23 Jan AA&F Morning Paper

Thursday, January 23, 2025

1945 - CAPT Francis Bridget '21, USN died of his wounds and exhaustion as the result of years of maltreatment as a Prisoner of War. Prior to the war, he was operations officer and chief of staff, Patrol Wing 10. Once that command ceased to exist, he—a patrol bomber pilot who had never led troops—became the commanding officer of the Naval Battalion on Bataan and later Corregidor. Following the surrender of that island, he was senior prisoner in various camps. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and Legion of Merit.

 

1945 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt boarded the heavy cruiser Quincy (CA-71), which carried him to Malta on the first leg of his trip to Yalta in the Crimea for conferences with British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. The Yalta Conference (4–11 February 1945) made important decisions regarding the future progress of World War II and the postwar world.

1960 - Piloted by Lieutenant Don Walsh '54 and civilian Jacques Piccard as part of Project Nekton, the bathyscaph Trieste descended seven miles to the Challenger Deep—located at the southern end of the Mariana Trench—the deepest known point of the Earth's oceans. The world record descent took nine hours.

 

Reminder - SECNAV Del Toro names ships for Don Walsh. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named a slew of future Navy ships this week, including the new line of T-AGOS ocean surveillance ships.  The new T-AGOS ocean surveillance ships will be the Explorer class, Del Toro announced Friday at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. The first two ships of the class will bear the names USNS Don Walsh (T-AGOS-25) and USNS Victor Vescovo (T-AGOS-26). Retired naval officer Don Walsh '54 was an oceanographer known for his 1960 dive to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench with Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard. He also made dives to sunken battleship Bismarck and RMS Titanic. He died in November 2023. (USNI)

Academy & Graduate happenings

The US Naval Academy Alumni Association is excited to announce an important health webinar on women's health, led by Dr. Amanda Johnson. The live webinar will take place TONIGHT - 23 January @ 7:00 pm EST. The topic of the webinar will be focused on women's health issues. Dr. Johnson will lead a women's health 101 discussion followed by a brief discussion on women's health as it relates to combat and deployments. The last part of the webinar will be Q and A. Amanda Johnson, MD, FACOG is the Director of Reproductive Health within the Office of Women's Health in the Veterans Health Administration. The Office of Women's Health reports directly to the Under Secretary of Health. In this role, Dr. Johnson oversees the delivery and quality of women's and reproductive health care for Veterans across the lifespan throughout VA systems.

 Academy Securities, the nation's first post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank, today announced the addition of Lieutenant General Brian Cavanaugh '90 to its Advisory Board and Geopolitical Intelligence Group. Lieutenant General Brian Cavanaugh retired from the United States Marine Corps after more than 35 years of exceptional service. His career culminated as the Commanding General of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Corps Forces Command, and Marine Corps Forces Northern Command, where he led 48,000 Marines, Sailors, and civilians in global operations and homeland defense. General Cavanaugh graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Government & Military News

Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins on Tuesday pledged to be a fierce defender of the department's workforce and operations if confirmed to the department leadership role, but also said health care delivery must evolve for the agency to stay relevant for veterans in the future. “Veterans will always be able to use the health care system, the issue is how we make it better,” he said. “We don't do the same things 40 years ago that we do today. Our newer veterans deserve every access to finding care where they can.” Collins faced tough questioning but little actual opposition during his hearing before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Committee members are expected to vote on Collins' nomination on Thursday. If he advances then, a full Senate confirmation vote could take place next week, with Collins potentially taking office before February.

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy's deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Jan. 21, 2025, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Local, Education & other academy news

The Navy Midshipmen athletics program and the wider college media world were deeply saddened on Tuesday following news that longtime Navy commentator Pete Medhurst passed away this week at the age of 55. Medhurst, widely known as the voice of Navy sports, passed away on Monday following a battle with an aggressive form of melanoma cancer. He had to get a brain tumor removed in November and spent his final days alongside family and loved ones. Navy fans, media and even members of the program took to the replies and offered condolences of their own on the crushing passing of Medhurst. "All of us @wbalradio are heartbroken at the loss of our colleague. He loved what he did and always brought 100%, whether it was @NavyFB , @Ravens , horse racing, coaching or umpiring. Impossible to replace. Our best to Brenda and his 3 children," WBAL's Jeff Wade wrote this morning.

Annapolis Restaurant Week 2025 presented by the Downtown Annapolis Partnership is set to delight food lovers from near and far with a week-long celebration of the region's best dining establishments. From February 22 to March 2, 2025, this annual event will showcase the diverse culinary talent that defines Annapolis, offering guests the opportunity to experience exceptional meals at discounted prices.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Today's Matchups

 

Women's Basketball at BU - Boston, Mass. - W 74-64

Men's Basketball v BU - Annapolis, Md. - W 62-47

USNA and AA&F Events

JANUARY

23 Jan - AA&F Women's Health Webinar - Zoom - 7 p.m. EST

 

FEBRUARY

6 Feb - USNA Ship Selection

15 Feb - Commissioning Week 101, Fluegel

21 Feb - 85th Brigade Boxing Finals

21 Feb - Louisville Chapter + NAPC of Kentucky Roadshow – Louisville, KY (**in support of Navy Men's Gymnastics competing at the Winter Cup Feb 21-23)

22 Feb - Indianapolis Chapter + NAPC of Indiana Roadshow – Fishers, IN)

23 Feb  Cincinnati Chapter + NAPC of Greater Cincinnati Roadshow – West Chester, OH

24 Feb  Columbus Chapter + NAPC of Central Ohio Roadshow – Dublin, OH

27 Feb - Naval Academy Entrepreneurs event, Fluegel, 5 - 9 p.m.

27 Feb - Astronaut Convocation, USNA

 

MARCH

7-16 Mar - USNA Spring Break

12-13 Mar - SACC Atlanta

21 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Award Ceremony and Dinner, USNA (T)

22 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Leadership Panel, Mahan, USNA

22 Mar - Annual Gathering for USNA Women - 1 p.m. @ Hopper Hall

22 Mar - Fencing (club) Alumni Meet - Dahlgren Hall

27-29 Mar - Naval Academy Minority Association, (NAMA) Leadership Forum

30-31 Mar - Volunteer Leader Summit

 

APRIL

5 Apr - Annapolis Cup - USNA v St. John's Croquet Match

5 Apr - Women's Lacrosse Alumni Appreciation Day (Home Game vs. Holy Cross)

10-12 Apr - Class of 1955 - 70th Reunion

11 Apr - Athletic & Scholarship Programs Spring Meeting - Fluegel Alumni Center

11-12 Apr - Men's Soccer Alumni Weekend

12 Apr - Navy Letterwinners Association Army/Navy Men's Lacrosse Tailgate

24 Apr - AA&F Vietnam Legacy of Valor Series Speaker Event - FAC

24-27 Apr - Class of 1970 - 55th Reunion

25 Apr - Council of Class Presidents Spring Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

25 Apr - USNA Dedication Parade, Worden Field

30 Apr - USNA Capstone Day

30 Apr - USNA Foundation Spring Board of Directors Welcome Reception

 

MAY

1 May - USNA Foundation Spring Board of Directors Meeting, Fluegel

6-8 May - Class of 1957 - 70th Reunion

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring Board of Trustees Meeting, Fluegel

8-9 May - SACC Washington DC

14 May - Class of 2028 Herndon Climb

21 May - Blue Angels CFR Event - Hospital Point, USNA

22 May - Color Parade, Worden Field

22 May - USNA Prizes & Awards, Alumni Hall, 2 p.m.

23 May - Class of 2025 Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony, NMCMS

 

25 Jun - Athletic & Scholarship Program Pre-I Day Reception, Fluegel

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029