16 Apr Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

1945 - ENS Robert Thomsen '45, USN was killed in action when USS Laffey (DD 724) was heavily damaged by fifty-two attacking Japanese kamikaze aircraft. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his “extraordinary heroism and distinguished service” in fighting to save his ship.

 

1970 - Strategic Arms Limitation Talks began between the United States and the Soviet Union in Vienna, Austria. This came a month after the Nonproliferation Treaty signed between the two superpowers in July 1968 took effect.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

Watch the Commander-in-Chief Trophy Presentation to the Navy Midshipmen.

With heavy hearts we must inform you of the passing of Richard L. Armitage. Richard L. Armitage, former deputy secretary of state under President George W. Bush, died unexpectedly on Sunday April 13 at the age of 79.  The cause of death was a pulmonary embolism. Ambassador Armitage served as deputy to Secretary of State Colin Powell from 2001 to 2004, the tumultuous years of the 9/11 attacks and the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Before that he had served as a senior Defense Department official during the Reagan administration and as a special presidential envoy for President George H.W. Bush. “Rich,” as he was called, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1967 and served one tour as an officer aboard a destroyer off the coast of Vietnam before volunteering to serve in-country as an advisor to South Vietnamese riverine forces.

Marine Corps veteran Hank Donigan '77 has transformed personal adversity into extraordinary achievement. On Monday, April 21, Donigan, a brain cancer survivor, will complete his 500th marathon at the 2025 Boston Marathon, a testament to his resilience and dedication. Donigan, who served over 30 years, took a break from his training to appear as this week's guest on the American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast. His father served in the Marines during World War II and Korea, which gave Donigan inspiration to follow in his footsteps. “I could tell they were special people. And I wanted to be like them.” Donigan was honored in December 2024 as a Thriving as Leaders awardee.

The USNA Parents' Club of New England is going to have 2-3 official Navy cheering places for the 33 midshipmen running the Boston Marathon this year. The club is also financing two livery vehicles at the finish line to shuttle Mids back to the Coast Guard station where they will be fed and allowed to recover. The Boston Marathon is Monday, April 21st. Come celebrate Patriots Day in Boston and cheer on the Mids.  If anyone would like to support or learn where the Navy cheering crowds along the route will be, please email [email protected]

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

Army and Air Force libraries have been told to go through their stacks to find books related to diversity, equity and inclusion, according to new memos obtained by The Associated Press. The orders from service leaders come about two weeks after the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office to get rid of those that promote DEI. The latest Army and Air Force orders are part of the Trump administration's far-reaching efforts to purge so-called DEI content from federal agencies. The memos suggest that any removal of books will only happen after the initial lists are reviewed more closely. That slower pace may reflect a desire to be more careful about what books are pulled from shelves after the Navy faced criticism over some of those it removed.

President Donald Trump on April 9 signed into law a new policy aimed at revitalizing an American shipbuilding industry that has fallen well behind production levels of its rivals from the People's Republic of China. Language in the executive order, which cites the need to strengthen a “commercial shipbuilding capacity and maritime workforce,” mirrors many concerns expressed among the industry's defense counterparts. In an April 8 hearing of Navy leadership before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, service officials voiced concerns regarding stagnant shipbuilding and what that could mean for success in great power conflicts.

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

Well … it wasn't a Manchester United-Liverpool matchup, but dozens of USNA Soccer Alumni descended on Annapolis last Saturday for the Soccer Reunion and Alumni Match. Check out the amazing photos.

Leadership Anne Arundel (LAA) is set to host its upcoming Leadership Speaker Series on Tuesday, April 22, featuring Captain Barbara Bell, U.S. Navy (Ret.), as the keynote speaker. The event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the USNA Fluegel Alumni Center, located at 301 King George Street in Annapolis. Captain Bell graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1983 and was a trailblazer in military aviation. She will share insights from her distinguished career in leadership, policy, and advocacy. The forum will highlight her experiences breaking barriers in the Navy and her continued work empowering future leaders. Advance registration is required. Tickets are $25 for LAA members and $45 for non-members and the general public. Light refreshments will be served.

A female Army Ranger for the first time competed in the annual Best Ranger Competition, and her two-soldier team finished the grueling three-day event over the weekend and came in 14th overall. First Lt. Gabrielle White, and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, were among the 16 teams that made it through the final events, where Ranger teams compete for accolades as the best of the elite military force. All together, 52 teams competed and all of the others were made up of only male soldiers. The two Rangers on the winning team were 1st Lt. Griff Hokanson and 1st Lt. Kevin Moore — both are members of the 75th Ranger Regiment. White and Deltenre are based at the Army Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley on Monday introduced his proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget during his final State of the City address to the Annapolis City Council. Buckley, who has served nearly eight years in office, outlined a $199 million operating budget alongside $30.2 million in capital expenditures while proposing no increases to the city's property tax rate. “I'm proud that we have been good stewards of taxpayer dollars and can enter FY26 in a strong financial position,” Buckley said during the meeting. “We are once again submitting a balanced budget with no property tax increase. We have also positioned ourselves for the uncertain national economic forecast. This budget allows us to continue to deliver the services our residents, businesses, and visitors need and want.”

Baltimore Sun

Following a multiyear experiment, Annapolis restaurants are now allowed to offer outdoor dining for up to nine months out of the year.

 

The City Council unanimously passed legislation Monday that outlines the rules for seasonal outdoor dining, something the city has authorized for the past three years. Previously, restaurant owners would go through the Board of Appeals, a quasi-judicial commission, to convert parking spaces or streets into dining areas.

 

The practice evolved from early pandemic-era policy. In June 2020, the city established what were known as recovery zones, or outdoor dining areas, where restaurants and other businesses could operate because of indoor capacity limits. A year later, legislation extended the temporary uses and parking restrictions for outdoor dining and shopping options. Since then, the council has continually extended the practice after a study revealed its economic benefits.

 

Monday night's vote changes that process, allowing restaurant owners to immediately seek a permit between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. Permits are valid for a maximum of nine months. Alcohol licenses must also be changed to account for extra seating.

 

The downtown area around Market Space — defined in the legislation as being between Fleet and Pinkney streets and Pinkney and Randall streets — is exempt from the legislation because the city owns it, including the road and parking areas.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Yesterday's Results

Men's Golf at Mountaineer Invitational - 16th place out of 18 teams

Women's Tennis at Saint Joseph's - W 6-1

Today's Matchups

Baseball at Bucknell - Lewisburg, Pa. / Depew Field - 3:30 p.m.

Women's Lacrosse at Lehigh - Bethlehem, Pa. - 6 p.m.

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

APRIL

17 Apr - Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Networking event - Fluegel - 4 p.m.

19 Apr - Women's Crew vs Georgetown on the Severn.

21-27 Apr - Huntsville, Alabama Navy Week

23 Apr - Bonds of Gold Ceremony Class of 1977 and Class of 2027 - Mahan Hall

24 Apr - AA&F Vietnam Legacy of Valor Series Speaker Event - Fluegel Alumni Center

24-27 Apr - Class of 1970 - 55th Reunion

25 Apr - Council of Class Presidents Spring Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

25 Apr - USNA Dedication Parade, Worden Field

27 Apr - Frogman Swim to benefit the SEAL Foundation - Severn River

29 Apr - Erik Kristensen Memorial Lecture - St. John's College

30 Apr - USNA Capstone Day

30 Apr - USNA Foundation Spring Board of Directors Welcome Reception

 

MAY

1 May - USNA Foundation Spring BOD meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center

6-8 May - Class of 1957 - 70th Reunion

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring BOT Meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center

8-9 May - SACC Washington DC

12-18 May - Richmond, VA Navy Week

14 May - Class of 2028 Herndon Climb

14 May - U.S. Naval Institute “Correcting Course: Revitalizing the Shipbuilding Industry to Meet Strategic Demands” Speaker Panel - Jack C. Taylor Conference Center, USNA - 4:45p.m.

16-18 May - USA Warriors Sled Hockey Event

21 May -  Blue Angels CFR Event - Hospital Point, USNA

22 May - Color Parade, Worden Field

22 May - USNA Prizes & Awards, Alumni Hall, 2 p.m.

23 May - Class of 2025 Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony, NMCMS

26 May - Run to Honor - Reading the names of the fallen alumni heroes in Memorial Hall

26 May - Run to Honor Nationwide Walk/Runs

28 May - Debut of the new usna.com

 

16-22 Jun - Anchorage, Alaska Navy Week

17-18 Jun - Entrepreneur Summit, Fluegel Alumni Center

25 Jun - Athletic & Scholarship Program Pre-I Day Reception, Fluegel Alumni Center

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029

30 Jun-6 Jul - Duluth, Minnesota Navy Week

 

4-10 Aug - Sioux Falls, South Dakota Navy Week

7 Aug - Class of 2029 Plebe Parent Mixer, Fluegel

18-24 Aug - Columbus, Ohio Navy Week

21-22 Aug - SACC San Diego

22 Aug - Friends of Navy Sailing Starting Gun Reception: Severn Sailing Association - 6 p.m.

23 Aug - Friends of Navy Sailing Supe brief, race and Sail Navy Banquet

24 Aug - Annapolis 10 Miler - Run to Honor is a charity partner

25-31 Aug - Springfield, Missouri Navy Week

28 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Weekend Kickoff Dinner w/ Football Coaching Staff

28-31 Aug - Class of 2010 15th Reunion

28-31 Aug - Class of 1960 65th Reunion

29 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Fallen Brothers Golf Classic & Evening Social

30 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Weekend Tailgater, NMCMS

30 Aug - Navy vs VMI, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

 

4-6 Sep - Class of 2000 25th Reunion

4 Sep - Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) Medal Ceremony - 4:30pm - Alumni Hall

6 Sep - Navy Football vs University of Alabama Birmingham, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

13 Sep - Navy Football vs Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.

14 Sep - Annapolis Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run

15-21 Sep - Wichita Falls, Texas Navy Week

18-21 Sep - Class of 1985 - 40th Reunion

18-19 Sep - McMullen Naval History Symposium - USNA

22-28 Sep - Hartford, CT Navy Week

25-27 Sep - Class of 2020 5th Reunion

27 Sep - Navy Football vs Rice, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

 

2 Oct - President Circle Welcome Reception, Fluegel

2-4 Oct - President Circle Weekend

2-5 Oct - Class of 1990 35th Reunion

2 5 Oct - Class of 2015 10th Reunion

4 Oct - Navy Football vs Air Force, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

10 Oct - USNA Founder's Day

11 Oct - Navy Football @ Temple, Lincoln Financial Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

13 Oct - U.S. Navy Birthday

13 Oct - Surface Navy Museum Grand Opening - Battleship Iowa - Los Angeles

23-26 Oct - Class of 1965 60th Reunion

23-26 Oct - Class of 1975 50th Reunion

23-26 Oct - Class of 1995 30th Reunion

23-26 Oct - Class of 2005 20th Reunion

25 Oct - Navy Football vs Florida Atlantic, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

25 Oct - United States Naval Academy Homecoming

25 Oct - Welcome Home Event, Fluegel Alumni Center

25-31 - Eugene, Oregon Navy Week

 

1 Nov - Navy @ North Texas, DATCU Stadium, Denton TX

5-6 Nov - US Naval Academy Foundation Fall Board of Directors Reception/Meeting

6-9 Nov - Class of 1980 45th Reunion

8 Nov - Navy @ Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN

10 Nov - Marine Corps Birthday

10-16  Nov - Santa Fe, New Mexico Navy Week.

14 Nov - US Naval Academy Athletic & Scholarship Program Fall Meeting, NMCMS

15 Nov - Navy vs University of South Florida, NMCMS

15 Nov - Honor Our Fallen Heroes - Location TBD

17 Nov - Council of Class Presidents Fall meeting, Fluegel

18-19 Nov - US Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustee Fall Meeting, Fluegel

19-20 Nov - SACC Chicago

27 Nov - Navy Football @ University of Memphis, Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN

 

5/6 Dec - American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game, TBD

6 Dec - Distinguished Graduate Selection Committee Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

13 Dec - Army - Navy, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD