Captain Gene McGalliard, a native of Point Pleasant, New
Jersey, graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics from
Stevens Institute of Technology at Hoboken, New Jersey in 1971. He was
commissioned from OCS at Newport, RI in November 1971.
Captain McGalliard's early career included assignments in the Yokosuka,
Japan-based USS Westchester County (LST
1167) as Damage Control Assistant; the Guam-based
USS Inflict (MSO 456) and the
Virginia-based USS Sumter (LST 1181)
as Chief Engineer.
In 1976 Captain McGalliard was assigned ashore as Flag Aide to Commander,
Naval Telecommunications Command in Washington, DC where he also earned a
Master's degree in Telecommunications. This tour was followed by
instruction at the Surface Warfare Officers Department Head Course in
Newport, RI.
Captain McGalliard returned to sea in 1979 as Chief Engineer of the New
Jersey-based USS Fiske (DD 842).
During this tour, the Fiske
was turned over to the Naval Forces of Turkey and Captain McGalliard served
as liaison officer to the Turkish Navy for a period of two months. On
completion of the liaison duties, Captain McGalliard was assigned as Chief
Engineer in the San Diego-based USS
Halsey (CG 23).
In 1982, Captain McGalliard attended the Naval Postgraduate School,
Monterey, California where he received a Master's Degree in Mechanical
Engineering. He returned to sea in 1984 as Executive officer of the
San Diego-based USS Bristol County (LST
1198), followed by assignment was as Assistant Chief of Staff for
Material and Logistics, Captain, Cruiser-Destroyer Squadron
Three. During this tour
he participated in Operation Praying
Mantis, conducted on 18 April 1988 against Iranian forces in the
Arabian Gulf.
Prior to assuming Command of the USS Waddell (DDG 24), Captain McGalliard
served two years in Washington at the Headquarters Battalion of the U.S.
Marine Corps as the Naval Advisor to the Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps.
While in command of the USS
Waddell (DDG 24), from May of 1991 until October of 1992, Captain
McGalliard successfully completed a three moth PACTRAMID deployment, a
three-month counter narcotics deployment, and OPPE while deployed, SMA
(qualifying for the Blue "E"), INSURV, CSA, and TRE.
After the decommissioning of the
USS Waddell (DDG 24), transfer of the ship to the Greek Navy, and
ship’s commissioning in the Greek Navy as the
HS Nearchos (DD 219), Captain
McGalliard acted as the liaison officer to the Greek Navy during this ship’s
rebuild in San Diego.
Captain McGalliard's decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal,
Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Combat Action Ribbon, Joint
Meritorious Unit Commendation, and four Battle Excellence awards for ship's
assignment since 1980.
Captain Gene R. McGalliard passed away in June of 1996 and is survived by
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack R. McGalliard of Lake San Marcos, California.
