David Architzel (born 1951) is a retired

Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. His last assignment was as Commander of

Naval Air Systems Command The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aeronaval aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the succe ...

(NAVAIR). Vice Admiral Architzel was relieved by Vice Admiral David A. Dunaway and retired from nearly four decades of service on September 20, 2012.

Biography

Architzel was born in Ogdensburg, New York. He grew up in

Merrick, New York Merrick is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. , the population was 20,130. Geography According to the United States Census Bu ...

and has one brother, Ralph, and two sisters, Reba and Anne Fleming. Architzel graduated from Sanford H. Calhoun High School in 1969. Among his classmates were Bennett "Ben" Cohen, Jerry Greenfield and his twin sister Anne. Architzel graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1973 with a B.S. degree in mathematics. He later earned an M.S. degree in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida. Architzel served as the commanding officer of from 1994 to 1996. He became the commanding officer of the on November 1, 1996. While serving as commanding officer of ''Guam'' and ''Theodore Roosevelt'', his crew members were frequently treated to Ben & Jerry's ice cream by his high school classmates Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. On July 29, 2005, Architzel "assumed command as the fourth Program Executive Officer for Aircraft Carriers," according to the Navy's Web site. Vice Adm. Architzel has accumulated over 5000 flight hours, 4300 in the

S-3 Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, Twinjet, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" ...

and the remainder in some 30 other aircraft types. His decorations include two

Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to Sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorio ...

s, the Defense Superior Service Medal, four Legions of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal and various service related awards and campaign ribbons. He was also awarded the Spanish Naval Cross of Merit from His Majesty, King Juan Carlos of Spain, and the Navy League’s John Paul Jones Leadership Award for 1998. Architzel has been honored by

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

by being made a Knight of the

Order of the Falcon The Order of the Falcon () is the only order of chivalry in Iceland, founded by Christian X of Denmark, King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland on 3 July 1921. The award is awarded for merit for Iceland and humanity and has five degrees. Nowaday ...

References

U.S. Navy Biography
1951 births Living people People from Ogdensburg, New York People from Merrick, New York Sanford H. Calhoun High School alumni United States Naval Academy alumni United States Naval Aviators University of West Florida alumni Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Navy vice admirals Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Grand Knights with Star of the Order of the Falcon {{US-navy-bio-stub