Carrier Air Wing 9 Commander Achieves 1,000th Trap

19 May 2016

From Lt. James Haizlip

SOUTH CHINA SEA -- Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 completed his 1,000th career carrier-arrested landing, or trap, aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) May 11, flying a F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the "Tophatters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14.

To Capt. Rich "Snap" Brophy, of Carmel, California, becoming a part of the "Grand Club" is a great accomplishment -- representative of a long career spent flying aircraft of multiple different platforms, he said.

Brophy, however, was quick to recognize this is not merely a personal achievement.

"This milestone could not be reached without the hard work of the Sailors providing an aircraft ready to fly and a catapult and arresting gear team qualified and ready to launch and recover aircraft," he said.

Brophy has amassed over 3,900 flight hours in a career spanning 24 years. Brophy began his career with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 flying off USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). He has flown in numerous operations throughout his career including Southern Watch, Allied Forge, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

He was commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, and Brophy assumed command of CVW-9 January 2015.

CVW-9 is currently embarked aboard John C. Stennis on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations providing a ready force supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

CVW 9 consists of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14, Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 112, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 and Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 151, 97, 41 and 14.

For more news on CVW-9 and John C. Stennis Strike Group visithttp://navy.mil/local/cvn74/ or http://www.facebook.com/stennis74/