ARTHUR WESLEY GREER

GREER, ARTHUR WESLEY LCdr USN
June 29, 1939 - Aug. 16, 2010

Art was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico on June 29, 1939 to William Nelson Greer and Nellie Villavicencio Greer. His family lived in Puerto Rico until the beginning of WWII, when they moved to the Washington, DC area. After the war, they all returned to PR. In 1950 the family moved to St Thomas, USVI where Art worked at his parents radio station & on yachts. He took flying lessons, soloing shortly after his 16th birthday. He attended high school in Antigua, BWI. After high school in 1956, he continued in radio both in St Thomas (WSTA) and PR (WHOA). In this time-frame, he was briefly married to Janice Davis.
In 1959 Art left the islands and joined the US Navy. Initially in communications, then into Radar on his first ship; then later remained in operations. During his career he served at the following duty stations:
USS Gearing (DD710); USS MacDonough (DLG8); USS Helena (CA 75); USS Worden (DLG/CG 18); USS Wedderburn (DD684); USS Kitty Hawk (CVA/CV 63) (two tours); Commander Task Force (CTF) 70/77 Staff; Commander 3rd Fleet Staff; Commander Pacific Fleet Staff.
Art made 5 combat tours to Viet Nam waters, including: 1 to relieve the USS Maddock after the GOT incident; 2 as a TomCat and Search and Rescue (SAR) controller. As a SAR Controller he was tasked to rescue pilots shot down over North Viet Nam. This was the most rewarding experience of his Navy career. His first shore duty was as an instructor in Electronic Warfare and Officer and Staffs training courses where he also specialized in Anti-Ship Missile Defense Tactics. He advanced to Chief Petty officer in less than 9 years and soon rose to Warrant Officer. From there he was selected to the LDO program where he eventually rose to Lieutenant Commander.
Following a cruise to the Indian Ocean where he initiated a study of the effects of the environment on Radio and Radar Propagation, he was transferred to FleetAntiAirWarfareTrainingCtr to teach in the Tactical Action Officer (TAO) School which was re-aligned to follow his Tactical Decision Making Process, later to become the Navy standard. He also taught in the Staff Training Program, and others.
Following his second tour on the USS Kitty Hawk he was assigned to 3 successive staff tours: CTF 70/77, C3F and finally under Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet (CinCPacFleet) from which he retired as the fleet's Tactical Command and Control Officer in 1987, completing 28 years service.
During his years of service, he was married to Barbara Brunkow, divorcing in 1990.
After working as a Defense Contractor for several firms, Art retired again in 2002.
Art married Carmen Civiello in 1990, settling in Carlsbad in 2003, after which his interest in wine and wine-tasting was rekindled and then became his favorite pastime.
In 2007, he was diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and spent the next 3+ years fighting it.
Art is survived by his wife Carmen, his son John Brunkow, his brother Hunt of Utah, sister Christine Turner of Georgia; his 3 step children Gayle Koffler & Kyle; Mike Civiello & Cindy; Gary Civiello; 8 step-grandchildren, 1 step-great-grandchild and many cousins, nieces, nephews & their children, with special mention of niece Michelle Magarawicz, who he was very fond of.
A military service & inurnment will be held at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, Nov. 1, at noon.
Donations may be made to the San Diego Hospice/Carlsbad facility; or Kidney Cancer Assn.