14 Apr Daily Shipmate

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

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Last week, local USNA seniors, also known as “Firsties,” joined the Northern Virginia Parents Club for their annual First-Class Midshipmen Recognition Dinner at the U.S. Naval Academy. LtCol Patrick McKavitt ’06, USMC, now serving with Marine Corps Education Command, delivered the keynote on leadership and responsibility. VADM John B. Nowell Jr ’84, USN (Ret.), President and CEO of the U.S. Navy Memorial, presented each midshipman a flag flown over the Navy Memorial on Induction Day four years ago. The program also recognized parent volunteers and celebrated the club’s year-round support of midshipmen and families.

 

The following Class of 2026 midshipmen from Northern Virginia were honored at the dinner:

Pictures above (clockwise from top left) LtCol McKavitt delivering the keynote address, VADM Nowell providing remarks, LtCol McKavitt, MIDN 1/C Porter, and VADM Nowell during the flag and certificate presentation and 1/C MIDN Azua and LtCol McKavitt during the flag and certificate presentation.

1988 - While operating in the Persian Gulf, the frigate Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) strikes a mine. The ensuing explosion blows a 21-foot hole in its bottom, injures ten of its crew, and causes extensive flooding. Also in 1988, Lt. Brian Hawley ’84, USN was lost when the A-6E Intruder he was aboard crashed about 25 miles south of Chehalis, in southwestern Washington. The pilot was also lost; they were members of Attack Squadron (VA) 145, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Brian was a native of South Lake Tahoe, California, where he was active in outdoor activities, including skiing and rock climbing. The Alumni Association has lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email [email protected].

 

2018 - Following the use of chemical weapons by the Bashar al-Assad regime against civilians in Syria, President Donald J. Trump orders the military to strike the Syrian government. To achieve the president’s goals, the Navy launched 57 Tomahawk missiles from the USS Monterey (CG-61), USS Higgins (DDG-76), and USS John Warner (SSN-785).

 

Content in “Today in Navy, Marine Corps and USNA Memorial Hall History” is generously provided by our partners and fellow alumni at the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Run to Honor SIG, which supplies the USNA Memorial Hall content. We are grateful for their partnership in preserving and sharing this history, and the Daily Shipmate is proud to serve as a distribution platform. You can learn more or provide feedback through their respective websites hyperlinked above.

Academy & Graduate happenings

A USNA alumna played a role in humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century. LT Taylor Holland ’19, USN graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 2019. She is currently assigned to a helicopter squadron based in San Diego, California. Holland and her squadron supported imagery and recovery operations for the Artemis II mission which ended Friday with a splashdown off the coast of San Diego. Positioned overhead in a recovery helicopter, Holland assisted her squadron in locating, monitoring, and supporting the safe retrieval of both the Orion capsule and its crew.

In Episode 5, Colonel Eric Reid ’97, USMC, Senior Marine Representative at the United States Naval Academy and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, shares his remarkable leadership journey. Reid reflects on his path to becoming a Marine Corps infantry officer, policy strategist, and educator shaping the next generation of military leaders. The discussion explores the critical role of humanities in developing effective communicators, strategic thinkers, and culturally aware officers prepared for the complex challenges of modern warfare. From warfighting doctrine and leadership philosophy to the evolving future of the Marine Corps, this conversation offers powerful insights into service, purpose, and the mindset required to lead in uncertain and high-stakes environments.

Colonel Eric Reid ’97, USMC enlisted in the Navy in 1992 and attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School, earning an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1997 with an honors degree in History. He is an infantry officer. From 1998 to 2001, he commanded an 81mm mortar platoon and an anti-armor platoon and deployed as a weapons company Executive Officer for a unit deployment to Okinawa, Japan and a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Following his first Fleet Marine Force (FMF) tour, he was an instructor at The Basic School and Infantry Officer Course from 2001 to 2004 before attending resident Expeditionary Warfare School.

From the Podcast Fleet

"Fifty years after women first reported on I‑Day at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis is preparing for a landmark weekend honoring that legacy. USNA alumnae Marie (’86) and Adrienne (’06) share how USNA Women Writ Large and the USNA Women’s SIG are bringing together more than 850 attendees 16-19 April for a multi‑day conference, gala and celebration of women’s impact across the Navy, Marine Corps, government and beyond. They also explain the role of the Women’s SIG as an apolitical nonprofit supporting professional development, midshipmen engagement and alumni connection, while previewing event logistics, from conference sessions to a decade‑based welcome designed to link generations of women graduates."

Government & Military News

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of 13 April 2026, based on Navy and public data. In cases in which a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Forces with Joint Task Force Southern Spear struck two vessels in the Eastern Pacific on Saturday, the first such strikes in April. Two men were killed in the first strike while the second strike killed three men. One person survived the first strike, according to a late Sunday U.S. Southern Command release. SOUTHCOM notified the U.S. Coast Guard, which then began search and rescue efforts. The Coast Guard has not provided an update on the survivor.

Carrier USS George H.W. Bush operating off Southern Africa as Iranian blockade begins

The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN‑77) is operating off the coast of southern Africa as it transits around the continent toward the Arabian Sea, where it is expected to join a growing U.S. naval presence amid a newly announced blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Instead of entering the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar, the carrier and its strike group are sailing around Africa to avoid the Red Sea and Bab el‑Mandeb, areas affected by recent Houthi attacks. The movement coincides with U.S. Central Command’s implementation of a blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic while allowing limited humanitarian shipments.

Local, Education & other academy news

Panel discussion: Powering Maritime Dominance, a conversation with ADM William Houston, USN — register here

Admiral William J. Houston, USN, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, Department of the Navy/Department of Energy, will sit down with Dr. Seth Jones, President, Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss the state of the nuclear-powered fleet and what the Navy requires from the industrial base to meet both U.S. and AUKUS demands. At a time of intensifying great power competition and increasing demands on the Navy’s nuclear-powered assets, this discussion will provide a timely look at the capabilities, capacity, and industrial base required to sustain U.S. maritime advantage. This event takes place at the U.S. Naval Institute’s Jack C. Taylor Conference Center in Annapolis, MD. Advanced registration is required.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Navy boxing earns national runner-up finishes, four individual titles

This past weekend, Navy’s Intercollegiate Boxing team competed in the three‑day National Collegiate Boxing Association tournament in Charlotte, N.C., facing 31 qualifying colleges from across the country. Both the Navy men’s and women’s teams delivered standout performances, earning second‑place team finishes, with the men finishing just behind the University of Washington and the women placing second to the Air Force Academy. The teams were led by captains Cami Johnson, Dulce Carroll, Nick Smith and Steve Brunache.

 

Among 144 boxers competing across men’s and women’s weight classes, Navy crowned four individual National Champions, more than all but one school. Of the 17 boxers Navy qualified for nationals, 13 will return next season, underscoring the program’s depth and momentum.

Navy’s 2026 National Champions

Please join us in congratulating the entire Navy boxing team on an outstanding national showing.

Yesterday's results:

Army - Navy Star Series: Navy has won the Star Series

Navy leads 16-8-1 (Army - Volleyball, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Rugby, Women’s Cross Country, Wrestling, Baseball, Women’s Track and Field, Men’s Lacrosse. Navy - Men’s Golf, Men’s Cross Country, Sprint Football, Men’s Rugby, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, Football, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Rifle, Gymnastics, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Track and Field, Women’s Lacrosse. Tie - Women’s Soccer).

 

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