Namesake:

Admiral Wayne E. Meyer

Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, retired in 1985 as the Deputy Commander for Weapons and Combat systems, Naval Sea Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command and Ordnance Officer of the Navy.

Rear Admiral Meyer, a native of Brunswick, Missouri, graduated from the University of Kansas in 1946 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He held a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Astronautics and Aeronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

His career began in 1943 as an apprentice seaman. He was commissioned Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve, in 1946 and was transferred to Regular Navy in 1948.

After several years at sea, he returned to school in 1951 and attended the Joint Guided Missile School in Fort Bliss, Texas, the Naval Line School in Monterey, California, eventually serving as an instructor at the Special (atomic) Weapons School, Norfolk, Virginia.

He returned to sea as Executive Officer in STRICKLAND (DER 333), followed by service on the Staff, Commander, Destroyer Force, Atlantic. He was then ordered to the TALOS cruiser GALVESTON (CLG 3) and from there to the Secretary of the Navy's Special Task Force for Surface Missile Systems in Washington, D.C. He transferred to the Naval Ordnance Engineering Corps in 1966.

In 1967, he reported as Director of Engineering at the Naval Ship Missile Systems Engineering Station, Port Hueneme, California and three years later to the Naval Ordnance Systems Command, as Manager, AEGIS Weapons System. He was named Project Manager for Surface Missile Systems in 1972 and in July 1974, he was named the first Director of Surface Warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command.

He was selected for Admiral in January 1975. In July 1975, he assumed duties as the founding Project Manager, AEGIS Shipbuilding. In September 1983, he was reassigned as Deputy Commander, Weapons and Combat Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command. 

Even after retiring from the Navy, Rear Admiral Meyer never ceased serving his country. He operated a consultancy in Crystal City, Virginia, chaired and served on numerous Panels and Committees chartered by various DOD civil and military officials. He also served on the National Ballistic Missile Defense Advisory Committee, delivered numerous speeches, reviewed and edited articles, essays, and books.

Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer passed on September 1, 2009, and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

Historical Notes:

Ship's Crest:

The Shield: The shape of the arms enclosure, derived from the cover of the Aegis array assembly, represents Aegis engineering and refers to the mythological shield of Zeus: a reminder that Aegis has been the shield of the fleet for decades, as it will be for decades to come.

The left supporting Talos missile refers to the Admiral’s early career and his duties in USS Galveston (CLG-3) where he served as Fire Control and Gunnery Officer at the birth of modern missilery in the United States

The right supporting SM2/3 missile refers to the evolution from Talos to the modern Standard Missile. The eagle and swords recall the firepower of the ship and its readiness to defend our Nation. The Medusa escutcheon recalls the mythology of Zeus and the power of the Aegis system to effectively petrify an enemy. The orle of gold stars refers to Admiral Meyer's thirteen years of leadership, vision and commitment as founding project manager of Aegis Shipbuilding.The larger fourteenth star refers to his rise to the ranks of Admiralty. The Navy Blue book binding and scarlet bordure of the Medusa escutcheon denote unity, purpose and courage: values of the greatest generation epitomized by RADM Meyer. Dark blue represents the U. S. Navy, gold signifies excellence.

The Crest: The mullet and anchor record Rear Admiral Meyer’s award of the Distinguished Service Medal, the compass rose denotes world wide achievement;  the color scarlet signifies sacrifice and courage. The wreath and sprig of Hawthorn Blossom at the base denote distinctive honor and Meyer's heritage and origins in the fertile gumbo region of the great state of Missouri. The opened technical book and slide rule represent the engineering rigor required in shipbuilding, and recall RADM Meyer’s disciplined approach to engineering excellence as well as the solid engineering foundation gained through schooling.

PHOTOS