USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) Conducts Change of Command Ceremony

by Lt. Victor Murkowski

12 December 2025
YOKOSUKA, JAPAN

Cmdr. Rob Clarkson relieved Cmdr. Justan Caesar as commanding officer of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) during a change of command ceremony at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Dec. 12, 2025.
 
“It is a profound honor to take command of this warship and her exceptional crew,” said Clarkson. “The Indo-Pacific remains a dynamic and increasingly contested battlespace, but I have complete confidence in this team’s discipline, toughness, and readiness to accomplish any mission and challenge any threat. Ralph Johnson has long set the standard for operational excellence in U.S. 7th Fleet, and as your commanding officer, I am committed to ensuring this crew remains fully prepared, fully lethal, and always ready to answer the call.”
 
Clarkson, a native of Florida, graduated from University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Law and earned a Navy commission through Officer Candidate School in 2007. Clarkson has also attended Naval Postgraduate School and U.S. Naval War College, respectively earning a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and Defense, and a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.
 
During his previous assignment, Clarkson served as executive officer aboard Ralph Johnson from May 2024 to Oct. 2025.
 
Caesar, a native of North Carolina, expressed gratitude to his Sailors for their support throughout his time as the ship’s commanding officer during his farewell remarks.
 
"I am immensely proud of the Ralph Johnson team," said Caesar. "The vital work we accomplished together accelerated the Navy's competitive edge in warfighting and interoperability with our allies and partners. As a result, we, the Sailors of Ralph Johnson, have delivered enhanced security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. I'm humbled to have served alongside you and proud to have served aboard Ralph Johnson, the fleet's finest forward-deployed warship, and I'm excited to see the continued success of the Ralph Johnson as it sails into the future under its new leadership.”
 
Under Caesar's leadership, Ralph Johnson achieved the Unit Tactics Award, Anti-submarine Warfare Bloodhound Award, and conducted two forward-deployed U.S. 7th Fleet patrols covering 50,887 nautical miles, and participated in numerous multinational exercises, and integrations with USS George Washington and USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group.
 
For his next duty assignment, Caesar will serve as a student at U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
 
Commissioned in 2018, USS Ralph Johnson is named in honor of Marine Corps Pfc. Ralph Henry Johnson, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War.

Ralph Johnson is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
 
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.