serviceyears branch commands birth_place allegiance awards battles rank image article_title name
1985-2010 united states navy winston s. churchill ddg-81 cowpens cg-63 simsbury , connecticut united states of america legion meritorious service medal -lrb- with one gold star -rrb- . of merit bronze star defense meritorious service medal operation iraqi freedom 24px captain us captain holly graf.jpg holly graf
 '' ` holly ann graf '' '
holly graf

holly ann graf is a retired captain in the united states navy .
until january 2010 she was commanding officer of the `` ticonderoga '' - class guided missile cruiser uss `` cowpens '' -lrb- cg-63 -rrb- , a major surface combatant vessel of the fleet .
she was the first woman to command a cruiser in the history of the u.s. navy .
earlier , she had been the first woman in the u.s. navy to command a destroyer when she served as skipper of the guided missile destroyer uss `` winston s. churchill '' -lrb- ddg-81 -rrb- .
her personal decorations include the legion of merit and the bronze star , among others .
