USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) held a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Aug. 16.

Cmdr. Stephen J. Henz relieved Cmdr. Brent S.  Jackson becoming the ship’s 11th commanding officer.

During his time in command, Chung-Hoon completed a seven-month deployment and participated in numerous operations throughout the U.S. 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of operations, to include some operations with partner nations.

Specifically, while conducting Operation Nobel Torch, Chung-Hoon conducted three drug seizures, confiscating over $5 million worth of illegal drugs and 22,000 pounds of hashish transported into Yemen, the first drug seizure by a U.S. Navy ship in 5th Fleet in over one and a half years.

While independently steaming, Chung-Hoon conducted 14 Bab al-Mandab Strait transits, many of them escorting merchant or other U.S. military vessels. The ship also conducted four Strait of Hormuz transits, one of which Chung-Hoon was the officer in tactical command of three U.S. ships and a Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate. Chung-Hoon covered 54,000 nautical miles over the course of deployment.

“A ship is just a piece of steel without a crew and the crew that I was fortunate enough to serve with was among the very best our Navy has to offer," said Jackson. "Through a grueling schedule over the last 15-months, the ‘Koa Kai’ of Chung-Hoon has always worked toward the ship’s mission success, certainly bigger than any one person. They were determined and displayed an inspiring measure of pride in all that they did. The crew motivated me each day as they proudly honored the legacy of our namesake, Rear Admiral Gordon P. Chung-Hoon. I am eternally grateful to have been their shipmate." 

Jackson is slated to serve as N8/9 at the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) Detachment in Point Loma, California, for his next tour.

Henz has served as CHUNG-HOON's executive officer since Dec 2017. 

His previous sea tours include USS Vandegrift (FFG 48), CTF 70, USS Hue City (CG 66), USS Russell (DDG 59), USS Comstock (LSD 45), and USS Jarrett (FFG-33). Ashore, he has served on the staffs of Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and U.S. Indo-PACOM.

Chung-Hoon is named in honor of Rear Adm. Gordon P. Chung-Hoon (1910-1979), a recipient of the Navy Cross and Silver Star for extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations and gallantry in action as commanding officer for USS Sigsbee (DD 502) from May 1944 through October 1945.

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