Carrier Air Wing 9 holds aerial change of command ceremony at Naval Air Station Lemoore

By Lt. j.g. Mark Quijada, Carrier Air Wing 9 

NAS LEMOORE, Calif. – Carrier Air Wing 9 welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony on Aug. 30 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. 

Capt. Lewis Callaway

Capt. Gerry Tritz, a native of Kirkland, Washington, relieved Capt. Lewis Callaway, a native of Austin, Texas, during an aerial change of command ceremony. 

After assuming command of Carrier Air Wing 9 on April 1, 2022, Callaway led 1,600 sailors operating 75 carrier-based aircraft embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. Highlights of Callaway’s command tour include an eight-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, Rim of the Pacific 2022 in Hawaii and Northern Edge in Alaska. Callaway’s next duty assignment is chief of staff to the director of air warfare, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. 

“I enjoyed my CAG tour more than any other duty I’ve had over 25 years of service because each sailor gave their best effort to deter our adversaries, reassure our allies and partners in the Western Pacific and remain ready to project power from the sea,” said Callaway. “I am especially grateful to my family for their unwavering support from across the country to the entire ‘Shogun’ team.”

Capt. Gerry Tritz

Tritz assumes command as the 64th commander of Carrier Air Wing 9 as the air wing begins the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program and prepares for Flight Deck Certification. Prior to taking command of the air wing, Tritz served as deputy commander of Carrier Air Wing 9, deputy commodore of Joint Strike Fighter Wing at Naval Air Station Lemoore and commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 192, also known as the “Golden Dragons.” 

“I am humbled and excited to follow in the footsteps of Capt. Callaway and the other amazing leaders who have served as commander, Carrier Air Wing 9,” said Tritz. “I look forward to working with Deputy Commander Capt. Frank and the amazing sailors and deck plate leaders who enable everything we do in carrier naval aviation.”

Carrier Air Wing 9 is assigned to Carrier Strike Group 3 with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. Carrier Air Wing 9 consists of eight squadrons flying F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, CMV-22B Ospreys and MH-60R/S Sea Hawks.