9 May Daily Shipmate

Friday, May 9, 2025

1926 - Flying a Fokker Trimotor nicknamed Josephine Ford, Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Byrd '12 and Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd E. Bennett became the first men to fly over the North Pole. The flight from Norway lasted 15.5 hours. Both men received the Medal of Honor for the daring flight.

 

1958 - LT William Hatfield '53, USN was lost when his AD-5 Skyraider hit power lines and crashed into San Francisco Bay. The other crewman was also killed. William was noted for his “ready wit, with just the hint of a drawl.” He was survived by his wife, daughter, and three brothers.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

The Trump administration has tapped Stephen Winchell '05 to head the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DefenseScoop has learned. DARPA, one of the Pentagon's premier R&D organizations, aims to create “technological surprise” and game-changing capabilities for the U.S. national security community. Winchell is coming to DARPA from the Pentagon's Strategic Capabilities Office, where he served as the AI and autonomy portfolio leader. Winchell is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and served as a nuclear engineer in the activity-duty submarine community. He currently holds the rank of commander in the Navy Reserve.

Brenna C. Baker is the VP & GM at L3Harris Technologies. Brenna C. Baker's diverse background — from U.S. Naval Academy training and deployments to experience across telecom, fiber optics and aerospace — has equipped her to revolutionize the L3Harris Technologies networking and data links business at VP and general manager. Her strategic integration of the $2 billion acquisition of Viasat Tactical Data Links capabilities has positioned L3Harris as an industry leader. Upon joining the company, she transformed an underperforming unit and doubled her portfolio in just two years. With these achievements, Brenna received Corporate Capture Excellence awards in 2022 and 2024.

A new luxury boutique hotel is set to open in downtown Annapolis on May 15, 2025. Located at 86 State Circle, just steps from the Maryland State House, the nine-room property blends historic architecture with modern amenities, aiming to appeal to both leisure and business travelers. The hotel is the latest project from Severn Grove Hospitality Group, led by Naval Academy graduates Clinton Ramsden '11 and Cody Monroe '11. The duo is known for revitalizing Annapolis landmarks into upscale lodging experiences, with previous developments including 134 Prince, Flag House Inn, and 1313 West.

The U.S. Naval Academy's culling of hundreds of library books to comply with a Trump administration order is whipping up waves of discontent in this city where institutional pride runs uncommonly deep. The message from many locals: Don't give up the book. The phrase—echoing the 19th-century Navy rally cry “Don't give up the ship”—now decorates stickers and soon, T-shirts, across Annapolis. This comes after the academy recently removed 381 books with race and gender themes to meet broad Trump administration directives ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Tensions began several weeks ago. Department of the Navy officials selected Naval Academy books to pull after a keyword search flagged about 900 titles at Nimitz Library, home to roughly 590,000 print books, a Navy spokesman said. Officials declined to disclose the keywords or how the list was whittled. Other military institutions have also been reviewing library holdings.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursday's 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil. Hitler's Nazi Germany had finally surrendered after a half-decade of invading other European powers and propagating racial hatred that led to genocide, the Holocaust and the murdering of millions.

With the threat of up to 80,000 job cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the new head of the agency faced angry senators Tuesday with few answers. Meanwhile, lawmakers offered legislation aimed at protecting a veteran's crisis hotline amid the agency's turmoil.  VA Secretary Doug Collins appeared in front of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs for the first time Tuesday, where he faced contentious questioning over staffing upheavals at the VA. In two February rounds of firings, the VA dismissed 1,000 and then 1,400 more employees, which included veterans (a federal judge has temporarily halted the second round of firing).

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

Do you know an USNA alum crushing it on the field, in the boardroom or in their community? Nominate them for the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐓𝐀𝐋) 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬!  These awards celebrate USNA Alumni Association and Foundation members who are raising the bar in leadership, service and achievement —in or out of uniform.

 

The award categories include:

 

1. Athletic Achievement (pro or amateur)

2. Non-Athletic Achievement (professional success)

3. Volunteer Leadership & Service (unpaid impact)

Nomination is quick and easy and 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 come from fellow alumni.

Freshman catcher Ty DePerno winning 2025 Patriot League Rookie of the Year headlined the Navy baseball team's five All-Patriot League honorees, as the league office announced its major award winners and all-league selections on Wednesday. Leading the team to a second-place finish in the league's regular season standings, the Midshipmen saw senior closer Landon Kruer selected to the All-Patriot League First Team while DePerno and a trio of sophomores in starting pitcher Brady Bendik, third baseman Evan Brown and outfielder Andrew Manning were all named to the All-Patriot League Second Team. DePerno is an Athletic & Scholarship Program (A&SP) Foundation School student who attended the Salisbury School last year.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Weekend Matchups

Women's Lacrosse v #14 Clemson - Chapel Hill, N.C. - 5 p.m.

 

Baseball v #3 Army - Annapolis, Md. - 1 p.m.

 

Women's Lacrosse - NCAA Second Round - TBA - Noon

Baseball v #3 Army - Annapolis, Md. - 1 p.m.

Baseball v #3 Army - Annapolis, Md. - 4 p.m.

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

MAY

12-18 May - Richmond, VA Navy Week

14 May - Class of 2028 Herndon Climb

14 May - Shellback and Youngster cookout for '27

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

10 Jun -  Trauma Survivor Webinar: Living & Leading as a Survivor with RADM Dana Thomas - 7-9 p.m.

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 Aug - USNA Classes begin

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 Sep - Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) Medal Ceremony - Alumni Hall, 4:30 p.m.

4-6 Sep - Class of 2000 25th Reunion

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

18-19 Sep - McMullen Naval History Symposium - USNA

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

22-28 Sep - Hartford, CT Navy Week

25-27 Sep - Class of 2020 5th Reunion

26 Sep - Council of Annual Giving meeting - Fluegel Alumni Center

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 1995 30th 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 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