Captain Mewbourne is the 14th Commanding Officer of the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). He assumed command on Nov. 16, 2007.
Captain Mewbourne was raised in Ormond Beach, FL. He graduated in 1982 from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelors of Science Degree and later earned his Masters Degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is also an honor graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School and completed the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program, Air Command and Staff College, and Joint Forces Staff College.
Captain Mewbourne was designated a Naval Flight Officer in December 1983. Flying the A-6E Intruder, he completed his initial flying tour at sea in VA-34 while deployed on USS AMERICA (CV 66). Later tours included Tactics and Operations Officer in VA-75 embarked in USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVN 67), and the Operations Officer for Carrier Air Wing THREE (CVW-3) embarked in USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). Serving as the Executive Officer of VA-196 until the A-6 community disestablished, Captain Mewbourne embarked in USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) and flew the final flight of the Intruder on 27 March 1997. He later served as the Executive Officer of VAQ-139 and USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73).
Ashore, Captain Mewbourne was a flight instructor in VA-42, the East Coast A-6E Fleet Replacement Squadron, and the project officer for the A-12 Avenger II and follow-on advanced aircraft programs at the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate. Later he served as Military Assistant and Trip Coordinator for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense. Following the attack on the Pentagon he also served as Special Assistant to the Secretary’s Senior Military Assistant.
Captain Mewbourne’s first command was VAQ-139 embarked in USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72). During his tenure, the squadron was awarded the Battle “E”, Safety “S”, Golden Anchor, and Prowler Tactical Excellence awards. He then commanded the USS NASHVILLE (LPD 13) during which time the ship distinguished itself by earning the Golden Anchor award and transporting 2,706 American citizens from Beirut to Cyprus during a regional crisis between Israel and Lebanon in July 2006.
Captain Mewbourne’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Air Medal with Combat “V”, Strike/Flight Air Medal (two awards), and various other personal and unit awards and campaign medals. While at the Naval Academy, he received the Carl Vinson Leadership Award. Upon completion of initial flight training in the A-6E Intruder aircraft at VA-42 in 1985 he was selected as the “Replacement Bombardier/Navigator of the Year.” Two years later, he was selected the East Coast A-6 community’s “Junior Intruder of the Year.” He has accumulated over 3,400 total flight hours in 47 various type aircraft and over 950 arrested landings on 10 carrier decks.