BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " REAR ADMIRAL VICTOR G. GUILLORY " IS A RETIRED UNITED STATES NAVY REAR ADMIRAL WHO SERVED AS THE COMMANDER UNITED STATES FOURTH FLEET : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK HEROES "

              BLACK   SOCIAL  HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Victor G. Guillory

Victor G. Guillory
Rear Admiral Victor G. Guillory
Nickname(s)	Vic
Born	New Orleans, Louisiana
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet
Awards	Legion of Merit (3) Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (2) Navy Commendation Medal (withCombat V) (2) Navy Achievement Medal Combat Action Ribbon

Victor G. Guillory is a retired^[1] United States Navy rear admiral who, in his last position, served as the Commander, United States Fourth Fleet.

Early life and career

Guillory was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Technology. His early sea assignments were aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Towers (DDG-9), the guided-missile frigate USS Lewis B. Puller (FFG-23), the cruiser USS Vincennes (CG-49) and as the commissioning executive officer in the cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64). He commanded the guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG-36)and the cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57).

Ashore, Guillory's assignments included a brief recruiting tour in his hometown of New Orleans and several Washington-area assignments including the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as the Surface Warfare Division branch head for Combat Systems, and as the assistant deputy director for Surface Ships. He also served in the Joint Staff as the J-3, Current Readiness branch chief.

Flag Officer

Guillory was selected for flag officer in early 2004 and assumed command of Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet and Amphibious Group 1 | Expeditionary Strike Group 7 in October 2004. During this tour, he was responsible for Joint and Combined amphibious operations throughout the Western Pacific. In addition, he served as the deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces for Combined Support Force 535 (Southeast Asia Tsunami Relief Operations) in early 2005.

In December 2006, Guillory returned to Washington D.C. and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as the deputy director of Surface Warfare (OPNAV N86B). He assumed the duties as director of Surface Warfare in October 2007 and the responsibility for the warfighting requirements and resources for all surface combatant ships and combat systems. In June 2009, Guillory was selected to assume command of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet.

Guillory is a graduate of the National Defense University (Industrial College of the Armed Forces) and he is also the 2009 recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Leadership.^[2]

Combat service

While assigned to the USS Vincennes, Guillory served in the capacity as the Operations department officer with duties as Tactical Action Officer (TAO) during general quarters. Guillory was seated next to Captain Will C. Rogers III in CIC and played a significant role in the gun battle with surface combatant vessels of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG) and the subsequent actions against Iran Air Flight 655 on July 3, 1988.^[3]

Awards

Guillory's awards include:

Legion of Merit w/2 Gold Stars			Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal w/Gold Star		Navy Commendation Medal w/Gold Star & Valor device		Navy Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon		Joint Meritorious Unit Award		Navy "E" Ribbon
Navy Expeditionary Medal		National Defense Service Medal		Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal		Humanitarian Service Medal		Sea Service Deployment Ribbon