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71 years after the attack at Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 2012 – 71 years after the attack at Pearl Harbor, Curtis Shannon Calloway, in a Change of Command ceremony became Commander of the USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). In that ceremony, Rear Admiral Ted Carter transferred command from Commander Christopher Senenko to Commander Curtis Shannon Calloway.

Commander Curtis Calloway was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is a graduate of Morehouse College earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. Following commissioning through the Naval Reserve officer Training Corps he completed Surface Warfare Officer School.

At Sea, Commander Calloway served in the San Diego based Command Ship USS CORONADO (AFG 11) flagship of Third Fleet, as Auxiliaries Officer. He was next assigned as Auxiliaries Officer on the USS VINCENNES (CG 49), where he conducted a homeport shift to Yokosuka, Japan.

Following Department Head School, he served as Engineer Officer in the Norfolk based USS BARRY (DDG 52), with deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Next, he completed a 27- month tour as the last traditional Executive Officer on the USS GONALEZ (DDG 66). While onboard he completed a Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) TWO deployment to the Mediterranean and an independent deployment to the COMFIFTHFLEET area of responsibility.

Ashore, he served as the Standards and Training Department Head at Afloat Training Group Ingleside, Texas. While serving at Afloat Training Group, CDR Calloway earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi, Texas.

His next shore assignment was as the Antiterrorism/Force Protection Officer at Commander Destroyer Squadron TWO, where he pioneered the ISIC led force protection assessment.

Next, he served as the Naval Surface Fire Support section head in the Surface Warfare Division of Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV N86). Most recently, he served in the Surface Warfare Division of the Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force, where he was the Operational Test Director for the DDG-1000 program and a Special Projects Officer. During this tour he also completed Joint Professional Military Education from the Naval War College through the College of Distance Education.

CDR Calloway’s personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corp Commendation Medal (five awards), and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), as well as various service and campaign awards.