| Vice Admiral Russell Harry Crane AO, CSM, RAN |
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Vice Adm. Russ Crane (right) with Lt. Gen. David Hurley and Capt. Brent Canady observing flight operations aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2) in 2009 |
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| Born | Gold Coast, Queensland |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Royal Australian Navy |
| Years of service | 1970–2011 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands held | Chief of Navy Deputy Chief of Navy HMAS Curlew HMAS Derwent HMAS Success |
| Battles/wars | International Force for East Timor |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of Australia Conspicuous Service Medal Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Meritorious Service Medal (Singapore) |
Vice Admiral Russell Harry "Russ" Crane AO, CSM, RAN is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as the Chief of Navy from July 2008 until his retirement in June 2011.
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Russell Crane is the elder son of Harry and Nina Crane, and the elder brother of Terry Crane. Crane was brought up in Southport on the Gold Coast, Queensland. During his early teenage years, Crane was a cadet enlisted at the Naval Reserve Cadet unit "TS Tyalgum" at Main Beach on the Gold Coast.[1]
Russell began his naval career as a junior recruit at HMAS Leeuwin in 1970.[2] Training as an Electrical Mechanic in aircraft communications, he was posted aboard the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne in 1971. Following selection for officer training in 1972, he began training as a Seaman Officer serving in numerous RAN establishments and ships, before receiving his commission.[3] He was appointed as Minehunting Control Officer in the minehunter HMAS Curlew, in 1978 and promoted to Lieutenant during the same year. In 1983 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and appointed in command of Curlew. He was later appointed as the executive officer of the destroyer escort HMAS Torrens,[2] then in 1988, promoted to Commander and posted to the Equipment Acquisition Division in Navy Office Canberra.
In 1993 he was posted as the commanding officer aboard HMAS Derwent, a destroyer escort based in Western Australia. He was promoted to Captain in January 1996 and appointed as the Chief Staff Officer Command and Control, Communications and Intelligence in Maritime Headquarters. Captain Crane assumed command of HMAS Success on 24 November 1998. During his period in command Success conducted a number of deployments to the South East Asia region including, in September and October 1999, Operation Stabilise in support of peacekeeping operations in East Timor.
Awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal in early 2000 for his time in command HMAS Success,[4] he was promoted to Commodore in March 2000 and posted to Australian Defence Headquarters in Canberra as the Director General Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare. He was Commander Australian Navy Systems Command from October 2001 before being promoted to Rear Admiral on 1 May 2004 and assuming duties as Director General Coastwatch and the inaugural Commander of the newly formed Joint Offshore Protection Command in January 2005. Rear Admiral Crane became the Deputy Chief of Navy in June 2006, and was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2007.[5]
In March 2008, it was announced he would be promoted to Vice Admiral and assume the position of Chief of Navy on 4 July 2008.[6] For his "distinguished service as Deputy Chief of Navy and as Chief of Navy", Crane was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2010 Australia Day Honours List.[7]
In February 2011, the RAN under Vice Admiral Crane, was embroiled in controversy when the Australian Defence Force was left with a critically reduced amphibious capability.[8] Analysts claimed that a critical naval capability had been allowed to deteriorate to the point of failure.[9]
On 24 May 2011, Crane was conferred Singapore's Meritorious Service Medal by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at an investiture held at the Ministry of Defence.[10] Crane stood down as Chief of Navy and retired from the RAN on 7 June 2011.[11] He specifically requested to retire on this date, nearly one month earlier then the intended 4 July Defence Chiefs change over, as the date marked Crane's 40th anniversary of service with the RAN.[12]
| Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) | Awarded January 2010[7] | |
| Member of the Order of Australia (AM) | Awarded June 2007[5] | |
| Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) | Awarded June 2000[4] | |
| Australian Active Service Medal[13] | with "EAST TIMOR" clasp[13] | |
| International Force East Timor Medal[13] | ||
| Defence Force Service Medal with 5 clasps/Federation Star[13] | 40–44 years service | |
| Australian Defence Medal[13] | ||
| Commander of the Legion of Merit | (United States) | |
| Pingat Jasa Gemilang | Meritorious Service Medal - (Military) - 24 May 2011 |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vice Admiral Russ Shalders |
Chief of Navy 2008 – 2011 |
Succeeded by Vice Admiral Ray Griggs |
| Preceded by Rear Admiral Max Hancock |
Deputy Chief of Navy 2006 – 2008 |
Succeeded by Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas |
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