James O. Ellis

James O. Ellis, Jr.

Official United States Navy photo
Born July 20, 1947
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service 1969 - 2004
Rank Admiral
Commands held U.S. Naval Forces, Europe
United States Strategic Command
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Gulf War
1999 NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia[1]
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (4)
Other work Lockheed Martin

Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr. (born July 20, 1947) is a retired 4-star admiral and former Commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He currently is President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and serves on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin.[2]

Biography

Ellis, born in Spartanburg, South Carolina,[3] is a 1969 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1971 and has held a variety of sea and shore assignments since 1972.

Tours of Duty

His sea duty billets as a Navy fighter pilot included tours with Fighter Squadron 92 aboard USS Constellation (CV-64) and Fighter Squadron 1 aboard USS Ranger (CV-61). Admiral Ellis was the first Commanding Officer of Strike/Fighter Squadron 131, deploying in 1985 with new F/A-18 Hornets aboard USS Coral Sea (CV-43). He served as Executive Officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and as Commanding Officer of USS La Salle (AGF-3), the Persian Gulf flagship of the Commander, Joint Task Force, Middle East. In 1991 he assumed command of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and participated in Operation Desert Storm while deployed during her maiden voyage in the western Pacific and Persian Gulf. In June 1995, Admiral Ellis assumed command of Carrier Group Five/Battle Force Seventh Fleet, breaking his flag aboard USS Independence (CV-62), forward deployed to the Western Pacific and homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. As Carrier Battle Group Commander he led contingency response operations to both the Persian Gulf and Taiwan Straits.

Ellis' shore and staff assignments include tours as an experimental/operational test pilot, service in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, and duty as F/A-18 Program Coordinator, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare). He has also served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force FIVE, the counter-narcotics force for U.S. Commander in Chief Pacific. In November 1993 he reported as Inspector General, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and subsequently served as Director for Operations, Plans and Policy (N3/N5) on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He assumed duties as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy and Operations) in November 1996. Admiral Ellis became Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe headquartered in London, England, and Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe headquartered in Naples, Italy, in October 1998.

Achievements

Ellis holds Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and in Aeronautical Systems from the University of West Florida. He is also a 1975 graduate of U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He completed United States Navy nuclear power training in 1987 and is a graduate of the Senior Officer Program in National Security Strategy at Harvard University.

His personal awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, as well as numerous campaign and service awards.

Ellis retired from the Navy in 2004.[4]

References

  1. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswars1900s/p/alliedforce.htm
  2. "Biography, James O. Ellis, Jr.". Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  3. "Biography, James O. Ellis, Jr.". Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  4. "Biography, James O. Ellis, Jr.". Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 2006-11-15.

External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/ellis_bio.html".

Military offices
Preceded by
Richard W. Mies
Commander, United States Strategic Command
2002–2004
Succeeded by
James E. Cartwright