financial Management Officer for the Navy's Research and Development account in the Office of the Navy Comptroller, Washington, D.C.g Head, Surface Commander Assignment Branch, Bureau of Naval Personnel, Joint duty assignment as Appropriation Liaison Officer in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense fComptrolIerlg and Director, Shore Activities Readiness fN46l on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He assumed his current duties as Commander, Amphibious Group TWO in August 2002. He earned his Master of Business Administration Degree from Hofstra University and a Masters Degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. Among his decorations are the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit f2l, Meritorious Service Medal f4l, Navy Commendation Medal f4l and various unit and service awards. edrfkdmiroly Michael R Nowakowski

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'i Ag Geneefol 2d MEB U 4 I -J Jr A .5 1 I Brigadier General Richard F. Natonski is the commanding General 2d 1 .Q- Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Deputy Commanding General II Marine Expeditionary Force. rt. Ei Brigadier General Natonski graduated from the University of Louisville in 1973 with a B.A. degree in History, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S.. Marine Corps. Upon completion of The Basic School in 1974. Lieutenant Natonski senled as a platoon commander and executive officer with Company H, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines. There he participated in Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations in Cambodia QEAGLE PULLJ and in South Vietnam Q fFREQUENT wmof. 5-'if Q1 I n . . lrlnln I - fn Transferring to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego in July 1975, NIH l ll DU Lieutenant Natonski was assigned as a series commander in Company , I.. Im I A, 1st Recruit Training Battalion and subsequently as the battalion ' ' ' 'H' 3 4 operations officer. ln April 1978, Captain Natonski was transferred to Marine Barracks, 8th an I, where he served as executive officer and commanding officer of Company B. J!! Ui.l.l : Upon completion of this tour in Washington, D.C. in 1981, he spent the summer as a platoon commander at Officer Candidate's School prior to attending the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, VA. In July 1982, he was assigned as the operations officer for 1st Battalion, 5th Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA. Subsequent to his tour in lst A Marine Division, Major Natonski was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps in July 1984, where he served in the Ground Combat Requirements T, Branch ofthe Plans, Policy, and Operations Department. From 1987 to 1988, he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. S . it Following his instruction at Quantico, he was assigned as an Observer to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle A East. Upon completion of this tour in June 1989, he was transferred tothe 2d Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, N.C., where he WHS assigned as the G-3 plans officer. E In July 1991, Lieutenant Colonel Natonski was transferred to 2d Marine Division, where he served as the executive officer of the 2d Marine Regiment until assuming command of 1st Battalion, 2d Marines in May 1992. As commanding officer he participated in Operation GTM0' 5 I. humanitanan relief mission for Haitian migrants in Cuba and Operations RESTORE HOPE and CONTINUE HOPE in Somalia. He comP'9'9d his tour in the Division as the deputy G-3. From 1.994 to 1995 he attended the NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. Colonel Natonski served in the Il MEF O rations Section uflll' assuming command of the 24th Manne Expeditionary Unit fMEUl in October 1995. Colonel Natonski made two Fdzployments as MEU commander su rti t' ' ' ' ' PPO H9 Offer? 'ONS In BOSUIB and KUWHII- In May 1998 he gave up command of the MEU and reported to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon' where he was assigned duties as the chief of CENTCOM Division, Joint Staff KJ-3l Operations Directorate and subsequently the Deputy Director for Operations rn the National Military Command Center Following his tour on the Joint Staff B ' d' r General Natonski , - , n a re served as the Director of Strategy and Plans and the Director of operations in the Plans, Policies, and Operations Depgrtment of Headquaflefs Manne Co s. Bn dre G I N ' ' ' - I - - rp ga r enera atonskr assumed his current duties as Commanding General 2d Manne Expeditionary Brigade in June 2002 . Brigadier General Natonski's decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, L ' f M ' ' ' S ice Medal with one oak leaf cluster Mentonous Service Med I N d M C eglon 0 em, Defense Mentonous ew dali0f' 1 , 3. avy an arine C d t' M I ' C men Medal and Combat Action Ribbon. orps ommen a ron eda with two gold stars, Army Om Brigadier Generol Richcrd F Nofcnski ' ,Jhsl .lil 11' il:

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Ur When on 12 January, 2003 Amphibious Task Force-EAST lATF-E5 surge deployed from Norfolk, Virginia to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, Commander Amphibious Group TWO QCPG 25 embarked aboard USS KEARSARGE fLHD 35 with Amphibious Squadron EIGHT forming the nucleus of his flag staff. The Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade Q2 MEB5 embarked the seven ships of ATF-E for delivery to Kuwait in advance of their combat role in lraq. Subsequent to 2 MEB disembarking, CPG 2 detached and retumed to Norfolk leaving Commander Amphibious Squadron EIGHT fCPR 85 as the immediate superior in command of the seven ATF-E ships. In addition to the USS KEARSARGE, ATF-E included the USS BATAAN QLHD 55, USS SAIPAN lLHA 25, USS PONCE QLPD 155, USS ASHLAND QLSD 485, USS GUNSTON HALL QLSD 445, and USS PORTLAND QLSD 375. Augmenting the CPR 8 core staff were numerous Naval Support Elements essential to the smooth operation of the task force. The Naval Support Elements consisted of: Fleet Surgical Teams lFST5, a Fleet Information Warfare Center QFIWC5 detachment, a Naval Beach Group QNAVBEACHGRU5 detachment, an Explosive Ordinance Disposal QEOD5 detachment, and a Tactical Air Control Squadron QTACRON5. I The entire ATF-E team combined in the North Arabian Gulf with an Amphibious Task Force - West and two Amphibious Ready Groups to form Task Force FIVE ONE QTF 515 under Commander Amphibious Group THREE QCPG 35 for the duration of Operation Iraqi Freedom combat operations. CPR 8, the Naval Support Elements and the ships of ATF- E can rightfully take great pride in their contributions to Operation lraqi Freedom. Among the vital roles filled were: basing and support to Marine Corps aviation units flying combat sorties over Iraq, medical care for combat casualties, coordination for temporary at sea detainment and interrogation of enemy prisoners of war, and participation in Central Command's federated intelligence production. Two ATF-E ships, USS PONCE and USS GUNSTON HALL, were temporarily detached from ATF-E and given over to support naval mine countermeasure operations. GUNSTON HALL played a unique role by housing marine mammals fdolphins5 trained to hunt naval mines. It is a credit to the dedication and professionalism of each ATF-E unit and senrice member that these missions and more were accomplished safely and efficiently in the high operations tempo, high threat wartime environment of the North Arabian Gulf. af SHll S or ATFE - ' -' Yfniii 4lll hai' J 1 -' .hy Q' D . ,-11 - ' ilnjfigfx , . F- f . -I . 8- I, V 4 - Azz- w I. . N A. all ' rl USS KMHSRH 1 lllilleiil r ' S , ' -3- as, JM t v 4 I . uss b 1 , .fr , X - , so I we 55 - saw, N - rQ!'9 ' uss smm ruin-21 g W Y' . ' ' lim . USS Riiflllelrlif AW W C M l fl , , f I 9 g' 1 uss rom urn-151 f ' . ..... - ef t ' 6,1::is59.z?::14 -fi - . - . . g 555.35-. .fg-.5 , . 1- L 06:5--. ...lyk - .Q 'gy . rss 'A ' Q rn P' T ' - -Ufiiaff uss runruma . . 3,3-Q., p ,.g i' LI' +1 .iq . fir . I 't uss nuusrou um rlsu-ui