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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Rushmore (LSD-47)



CDR. John Ryan, USN
A native of Loudonville, New York, CDR John Ryan commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduating from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering in 1999.

His sea-duty assignments include division officer tours aboard USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49) as Auxiliaries Officer and Combat Information Center Officer and then aboard USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN 75) as Reactor Mechanical Division Officer. As a department head, he served aboard USS SAN ANTONIO (LPD 17) as Combat Systems Officer and then aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as Reactor Controls Assistant. His most recent tour was as Executive Officer of USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49) from October 2015 to December 2016. He assumed command of USS RUSHMORE (LSD 47) in January 2017.

Ashore, he completed nuclear power training, served at Naval Reactors as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director and speechwriter to the Director, and served as a defense resource manager in Program and Budget Analysis Division, Joint Staff, J-8.

He earned a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Additionally, he is a Joint Qualified Officer and holds a Financial Management subspecialty.

CDR Ryan’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards).

Tours as a commissioned officer include: USS Curts (FFG 38) as the Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer; USS Higgins (DDG 76) as the Assistant Operations Officer; Tactical Training Group Pacific as an Instructor; USS Rushmore (LSD 47) as the 1st Lieutenant; USS Tarawa (LHA 1) as the 1st Lieutenant; United States Central Command as an Action Officer for Detainee Affairs; Naval War College as a student; Joint Functional Component Command for Space, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California as the Deputy Special Technical Operations Chief; Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet as N40 Action Officer and N45 Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff; USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) as Executive Officer/Fleet-up Commanding Officer; Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations for Expeditionary Strike Group Three; he is currently serving as Commanding Officer, USS Rushmore (LSD 47).

Commander Sanders has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal with three gold stars, and numerous other unit commendations, campaign ribbons and awards.


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