8 July Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, 8 July 2026

Located in the heart of historic Annapolis, Fair Winds is a beautifully restored home just steps from Gate 1, downtown, and the waterfront. Owned and operated by two USNA alumni, it offers a comfortable place to gather for reunions, football weekends and time back in Annapolis. Reunion weekends are booking up— reserve yours now at FairWindsDTA.com or on Airbnb.

1853 - Commodore Matthew C. Perry, in command of a squadron consisting of the side-wheel steamers Mississippi and Susquehanna and sloops Plymouth and Saratoga, enters Edo (Tokyo) Bay, to establish formal relations between the United States and Japan. Cautious of the West, the Japanese nevertheless accept a formal letter from President Millard Fillmore.

 

1964 - Capt Leonard Reynolds ’58, USAF, was lost when the F-105D he was piloting collided with a refueling tanker over the California desert and crashed. “Pete,” as he was inexplicably known, was from Missoula, Montana and attended Montana State University there for a year before the Naval Academy. Following graduation, he became one of the first five launch control officers in the Air Force missile program at Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming, the first site for launching of intercontinental Atlas missiles. He was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, and in July 1959, he attended Convair School in San Diego. He entered pilot training in November 1961; in October 1963 he was recognized as the “top rookie pilot” in the Air Force. He was survived by his parents; his wife, Marilyn Moore whom he married on 21 June 1958; son Thomas Leonard; daughter Laura Lynn; sister Mrs. Simon Carroll; and grandmother Mrs. Edith Reynolds. Other alumni lost on this day are listed at Virtual Memorial Hall.

 

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

CAPT Brian A. Forster ’02, USN, has assumed command of Naval Weapons Station Earle, relieving CAPT Kent “Brewski” Smith, USN, during a 2 July change of command ceremony in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Smith, who led the installation from 2023 to 2026, will next command the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Kansas. Forster, a native of Buena in Atlantic County, called the assignment a return home and noted that it was “great to be back in New Jersey.” He becomes the 31st commander of the weapons station, which was commissioned in 1943 to support the movement of munitions during World War II. In remarks during the ceremony, he joked that while Earle does not have a boardwalk like much of the Jersey Shore, it does have an “impressive pier” extending into Sandy Hook Bay. A 2002 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Forster has served on five Navy ships and previously commanded the USS Billings Gold Crew and USS Milwaukee.

Plebe Summer is underway! As you count down to Plebe Parents' Weekend, we invite parents and family to mark those calendars for one special opportunity designed just for Class of 2030 families. Join us for the Plebe Parent Mixer at the Fluegel Alumni Center. Meet fellow parents, learn about resources available to U.S. Naval Academy families and begin building friendships that can last throughout your midshipman's four years at the Academy.

Date: Thursday, 6 August

Time: 4–6 p.m. ET

Location: Fluegel Alumni Center (301 King George Street, Annapolis, MD, 21402)

Registration required at the link below.

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 7 July 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.

The U.S. Navy identifies CDR Gabriel Edwards, commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, as the missing Sailor following a helicopter’s emergency landing in the Arabian Sea, 1 July. “The thoughts and prayers of every member of the Carrier Strike Group 10 team are with the Edwards family. While we are far from home, our heartfelt support remains at your side,” said RADM Todd Cimicata (Villanova ’95), commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10. “Gabe’s legacy as a husband, father, friend and fearless leader will never be forgotten. We are thankful to each who carry a unique and indelible part of Gabe’s memory with us as we continue this important mission.” Gabriel Edwards, a native of Oakland, Oregon, graduated in 2006 from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and commissioned through the Naval ROTC.

A Polish defense official said the U.S. military will resume rotating troops into Poland in the “coming weeks,” two months after the Pentagon abruptly canceled an Army deployment of nearly 4,000 soldiers to the country. U.S. officials did not directly address on Monday whether a large-scale rotation was in the works, but noted that some number of U.S. troops have remained in Poland throughout the summer. “The rotation of U.S. troops, which was suspended several weeks ago, is resuming and will continue, and in the coming weeks, the rotation of U.S. troops to Poland will be completed,” Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a public speech Monday. He appeared to be referring to a long-scheduled rotation of nearly 4,000 soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division that was abruptly canceled in May.

The Navy met its Fiscal Year 2026 recruiting goal of 45,000 new sailors three months ahead of the 30 September deadline, marking the third consecutive year it has achieved its recruiting target. The goal was increased from 40,600 recruits in FY 2025, making this year’s achievement particularly significant. Navy leaders credited improvements in recruiting processes, including faster applicant timelines, expanded medical waiver support and increased advertising efforts. According to Navy Recruiting Command, the milestone helps ensure fleet readiness as the service seeks to grow its active-duty force in the coming years. The Navy will continue processing applicants to strengthen its delayed entry program.

The Marine Corps has established the Marine Corps Robotics Integration Group (MCRIG), a new unit based at Twentynine Palms, California, to standardize training, doctrine and tactics for small drones and counter-drone operations across the service. MCRIG will oversee curriculum development, instructor qualification and service-wide integration of Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aerial systems, which range from small drones under 20 pounds to systems weighing up to 55 pounds. The initiative reflects the growing importance of drones in modern warfare and the increasing threat posed by enemy unmanned systems. The Corps is also seeking Marines to serve as drone subject matter experts within the new organization.

Local, Education & other academy news

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As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, author Chris Servello ’99 argues that the nation’s future will be shaped by its ability to maintain maritime strength. He highlights growing challenges from China, Russia and Iran, emphasizing the importance of sea power in protecting trade, security and global stability. The article calls for investment in naval and commercial fleets, shipbuilding and the maritime workforce. Servello contends that maintaining maritime dominance is a bipartisan priority and essential to safeguarding America’s economic prosperity, national security and leadership role for generations to come.

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