Captain “Commodore” James R. Poplar III, USN (ret)
Ros Poplar, USN, a native of Havre de Grace, Maryland, and son of a World War II submariner, graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1974. He served in USS LEAHY (DLG 16) as Gunnery Officer, ASW Officer, and Navigator, and participated in the historic US/USSR ship exchange visit (Leningrad) in 1975. Upon completion of this initial sea tour, he reported to Vanderbilt University as an NROTC Instructor. After receiving a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management, Captain Poplar reported as the pre-commissioning Operations Officer in USS LEWIS B PULLER (FFG 23).