It was a picture perfect day for Capt. Sterling Gilliam, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, to take the Navy’s newest war
fighting machine, the EA-18G Growler, for his final flight as leader of CVW-9.
Gilliam started his naval aviation career flying the EA-6B Prowler and was given the unique opportunity to fly the only EA-18G
Growler at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, currently assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.
Flying with Gilliam as electronic warfare operator was Lt. Jason Tippett, an EA-18G instructor for VAQ-129. The pair took off
from NAS Whidbey to fly the VR-1355 visual training route, known within the Prowler community as the “million dollar ride”
because of the picturesque glacial and mountain scenery and the numerous lakes, streams, and valleys that the route traverses. 
Upon their touchdown at Ault Field, Gilliam was greeted by two fire trucks and one support vehicle from the NAS Whidbey Fire
Department, which escorted the aircraft back to the line area for shutdown.
In the line area waited a host of colleagues from the VAQ-138 Yellow Jackets and the CVW-9 staff to congratulate Gilliam as well
as to perform the time-honored naval aviation tradition of the last flight “wet down.” Buckets of cold water and water-charged fire
extinguishers were used to soak Gilliam from head to toe.
“There isn’t any other way that I would have wanted to finish up my tour as commander of the best air wing in the fleet,” Gilliam said.
“This could not have been possible without the hard work and professionalism of the men and women under my command.”
This flight adds to the numerous accomplishments of Gilliam’s career, most notably his attainment of more than 4,000 EA-6B Prowler
flight hours and over 1,200 carrier arrested landings. 
Gilliam has been the commander of CVW-9, home based at NAS Lemoore, Calif., since 2006 and was previously the commanding officer
of both VAQ-129 and VAQ-141. He transferred command of CVW-9 to Capt. Christopher Murray July 31. Capt. Gilliam’s next assignment
will take him to the National War College in Washington, D.C.