Dec 11 Daily Shipmate

Thursday, 11 December 2025

1941 - Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, acts which are reciprocated by the United States.

 

1973 - LCDR George Varver, Jr. '59, USNR was lost when the aircraft he was copiloting crashed at Great Sitkin Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. All ten crew members were killed; they were members of Air Transport Squadron (VR) 51. George was admitted to the Naval Academy from Washington, and was a resident of Seattle when he was lost. He had left the Academy on June 7, 1956, at the conclusion of his plebe year, because he was “deficient in studies.” After receiving his baccalaureate degree from the University of Washington, he joined the Naval Reserve and was commissioned via the Officer Candidate School in 1959. He had sea service aboard a fleet stores ship and was executive officer of USS Tatnuck (ATA 195), an ocean-going tug. For six years before his loss he was a copilot and flight engineer for Pan American World Airways. George was survived by his wife, son, and mother.

 

2009 - After 50 years in service, the last operational UH-3H Sea King helicopter retires from the U.S. Navy. This type of helicopter completed an estimated 5.2 million hours of flight time for military purposes during its illustrious career with the Navy.

Today's Army Spirit spot

LtGen Michael Borgschulte '91, USMC may be the first Marine Corps Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, but in his latest Spirit Spot, he is here to assure his fellow alumni and the whole naval community, nothing has changed and Navy is still number one in his heart…if you ask him. Check out his spirit spot by clicking on the play button above.

Academy & Graduate happenings

The Army-Navy Game official website has a list of events, gameday experiences and other features on the greatest rivalry in sports.

CBS Sports Network will air Inside College Football: Army-Navy March-On presented by USAA from 12:00-1:30 pm and Inside College Football: Army-Navy Tailgate presented by USAA from 1:30-2:30 pm. Hosts Brent Stover and Tina Cervasio-McKearney, along with analysts Randy Cross, Kevin Carter and Beanie Wells will cover all of the sights and sounds of the pregame festivities live from inside M&T Bank Stadium. CBS will also air its pregame, halftime and postgame coverage live from inside the stadium. Coverage on CBS will begin at 2:30 pm with College Football Today. Adam Zucker, Brian Jones, Rick Neuheisel and Aaron Taylor will count down to kickoff, previewing the action and setting the stage for America's Game. Saturday's game will be televised nationally by CBS with Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell and Gene Steratore on the call. This will be Danielson's 17th and final call of the Army-Navy game as he is retiring at the end of this year. Nobody has called more Army-Navy games than Danielson in any role (color, play-by-play or sideline).

When Navy quarterback Blake Horvath returned to his dorm room during Army-Navy week last season, he found pictures of Army quarterback Bryson Daily taped all over his door. Elsewhere, banners had mysteriously appeared in the dining hall, reading, "GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY." The likely suspects? West Point cadets spending a semester in Annapolis, Maryland, as exchange students. It's a program that will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year -- one of several enduring traditions between the two academies.

From the Podcast Fleet

Army Week. Day 4. Let's go. We get ready for the big game with some Q&A with head football coach Brian Newberry, and our feature interview this week is with Mike Canders '77 (the pilot), Corky Gardner '77 (the BATT-O) and ADM Gary Roughead '73 (the Dant), who in 1998 pulled off a pretty daring stunt that got Army Week really revved up. We chat with them about a great prank. We also chat about the days ahead and an amazing gesture by Landon Robinson in the patch he chose for his Army-Navy uniform. Hope you're up for a great listen. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.

Listen on

The 126th Army-Navy Game will be played Saturday in Baltimore and we thoroughly evaluate the matchup. Mike James, publisher of The Mid Report and color commentator for the Navy Football Radio Network, provides his analysis. Sal Interdonato, publisher of Black Knight Nation, provides an insider's report on Army football. In the Weekend Wrap segment, we highlight Navy swimming and diving sweeping the Star Meet with archrival Army.

Government & Military News

The Navy is warning that the United States must treat shipbuilding and weapons production with the urgency of a country preparing for conflict, with Navy Secretary John Phelan declaring that the sea service "cannot afford to stay comfortable" as it confronts submarine delays, supply-chain failures and a shipyard system he says is stuck in another era. Phelan delivered the blunt message as he launched the service's new Rapid Capabilities Office — an organization he says will slash development timelines, hold programs accountable and inject commercial technology into the fleet far faster than the Pentagon's traditional acquisition system allows. "We're shifting from process to performance," Phelan told an audience of defense companies, investors and Navy officials Tuesday in Washington. "Programs are treated like entitlements. That ends now."

The Navy's four public shipyards and two unidentified private shipyards are working with Palantir for a program the service is calling “Ship OS” as part of a new $448 million effort to improve efficiency through better use of data. Announced at an industry day on Tuesday, the Shipbuilding Operating System program, or Ship OS, will collect data from across the new construction and maintenance systems to streamline shipbuilding and the repair of the current fleet, according to the service.

The Department of Defense tapped Google's Gemini for the first major deployment of its new generative AI platform, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday. The rollout appears to be one of the first mass deployments of a commercially created generative AI tool across the entire Pentagon. "The future of American warfare is here, and it's spelled A-I," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a video posted on X. Pentagon employees can use Gemini in the new platform to "conduct deep research, format documents and even analyze video or imagery in unprecedented speed," Hegseth said in the video.

 

None of the Defense Department's data will be used to train Google's public models, the company added.

Local, Education & other academy news

It's the season for Amazon purchases and gifts for everyone on your list, and when you use our Amazon Affiliate link below, you support USNA AA&F while you check off your holiday must-haves. No extra steps, no special checkout codes—just click the link and shop away. Yes, it's really that easy. Start your Amazon visit through the link, and a percentage of your total comes right back to the Academy at no extra cost. To confirm it's working, look for “wwwusnacom0f-20” in your Amazon URL. If you see it, you're set to shop 'til you drop—wrapping paper, gifts, stocking stuffers and all. 🎁

The digital version of Shipmate is available 24/7 with stories, videos and links that bring the Naval Academy community even closer. If you'd like less clutter in your mailbox or your home or want to make an eco-friendly choice heading into 2026, you can opt-out of the printed magazine anytime. It's simple, flexible and always ready when you are.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Today's Matchups: No matchups

Navy leads 6-4-1 (Army - Volleyball, Men's Soccer, Women's Rugby, Women's Cross Country. Navy - Men's Golf, Men's Cross Country, Sprint Football, Men's Rugby, Men's and Women's Swimming. Tie - Women's Soccer)

13 Dec - Football - Baltimore, Md. - 3:00 p.m.

7 Feb - Rifle - West Point - 9:00 a.m.

7 Feb - Gymnastics - Annapolis - 2:00 p.m.

7 Feb - M. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

7 Feb - W. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

20 Feb - Wrestling - Annapolis - 7:30 p.m. - Alumni Hall

21 Feb - W. Basketball - West Point - 11:00 a.m.

21 Feb - M. Basketball - West Point - 1:30 p.m.

27-29 Mar - Baseball - West Point - TBA

4 Apr - W. Tennis - Annapolis - 11:00 a.m.

11 Apr - M. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA

11 Apr - W. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA

11 Apr - M. Lacrosse - West Point - TBA

11 Apr - W. Lacrosse - Annapolis - 12:00 p.m.

18 Apr - M. Tennis - Annapolis - 1:00 p.m.

USNA and AA&F Events

10 Dec - Greater Southern Maryland Chapter Social & Business Mtg. - 5-6 p.m. - Brudergarten, 22725 Duke St, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Online event: https://meet.google.com/toh-nvgs-yvn

12 Dec - Wreaths Across America - USNA Cemetery - 9:00 a.m.

12 Dec - 13th Company Ball Run - T Court - 11:30 a.m.

12 Dec - Greater Southern Maryland Chapter - 8:30-10 a.m. - Taphouse, 1637 23418 Three Notch Rd, California, MD 20619, USA

13 Dec - Army-Navy, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

16 Dec - Army/Navy Fall Sports Bell Ringing - T Court - TBD

18 Dec - USNA December Graduation

 

4 Jan - USNA Semester Leave ends

6 Jan - USNA Classes Begin, Spring Semester

10 Jan - Pensacola Chapter Congressional Academy Day - 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Fl.

22-26 Jan - AA&F Engagement Roadshows - Central Savannah River Chapter + NAPC of South Carolina & NAPC of Georgia; SC Lowcountry Chapter + NAPC of South Carolina; Charleston Chapter + NAPC of South Carolina; SC Midlands Chapter + NAPC of South Carolina

 

14 Feb - Commissioning 101, Fluegel

19 Feb - USNA Entrepreneurs event, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Fluegel

19-20 Feb - Service Academy Career Conference - Atlanta

20-22 Feb - AA&F Engagement Roadshows - Nashville Chapter + NAPC of Middle Tennessee; Chattanooga Chapter + NAPCs of Middle & Eastern TN; Knoxville-Oak Ridge Chapter + NAPC of Eastern Tennessee

 

12-15 Mar - AA&F Engagement Roadshows - Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona; Southern Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona; Northern Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona; New Mexico Chapter; Intermountain Chapter + NAPC of Utah

13 Mar - Alumni Association Travel Showcase

27 Mar - Council of Annual Giving Spring Meeting, TBD

 

10 Apr - Athletic & Scholarship Program, Prizes & Review Committee Mtg, TBD

16 – 19 Apr - USNA Women's 50th Gala, Fluegel

24 Apr - Council of Annual Giving Spring Meeting

28 Apr - Council of Class Presidents Spring Meeting

29 Apr - AA & FDN Board of Directors & Trustees Joint Session

29 Apr - AA&FDN Board of Directors & Trustee Welcome Reception

30 Apr - U.S. Naval Academy Foundation Spring Board of Directors Mtg, Fluegel

30 Apr - U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustee Committee Meeting, Fluegel

30 Apr - U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustee Welcome Dinner

 

1 May - U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustee Spring Meeting

7– 8 May - Service Academy Career Conference, Washington, D.C.

15 May - Class of 2026 1/ C out-processing, Alumni Hall

18 – 22 May - U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2026 Commissioning Week

21 May - President's Circle Sip Sip Soiree

22 May - Class of 2026 Commissioning and Graduation