20 Jun Daily Shipmate

Friday, Jun 20, 2025

1913 - While making a test flight in the Wright B-2 hydroaeroplane, Ensign William D. Billingsley '09  and Lieutenant John H. Towers '06 encounter a gust of wind over the Chesapeake Bay. The gust lifts the tail of the aircraft severely, putting it into a steep dive that catapults Billingsley out of the aircraft. He falls some 1,500 feet to his death, while Towers manages to hang onto the aircraft and somehow survives when it hits the water. The accident marks naval aviation's first fatality and makes safety belts standard on all Navy aircraft.

 

1988 - LT Robert Matheny '81, USN was lost when the A-4 Skyhawk aircraft he was piloting crashed off the coast of Virginia. He was a member of Fighter Squadron (VF) 43, based at Oceana, Virginia. He was on the rugby team at the Naval Academy and later noted as a youth sports advocate; he was presented with a key to the city of Pensacola, Florida and the dedication of Robert Matheny Day, February 27, 1982. 

1993 - The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to Mogadishu, Somalia, to stand ready to assist United Nations forces in maintaining peace in the war-torn country. Earlier that month, the 24th MEU had been ordered to cut short Exercise Eager Mace 93-2 in Kuwait to respond to possible contingency operations in Somalia.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Vice Adm. Frederick W. Kacher '90 for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as director, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Kacher is currently serving as commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. Navy Rear Adm. Elizabeth S. Okano '94 for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as principal military deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Okano is currently serving as Commander, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California. Navy Rear Adm. Curt A. Renshaw '90 for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command/commander, Fifth Fleet and commander, Combined Maritime Forces, Manama, Bahrain. Renshaw is currently serving as director of Operations, J-3, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Rear Adm. Greg Huffman '89 relieved Rear Adm. Jeffrey Czerewko '90 as commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) during a ceremony held at the National Naval Aviation Museum on Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, June 18. NETC is the largest shore command in the Navy, with more than 24,000 military and civilian personnel at its more than 624 subordinate activities, sites, talent acquisition groups, stations and detachments throughout the world. NETC recruits, trains and delivers those who serve our nation, taking them from "street to fleet,” transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational and combat-ready warfighters. In addition, NETC also has the responsibility of managing advanced technical training, enlisted advancement exams, voluntary education and much more.

Capt. Daniel J. Keeler '98 relieved Capt. Peter J. Riebe '96 as commanding officer during a change of command ceremony held on the flight deck of Abraham Lincoln June 18 at Naval Air Station North Island. Riebe, from Arlington, Wash., served as commanding officer of Abraham Lincoln from May 2023 to June 2025 where he successfully led Abraham Lincoln through the deployment certifications and a five-month deployment to the U.S. Navy's 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations, July-Dec. 2024. Keeler, from Long Beach, Calif., assumed command of Abraham Lincoln. He graduated with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1998 and was designated as a Naval Aviator in 2000. He has accumulated over 2,700 flight hours and previously served as the commodore of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 1.

Commander Vance Scott '04 has traveled the world in service to his country—but no matter how far the Navy has taken him, his roots remain firmly planted in Baltimore. Commander Scott visited the city as part of the U.S. Navy's Executive Engagement Visit (EEV)—a national outreach initiative to connect military leadership with local communities. For Scott, a proud Baltimore Polytechnic graduate, the stop wasn't just professional—it was deeply personal. “It feels really good. I call myself Baltimore built, Navy refined,” he told WMAR-2 News. “This state laid the foundation of where I am today.” Born and raised in northwest Baltimore, Commander Scott graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004 with a degree in electrical engineering.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

The Navy met its Fiscal Year 2025 recruiting three months early, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan announced in the video via social media site X. The service, which also met its goal in Fiscal Year 2024, successfully recruited 40,600 active-duty enlisted sailors for the second year in a row. Recruiting has been a challenge for the Navy over the past five years, with the Navy failing to meet its goals in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023. The sea service attributed the increase in recruitment to new programs, like the Future Sailor Preparatory Course, and fixing obstacles in the recruiting process, USNI News previously reported. The numbers do not include officers or reservists.

This October the U.S. will celebrate 250 years of Navy and Marine Corps excellence and the cities of Philadelphia and Camden are playing host to the weeklong schedule of festivities. This October, the U.S. is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Navy and Marine Corps with a weeklong schedule of events in Philadelphia and Camden. The Navy was established on October 13, 1775, and the Marine Corps on November 10, 1775. Philadelphia is the birthplace of both military branches. Last Wednesday, dozens of city leaders from Philadelphia and Camden, Senior Navy and Marine Corps officials, service members and volunteers gathered in Old City to hold a planning meeting for the Navy Marine Corps 250th (NMC250th) celebration between October 9 through 16.

President Donald Trump has nominated Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney to be the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. military's second-highest ranking officer. The role is currently held by Navy Adm. Christopher Grady, who is nearing the end of his scheduled term in that position. Trump submitted Mahoney's nomination for the role to the Senate on June 17. Mahoney, a TOPGUN graduate, rose through the ranks of the Corps' aviation community and has over 5,000 hours of flight time in the A-6, F-5, F-18 and F-35. He's held command at the squadron, group and wing levels, and is also a qualified forward air controller and parachutist, according to his official bio. Born in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, Mahoney graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in June 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program.

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

The 2025 Thriving As Leaders (TAL) Awards are your chance to spotlight USNA Alumni Association members who are raising the bar in leadership, service, and achievement — in and out of uniform. Do you know an alum who's crushing it on the field, in the boardroom, or in their community? Now's the time to give them the recognition they deserve. Nominations close July 1, 2025 and Winners will be announced in October 2025. Award Categories:

1️. Athletic Achievement (professional or amateur)

2️. Non-Athletic Achievement (in paid work)

3️.  Volunteer Leadership & Service (unpaid impact)

Members must be nominated by fellow alumni — and the process is quick and easy. Nominate now:

Michael Kelly's move from the University of South Florida's vice president of athletics to Navy's athletic director is especially meaningful given his father Dennis' history with the school. Kelly, 54, was named Navy's athletic director on June 4 after Chet Gladchuk, the school's athletic director of 24 years, retired. He became only the fourth athletic director at the Naval Academy since 1968. “When the superintendent had given me the nod to get this opportunity, and when I was able to call my father, it really was a prideful moment to be able to make that call. I'll never, ever forget that,” Kelly said on Glenn Clark Radio June 12. “My father was a '67 graduate, did a couple of tours of Vietnam and ended his career here in Annapolis. So my earliest childhood memories are on The Yard or at the Naval Academy football games.”

The internationally-acclaimed USNA Glee Club will be performing as Guest Artists with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in Nashville on 13 and 14 November 2025 in a program designed to honor those who served and are serving in our nation's armed forces.  A Salute to America's Heroes in Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center will include patriotic classics and music that will also commemorate our nation's 250th birthday next year.

If you haven't been over to Annapolis City Dock recently, you may be surprised to find it's turned into a construction zone. There's that ugly gash in the parking area at Annapolis City Dock where the Harbor Master's office used to be. And there's that chain link fence around the whole mess, the first visible signs that the city's often delayed project to re-imagine the dock area is finally under way. But that doesn't mean the Sunday (and sometimes Friday) evening concerts, longtime summertime staples in Susan Campbell Park at the end of the dock, won't go on as usual, says city spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson. “You can still stroll along Ego Alley to the park and enjoy the concerts,” she said. “The real work begins after the fall boat shows.” The “real work” is an estimated $88 million project to ease the increasing flooding of the dock area. It involves redoing electrical work, putting utilities underground, realigning storm drains, and installing vertical flood barriers.

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

JUNE

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

 

JULY

9 Jul - Hampton Roads Chapter - Chapter event with Navy Offensive Coordinator Drew Cronic  and Midshipmen Meet & Greet Social. 5:00pm - 7:00pm - Rocky Mountain Room, Blue Moon TapHouse - Waterside District. More Info

14-16 Jul - YP visit to Yorktown, VA.

18 July - Plebe Summer Formal Parade

25 July - Plebe SummerFormal parade

25 Jul - Hampton Roads Chapter/NAPC of Hampton Roads Roadshow - Blue Moon Taphouse, Norfolk - 5:30 p.m.

26 Jul - VA Peninsula Chapter Roadshow - Revolution Golf & Grille, Williamsburg - 12 p.m.

26 Jul - Richmond Chapter/NAPC of Central Virginia Roadshow - Capital Ale House, Glen Allen - 5:30 p.m.

27 Jul - NAPC of SW Virginia Roadshow - Macado's, Roanoke - 12 p.m.

27 Jul - Central VA Chapter/NAPC of Central Virginia Roadshow - Three Notch'd Brewery, Charlottesville - 5:30 p.m.

 

AUGUST

1 Aug - Plebe Summer Formal Parade

1-3 Aug - Seattle Sea Fair

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

6 Aug - Hampton Roads Chapter Midshipmen Summer Cruise Meet and Greet - Norfolk - 5:00pm - 7:00pm - Rocky Mountain Room, Blue Moon TapHouse - Waterside District - More Info

7 Aug - Class of 2029 Plebe Parent Mixer, Fluegel

8-10 Aug - Plebe Parents Weekend

9 Aug - Plebe Parents Weekend Formal Parade

9 Aug - Blue & Gold kick-off BBQ - N/MCMS

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 - A&SP/NAAA Trustee Appreciation Pre-Game Breakfast - Navy vs. VMI

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

10 Oct - Army-Navy Cup XIV. Soccer doubleheader vs Army at Subaru Park, Philadelphia. Women's Match - 4:00 p.m., Men's Match at 7:00 p.m.

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 - Run to Honor's annual pre-Honor Our Fallen Heroes Gathering (FAC)

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