7 Feb AA&F Morning Paper

Friday, February 7, 2025

1941 - The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941 graduates four months early because of the national emergency. Forty-one members of the class will be killed in action during World War II.

 

1943 - CDR Howard Gilmore '26, USN was killed in action when USS Growler (SS 215) was damaged in a surface engagement with a Japanese convoy escort. He had been severely wounded by machine gun fire, and gave the order to submerge the ship despite knowing he would certainly lose his life. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

1984 - While the Space Shuttle Challenger orbits the earth, Captain Bruce McCandless '58 conducts the first untethered spacewalk using the spacecraft's manned maneuvering unit.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). We highlight another amazing volunteer leader this week…AND we get a crack at a recent alum – 2021 grad Zac Swindell. Zac is an Aviator in the TACEMO community and lives in Oklahoma City. And he's running our Ok City Chapter!!! We chat up Zac about his experiences in the cockpit, living in Oklahoma and why he gives back as a recent alum. Chris and John also talk about the USS Marinette visit to Annapolis, the social media guidance from DoD and the Navy that is affecting the Academy and all military commands. And finally, we talk about the life of Brian Ellis '93. Brian was a member of the Football Brotherhood and retired Marine Aviator. He was working at Deloitte in DC and returning home on a business trip to DC when he was killed in the tragic collision with a Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan Airport. We celebrate and remember a life well lived. Beat Army...always.

LISTEN ON

In June 2024, Jim Flautt '89 and his wife Emily, received a Tony Award for their involvement (as Co-Producers) of The Outsiders, the production which won the Tony for Best New Musical in 2024. The 77th Tony Awards were held on June 16, 2024, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2023-2024 season.  The ceremony was held at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York City. Jim humbly lamented that it was his time in 10th Company and the 10th Company Players that inspired him over all the years leading up to this.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

NASA is expected to announce a new return date for astronauts Sunita Williams '87 and Butch Wilmore, who have been stuck on the ISS for more than eight months. Agency sources tell Ars Technica's Eric Berger that the space agency will make a change that should allow Williams and Wilmore to come home as early as March 19. This is about two weeks earlier than the existing public timeline for their return flight. This change involves swapping out the spacecraft originally intended to be used for SpaceX's Crew-10 mission for a difference SpaceX craft.

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

President Donald Trump tapped Michael Jensen, an Air Force veteran with experience in special operations forces, to take a high-level Pentagon job as assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict. His nomination was submitted to the Senate and referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday, according to a notice posted on Congress.gov. If confirmed, he would be responsible for providing civilian oversight of the U.S. military's SOF enterprise and exercising “authority, direction, and control of all special operations peculiar issues relating to the organization, training, and equipping of special operations forces,” according to a Defense Department description of the job. Jensen, an Air Force Academy graduate, served in the military for more than 20 years before becoming a business executive in 2021, according to his LinkedIn bio.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Women's Lacrosse v Saint Joseph's - Annapolis, Md. - 4 p.m.

 

Men's Tennis v FDU - Annapolis, Md. - 9 a.m.

Men's Squash v Virginia - Lancaster, Pa. - 11 a.m.

Men's Tennis v Villanova (the Annapolis of the north) - Annapolis, Md. - Noon

Men's Lacrosse v Iona - Annapolis, Md. - Noon

Men's Basketball at Lafayette - Easton, Pa. - 1 p.m.

Women's Basketball v Lafayette - Annapolis, Md. - 4 p.m.

Men's Squash at Franklin and Marshall - Lancaster, Pa. - 4 p.m.

Women's Tennis v Virginia Tech - Annapolis, Md. - 4 p.m.

 

Men's Squash v TBD - Lancaster, Pa. - TBA

Women's Tennis v Villanova - Annapolis, Md. - 10 a.m.

Women's Tennis v Delaware - Annapolis, Md. - 2 p.m.

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

FEBRUARY

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

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

26 Mar - Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP) Class of 2025 enrollment

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

30-31 Mar - Volunteer Leader Summit

 

APRIL

5 Apr - Annapolis Cup - USNA-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

23 April - Bonds of Gold Ceremony

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 BOD meeting, Fluegel

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

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring BOT 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 Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony, NMCMS

 

17-18 Jun - Entrepreneur Summit - Fluegel

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

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029