Colgate Whitehead Salomon's Obituary
Commander Colgate Whitehead Salomon, USN Ret., 66 of Broadlands, Virginia passed away peacefully on Friday, January 31, 2025, surrounded by his family.
Born Friday, August 8, 1958, in Daytona Beach, Florida, he was the son of the late CAPT Ferdinand Lewis Salomon II and the late Ann Scarbrough Whitehead Salomon. Colgate spent his teenage years in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating from Norfolk Academy High School in 1976. He continued his education at Duke University, where he was a member of the NROTC program, and served as President of the Beta Phi Zeta fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1980.
Following graduation, Colgate was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy, and was selected for naval aviation training. Following initial flight training at NAS Pensacola and advanced training at Mather AFB in California, he received his Naval Flight Officer wings of gold in 1981. This was the start of Colgate’s distinguished 25-year career as a Naval Flight Officer.
Colgate’s flying career began in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was assigned to the Mad Foxes of Patrol Squadron FIVE (VP-5) flying anti-submarine warfare and surface surveillance missions in the P-3 Orion, the Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft. While in VP-5, he rose from Navigator to Tactical Coordinator to finally, the position of Mission Commander. During his tour with the Mad Foxes, he served on three six-month deployments—two to Sicily, Italy and one split deployment to Rota, Spain, and Lajes, Portugal. During his tour in VP-5, Colgate flew missions all over the Mediterranean Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. During his time in Jacksonville, he met his future wife, Michelle Johnson. They were married at All Saints Episcopal Church on August 3rd, 1985.
Upon completing his time in Jacksonville, Colgate served as a Naval Science instructor in the NROTC unit at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he also earned a Master of Business Administration in 1988.
Completing his tour at Tulane and refresher P-3 flight training in Mountain View, California, he was assigned to Patrol Unit TWO (VPU-2), a Navy Special Projects unit, stationed at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. During his tour in VPU-2, Colgate flew national level intelligence and surveillance missions from numerous locations to include Japan, the Philippines, Oman, Thailand, Bahrain, the Aleutians Islands, Midway and Wake Islands, Kwajalein Atoll and others. After VPU-2, Colgate was transferred to Patrol Squadron FOUR (VP-4) also at NAS Barbers Point. During his tour with Skinny Dragons, he deployed to many of the same locations throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans and southwest Asia. During this time in Hawaii, Colgate and Michelle welcomed their two children, Jessica and William, to their family. Staying in Hawaii, he was then assigned to the staff of the Commander, Patrol Wings Pacific.
Colgate then attended Inlingua Language School in Vienna, VA, where he became fluent in Norwegian as a precursor to being stationed in Oslo, Norway, earning a Master’s Degree in Norwegian and NATO Defense Studies from the Norwegian National Defense University. Following his time in Norway, he was assigned to the Commander in Chief, Eastern Atlantic (CINCEASTLANT) in Northwood, England, a NATO regional headquarters staff, where he served in the Exercise Division as an Exercise Coordinator, overseeing the planning and budgeting of more than thirty NATO large scale, multi-national maritime exercises, to include NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) efforts designed to foster cooperation and coordination with non-NATO nations
His final assignment brought him to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Navy International Programs Office, leading the Air Systems Strategic Planning and Capability Development Group.
He retired as a Commander in 2006, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and distinguished service. Upon retiring from the Navy in 2006, Colgate continued his commitment to service by transitioning to civil service as a Strategic Planner and Aviation Business Development lead at the Navy International Programs Office. During this tenure, he was selected by the Secretary of the Navy to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), where he earned a Master’s Degree in National Resource Strategy in 2011, graduating with Distinguished Graduate honors and earning the ICAF Commandant’s Award for Cooperative Research.
Colgate was deeply involved in his community, serving for several years as a youth travel soccer coach with the Loudoun Youth Soccer Association. He was also dedicated member of St. David’s Episcopal Church, where he served as a vestry member, an active participant in the Brotherhood of St. Andrews, and a member of the Sustainable Youth Ministry and Stewardship Committees. He also taught High School Christian education between Sunday services.
Colgate leaves many to cherish his memory, including his beloved wife, Michelle Johnson Salomon, with whom he shared a beautiful journey of 40 years; his daughter, Jessica Ann Salomon; his son, William Colgate Whitehead Salomon; his brothers, CAPT Ferdinand Lewis Salomon III (Monica Salomon), and Richard Parker Salomon; his sisters, Elizabeth Brownell Salomon (William Kurz) and Mary Salomon Nelson (Michael Nelson); his nephews CDR Christopher Lewis Salomon (Lindsay Salomon), David Paul Nelson II, and Lewis Michael Nelson; his nieces Jennifer Salomon Mattson (Michael Mattson), Rachel Ann Salomon, Victoria Jane Kelley (Jerry Kelley), and Ann Scarbrough Nelson; and his great-nieces and nephews, Claire, Avery, Brooke, Emily, Michael, and Greyson.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday April 26, 2025 at 2:00PM at St. David's Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy, Ashburn, VA 20147. Interment and military honors will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later time.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Colgate’s honor to: Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust, or Wounded Warrior Project.
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