8 Jan Daily Shipmate

Thursday, 8 January 2026

1815 - In an engagement that becomes known as the Battle of New Orleans, British forces launch an attack against American positions at New Orleans, Louisiana. Attacking the forces of General Andrew Jackson on both sides of the Mississippi River, the British suffer a staggering number of casualties with over 2,000 men killed or wounded in comparison to only 71 American troops. A naval battery established on the west bank of the river provides support to Jackson's defenses before it is overrun by British forces.

 

1847 - In the Battle of San Gabriel naval and Army forces under the overall command of Commodore Robert F. Stockton defeat a Californian force after crossing the San Gabriel River, California, and staging a flank assault and turning back enemy counterattacks. The battle lasts 90 minutes and results in two Americans killed and nine wounded.

 

1980 - LT Charles Morrow '75, USN was lost when the arresting gear on USS Saratoga (CV 60) failed while he was landing in his A-6 Intruder. The ship was operating in the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville, Florida. “Chuck” was a native of Cleveland, Ohio and his Lucky Bag entry says his “interpretation of the Reg Book made him the most popular Co. Sub-CDR in Naval Academy History.” He was survived by his father, brother, and four sisters.

Academy & Graduate happenings

MyUSNA is a media platform exclusively for U.S. Naval Academy alumni, parents of midshipmen and spouses: It's where alumni can stay up-to-date with all things Navy, Marine Corps and U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (USNA AA&F) through live feed updates. With myUSNA, alumni can: CONNECT through chapters, parent clubs, shared interest groups and classes. COMMUNICATE with fellow shipmates on the live feed. SUPPORT other alumni via messaging, resources and more. ANCHOR the community through events and fundraising opportunities. Get on myUSNA and stay connected at the link below.

USNA AA&F is proud to announce a new partnership with SHATTR—a leadership development experience designed for high-achieving women navigating career transitions from the military or advancement in their career field. Through small cohorts and executive coaching, SHATTR will help our alumnae build confidence and clarity for next career steps while connecting them to a national network of women leaders.

 

USNA AA&F embraces this partnership as another way to serve, support and advocate for our alumni—empowering women to thrive throughout their leadership journey and preparing them to assume the highest responsibilities in citizenship, government and beyond.

From the Podcast Fleet

Navy football closed out another memorable season by beating Cincinnati in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Mike James, publisher of The Mid Report and color commentator for the Navy Football Radio Network, joins moderator Bill Wagner to review the impressive postseason win. We put the spotlight on Navy swimming and diving by interviewing men's coach Bill Roberts and women's coach John Morrison.

Government & Military News

Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz on Guam is the Corps' first new base since 1952 and is nearing operational readiness as construction continues. About 6.2 billion dollars of the 8.9 billion dollar project has been spent so far. The base is being built to support the relocation of Marines from Okinawa under a U.S. Japan agreement intended to reduce the U.S. military footprint there. Roughly 150 Marines are currently assigned, but around 4,000 more are expected over time, both permanently and on rotation. Japan is contributing about 3 billion dollars toward the project, which strengthens the U.S. posture in the Indo Pacific region.

USS Fitzgerald returns to San Diego following seven-month underway

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returned to its homeport at Naval Base San Diego on 6 January 2026 after a seven-month underway to areas covered by the U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleets. While deployed, Fitzgerald carried out routine presence patrols and maritime security missions and took part in several multinational exercises to improve interoperability and strengthen partnerships with allied navies including those of Japan and South Korea. The ship made six transits of the Strait of Hormuz and participated in major exercises such as MALABAR 2025 and SWARMEX 2025 in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. forces seized an oil tanker in the North Atlantic after more than two weeks of pursuit, officials said. The ship, once named Bella 1, had been sanctioned by the U.S. for alleged smuggling linked to a Lebanon-based company and was sailing toward the North Sea under a Russian flag as Marinera when it was stopped under a U.S. federal court warrant. The Coast Guard and military tracked it with patrol aircraft and a cutter. Russian naval vessels were nearby during the operation. Separately, U.S. Southern Command said another sanctioned tanker was also apprehended in the Caribbean.

A federal judge on Guam ruled that the U.S. Navy must provide updated information on its efforts to protect endangered and threatened species at the new Marine Corps base after environmental groups sued under the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by the Center for Biological Diversity and Prutehi Guahan, argues that construction at Camp Blaz has harmed more than a dozen species and that promised mitigation measures have not been fully implemented. The court rejected the Navy's attempt to limit evidence to records before 2017 and ordered both sides to agree on a discovery plan within 30 days.

Local, Education & other academy news

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Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Navy Sports Magazine Show sat down with junior Ramsay Killinger ahead of the Mids' first road trip of 2026. A win tonight against Vassar would improve the No. 15 Midshipmen to 16-0 for the first time in program history.

Stay updated with Navy Athletics, wherever they go

Don't just bookmark it—come back to it. The Navy Away Sporting Events page is a live schedule that updates throughout the year, giving fans an easy way to find road games by city or state. As matchups are added and details change, this page becomes your go-to resource for supporting Navy Athletics wherever they compete.

Men's Squash at Vassar - Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - 5:00 p.m.

Women's Basketball at Bucknell — W 77 - 51
Men's Basketball vs Bucknell — W 76 - 55

USNA and AA&F Events