5 November Daily Shipmate

Thursday, 5 November 2026

The road to Army-Navy starts in Annapolis. Gather with family and friends for one more football weekend before the season's biggest game. Stay at Fair Winds, in the heart of DTA and just steps from the Yard. Proudly owned by two USNA alumni.

Chart your stay at FairWindsDTA.com or on Airbnb.

today in u.s. navy and marine corps history

1915—In the waters of Pensacola Bay, FL, LCDR Henry C. Mustin, USN, Class of 1896, makes a successful catapult launch in the AB-2 flying boat from the armored cruiser North Carolina (ACR-12). This marks the first successful catapult launching of an aircraft from a ship underway.

 

1917—The motor patrol boat Alcedo (S.P. 166), a converted yacht assigned patrol duty off the coast of France, is sunk by a torpedo fired from UC-71. Twenty-two members of the crew are lost. Alcedo is the first U.S. Navy vessel lost in World War I.

 

1986—The cruiser Reeves (CG-24) with the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet embarked, the destroyer Oldendorf (DD-972), and the frigate Rentz (FFG-46) become the first U.S. Navy warships to visit China in 37 years.

 

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

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

Academy & Graduate happenings

The U.S. Naval Academy hosted its 16th annual Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference alongside the inaugural Warfighting Industry Showcase, bringing together midshipmen, faculty, defense leaders and industry partners. The three-day event focused on the “Science and Technology of Strategic Competition,” with discussions on ship design, advanced manufacturing, space, supply chains, automation and semiconductor security. The new showcase connected midshipmen directly with more than 30 defense industry experts and technologies including counter-drone systems, robotics, autonomous systems and electronic warfare. Together, the events emphasized preparing future Navy and Marine Corps officers to understand emerging technology, accelerate innovation and strengthen the Fleet’s warfighting capabilities.

More than 1,000 people voted and we have a winner!

Congratulations to CDR David T. Byrnes '63, USN (Ret.), whose design will become the official 2026 USNA AA&F Beat Army button!

 

Want one? This year's button is available for purchase! Get yours today at the link below.

 

GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!

ADM Richard W. Mies ’67, USN (Ret.), a 2015 USNA Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award recipient, has been named the Outstanding American honoree for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2027. The class will be formally inducted during the Hall of Fame’s 50th Honors Weekend, 4-5 June 2027, in Stillwater, OK. A standout wrestler at the U.S. Naval Academy, Mies was a member of Navy’s 1966 Eastern Intercollegiate Dual Meet Championship squad. As a senior in 1967, he captured the conference championship at 152 pounds. Mies graduated with a mechanical engineering degree, finishing first in his class in both academic and lineal seniority. He later studied at Oxford University. Mies went on to a distinguished career as a Navy submariner and senior military leader. His assignments included commanding the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Sea Devil, serving as Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic and ultimately leading U.S. Strategic Command. He achieved the rank of admiral in 1998 and retired from the Navy in 2002. The Hall of Fame honor adds another chapter to Mies’ legacy of athletic achievement, leadership and service.

From the Podcast Fleet

Join Chris Servell0 '99 and John Schofield of the Sing Second Podcast at Naval Bagels on Saturday, 7 November at 11:30 a.m. for a pre-game podcast and Temple preview. Grab a Chegba or a Southerner and listen to the boys break down the matchup between two 2-6 teams. John and Chris will also preview the upcoming Army-Week Daily Pod Fest, the chances for women's soccer in the upcoming Patriot League Tournament. And they welcome back the Classes of 2011, 2016 and 2021 for their reunions. Come by for the surprise guests and the game predictions at Naval Bagels in the Graul’s Shopping Center on Saturday!

Navy football heads into the home stretch of the season

We break down the Notre Dame game, which saw Navy play well for the first half before fading in the second half and falling 35-13. We look ahead to the remainder of the season starting with Saturday's home game against Temple. Navy has a chance to close out the 2026 campaign with four straight wins to finish 6-6. Beating four American Conference opponents, including archrival Army, would send Navy into the offseason with tremendous momentum.

Government & Military News

Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) begins final voyage

The historic USS Enterprise (CVN 65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, began its final voyage on 2 November 2026, departing Newport News Shipbuilding for Mobile, AL, where the ship will be dismantled. Commissioned in 1961, Enterprise served for more than 50 years, supporting operations from the Cold War and Vietnam War through conflicts following 9/11. During its career, the carrier steamed more than 1 million nautical miles under nuclear power. Decommissioned in 2017, Enterprise leaves behind a legacy carried forward by the future Ford-class aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80), the ninth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name.

Longer Navy deployments demand more than tough sailors

Navy Sailors and their families could face longer deployments in the coming years as the service manages high operational demands, limited ship availability and maintenance challenges. Navy leaders have acknowledged that 10- and 11-month deployments may become more common while longer-term efforts to expand fleet capacity continue. The demands of extended time at sea can place additional strain on Sailors and families, making clear communication, reliable support programs and adequate recovery time increasingly important. Balancing operational readiness with the well-being of personnel and their families will be critical as the Navy works to meet current mission requirements while strengthening the fleet for the future. 

Local, Education & other academy news

Former U.S. Navy SEAL officer Rob Sarver ’04 will deliver the keynote address at the Scottsdale, AZ, annual Veterans Day ceremony on 11 November. A USNA graduate, Sarver began his Navy career as a surface warfare officer before becoming a SEAL and serving with SEAL Team 3. Over the course of his military career, he completed seven deployments, including three tours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and two supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for valor in combat. The Veterans Day ceremony will be held between the park’s Merci Train and Blue Star Memorial, providing a fitting setting for the community to come together in recognition of veterans and their service. Scottsdale residents, veterans, families and visitors are invited to attend and help recognize the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

ZRG Turnkey will lead the search for North Carolina's next general manager for its football program. As part of the arrangement, Turnkey Vice President of GM Solutions and former Michigan football general manager Sean Magee ’04 will serve as a consultant to the program providing support for the general manager role, athletic director Steve Newmark and head coach Bill Belichick announced Tuesday. In his current role with Turnkey, Magee consults with collegiate football and men's basketball leaders across the country in GM operations and navigating the complexities of the modern NIL era. Magee served as the Director of Player Personnel at the U.S. Naval Academy for five seasons (2012-2016). While at Navy, Magee helped shape and manage the team's roster during the winningest five-year stretch in program history.

In a first-prize-winning Marine Corps Essay Contest entry published in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, retired Marine Corps Col. Jon Hoffman, a former history instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, argues that the Marine Corps is less prepared for full-scale mobilization today than it was before World War II. The contest is cosponsored by retired MajGen Charles F. Bolden Jr. '68, USMC (Ret.), and Dirk P. Mosis III ’73. The article examines lessons from World War II, when the Corps rapidly expanded and was forced to create and repeatedly modify training programs for new officers and enlisted Marines. Shortages of experienced leaders and instructors sometimes resulted in troops entering combat with limited preparation. To avoid repeating those challenges, Hoffman proposes establishing and testing a mobilization system during peacetime. His plan would combine one year of active-duty training with reserve service, creating a larger pool of trained Marines available during a major conflict. The approach could more than double units available for mobilization while giving the Corps a proven system for rapid wartime expansion. Hoffman argues that building and testing capacity now is essential to preparing for a future large-scale conflict.

The Bay Bridge Run takes place Sunday, 8 November, giving the Annapolis-area community its only opportunity this year to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on foot. The 10K takes participants across the eastbound span from Anne Arundel County to Kent Island, with a post-race celebration waiting at the finish.

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