Frank Castellano

Frank Castellano
Castellano during his tenure as a commander.
Birth name	Francis Xavier Castellano
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1990-present
Rank	Captain
Commands held	USS Chinook USS Bainbridge (June 2008 – April 2010)
Battles/wars	Maersk Alabama hijacking
Awards	Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (four awards) Navy Commendation Medal (three awards)

Francis Xavier "Frank" Castellano is a United States Navy captain currently assigned as the commanding officer of Center for Surface Combat Systems. Castellano is best known as the commander of the guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge during the hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama.

Captain Castellano was listed as executive officer of the USS Vella Gulf on May 5, 2014, during a holocaust memorial ceremony in Haifa, Israel. He was executive officer of Vella Gulf from December 2013 to April 2015 and was commanding officer from April 2015 to September 2015.

Castellano graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History. He has attended the Naval Postgraduate School, earning a Master Of Science Degree in Systems Technology (Joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence), and the United States Naval War College, earning Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Castellano's naval sea duty assignments include O.I. Division Officer, Auxiliaries Officer, and Communications Officer of USS Anzio; Operations Officer of USS Cole; Commanding Officer of USS Chinook; as Executive Officer of USS Donald Cook and as Commanding Officer of the USS Bainbridge from June 2008 until April 2010. Ashore, he served as an Associate Fellow to the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group XVI and as a Surface Warfare Lieutenant Commander – Commander Assignments Officer, Navy Personnel Command (PERS 41). He was also previously assigned to the Joint Forces Staff College.