Hong Kong and the U.S. Navy: An Enduring Partnership

Rear Admiral James D. Kelly
Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan

Rear Admiral Jamie Kelly is a naval aviator and former commander of the USS KITTY HAWK Carrier Strike Group who since September 2005 has served as Commander, Naval Forces Japan. Admiral Kelly has overall administrative responsibility for all U. S. Navy port visits throughout East Asia.

As a visitor to Hong Kong over the past 25 years, Admiral Kelly will speak on the role of the U.S. Navy in the development of Hong Kong, paying particular attention to U.S.-China security cooperation, U.S. Navy contributions to the Hong Kong economy and cooperation between Hong Kong and the U.S. Navy over 100 years of U.S. Navy port calls to "the Pearl of the Orient."

Admiral Kelly has commanded an A-6 Intruder squadron and the aircraft carrier USS CONSTELLATION. He was a UN peacekeeper in Palestine from 1980 - 1981, worked at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and flew attack missions from USS MIDWAY in Operation Desert Storm.

Admiral Kelly graduated in 1973 from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and from the National War College in 1989. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Award, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the individual Air Medal with Combat "V," and various unit and campaign awards.