17 Apr Daily Shipmate

Thursday, April 17, 2025

1961 - In a debacle that marks a foreign policy blow to the new administration of President John F. Kennedy, some 1,400 Cuban exiles trained by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) land at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba in an effort to overthrow the Communist government of Fidel Castro. The force is overwhelmed by the Cuban military.

 

2022 - LTjg Aaron Fowler '18, USN died while participating in a training evolution with the Marine Corps at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kanehoe Bay. While at the Naval Academy he took two years off to complete a religious mission to North Africa; following graduation he earned his Masters from Georgetown. Aaron was a member of EOD Mobile Unit ONE.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

Sing Second Podcast featuring author of The Last Ring Home - Minter Dial II

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). We had a busy week last week and weekend. The A&SP Spring Meeting took place at Navy/Marine Corps Stadium. We also concluded the annual Army-Navy Star Series, hosted the alumni weekends for Soccer and Lacrosse and were on hand for a huge win for the Navy Letterwinner's Association. And we remember the impact and life of Richard Armitage '67, who passed away April 13th. And our interview this week features Minter Dial II. Minter is a Liverpool fan, but that's ok. He wrote an amazing book - among many books the accomplished author has penned - about his grandfather Minter Dial II '35 and the trip his Naval Academy class ring took home from World War II (where Minter perished as a POW) to his family back home. The book and our conversation are great reminders of the BONDS that exist at USNA…and between families and classmates…and how those bonds oft never break.That and more on the best Alumni Association and Foundation podcast there is. Give a listen. Beat Army … always.

LISTEN ON

RADM Lawrence Chambers '52 didn't just make history—he rewrote it. As a trailblazing aircraft carrier commanding officer, Chambers navigated the pressures of leadership, the weight of adversity and the chaos of war with one guiding principle: do what's right, no matter what. From his Plebe year struggles to flying combat missions with his team in Vietnam and ultimately risking his career to save thousands during The Fall of Saigon, Chambers' story is a masterclass in moral, courage and compassion under fire. This isn't just a story about breaking barriers. It's a legacy of integrity created within significant moments when doing the right thing wasn't always easy—but necessary.

Have the stories in Shipmate and our Vietnam video series moved you?

Join us next week at the Fluegel Alumni Center for a powerful in-person continuation of this important conversation. Seats are selling fast so register today. Legacy of Valor: Vietnam Roundtable - Wednesday, 24 April | 3:30 p.m. | Fluegel Alumni Center. Moderator: ADM Robert Natter '67, USN (Ret.). Join us as we come together to Reflect. Connect. Remember a war and its heroes not forgotten.

Naval Academy Leaders, CEOs, business owners, & professional investors will come together in Annapolis to network and speak about topics relevant to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. USNA uniquely produces leaders not only in command and government, but also leaders throughout the private sector. To-date, the power of the USNA  network has been largely untapped, and the Naval Academy Entrepreneurs Group is a platform changing that. Their purpose is to invest in the talents and ideas of fellow USNA graduates, ignite our potential with support from Naval Academy peers, and glean insights and inspiration from those graduates making a meaningful impact. From the Fleet to the C-Suite … June 17-18 at the Fluegel Alumni Center.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

Two Marines are dead and another injured after a vehicle accident Tuesday morning near the southern border in New Mexico. The three Marines are with the 1st Marine Division and attached to Joint Task Force – Southern Border, according to a Marine Corps statement. The names of the Marines are being withheld until next of kin notifications. The third Marine, who is also not named, is being treated at a local hospital. The crash happened around 8:50 a.m. MDT near Santa Teresa, N.M., according to a Joint Task Force Southern Border release, which did not detail that the service members were Marines.

House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost doesn't know what the full impact of cutting tens of thousands of federal workers from Veterans Affairs payrolls will be, but he is confident it won't cripple the department. “The amount of people who have been let go so far is minimal,” the Republican congressman from Illinois said during a recent sit-down with Military Times. “I trust [VA Secretary Doug Collins] when he has said that no one is going to lose their benefits. We're going to provide good, quality care. “What we're doing is we're realigning VA so that can be done correctly, it can be done efficiently and in the best way for the veteran.”

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

The Air Force Academy has rolled out a new mission statement that drops the word "educate" and adds in a focus on winning wars. The statement was posted recently on the academy's website without consulting or informing the school's faculty. The new mission is “To forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service, and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our Nation's wars.” An academy spokesperson said the statement reflects the priorities outlined by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop warrior-leaders prepared to lead warfighters on Day One.

The Erik S. Kristensen Memorial Lecture Series, jointly sponsored by St. John's College and the United States Naval Academy, honors LCDR Erik S. Kristensen '95—an alumnus of the Academy and the St. John's Graduate Institute. Kristensen, a Navy SEAL, was killed in the line of duty while leading a search and rescue mission in Afghanistan in 2005. The 2025 Lecture is Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in the McDowell Great Hall. Speaker: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Uncertainty: Education and Leadership in the Next Century, presented by General (Ret.) John R. Allen '76. John Allen, retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general, and former commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A); previously served as the Brookings Institute President. Allen is a 1976 graduate of the USNA where, in 2002, he became the first Marine officer to serve as the Commandant of Midshipmen.

The prospect of laying off civilian faculty members at the Air Force Academy is driving concern from faculty about the future quality of the school's engineering programs. An internal academy communication last week said Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind was proposing cutting civilian faculty positions. All of those staff members have doctoral degrees because the institution only hires civilian faculty with doctoral degrees. A letter the academy released publicly this week did not mention layoffs, but stated the institution was preparing to operate in a new fiscal environment and needed to be prepared to backfill civilians planning to retire or resign.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Yesterday's Results

Baseball at Bucknell - W 6-4

Women's Lacrosse at Lehigh - W 21-5

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

 

JUNE

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

 

AUGUST

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

 

SEPTEMBER

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

 

OCTOBER

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

 

NOVEMBER

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

 

DECEMBER

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