Cmdr. Chris Turmel relieved Cmdr. Paul Cassutti as commanding officer, Apr. 8. Household, buddies, and the crew had been in attendance for the celebrated occasion.
“I couldn’t be extra honored or humbled to have served as Lassen’s Commanding Officer or to have served with such an impressive crew,” mentioned Cassutti. “From a nine-month deployment, to a difficult upkeep and primary section the place the ship additionally executed quite a lot of operational duties at sea, this crew carried out exceedingly properly and I stay impressed by the dignity, braveness, and dedication they displayed all through. As I transfer on, I’ll all the time look again fondly on my time onboard and can all the time take into account myself to be a Sea Satan.”
Cassutti, a local of Northport, N.Y., took over as the manager officer aboard Lassen in June 2019. Throughout his time as government officer, he accomplished a profitable nine-month deployment that spanned throughout U.S. 2nd, 4th, fifth, and sixth Fleets and a number of underways and availabilities. After taking command in November 2020, Cassutti led Lassen by way of difficult shakedown and primary phases, laden with operational tasking. Cassutti leaves the ship to get pleasure from retirement along with his household.
Throughout the ceremony, Cassutti learn his orders and transferred command to Turmel, who learn his orders, assumed duty of command, and addressed the viewers as the brand new commanding officer of Lassen.
“Having served with Cmdr. Cassutti and the Sea Devils over the previous 18 months, I couldn’t be extra honored and humbled to take command of Lassen,” mentioned Turmel. “The crew is unimaginable and has excelled by way of each problem that has come our manner. I look ahead to seeing what wonderful issues we are able to accomplish as we transfer ahead.”
Turmel, a local of Elizabeth Metropolis, N.C., assumed command of Lassen after serving as the manager officer from November 2020 to February 2022. His earlier sea assignments embody Division Officer excursions onboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) and USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and a division head tour onboard USS Stockdale (DDG 106) because the Weapons and Fight Programs Officer. Following his tour on Stockdale he served because the commanding officer of USS Tempest (PC 2), ahead deployed to Bahrain.
Commissioned in 2001, USS Lassen is called in honor of Medal of Honor recipient, Cmdr. Clyde Everett Lassen, the primary Naval Aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery in Vietnam. Cmdr. Lassen flew with the Sea Devils of HC-7, the mascot that the ship makes use of to today. USS Lassen is assigned to Naval Floor Squadron (SURFRON) 14 and is homeported in Mayport, Fla.
