US Mission Hails First Nigerian-American Naval Captain
The United States Mission has congratulated a Nigerian-American, Kelechi Ndukwe, on his new role as commander of a US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer.
Ndukwe, who graduated from Notre Dame and the US Naval War College, is the first Nigerian-American captain of a Navy ship.
Kelechi also served at the Pentagon in Washington.
He received the Defence Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
@USinNigeria tweeted on Thursday, “Kudos to Kelechi Ndukwe on his new role as commander of a U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer”.
On April 2, Ndukwe took over the USS Halsey (DDG-97), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer from DeVere J. Crooks, who had commanded the ship from November 2019.
Ndukwe holds a Master’s degree in National Security and Strategy Studies from the US Naval War College.
Before that, he graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Between 2013 and 2015, he commanded the USS Devastator (MCM 6), a minesweeper based in Bahrain, and had served on multiple warships in various parts of the world including the Mediterranean Sea, Horn of Africa, Arabian Gulf, and Western Pacific Ocean.
