Igbo man Kelechi Ndukwe makes history in US Navy

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Captain Kelechi Ndukwe, a Nigerian-American naval officer, has been appointed Commodore of Task Force 65 and Destroyer Squadron 60 of the US Navy, which is based in Rota, Spain.

According to ZINGTIE, the move solidifies his revolutionary ascent within the American Navy command hierarchy.

In a post on X on Friday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria announced the appointment and described Ndukwe’s career as

As the first Nigerian-American to command the USS Halsey (DDG-97), a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, Ndukwe had previously created history.

“Meet Commodore Kelechi Ndukwe, a Nigerian-American making history in the U.S. Navy,” the mission wrote. “From commanding the USS Halsey to now serving as Commodore of Destroyer Squadron 60 and Task Force 65 in Spain, his journey is a true example of #AmericanExcellence.”

In August 2024, Ndukwe received a promotion to the rank of Navy Captain. He has held important operational and leadership positions over his two-decade career, including auxiliary officer on the USS Thorn from 2003 to 2004 and fire control officer on the USS Normandy from 2004 to 2006.

He holds the highest military advising post in the United States, the Office of the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2002.

Ndukwe served as the executive officer of the USS Halsey before assuming command in 2021. Additionally, from 2013 to 2015, he oversaw the USS Devastator (MCM 6), a minesweeper stationed in Bahrain.

His new position is regarded as the pinnacle of his illustrious 20-year career, which started in 2003, just after he graduated from the U.S. Naval War College with a master’s degree in strategy studies and national security.

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