Download - Royal Australian Navy

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australian maritime issues 2009: spc-a annual
Mr John Perryman, CSM
John Perryman joined the RAN in January 1980 as a 16 year old junior recruit. During
a career spanning 25 years he attained the rank of Warrant Officer Signals Yeoman
and later commissioned as a Lieutenant. Throughout his service he saw much of the
world and participated in numerous exercises and operations that included operational
deployments to Somalia, Bougainville and East Timor. He transferred to the Naval
Reserve in November 2004 when he took up the position of Senior Naval Historical
Officer at the SPC-A. He is the co-author of Australia’s Navy in Vietnam and has made
numerous written contributions to a wide range of historical publications. In February
2008 he was appointed as the official Commonwealth observer and historian on the
successful search for the wrecks of HSK Kormoran and HMAS Sydney (II) for which
he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal in 2009.
Rear Admiral Richard F Pittenger, USN (Rtd)
After graduating from the US Naval Academy, Richard Pittenger served mostly in
destroyers in positions related to anti-submarine warfare (ASW). He served as ASW
Officer in two ships and as Weapons Officer and Executive Officer in two others. He
commanded an ocean mine sweeper off Vietnam and, later, a fast frigate equipped with
a prototype tactical towed array, an advanced active sonar, as well as an ASW helicopter.
Command of a destroyer squadron with two deployments to the Mediterranean, Black
and Baltic seas, as well as substituting for RN FOF2 in a major Strike Fleet Atlantic
Exercise during the Falklands conflict, rounded out his sea-going experiences. Ashore
his duties included tours of duty as Force ASW Officer on the surface type commander’s
staff, positions relative to surface ASW systems development and sponsorship on the
Chief of Naval Operations’ staff and Chief of Staff, of US Naval Forces, Europe. His final
two tours of duty were as the CNO’s ASW Officer and finally as The Oceanographer of
the Navy. In addition to his US Naval Academy degree (BS Engineering), he earned a
Masters of Science (Physics, Underwater Acoustics) degree and attended the Naval War
College. Since retiring from the Navy, he has been at the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution where he served as the Vice President for Marine Operations.
Lieutenant Commander Malcolm A Ralston, RAN
In 1977 Malcolm Ralston joined the RAN a junior recruit at HMAS Leeuwin.
Specialising as a Safety Equipment sailor he undertook initial training at HMAS
Albatross before posting to the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne (II). Other sea
postings include HMA Ships Stalwart (II) and Canberra (II), where he was awarded
a Maritime Commander’s Commendation. As a Petty Officer he instructed Survival
at Sea to recruits at HMAS Cerberus and completed a Diploma of Teaching through
Melbourne University. Promoted to CPO in 1995 he worked at the Directorate of
Naval Warfare as the Staff Officer Survival Equipment before commissioning as an
Instructor Officer in 1996. During his initial posting to RAAF Wagga as the Officer in