Cdr Kurush F Morris United States Navy

CDR Kurush F. Morris Commanding Officer USS TAYLOR (FFG 50)

Commander Morris was born in Mumbai, India and migrated to the U.S. at the age of 5 with his parents. Upon graduating from high school in New Jersey, he attended S.U.N.Y. Maritime College in Bronx, NY, graduating in 1988 receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a 3rd Mate’s License in the Merchant Marine. He was commissioned in the United States Navy through the NROTC program as a Surface Warfare Officer.

Upon completing the Surface Warfare Officer School Division Officer’s Course in Newport, RI, his first assignment was onboard USS MANITOWOC (LST 1180) as Auxiliaries Officer, completing a UNITAS Deployment. Commander Morris then laterally transferred to the Aviation Community as a student aviator. However, upon seeing the error of his way, he returned to Surface Warfare and was assigned to USS STARK (FFG 31) as the 1st LT and then later as Ordnance Officer, completing a combination Persian Gulf/Mediterranean Deployment.

He served on shore duty as the Operations Officer for Commander Regional Support Group Mayport. During this tour, he was selected to be the Surface Warfare Liaison Officer at the 5th Allied Air Force in Vicenza, Italy, in support of Operations Deny Flight and Provide Comfort during the Bosnia crisis.

After attending Department Head School, Commander Morris was assigned as the Operations Officer aboard USS DeWERT (FFG 45) and completed another UNITAS Deployment. For his second department head tour, he served as Operations Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron Two, completing a Mediterranean Deployment as Commander Task Force 60.

Commander Morris attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, AL, receiving a Master’s Degree in Military Arts & Science, and JPME Phase I. He completed shore duty in Washington D.C. on the OPNAV Staff, Surface Warfare Directorate, as the FFG/DD Platform Sponsor and Fleet Modernization Program Coordinator for Hull, Mechanical and Electrical systems.

He served as Executive Officer on USS THOMAS S. GATES (CG 51), completing a Counter-Drug Deployment, coupled with the Atlantic Phase of UNITAS in the SOUTHCOM AOR. He then served as Chief Staff Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron Two Four, completing an Arabian Gulf Deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Commander Morris returned to Maxwell AFB to attend the Air War College, where he received his second Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies. He assumed Command of USS TAYLOR (FFG 50), homeported in Mayport, FL in Dec 06 while deployed in the CENTCOM AOR in support of Coalition Task Force 150.

Commander Morris’ personal awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5 awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal (3 awards)