10 August Daily Shipmate

Monday, 10 August 2026

1846 - President James K. Polk signs a bill increasing the authorized strength of the Navy from 7,500 to 10,000 men for the duration of the Mexican War.

 

2004 - LCDR Scott Zellem '91, USN was lost when the S-3B Viking aircraft he was aboard crashed on the island of Kita Iwo Jima, Japan. He was a member of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 35, flying from USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). A native of Indiana, Pennsylvania, Scott had operational experience in both the A-6 Intruder and the S-3 Viking, with more than 540 carrier landings in his career. Scott was survived by his wife, son, parents, brother and sister. 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

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the appointment of Andrew McClure '08 as Director of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER). In this role, he is responsible for hardening critical infrastructure, enhancing preparedness and response capabilities, and fostering partnerships across federal, state, local, and private-sector stakeholders to protect America's energy systems against evolving cyber and physical threats. McClure is committed to supporting President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright's bold and ambitious mission to safeguard the nation's energy infrastructure and restore America's energy dominance. “Andrew's background in national security, cybersecurity, and emerging technology makes him exceptionally qualified to lead CESER,” said James P. Danly, Deputy Secretary of Energy. McClure holds a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a Master of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management, a Master of Strategic Studies from the Australian National University, and a Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics from the U.S. Naval Academy.

SACC San Diego brought together nearly 300 service academy graduates with 90 participating companies, schools and organizations representing a wide range of industries and career opportunities. This year's event saw strong engagement from both candidates and employers, including 14 new companies, such as AIM, Zoox, and Rolls-Royce, whose participation expanded opportunities for attendees and strengthened the conference's growing network of industry leaders.

 

Throughout the event, candidates connected directly with recruiters and hiring managers, explored career pathways and gained valuable insights into the civilian workforce. Employers benefited from access to a highly skilled talent pool while building meaningful relationships within the military community.Whether reconnecting with classmates, meeting recruiters, attending candidate presentations or interviewing for the next step in a career journey, attendees experienced firsthand the power of the SACC network and the opportunities it creates.

 

A special thank you to our SACC sponsors, Neighborly, ASUS Robotics & AI Center, UnitedHealth Group and USAA, whose support helped make this event possible. Their commitment to connecting exceptional military talent with meaningful career opportunities continues to strengthen the SACC mission and enhance the experience for both candidates and employers. The momentum continues at our next event in Denton, TX, on 22-23 October 2026. Organizations interested in connecting with one of the nation's most talented leadership pipelines are encouraged to participate. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. Email [email protected] for more information.

USNA Women Town Hall Wednesday, 12 August

USNA Women's Shared Interest Group invites all alumni, parents and friends to join their autumn Town Hall on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at 4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET. These Town Hall events feature updates for our organization, plus a look at the upcoming events and ways to support each other and the Brigade.  

 

Agenda:

Fall Activities: New opportunities to get together and continue the 50 Year celebration. We'll cover some of the highlights for the Texas Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) and Women's sports teams and talk about ways to create your own watch parties. Call for Finance Committee members. As we continue to  professionalize our organization, we are recruiting alumnae with certain skills for this critical committee. 50 Year Commemorative Quilt road show and video of the history presentation.

 

Dr. Allison Webster-Giddings '84  is our featured speaker for this Town Hall. She has an incredible career, most recently, lead the creation of an American University in Iraq, taking the torch after Iraqi Resolve. Dr. Webster-Giddings earned a bachelor's degree in naval architecture from USNA in 1984, a master's degree from University of Tennessee Space Institute in 1994 and a doctorate in higher education leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University in 2019.

We are now accepting nominations for the next Board of Trustees chair; nominations are open now through 1 September 2026 via the online nomination form. Any regular member may nominate another regular member or self-nominate for the three-year term beginning in May 2027, after ADM Mark Ferguson III '78, USN (Ret.), completes six years of service on the Board. The Board's Nominating Committee will review all submissions and recommend a candidate for Board approval in November 2026; questions may be directed to Board Secretary Wes Huey '87."

Government & Military News

USS Thomas Hudner returns to Naval Station Mayport from deployment to U.S. 4th, 5th and 6th Fleets

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) returned to Naval Station Mayport on 9 August, concluding an almost nine-month deployment across multiple geographic theaters, including the U.S. 4th, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations.

 

"Over the past almost nine months, this crew has demonstrated exceptional resilience and tactical proficiency across three different fleets,” said CDR David Cook '07, USN, commanding officer, USS Thomas Hudner. “Their dedication is unmatched, and we are absolutely thrilled to be back in Mayport to reunite with the families and loved ones whose unwavering support made our success possible.”

Marine Corps establishes Robotics Integration Group, experiments with drones in field operations

The U.S. Marine Corps established a new organization last month to integrate aerial drone capabilities as the service continues to experiment with drones in field operations. “The battlefield continues to demonstrate that small unmanned aircraft systems are no longer niche capabilities; they are indispensable tools for reconnaissance, precision strike, force protection and survivability,” MajGen Mark Clingan said.

At least 70 ships remain trapped in the Persian Gulf nearly six months into the Iran-U.S. conflict with more ships now being stalled after the ceasefire between the countries broke down. The memorandum of understanding implemented from 18 June to 8 July between Tehran and Washington created the opportunity for many of the stranded ships to finally exit the Persian Gulf after being stuck for months.

Local, Education & other academy news

Tomorrow evening: United States Navy Band at U.S. Navy Memorial's Concert on the Avenue

Join us tomorow, Tuesday, 11 August for a very special Concert on the Avenue at the U.S. Navy Memorial, featuring the full United States Navy Band for the final stop of its summer concert tour. A huge thank you to these incredibly talented musicians for an unforgettable summer of music, patriotism and community.

 

From classical favorites and Broadway hits to modern chart-toppers, the Navy Band brings a dynamic program that reflects the breadth and talent of the fleet's premier musical ensemble. Each performance celebrates Navy heritage while offering an engaging, family-friendly experience in the heart of Washington.

While this marks the Navy Band's final performance in the series this summer, Concert on the Avenue isn't over, with more great performances still to come. Join us as we celebrate the Navy Band and enjoy one last opportunity to hear the full ensemble perform this season.

Naval Academy Athletics News

Get an up-close and personal look at Navy Football Fan Fest 2026 with senior offensive guard Hoke Smith! In this video, Smith is handed the mic and brings plenty of Navy blue-and-gold excitement, along with some "bouncing" anticipation for the upcoming season. Plus, younger fans get introduced to just who in the world Hoke Smith is. A must-watch!

 

Reminder: The Midshipmen return to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for practice and the 2026 Blue & Gold Kickoff BBQ next Saturday, 15 August.

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