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SAN DIEGO – Capt. Walt “Sarge” Slaughter, a native of Austin, Texas, successfully completed his tour as commanding officer of aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) at a change of command ceremony on the flight deck, Thursday, where he was relieved by Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt.
During his 26 months of command, the Sailors of Abraham Lincoln completed a 10-month combat deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Operations, the largest carrier maintenance package ever completed in San Diego during a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA), exemplary marks on the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey inspection, and successfully led the crew through several at-sea integrated training events in preparation for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group’s upcoming deployment.
Slaughter was awarded the Legion of Merit for his superior accomplishments and will report to Commander, Naval Air Forces for his next tour of duty.
The change of command ceremony is one rich in naval tradition and highlighted by the reading of permanent change of station orders by the outgoing and incoming commanding officers.
Bauernschmidt is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who previously commanded amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD 22) and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70.
USS Abraham Lincoln is home-ported at Naval Air Station North Island. For more information visit www.facebook.com/Lincoln or https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/USS-Abraham-Lincoln-CVN-72/.
For complete coverage of the change of command ceremony, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USSAL-CVN72.