Decorated Captain Speaks at Local Veterans Business Council Event

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Captain James Diefenderfer, Commanding Officer of the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Ballston Spa, spoke to attendees of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Veterans Business Council Annual Breakfast on October 28 in Saratoga Springs.

According to the Naval Sea Systems Command, Captain Diefenderfer’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit, campaign, and service awards.

Captain Diefenderfer’s shipboard assignments include: USS Chosin (CG 65) as First Lieutenant; USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as Reactor Mechanical Division Officer; USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) as Operations Officer; USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as Reactor Training Assistant; and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) as Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer. 

While in Command of USS The Sullivans, his ship earned the Battle E twice, won the Battenberg Cup, deployed independently to 5th and 6th Fleets, and with the HMS Queen Elizabeth Strike Group to 5th, 6th, and 7th Fleets.

Ashore, he served as Shift Engineer at the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Ballston Spa at the S8G/AFR Prototype, on the Navy Staff in the Navy Warfare Group (OPNAV N515), and on the U.S. Northern Command Staff as a Missile Defense Officer and as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander.