Fred Crecelius, a retired Navy Captain, was born in Cairo, IL and reared in Southeast Missouri. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1969 with a B.S. in Marketing and International Economics. Upon commissioning and completion of flight training he was assigned to VRF-32 homeported in San Diego, California. His other operational tours include assignment to VC-1 homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii; as Training Officer in VP-56 and then as Maintenance Officer in VP-24, both homeported in Jacksonville, Florida. He also had tours with VP-22 and two tours with Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two, homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1995 he reported to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander U.S. Fifth Fleet, serving as Chief of Staff where he was responsible for coordination, planning and execution of the Naval component’s portion of military operations supporting the Unified Commander’s objectives in the Persian Gulf and across his AOR in the Middle East.
His command assignments include VP-22 and Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two, both at Barbers Point, Hawaii. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours in a wide variety of military single engine, multi-engine, jets and helicopters.
Crecelius’ shore assignments and education include Officer Programs Recruiter for Navy Recruiting District San Antonio, Texas; Action Officer in the Aviation and Manpower/Training Directorate on the OPNAV staff; duty as Chief Staff Officer with Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two; assignment to the White House as Director, Presidential Contingency Programs; Executive Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy & Operations (OPNAV N3/N5); and Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander, Naval Forces Japan, Yokosuka, Japan. In 1982 he attended Armed Forces Staff College, and is a graduate of National War College Class-90.
In January 2001, he retired from active military service and assumed duties as Director, Shore Installation Management/Regional Business Manager for Naval Forces Japan. Following nearly five years in this position he was selected for promotion to the Senior Executive Service (SES) and assigned in June 2005 to Navy Region South, Corpus Christi, Texas as Deputy Commander. He assumed duties as Mid-Atlantic Executive Director in September 2006.
