CAPT Edison C. Rush III

Executive Officer, USS Essex (LHD 2)

02 July 2025 Captain Rush is a native of Southern New Jersey, graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Logistics & Intermodal Transportation and a U.S Coast Guard Third Mate’s License. 

Operational assignments include his division officer tours aboard USS OGDEN (LPD 5) as the Main Propulsion Officer and USS DECATUR (DDG 73) as the Navigator and Admin Officer. For his department head tour, he was the Prospective Operations Officer for PCU SAN DIEGO (LPD 22). He served as the Executive Officer & Commanding Officer of MCM Rotational Crew SWERVE aboard USS GLADIATOR (MCM 11), USS DEVASTATOR (MCM 6), and USS CHAMPION (MCM 4). He served as the plank owner Executive Officer for USS CINCINNATI (LCS 20), the Commanding Officer of USS MANCHESTER (LCS 14) Blue and the Commanding Officer of the LCS Training Ship USS MONTGOMERY (LCS 8).

Shore assignments include plank owner of the Naval Leadership & Ethics Center (NLEC) and serving as an instructor in Newport, RI.  He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School with a Master of Business Administration, and a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College’s Advanced Strategist Program with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Captain Rush’s unit awards include a Meritorious Unit Commendation, five Battle Efficiency Awards, three Unit Tactics Awards, two CNO’s Surface Unit Safety Awards and various campaign and personal awards. 

Captain Rush reported onboard USS ESSEX (LHD 2) as the Executive Officer in July 2025.