The "Royal Maces" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 celebrated
their 32nd change of command Sept. 1. Cmdr. Gordon Cross relieved
Cmdr. Gregory Huffman in the ceremony held aboard USS George
Washington (CVN 73). Huffman served as commanding officer of the
Royal Maces since August 2007. Prior to assuming command, he served
as executive officer of the squadron.
During Huffman's tour as executive officer and commanding
officer of the Royal Maces, the squadron received both the Battle
"E" award and Safety "S" award. Before arriving with the Maces,
Huffman served as executive officer of the VFA 122 Flying Eagles,
naval aide to the President of the United States, department head
for the VFA-81 Sunliners, and flew as a junior officer with the
VFA-83 Rampagers.
Huffman also served as a test pilot at the Naval Weapons Test
Squadron in China Lake, Calif., after achieving a Master's of
Science from the University of Tennessee and a Master's of Arts
from the University of Maryland. He was commissioned as an officer
from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. in 1989.
Huffman will transfer to Millington, Tenn. where he will serve
as the head aviation assignments officer for lieutenant commanders
and junior officers. With the change of command, Cross became the
33rd commanding officer of VFA 27.
Prior to joining the Maces, Cross served as the chief of
experimentation and war-gaming at U.S. Special Operations Command
(USSOCOM). He also served as a department head for the VFA 86
Sidewinders, and completed his junior officer tour with the VFA 97
Warhawks.
He also served as a Navy test pilot at Naval Air Station
Patuxent River, Md., and earned his Master's of Aeronautics from
the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Cross
commissioned as an officer from NROTC at the University of Michigan
in 1990.
Cmdr. Fitzhugh Lee is the incoming executive officer for the
Royal Maces. Lee has previously served as the military legislative
assistant to U.S. Sen. John McCain, Arizona. He completed his
department head tour with the VFA-22 "Fighting Redcocks" and his
junior officer tour with the VFA-151 "Vigilantes." He also served
as a flight instructor with the VFA-125 "Rough Riders," and he
served as a landing signals officer with Carrier Air Wing 11.
Lee earned a master's degree from Georgetown University and was
commissioned as an officer from NROTC at the University of
California at San Diego.
The VFA-27 Royal Maces are a part of Carrier Air Wing Five,
permanently based in Atsugi, Japan. As part of the Forward-Deployed
Naval Forces, Japan, the Royal Maces embark and fly from George
Washington. George Washington is currently sailing off the coast of
Southern California where the crew is conducting its combat
operations efficiency evaluation with Carrier Air Wing 5. George
Washington Sailors are conducting training in the eastern Pacific
Ocean before continuing to Japan, where the ship will replace USS
Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed
aircraft carrier. [ANN Salutes Ens. Marcus P. Trombetta, Strike
Fighter Squadron 27 Public Affairs]