Monongahela (AO 178) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 13 text:

Command MOISONGAHELA ' s fourth Change of Command ceremony was scheduled to take place in Villefranche. France on 2 August 1989. The ship was prepared in grand fashion, and numerous foreign dignitaries were invited to attend. CDR Frahler joined the ship in Naples, Italy on 26 July 1989 and he was standing by to relieve as MONONGAHELA ' s fifth Commanding Officer. On 1 August 1989, however. MONONGAHELA was called upon to join the Coral Sea Battle Group in supporting U.S. National Policy. As a result of the hostage crisis in Lebanon, the entire battle group was put on alert and directed to transit to the Eastern Medi- terranean without delay. The Change of Command ceremony was held on the afternoon of 1 August 1989, with only one guest, Joanne Diddlemeyer, CDR Diddle- meyer ' s wife. With the crew assembled on the flight deck. CDR Frahler relieved CDR Diddlemeyer and the ship quickly departed to rejoin the Battle Group.

Page 12 text:

Change of Keiponiibilitu of Command The responsibility of the commanding Officer for his command is absolute and the authority of the commanding officer is commensurate with his responsibility. -U.S. Navy Regulations, 1973. The Change of Command ceremony is a time honored tradition which formally restates to the officers and personnel of the command the conti- nuity of the authority of the command. It is a formal ritual conducted be- fore the assembled company of the command. The Change of Command of a naval unit is nearly unique in the world today: it is a transfer of total responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to anoth-

Page 14 text:

Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Williams United States Navy :. LCDR Williams was born on St. Patricks day in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He is the son of Senior Master Sergeant (USAF, Retired) and Mrs. Charles Williams. He grew up in a long succession of Air Force communities in California, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas, Georgia, Missou- ri, and England. After receiving his Army draft notice in 1 972, LCDR Williams enlisted in the U.S. Navy following completion of his bachelor ' s degree from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Follow- ing boot camp in San Diego, CA, he completed ET A school and reported for duty aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). After completing a WESTPAC IO deployment, he attended Enlisted Nuclear Power School where he was selected for OCS. After commissioning in May, 1975, he was assigned as CIC Officer in USS VESOLE (DD 878). During his first Mediterranean Deployment, he participated in the first Lebanese Crisis. Following VESOLE ' s decommissioning in January 1976, LCDR Williams was re- assigned as ASW Officer in USS TALBOT (FFG-4). Next he attended Navy Post Graduate School in Monterey, California and completed a bachelor ' s degree in Physics. Following post graduate school, he attended department head school with a follow on tour as Weapons Officer in USS JOHN ROGERS (DD 983). On his North Atlantic Cruise and Mediterranean De- ployment he participated in the second Lebanese Crisis in the Persian Gulf. Subsequently, LCDR Williams served as First Lieutenant in USS CANISTEO (AO 99) and USS AMER- ICA (CV 66). LCDR Williams relieved as Executive Officer on USS MONONGAHELA (AO 178) on 1 July 1988. LCDR Williams is married to the former Anita Kay Hammons of Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have two daughters, Elizabeth and Rebecca.