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Frank Castellano

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Frank Castellano
Castellano during his tenure as a commander.
Birth nameFrancis Xavier Castellano
Born(1964-01-07)January 7, 1964(age 60)
Patchogue, New York,U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1990–Present
RankCaptain
CommandsUSSChinook
USSBainbridge(June 2008 – April 2010)
USSVella Gulf
Battles/warsMaersk Alabama hijacking
AwardsDefense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal(four awards)
Navy Commendation Medal(three awards)

Francis Xavier Castellano(born January 7, 1964) is aUnited States Navycaptaincurrently assigned as the commanding officer ofCenter for Surface Combat Systems.[1]He was the commander of theguided missile destroyerUSSBainbridgeduring the hijacking ofMVMaersk Alabama.

Captain Castellano was listed as executive officer ofUSSVella Gulfon May 5, 2014, during a Holocaust memorial ceremony inHaifa,Israel.[2]He was executive officer ofVella Gulffrom December 2013 to April 2015 and was commanding officer from April 2015 to September 2015.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Castellano graduated from theUnited States Naval Academyin 1990, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History. He has attended theNaval Postgraduate School,earning a Master Of Science Degree in Systems Technology (Joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence), and theUnited States Naval War College,earning Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Career

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Castellano's naval sea duty assignments include O.I. Division Officer, Auxiliaries Officer, and Communications Officer ofUSSAnzio;Operations Officer ofUSSCole;Commanding Officer ofUSSChinook;as Executive Officer ofUSSDonald Cookand as Commanding Officer of USSBainbridgefrom June 2008 until April 2010.[4][5]Ashore, he served as an Associate Fellow to theChief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies GroupXVI and as a Surface Warfare Lieutenant Commander – Commander Assignments Officer, Navy Personnel Command (PERS 41). He was also previously assigned to theJoint Forces Staff College.[4]

Maersk Alabamahijacking

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Main article:Maersk Alabama hijacking
Castellano with Captain Phillips after the latter's rescue from pirates in April 2009.

Castellano was the commanding officer ofBainbridgeduring theApril 12, 2009 rescueof CaptainRichard Phillipsfrom pirates off the coast of Somalia. On April 12, 2009, Phillips was rescued from his pirate captors.[6][7]

According to Kirk Lippold, former commander ofUSSColeand superior officer to Castellano at that time, in a statement about Castellano in the hours prior to the rescue, "He – Frank is absolutely rock solid. He is a very, very mature and experienced commanding officer. He's had command previously of one of our navy's patrol craft. So with him being onBainbridge,I have absolute confidence that he's in the right place at the right time for a reason and that he'll do a great job there. "[8][9]

Castellano stated that as the winds picked up, tensions rose among the pirates and "we calmed them" and persuaded the pirates to be towed byBainbridge.[10]Vice Admiral William E. Gortney reported the rescue began when Castellano determined that Phillips' life was in imminent danger and ordered the action. PresidentBarack Obamahad previously given orders to take no action unless it was determined that Phillips' life was in immediate danger.[11][12]

A reporter summarized Vice AdmiralWilliam Gortney'sdescription of the final events: "Just before the shooting, Capt. Phillips was topside of the lifeboat. One pirate was behind him, pointing anAK-47rifle at him. The head and shoulders of each of the other two pirates were also visible above deck of the enclosed lifeboat. Determining that Phillips might be shot at any moment, the commander ordered the action. "[13]Castellano stated, "[We] ultimately believed the pirates were about to kill the captain. That's what was the decision point."[14]

U.S. Navy SEALsnipersonBainbridge's fantail opened fire and killed the three pirates remaining in the lifeboat.Bainbridgehad the lifeboat under tow approximately 25 m (82 ft) astern at the time. A fourth pirate was aboardBainbridgenegotiating a ransom and was taken prisoner. The U.S. Navy evacuatedMaersk Alabama's captain,Richard Phillips,toBainbridgeand then flew him by helicopter toUSSBoxerfor a medical evaluation.[6][7]

Awards and decorations

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Personal life

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Castellano is aRoman Catholic.At his parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Patchogue, he served in turn as analtar boy,usher,lector,andExtraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.[15]Castellano is a member of theKnights of ColumbusPatchogue,N.Y., Council 725.[16]

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References

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  1. ^"Center for Surface Combat Systems Home Page".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-28.Retrieved2017-05-24.
  2. ^"Sailors from USS Vella Gulf Hold Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony".5 May 2014.
  3. ^"USS VELLA GULF (CG 72)".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-07-23.
  4. ^abc"Change of command for USS Bainbridge".2010-04-02. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-03-08.
  5. ^"Photos from 2008 USS Bainbridge change of command".Retrieved2009-04-12.
  6. ^abVerjee, Zain;Starr, Barbara (April 12, 2009)."Captain jumps overboard, SEALs shoot pirates, official says".CNN.RetrievedApril 12,2009.
  7. ^ab"US captain held by pirates freed".BBC News.April 12, 2009.RetrievedApril 14,2009.
  8. ^"FBI Negotiating for Captain Held Hostage by Pirates".CNN.Retrieved2009-04-12.
  9. ^McFadden, Robert D.; Shane, Scott (April 13, 2009)."U.S. Captain Held by Pirates Is Rescued".NYTimes.Retrieved2009-04-12.
  10. ^"Commander Castellano interviewed by Brian Williams on NBC Nightly News".NBC News.Archived fromthe originalon December 1, 2019.Retrieved2009-04-14.
  11. ^"Official: US sea captain faced imminent danger".Associated Press.April 12, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2009.RetrievedApril 12,2009.
  12. ^Mikkelsen, Randall (April 12, 2009)."US acted after pirates aimed at ship captain".Reuters.RetrievedApril 12,2009.
  13. ^"Navy Rescues Captain Phillips".Sense of Events.Retrieved2009-04-12.
  14. ^"Ship's Commander Recounts Dramatic Rescue".NPR.Retrieved2009-04-14.
  15. ^"Heroism on the High Seas".Columbia.November 2013. pp. 24–25.
  16. ^"Knight instrumental in Somali pirate rescue". KnightLine. May 2009.
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