A graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School and Villanova University has been put in charge of all U.S. naval forces stationed throughout the Middle East, reports the Daily Times.

U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Samuel Paparo Jr. of Morton has assumed command of the Middle East forces as well as an international naval coalition of 33 countries, according to information provided by the U.S. 5^th Fleet Public Affairs Office.

Paparo, a graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School and Villanova University, commands the U.S. 5th Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain.

“I can’t tell you how much I attribute who I am today to my upbringing in Delaware County. Thirty-three years into my Navy career, I have seen some of the world’s most beautiful and most dangerous places; but Delco is home — I bring it with me everywhere,” he said.

The 5^th Fleet with its international partners oversees safety of those waters and supports operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Paparo graduated Villanova in 1987 and graduated as a naval aviator Top Gun from Navy Flight School and advanced Fighter Weapons School.

He has flown over 6,000 hours in in F-14, F-15 and F/A-18 fighter aircraft, and made over 1,100 landings on aircraft carriers.

Read more about U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Samuel Paparo Jr. here.

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