The officers and crew of the guided missile frigate USS Ingraham (FFG 61) conducted a change of command ceremony during a port visit to Panama City, Panama, June 9.
During the ceremony, Cmdr. Daniel G. Straub, who has been the ship’s executive officer since February, 2013, relieved Cmdr. Joey L. Frantzen as commanding officer of Ingraham during a ceremony on the ship’s flight deck.
During Frantzen’s tenure as commanding officer, the ship completed a full training phase in 2013, participated in a Canadian Task Group Exercise, and successfully completed a Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) material inspection. In 2014 the ship completed integrated shipboard aviation team training and a Foxhunt Exercise before deploying to the 4th Fleet area of operations.
Frantzen was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal during the ceremony. His next assignment will be as Director of Character Development and Training at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Straub, a prior chief petty officer, graduated and earned his commission from the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Penn State University. He also holds a master’s degree from Boston University and a PhD from the Naval Postgraduate School. His previous sea duty assignments include serving as gunnery division leading petty officer on USS Manitowoc (LST 1180), first lieutenant on USS Ford (FFG 54), damage control assistant on USS Arctic (AOE 08), and weapons and combat systems officer on USS Shoup (DDG 86) and most recently executive officer on USS Ingraham (FFG 61).
[mappress] Press Release, June 10, 2014; Image: Wikimedia