John Hagan (sailor)

United States Navy

After high school, Hagan enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1964 and attended basic training at Recruit Training Center, San Diego, California. He then attended Electronics Technician "A" School at Naval Training Center, Treasure Island, California, and completed a short assignment at Naval Air Test Center Patuxent River, Maryland.^[1]

After he completed Ground Control Approach Radar Technician School at Naval Air Technical Training Center, Glynco, Georgia, he reported to Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Washington,ultimately becomin as the Leading Petty Officer for the Air Search Radar Maintenance Division. During his tour there, he earned an Associate of Arts degree from Skagit Valley College and was the recipient of the President's Honor Medal (second highest GPA in the graduating class).

Hagan's next permanent assignment was aboard USS Lester (DE-1022), homeported in Naples, Italy. During a subsequent tour of sea duty as a support maintenance technician at Underwater Demolition Team 21 in Little Creek, Virginia, he was advanced to Chief Petty Officer and qualified as a naval parachutist. While assigned to a shore tour at Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Louisville, Kentucky, he was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer. While there, he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from McKendree University.

In September 1980, he reported aboard USS Richmond K. Turner (CG-20), homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. While there, he qualified as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and was advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer. Shortly after reporting to his next assignment at the Naval Air Technical Training Center at Memphis, Tennessee, he was selected as the Force Master Chief for the Chief of Naval Technical Training.

In April 1988 Master Chief Hagan reported to Pre-Commissioning Unit Philippine Sea (CG-58) in Bath, ME. After the vessel's commissioning the following year, she reported to her homeport in Mayport, Florida, and subsequently deployed to the Red and Mediterranean Seas in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. During this tour of duty, he qualified as Officer of the Deck (Underway), and stood the OOD UW for his entire CMC tour. Soon after reporting to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron (Light) 48 at Mayport, Florida, as the Command Master Chief, Hagan was selected as the eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. He assumed his position as the eighth MCPON on 28 August 1992.

Hagan served as MCPON for nearly six years serving under three CNOs, Admiral Frank Kelso, Admiral Mike Boorda and Admiral Jay Johnson. This tour length anomaly was due in large part to the tragic death of Admiral Mike Boorda in May, 1996 and the subsequent request by Admiral Johnson that Hagan continue to serve. Hagan retired as MCPON in 1998.