28 October Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, 28 October 2026

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today in u.s. navy and marine corps history

1923 - The submarine O-5 (SS-66) collides with United Fruit steamer Abangarez in Limon Bay, Panama. Torpedoman Second Class Henry Breault reaches the hatch in time to escape the sinking submarine, but instead returns to his post in the torpedo room to rescue a shipmate trapped there. Closing the torpedo room hatch, Breault and his fellow sailor remain trapped in the compartment until rescued by a salvage party after 31 hours. Breault receives the Medal of Honor for his devotion to his shipmate.

 

1933 - The Navy contracts with Consolidated Aircraft Corporation for the construction of the XP3Y-1, the prototype for the famous PBY Catalina flying boat that is so successful during World War II.

 

1952 - The XA3D-1 Skywarrior, the largest aircraft to ever operate from the deck of an aircraft carrier and a long-lived design that operates into the 1980s, makes its first flight. Though initially designed as a nuclear strike aircraft, the aircraft known as the “Whale” also serves as a tanker, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare platform.

 

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.

In Memoriam from usna memorial hall

2009 - LT Bret Miller '01, USN and LT John Houston '02, USN

Other alumni lost on this day are listed at Virtual Memorial Hall.

Academy & Graduate happenings

Cast your vote through the official voting form. Thank you to everyone who submitted a design for this year’s Army-Navy button contest! We want to share a little context about the extended deadline. Our contest guidelines specified that AI-generated artwork was not permitted. During the review process, a number of submissions raised questions about AI use, so we extended the deadline to give participants an additional opportunity to submit eligible designs. Some entries were easier to assess than others. For those that were less clear, our team reviewed available resources on identifying AI-generated imagery and made the best determination possible. The finalists presented here are the designs we believe meet the contest guidelines. If you have concerns about a particular finalist, simply cast your vote for another design. We ask that everyone keep the comments positive and focused on celebrating the creativity of our finalists.

Navy submarine officer and Naval Academy graduate LT Sophie McCraith ’20, USN, has been appointed to the 2026-2027 class of White House Fellows and will serve at the National Energy Dominance Council. A lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, McCraith most recently served aboard USS Wyoming (SSBN 742), completing three strategic deterrent patrols and qualifying as a Department of Energy Nuclear Engineer. She earned her bachelor’s degree with distinction in aerospace engineering from USNA and later received a Master of Science in engineering science from the University of Oxford. Her accomplishments at the Academy extended beyond academics. McCraith was a two-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion. She has also published peer-reviewed engineering research and is an accomplished violinist and oboist. The prestigious White House Fellows program provides selected Americans with firsthand experience working alongside senior White House staff, Cabinet secretaries and other top government officials.

The Naval Academy Golf Course came alive once again with USNA alumni last Friday, 23 October, as golfers teed up for a spirited day of blue and gold camaraderie and friendly competition. It was a great opportunity to come together, enjoy a day on the course and celebrate the friendships and connections that make our Naval Academy community so special. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year’s event such a memorable one. We’re already looking forward to the next opportunity to hit the links together! And a special thank you to our sponsors, whose support helped make the day possible: Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis, Planet, The Graduate Hotel, USAA, McGarveys and Greystar.

 

Make this year’s holiday celebration one to remember at the Fluegel Alumni Center. Located in the heart of historic Annapolis, the Center offers a distinctive setting where sophisticated architecture, flexible event spaces, and beautiful waterfront surroundings come together to create an unforgettable backdrop for the season.

Choose from elegant gathering spaces like the Reinemund Family Conference Room, the ADM Robert J. Natter '67 Conference Room or the relaxed, club-inspired Blue & Gold Bar, featuring comfortable lounge seating, a built-in bar and floor-to-ceiling windows. With complimentary on-site parking and a convenient location near downtown Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy, the Fluegel Alumni Center makes it easy to bring everyone together.

Whether you’re planning a company holiday party, year-end celebration, festive reception, or gathering with friends and family, the Fluegel Alumni Center offers a memorable place to celebrate the people who made the year meaningful. Open to both alumni and the general public.

From the Podcast Fleet

Last pod of October. Time is officially flying. We welcomed back to ’56, ’76, ’91, ’01 and ’06 for their reunions and hosted an amazing event at the Fluegel Alumni Center. Chris and John chat about the weekend football loss to North Texas, but also two big star wins for Swimming up at Army. We also chat a bit about this past weekend's Marine Corps Marathon. We preview this weekend's big trip to Beantown for Football as they face national powerhouse and longtime rival, Notre Dame. Scott Sloan ’01 came alongside the live pod Saturday and talked about his 25th reunion, his experience as a TDY Ensign on 9/11 on the Yard and his amazing company, StratasCorp. And Evan McNeer ’06 chatted with us about 20 years since his graduation and the cool stuff he's doing out of uniform now. Thank you to the AA&F Events and Engagement teams for an amazing LIVE Event along the banks of College Creek. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast in the land. Beat Army. Always.

Listen on

Government & Military News

The Pentagon is warning Defense Department personnel against using nonpublic military information for financial gain, including bets on prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. A memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforces federal restrictions and warns that transactions tied to military operations could create signals adversaries use to anticipate U.S. movements, targets and timing. The guidance follows recent cases involving wagers connected to military operations, including allegations against a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier. Violations may result in administrative, disciplinary or criminal action. Hegseth emphasized that financial interests can compromise operational security, judgment and the military’s mission.

One of the last surviving architectural relics of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Bavaria, was heavily damaged by a deliberately set fire. Roughly 200 firefighters responded Friday night, battling difficult mountainous terrain as flames engulfed the historic structure. No injuries were reported, and a 33-year-old German citizen was arrested as authorities investigate. The site holds a notable place in U.S. Army history. In May 1945, soldiers of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, later immortalized in Band of Brothers, reached Berchtesgaden as Allied forces secured the Nazi stronghold at the end of World War II. “It is damaged to a large extent,” a police spokesperson told the German tabloid Bild. “The house is unlikely to be saved.”

Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 26.3 has completed its six-month deployment to Australia and the Indo-Pacific, marking the 15th rotation of the force and a milestone in U.S. regional readiness. The approximately 2,000 Marines and sailors trained alongside Australian and other regional allies and partners across Australia, the Philippines, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and Indonesia. This year’s rotation was the first MRF-D to earn certification as a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, demonstrating the ability to operate from dispersed locations and respond rapidly to crises. Training ranged from aviation and expeditionary operations to multinational live-fire exercises and humanitarian-focused missions, strengthening interoperability with allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific. The next Marine Rotational Force-Darwin rotation is scheduled to return to Australia’s Northern Territory in early 2027.

Local, Education & other academy news

Four $’06,000 scholarships awarded to the Class of 2027

As part of their 20th reunion celebration, the Class of 2006 mustered in Alumni Hall on Friday, 23 October to present four $’06,000 scholarships to the class of 2027 in honor of their classmates whose names adorn the walls in Memorial Hall. Gold Star Families of each of the fallen joined the class as guests of honor and were seated with the Class of 2026 awardees. During the ceremony, the Class of 1956 gifted an additional $'06,000 to their "link in the chain," presented by guest speaker, the 79th Commandant of Midshipmen Gen John R. Allen '76, USMC (Ret.) celebrating with his 50th reunion.

 

Allen, the commandant during the Class of 2006's Plebe year, then made a personal $10,000 donation toward the scholarship. The Class of 2006 Memorial Scholarship is Aught Six's 20th anniversary gift, providing first-semester funding to candidates selected for the Voluntary Graduate Education Program (VGEP). VGEP is an unsubsidized graduate program requiring extensive preparation starting plebe year. Awardees begin graduate classes their second semester of first class year and complete their master's degree six months after graduation.

 

Special thanks to USNA Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Baldock for the photos of the event.

Class of 2027 awardees
Brandon "Bull" Barrett Scholar: MIDN Jaky Mac ’27

Daniel Bartle Scholar: MIDN Daniel Kelly ’27

Michael Quin Scholar: MIDN Josh Switzer ’27
Stanford "Ford" Shaw, III Scholar: MIDN Remy de Saint Phalle ’27

Hear directly from the Navy’s senior enlisted leader MCPON John Perryman. We are live online for the SITREP Speaker Series as he shares his perspective on the people, priorities, challenges and opportunities shaping today’s Fleet and preparing it for tomorrow. Registration is free. Can’t make the livestream? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording afterward.

From reconnecting with classmates and friends to honoring those who came before us, the weekend celebrated the bonds that make the Naval Academy family so special. Relive the memories, moments and traditions with Homecoming photos and memorial service videos, now available to view.

Naval Academy Athletics News and results

Navy and Notre Dame will bring one of college football’s most storied rivalries to Gillette Stadium on 31 October 2026, marking the first time the nearly century-old series will be played at the home of the New England Patriots. The setting carries special Navy connections. Before Bill Belichick became a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach in New England, his lifelong connection to Navy football was shaped by his father, Steve Belichick, who spent more than three decades as an assistant coach and scout at the Naval Academy. The younger Belichick has often spoken about how Navy football and Annapolis influenced his development and football philosophy. Another Navy-Patriots connection is LCDR Joe Cardona ’15, USNR, a Naval Academy graduate and U.S. Naval officer who spent 10 seasons with New England. Selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, Cardona balanced military service with his NFL career and was part of two Super Bowl-winning seasons.

Today's matchups:

Army-Navy Star Series matchups

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