Capt. Matthew T. Mulcahey
COMMANDER OFFICER, USS HERSHEL WILLIAMS (ESB-4), GOLD CREW
15 October 2024
CAPT Matt “Francis” Mulcahey is a native of Kingwood, Texas and commissioned through NROTC at Texas A&M University in May 2001 earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering. He winged as a Naval Flight Officer in August 2002 at NAS Pensacola, and was selected for assignment at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. He is a 2012 graduate of the Naval War College and a 2024 graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.
His operational tours in the EA-6B as an Electronic Countermeasures Officer (ECMO) include VAQ-135 “World Famous Black Ravens”, VAQ-131 “Lancers”, and VAQ-142 “Gray Wolves”. As an EA-18G Growler Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) he served as Executive Officer and then as Commanding Officer of VAQ-138 “Yellow Jackets”. Deployments aboard USS Nimitz and USS Lincoln included support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN, as well as expeditionary deployments in support of CTF-70 from Misawa, Japan. Most recently he served as Executive Officer aboard USS Gerald R. Ford, from September 2022 to March 2024, during the ship’s first-ever operational deployments to the 2nd and 6th Fleets.
Ashore he was assigned to VAQ-129 “Vikings” as a Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor, graduated from the Prowler Tactics Instructor (PTI) course at the Electronic Attack Weapons School, studied at the Naval War College and Joint Forces Staff College, and served as VAQ Assignments Officer at PERS-43 in Millington, TN. He completed training for the AVN (Aviation Nuclear) career pipeline including Nuclear Power School, Prototype, and Navy Reactors PXO course in June 2022.
Captain Mulcahey has accumulated over 2,500 flight hours and over 500 carrier arrested landings. He credits his awards and accomplishments to his family, friends, and shipmates throughout the years.