The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge will visit Manhattan for New York City's annual Fleet Week on May 24-31.

Among many other missions, Kearsarge has played a key role in Operations Iraqi Enduring Freedom, deploying three times in the past two-and-a-half years.

As importantly, Captain Jim Gregorski, a Roslyn native, is the ship's executive officer.

Captain Gregorski is a 1982 graduate of Western Michigan University. He was commissioned an Ensign on December 17, 1983 and designated a Naval Aviator in 1985.

The last five years, especially since the September 11 terrorist attacks, have been busy ones for Captain Gregorski.

Right after September 11, he was named executive officer of the USS John F. Kennedy, which itself was soon deployed in the Arabian Gulf, where it served as the base of operations for missions over Afghanistan.

Captain Gregorski then served a stint at the Naval War College in Newport, RI. However, he was soon back at sea, this time as executive officer of Kearsarge. In January of 2007, Capt. Gregorski is set to take command of the aircraft carrier.

During his weeklong visit to New York, Captain Gregorski plans to make a visit to Roslyn Heights, the village where he grew up and where his mother still lives.

A 1975 graduate of Roslyn High School, Captain Gregorski remembers seeing a Blue Angels air show over Coney Island one summer. That was his inspiration to go into flying. Other inspiration came from just growing up on Long Island and its heritage of aviation, from the legacy of Charles Lindberg to the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

"It's nice to come back and have the opportunity to showcase these great Sailors and Marines," Captain Gregorski said of his upcoming visit to New York, adding that Kearsarge has completed three deployments in the past two-and-a-half years, while making its contribution to the global war on terror. "To take part in that after having roots so close to Ground Zero is a honor to me," Captain Gregorski said. "It will be nice to be back in town."

After the completion of S-3A Viking Aircraft Fleet Replacement Pilot training at VS-41 in San Diego, Captain Gregorski reported to Air-Antisubmarine Squadron at NAS Cecil Field Florida in August 1986. Following a Mediterranean Deployment on USS Saratoga, Captain Gregorski's tour was extended with VS-30's designation as the first squadron to transition to the S-3B aircraft. He served as NATOPS Instructor Pilot, Safety Officer and was recognized as COMNAVAIRLANT Pilot of the Year.

In the coming years, Captain Gregorski would fly in numerous reconnaissance missions off the coasts of Syria, Israel and Libya, plus those supporting the United Nations "No Fly Zone" over Iraq.

In September 2001, Captain Gregorski, as noted, reported to the USS John F. Kennedy as Executive Officer. Shortly after reporting, he developed and was later instrumental in executing an emergent repair and two-phase complex carrier overhaul plan. These programs returned JFK to full combat ready status for two deployments and will extend JFK service well into the 21st century. During his tour the Kennedy steamed over 77,000 nautical miles on an extended deployment and launched countless strike sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In all, Captain Gregorski has accumulated over 3,800 flight hours and 679 carrier arrested landings. His personal decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars and various other campaign awards. He is a graduate of the Naval War College where he earned a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. Captain Gregorski is married to the former Lorraine Czyzyk. They have two children, Charles and Janie.

USS Kearsarge is the third ship of the Wasp class multipurpose amphibious assault ships. Her primary mission is the embarkation, deployment, landing and support of a Marine landing force.

Launched on March 26, 1992, she was christened Kearsarge on Saturday, May 16, 1992, at Ingalls Shipbuilding by Mrs. Alma Powell, wife of General Colin L. Powell, both the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State. USS Kearsarge joined the fleet October 16, 1993 during commissioning ceremonies in Pascagoula, MS, and is home ported in Norfolk, VA.

Kearsarge departed for her maiden deployment on March 22, 1995. Kearsarge served as the primary platform for the rescue of Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia.

After that deployment, Kearsarge served as the primary Navy unit participating in the 1995 New York City Veterans Day activities, which marked our nation's final tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II. In 2002, Kearsarge made a similar port visit to Boston to participate in the annual Harborfest celebration over the Fourth of July weekend.

Other deployments in her history include those in Congo, Sierra Leone, Albania, Kosovo, Turkey, and Italy, to, finally, Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2003. Many of the above deployments were rescue missions, evacuating, for instance, American citizens and foreign nationals from Sierra Leone and assisting with earthquake victims in Turkey.

In all, Kearsarge is an awesome ship. Its length stands at 844 ft.---nearly three football fields long. Kearsarge's crew includes 77 officers, 1,084 sailors, and 1,893 Marines. It carries up to 42 aircraft, including MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters, and AV-8B Harrier II Jump-Jets. The NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System and a Rolling Airframe Missile System are among its weapons systems.