22 July Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

1905 - Having been discovered in France the previous April following a six-year search, the body of American Revolution naval hero John Paul Jones is returned to the United States, escorted across the Atlantic by a squadron consisting of the cruisers Brooklyn (CA-3), Chattanooga (C-16), Galveston (C-17) and Tacoma (C-18) along with a French cruiser. Jones’s body is interred in the crypt beneath the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel at Annapolis, Maryland, on 24 July.

 

1992 - The Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy announce a reorganization of the OPNAV staff. The Assistant Chiefs of Naval Operations for Surface, Submarine, Air and Naval Warfare are merged into one staff under the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Warfare, Requirements, and Assessment (N8).

 

2010 - LtCol Mario Carazo ’91, USMC, was killed in action when his AH-1W Cobra gunship was shot down by Afghani insurgents. A native of Springfield, Ohio, “Sugarbear” earned two master’s degrees and was commanding officer of Headquarters Squadron, Marine Air Group 39 when he was lost. He was survived by his wife, two children, parents, a brother and two sisters. 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

Dr. Gordon Roesler’s ’75 (12th Company) robotic satellite launched Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. ET aboard a Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Cape Canaveral. Roesler was a program manager at DARPA from 2014 to 2018. He created a space program called Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites. It had two massive robot arms and all of the things you need to operate them (power, computers, tools and so on). Roesler is pictured standing in front of the completed project in 2024.

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 20 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.

USS Charlotte crew that reportedly sank Iranian frigate awarded Navy Unit Commendation

The crew of the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte, which reportedly participated in Operation Epic Fury, received the Navy Unit Commendation award. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao ’96 presented the honor, recognizing the crew for exceptionally meritorious service in support of military operations. According to reports, Charlotte played a significant role in the early stages of the conflict with Iran and is believed to have achieved the first confirmed U.S. submarine torpedo kill since World War II. The submarine reportedly sank the Iranian frigate Dena with an MK-48 torpedo in March. Cao praised the crew’s professionalism, discipline and dedication, noting that some of the Navy’s most powerful weapons operate unseen and unheard.

A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey caught fire Sunday while on the ground at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona during support operations for Exercise Savage Jackal, an Air Force-led training exercise. Officials said the aircraft, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266, experienced a fire in its right engine nacelle. The pilot and crew conducted an emergency shutdown and evacuated safely, with no injuries reported. An investigation is underway to determine the cause and assess damage. The incident adds to the Osprey’s long history of mechanical issues and accidents, which have prompted fleet-wide groundings and increased scrutiny of the tiltrotor aircraft in recent years.

Local, Education & other academy news

1911, the Navy’s first aviation school began taking shape at Greenbury Point, across the Severn River from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. What started with a few hydroplanes and a small group of pioneering aviators—including Towers, Ellyson, Bellinger, and others—helped launch the naval air arm that would transform sea power in the decades ahead. Read more in this Proceedings vault piece: “The Navy Spreads Its Golden Wings.”

“For the third year in a row - we as Service Academy Women are excited to announce applications are now being accepted for the annual Renewal & Recovery Retreat, a five night/six day In-Person Survivor Retreat for Military Service Academy (MSA) alumnae who are survivors of sexual assault, taking place from 14 - 19 October 2026 in Ohio. This is a very special opportunity to experience an immersive healing experience with other service academy alumnae, and will be facilitated by Rooted Within, an all women-led facilitator team. This retreat brings together up to 24 women survivors of sexual assault to build connection, shared understanding, and renewal in a warm, highly supportive community.

 

Past events have been profoundly healing for attendees. “This retreat was life-changing for me. For the first time, I was able to open up about my experiences with other veterans in a space that felt truly safe. Being surrounded by women I deeply respect—who have endured similar challenges and continue to move forward with strength and dignity—created a level of healing and connection I have not found elsewhere, even in one-on-one therapy.” Spots to attend are highly limited so don’t delay: email Karen at [email protected] to receive your application or ask any questions about the retreat. See the attached infographic and this application information link for details."

 

O’Learys Seafood will close after more than four decades serving the Annapolis community, with its final day of service scheduled for August 2. Owner Wil Peterson announced the closure in a social media post, saying the restaurant is losing its lease and that the decision was not his. “After serving the Annapolis community since 1983, it is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share the news that O’Learys Seafood will be closing its doors due to the loss of our lease,” Peterson wrote. “This was not my decision, and it is not the ending I ever imagined or hoped for.”

USNA and AA&F Events

USNA AA&F resources & Links

Login to MyUSNA | Daily Shipmate Archives | USNA AA&F Obituaries