SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )* ESSEX CORPORATION (Name of Issuer) COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE PER SHARE (Title of Class of Securities) 296744 10 5 (CUSIP Number) MAY 25, 2003 (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [ ] Rule 13-d-1(b) [ X ] Rule 13-d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13-d-1(d) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). (Continued on following pages) Page 1 of 5 Pages CUSIP No. 296744 10 5 13G Page 2 of 5 Pages 1 Name of Reporting Person JAMES A KATRA S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person (Entities Only) 2 Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group* (a) ----- (b) ----- 3 SEC Use Only 4 Citizenship or Place or Organization United States of America 5 Sole Voting Power Number 439,602 --------------------------------------- Of Shares 6 Shared Voting Power Beneficially 30,969 --------------------------------------- 7 Sole Dispositive Power Owned by Each 439,602 --------------------------------------- Reporting Person 8 Share Dispositive Power With 30,969 --------------------------------------- 9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 470,571 10 Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares* N/A 11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9 5.28% 12 Type of Reporting Person IN SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 ------------------------------------ SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. ) ------------------------------------ ITEM 1(A) - NAME OF ISSUER: ESSEX CORPORATION ITEM 1(B) - ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES: 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, MD 21046-2306 ITEM 2(A) - NAME OF PERSON FILING: James A. Katra ITEM 2(B) - ADDRESS OR PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE: 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, MD 21046-2306 ITEM 2(C) - CITIZENSHIP: United States of America ITEM 2(D) - TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES: Common Stock, no par value per share ITEM 2(E) - CUSIP NUMBER: 296744 10 5 ITEM 3 If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act; (b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act; (c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act; Page 3 of 5 Pages (d) [ ] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act; (e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [ ] A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; (i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act; (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box [ X ] ITEM 4 - OWNERSHIP: (a) Amount of Beneficially Owned: 470,571 (b) Percent of Class: 5.28% (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) sole power to vote or direct to vote 439,602 ------- (ii) shared power to vote or direct to vote 30,969 ------- (iii) sole power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of 439,602 ------- (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 30,969 ------- ITEM 5 - OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS: If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ]. ITEM 6 - OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON: N/A Page 4 of 5 Pages Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired ITEM 7 - THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY: N/A ITEM 8 - IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF GROUP: N/A ITEM 9 - NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP: N/A ITEM 10 - CERTIFICATION By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: 05/13/03 By: /S/ KIMBERLY J. DECHELLO -------------- ------------------------ Kimberly J. DeChello Attorney-In-Fact for James A. Katra (Per Power of Attorney attached below as Exhibit A) Page 5 of 5 Pages EXHIBIT A POWER OF ATTORNEY I, James A. Katra, by this means appoint Kimberly J. DeChello, of Essex Corporation, 9150 Guilford Road, city of Columbia, county of Howard, state of Maryland, with full power and authority to sign, execute, and acknowledge U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents as fully and to the same extent as if such U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents were signed by self, and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents ratifies and confirms all the acts of such attorney in fact done pursuant to the power conferred here. /S/ JAMES A. KATRA 05/06/2003 --------------------------- --------------------------- James A. Katra Date /S/ KIMBERLY J. DECHELLO 05/07/2003 --------------------------- --------------------------- Kimberly J. DeChello Date Page 5 of 5 Pages