28 May Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

1945 - LT Walter Rupert, Jr. '43, USN was killed in action when USS Drexler (DD 741) was sunk by two kamikaze attacks near Okinawa, Japan. He was survived by his wife and parents.

 

1980 - The Class of 1980, the first to include women, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. Fifty-five women out of a class of 770 received their commissions as naval officers.

Academy & Graduate happenings

Throwback - June 2000 Proceedings - First-Class Women.

On 28 May 1980, 55 women became the first female graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy. These excerpts are from interviews with six class members, conducted when they were lieutenants.

Our exclusive interviews with alumnae from across the decades of their stories from the Yard. This year we celebrate the first class of women to arrive at the Naval Academy 40 years ago, the Class of 1980 who began their plebe summer in 1976.

Ex-New York Rep. Joe Crowley's 25-year-old son — a Marine and Naval Academy grad — has died from a rare cancer, his grieving dad revealed over the Memorial Day weekend. The Democratic former Big Apple congressman disclosed in 2023 that his oldest son, Cullen Crowley '22, had been diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumors just seven months after he graduated from the prestigious military academy as a second lieutenant. “With heavy hearts, Kasey, Kenzie, Liam, and I share the passing of our beloved son and brother, Cullen Crowley,” Joe Crowley posted to X on Sunday.

Government & Military News

USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: May 27, 2025. 

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy's deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of May 27, 2025, based on Navy and public data. In cases in which a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

The U.S. Navy's Carrier Air Wing 1 engaged in the largest maritime strike in Navy aviation history in terms of bomb tonnage earlier this year, a defense official confirmed to Military Times. On Feb. 1, the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman launched 27 F/A-18 Super Hornets as part of a coordinated airstrike against Islamic State operatives in Somalia in collaboration with the federal government of Somalia, a defense official with knowledge of the strike said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. Sixteen aircraft dropped 124,000 pounds of ordnance on targets in less than two minutes.

At 6:30 a.m., the scrape of manure shovels and the shuffling of horse hooves echoed through the red-brick stable at Ft. Myer. Soldiers from caisson detachment in blue jeans, black shirts and white cowboy hats mucked out stalls. Kennedy, Lance and Truman – statuesque, dark horses – poked their heads between steel bars, eyes wide. The unit is in its final days of practice, preparing for the return June 2 of carrying deceased troops by horse-drawn caisson wagon to their graves, a tradition that dates to the 19th century. USA TODAY had access to the soldiers, facilities and horses of the caisson detachment, part of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” during one of their final rehearsals. “It's been two years since we've taken part in a funeral,” said Lt. Col. Jason Crawford, a veterinarian and former rodeo rider who commands the unit. “We're getting that muscle memory back.”

Local, Education & other academy news

The Navy men's and women's track & field teams will send 14 student-athletes to compete in the NCAA East Region First Round, held Wednesday through Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. North Florida will play host to the meet at the Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. The men's events will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. and continue Friday at 1 p.m., while the women's competition is set for Thursday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.

Rayuan Lane is more than a fit in the Jacksonville secondary. He'll fit right into the military-heavy Jacksonville community as a member of the armed forces. But there's much more to the rookie's story than his graduation this past weekend from the Naval Academy. Lane, the Jaguars' sixth-round selection (200th overall), was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps reserves upon his graduation Friday. A four-year starter at Navy, he majored in quantitative economics. The first Navy player invited to the scouting combine since 2019, he was the first defensive back ever drafted from the program.

Jacob Hurtubise caught the attention of the recruiting staff at Army West Point in high school. Once he learned of the opportunities that the academy could provide, his future was pretty much set. "I couldn't pass up the opportunities that I would give myself for the future and just the pride in service to the nation," Hurtubise said. In 2020, his future plans shifted after a government policy was put in place allowing West Point grads to defer their military service to play professional sports. Fast forward to 2024, Hurtubise made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the first big leaguer to utilize the exemption policy. This season, Hurtubise has spent time with Triple-A Louisville and has made a few trips back to Cincinnati. It's the mental side of the game that takes him back to the lessons and experiences he had during his days at West Point.

USNA and AA&F Events

JUNE

2 Jun - Colorado Chapter & NAPC of CO & WY Roadshow - Alpha Charlie's Tap & Tavern - 5:30 p.m.

10 Jun - USNA Women Trauma Survivor Webinar - 7-9 pm ET. Virtual event: Major (USAF) Latetia Bland-Thergood, MSW speaking on the topic: "Exploring Moral Injury"

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 - 7:30 p.m.

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