Executive Officer
Capt. Samuel P. Morrison
Capt. Morrison is a native of Lexington, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois as a James Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 2001. He is also a graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), the Naval Postgraduate School with a Masters in Systems Analysis (with distinction), the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, and the Navy Nuclear Power School. He was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, in February 2002 and was designated as a Naval Aviator in October 2004.
Capt. Morrison’s operational tours include six squadron deployments as an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aviator: three with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 on USS Enterprise (CVN 65), one with VFA-192 on USS George Washington (CVN 73), and two with VFA-131 on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). During these tours, he participated in combat operations in Iraq on two deployments (2006 and 2007) and in Afghanistan on five deployments (2006, 2007, 2012, 2020, and 2021). During his command tour with the “Wildcats” of VFA-131, the squadron was recognized as the Battle Efficiency, or Battle “E”, Award winner for Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic and Chief of Naval Operations Safety ‘S’ Award winner in both 2020 and 2021 and was recognized as the Navy’s premier F/A-18 squadron in 2021 with the Michael J. Estocin Award. These awards reflect the teamwork, dedication, and professionalism of the Wildcat Sailors.
Ashore, Capt. Morrison served as the Tactics Branch Head and Special Programs Assistant Branch Head conducting Operational Test at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 9 in China Lake, California, as a NATO Military Training and Exercise Program and National Exercise Linkage Action Officer at NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), and as the O-5/Post-Command Tactical Air Control (TACAIR) Detailer at Naval Personnel Command.
Capt. Morrison was selected for the Navy Nuclear Power Pipeline in 2022 and reported as the executive officer of PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), in January 2025.
He has accumulated over 3,200 flight hours in naval aircraft and 727 carrier landings. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Air Medal (four strike flight awards), and other individual, unit, and campaign awards.