14 Feb Daily Shipmate

Friday, February 14, 2025

1778 - The sloop Ranger entered Quiberon Bay, France, flying the new American flag, the “Stars and Stripes,” to which the French fleet fired a salute. This occasion marked the first official salute to the new flag received by a Continental ship.

1974 - T Thomas West '68, USN was lost when the A-4 Skyhawk he was piloting crashed near NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. He was a member of Composite Squadron (VC) 8.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

The Naval Academy Columbarium has become a popular and honored location for our alumni since 1987, and now the 2448 niches available for inurnments are nearing capacity. Fewer than 40 spaces or new niches now remain at the USNA Columbarium, and the USNA Memorial Affairs team estimates that the current Columbarium will reach capacity for new or first inurnments by the end of the summer of 2025. There is a plan for construction on a new columbarium with additional niches, which will be located at the top of the hill behind the current columbarium, but the project does not yet have a scheduled start date. This construction is expected to last two years, meaning new inurnments for alumni at the Naval Academy Columbarium will not happen for at least two years once all the new niches at the columbarium are filled in the summer of 2025. We join the Naval Academy office of Memorial Affairs to encourage families considering interment at the columbarium for their loved one(s) to plan ahead. Once full, only secondary interments will take place until the new Columbarium is completed. For guidance and options in services and bookings, visit www.usna.edu/Cemetery or contact Joe Fagan '89 & Chris Silva at [email protected].

The Kristensen special lecture series, jointly sponsored by St. John's College and the Naval Academy, honors LCDR Erik S. Kristensen ('95 USNA) ('00 AGI)—an alumnus of the Academy and the St. John's Graduate Institute. Kristensen, a Navy SEAL, was killed in the line of duty while leading a search and rescue mission in Afghanistan in 2005. General (Ret.) John R. Allen '76 will deliver the Kristensen Memorial Lecture February 19 at 7:30pm. On Friday evenings, members of the St. John's College community – alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students and neighbors — gather to hear a lecture or concert from visiting scholars, artists, poets, or faculty. These events are offered free to the community. All lectures are held Fridays at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Scott Key Auditorium, St. John's College, 60 College Avenue, Annapolis, MD.

What better way to spend Valentine's Day than at McMullen Arena?! Join us Friday night as Navy Hockey takes on TCNJ (The College of New Jersey) in the first round of the annual Crabpot Tournament. A win on Friday will advance them to the Championship game on Saturday and a shot at winning the Crabpot trophy yet again! In addition to the Coach's Corner upstairs serving snacks and beverages, for the first time ever, we will have Auntie Anne's pretzels serving inside the rink! Tickets to the Crabpot are $10/Adult and $5/Youth per day, and can be purchased in person or in advance by calling the Front Desk (410-293-9700). Special shout out to AA&F's Danielle Milanette, who is one of our incredibly talented Events Coordinators here at the FAC. Her brother, Sean Milanette '26 is on the team.

Listen to the firsties of Navy Hockey preview the Crabpot tournament and discuss life at USNA in our Sing Second Pod interview from January 29th.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), the flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, collided with M/V Besiktas-M on Wednesday evening near Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea, the Navy said Thursday. The carrier did not experience flooding and the crew did not report injuries, Cmdr. Tim Gorman, the spokesperson for U.S. 6th Fleet, said in a statement. Truman's propulsion plants are unaffected. The collision, which occurred at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday, is under investigation. The damage is above the waterline of the carrier, a Navy official told USNI News. No aircraft aboard the deck were damaged, another Navy official said.

Veterans Affairs officials this week unveiled new rules banning LGBTQ Pride flags and other unofficial banners at department offices and spaces, saying the move will bring “consistency” to agency messaging. In a memo released late Wednesday evening, VA Secretary Doug Collins said the new policy would limit the display of all flags except for the American flag at all VA facilities. Exceptions include the display of state flags, military service flags, U.S. agency flags and the POW/MIA flag. The guidance applied to “public displays or depictions of flags by VA employees in all VA facilities, workplaces, buildings, common areas and public areas,” to include personal cubicles, government vehicles and any space “in public or plain view.”

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

White Castle announced the promotion of Melissa Palmisciano '98 from deputy general counsel to vice president and general counsel. She succeeds Anthony Joseph, who transitioned to president of White Castle. Palmisciano joined White Castle as corporate counsel in 2018, providing key legal leadership in areas like intellectual property, real estate, litigation and employment law. Palmisciano graduated from the US Naval Academy and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She currently serves on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation board of directors.

Academy Securities, the nation's first Post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank, today announced the addition of Vice Admiral Timothy White '87 to its Advisory Board and Geopolitical Intelligence Group. Vice Admiral Timothy "T.J." White retired from the United States Navy in 2020 after more than 30 years of distinguished service in cyber warfare, signals intelligence, and information operations. Admiral White graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

For the Navy to win tomorrow's wars, the Naval Academy must prepare its top thinkers to solve interdisciplinary problems. One cannot adequately address the rising threat of war with China without understanding geopolitics, advanced manufacturing, the history of the Indo-Pacific region, or hypersonic missiles. Combating climate change will require leaders versed in environmental sciences, international diplomacy, economic development, and green-energy technology. Policymakers must be equally comfortable with the technical aspects of their field and the ways a changing world and its people will create and solve problems.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Growing up in the 1960s, Darryl Hill just wanted to play football. He didn't set out to make history. He didn't dream of breaking racial barriers. But that's exactly what he did—again and again. "I had gone to Gonzaga and I was the first and only Black on the team." It started at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., where Hill became the first Black player on the football team. Then, he did it again at the Naval Academy. "I was the first African-American to play football for any military academy." At Navy, Hill shared the field with legendary quarterback Roger Staubach, forming a friendship that remains strong to this day. "Even though he played for Dallas." But Hill's journey was just beginning. After one season, he left the Naval Academy and faced yet another historic challenge in 1963. For the third time in his young career, he was about to break a racial barrier—this time at the University of Maryland. Maryland assistant coach Lee Corso saw Hill's potential and recruited him to play wide receiver.

 

Men's Tennis v Florida Gulf Coast University - Orlando, Fla. - 10 a.m.

Men's Track & Field v Liberty Invitational - Lynchburg, Va. - 1 p.m.

Women's Track & Field v Liberty Invitational - Lynchburg, Va. - 1 p.m.

Baseball at Richmond - Richmond, Va. / Pitt Field - 1:30 p.m.

Women's Tennis at Tampa - Tampa, Fla. - 3 p.m.

Men's Tennis v Hofstra - Annapolis, Md. - 4 p.m.

 

 

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

Women's Track & Field v Liberty Invitational - Lynchburg, Va. - 9 a.m.

Men's Track & Field v Liberty Invitational - Lynchburg, Va. - 9 a.m.

Rifle at The Citadel - Charleston, S.C. - 9 a.m.

Women's Basketball v Army - STAR GAME - Annapolis, Md. - 11 a.m.

Men's Squash v Chatham - Annapolis, Md. - 1 p.m.

Baseball at Richmond - Richmond, Va. / Pitt Field - 1 p.m.

Men's Basketball v Army - STAR GAME - Annapolis, Md. - 1:30 p.m.

Women's Lacrosse at Villanova - Villanova, Pa. - 3 p.m.

Men's Tennis v Air Force - Orlando, Fla. - 5 p.m.

Women's Tennis v Air Force - Orlando, Fla. - 5 p.m.

Men's Gymnastics at All-Academy Championship - Fort Worth, Texas - 7:30 p.m.

 

 

Rifle at The Citadel - Charleston, S.C. - 9 a.m.

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

Baseball at Richmond - Richmond, Va. / Pitt Field - 1 p.m.

Wrestling at Army - STAR MEET - West Point, N.Y. / Christl Arena - 4 p.m.

The Star Series began 52 years ago (1972) and is a competition between the two academies' varsity sports programs that keeps track of how many times each academy has the most wins in an academic year against the other. Navy has won the Star Series 48 times in the last 52 years.

Army Leads 9-7. (Navy - M Rugby, M Cross Country, Football, Gymnastics, Rifle, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Women's indoor Track & Field; Army - Volleyball, Sprint Football, Golf, M Soccer, W Soccer, W Cross Country, W Rugby, Men's Swim and Dive, Women's Swim and Dive)

 

15-16 Mar - Baseball - Annapolis - 15 Mar - 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. Doubleheader; 16 Mar - 3 p.m.

5 Apr - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

5 Apr - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

5 Apr - Women's Tennis - West Point - 10  a.m.

12 Apr - Men's Tennis - West Point - 1 p.m.

12 Apr - W. Lacrosse - West Point - 12:30 p.m.

12 Apr - M. Lacrosse - Annapolis - 2:30 p.m.

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

FEBRUARY

115 Feb - Commissioning Week 101, Fluegel Alumni Center

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 Alumni Center, 5-9 p.m.

27 Feb - Astronaut Convocation - USNA

 

MARCH

7-16 Mar - USNA Spring Break

7 Mar - A&SP Policy Review Committee Meeting - Fluegel(Bastian Conference Room)

12-13 Mar - SACC Atlanta

21 Mar -  A&SP Executive Committee Meeting - Fluegel (Bastian Conference Room)

22 Mar - Annual Gathering for USNA Women - Fluegel Alumni Center

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

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

27-29 Mar - Naval Academy Alumni Leadership Forum

30-31 Mar - Volunteer Leader Summit - Fluegel Alumni Center

 

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 - Akerson Tower

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 Alumni Center

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

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring BOT Meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center

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 Alumni Center

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

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029