Frank Castellano Francis Xavier " Frank " Castellano is an officer of the United States Navy , holding the rank of Captain , assigned to the Joint Forces Staff College and incoming commanding officer of the USS Vella Gulf . Castellano is best known as the commander of the guided missile destroyer during the hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama . Biography . Castellano graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990 , earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History . He has attended the Naval Postgraduate School , earning a Master Of Science Degree in Systems Technology ( Joint Command , Control , Communications , Computers , and Intelligence ) , and the United States Naval War College , earning Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies . His sea duty assignments include OI Division Officer , Auxiliaries Officer , and Communications Officer of ; Operations Officer of ; Commanding Officer of ; as Executive Officer of and as Commanding Officer of the USS " Bainbridge " from June 2008 until April 2010 . . Ashore , he served as an Associate Fellow to the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group XVI and as a Surface Warfare Lieutenant Commander - Commander Assignments Officer , Navy Personnel Command ( PERS 41 ) . He has been assigned to the Joint Forces Staff College since April 2010 . Rescue of pirate hostage . Commander Castellano was the commanding officer of the " Bainbridge " during the April 12 , 2009 , rescue of Captain Phillips from pirates off the coast of Somalia . On Sunday , April 12 , 2009 , Capt . Richard Phillips was rescued , reportedly in good condition , from his pirate captors . According to Kirk Lippold , former Commander of the USS Cole ( DDG - 67 ) and superior officer to Castellano at that time , in a statement about Castellano in the hours prior to the rescue , " He - - Frank is absolutely rock solid . He is a very , very mature and experienced commanding officer . He ' s had command previously of one of our Navy ' s patrol craft . So with him being on " Bainbridge " , I have absolute confidence that he ' s in the right place at the right time for a reason and that he ' ll do a great job there . " Commander Castellano stated that as the winds picked up , tensions rose among the pirates and " we calmed them " and persuaded the pirates to be towed by the Bainbridge . Vice Admiral William E . Gortney reported the rescue began when Commander Frank Castellano determined that Phillips ' life was in imminent danger and ordered the action . President Barack Obama had previously given Castellano standing orders to take action if Castellano determined Phillips ' life was in immediate danger . A reporter summarized Vice Admiral William Gortney ' s description of the final events : " Just before the shooting , Capt . Phillips was topside of the lifeboat . One pirate was behind him , pointing an AK - 47 rifle at him . The head and shoulders of each of the other two pirates were also visible above deck of the enclosed lifeboat . Determining that Phillips might be shot at any moment , the commander ordered the action . " Castellano stated , " [ We ] ultimately believed the pirates were about to kill the captain . That ' s what was the decision point . " " U . S . Navy SEAL sniper s on the " Bainbridge " ' s fantail opened fire and killed the three pirates remaining in the lifeboat . The " Bainbridge " had the life boat under tow approximately 25 meters astern at the time . A fourth pirate was aboard " Bainbridge " negotiating a ransom and was taken prisoner . The U . S . Navy evacuated Capt . Richard Phillips to the " Bainbridge " and then flew him by helicopter to the for a medical evaluation , where he was later reported to be resting comfortably . Military awards . Meritorious Service Medal ( 2 ) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal ( 3 ) Personal life . Commander Castellano is a member of the Knights of Columbus Patchogue ( N . Y . ) Council 725 . Bellport High School , Class of 1986 ( Brookhaven , New York )