23 Jun Daily Shipmate

Monday, Jun 23, 2025

 

 

 

1925 - LCDR Nathan Chase '12, USN was lost when his aircraft collided with another near Hawaii and crashed. He was Naval Aviator #37 and the commanding officer of Fighting Plane Squadron 2. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son. Naval Air Station Chase Field, Texas was named for him.

1952 - In a series of air strikes involving Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force aircraft (the largest aerial attack since World War II), American pilots log more than 1,200 sorties attacking the hydroelectric plants at Suiho, Chosen, Fusen, and Kyosen, North Korea.

Academy & Graduate happenings

The U.S. Naval Academy will welcome approximately 1,200 members into the Class of 2029 when they report for Induction Day on Thursday, June 26, with an Oath of Office ceremony that evening at 6 p.m. Families of the incoming plebes are invited to attend the ceremony on Worden Field, which will also be livestreamed.  Roughly 1,200 young men and women report as the Naval Academy Class of 2029 beginning at 6 a.m.  Incoming plebes are processed throughout various stations in Alumni Hall to become members of the Naval Academy's Class of 2029. Some of the processing stations include physical measurements, uniform issue, medical examinations, hair-cuts, and learning to properly salute. The day culminates with the Oath of Office ceremony at 6 p.m. on Worden Field. After the ceremony, plebes will meet with their families for the last time until Plebe Parents' Weekend, Aug. 7-10.

On June 20th, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the President has made the following nominations: Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory L. Masiello '87 for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, Joint Strike Fighter Program, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Masiello is currently serving as director, Defense Contract Management Agency, Fort Lee, Virginia. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Liszewski '90 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, Joint Force Development, J-7, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Liszewski is currently serving as vice director, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Major General Liszewski served as the 86th Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.

For all the push-ups completed, for all the running drills endured and for all the yelling received during his days playing high school football at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High in the 1990s, Dan Keeler '98 is getting the last laugh later this month when he takes command of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Coronado. “Now I'm going to have to salute him,” former Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney quipped. Keeler, who graduated from high school in 1994 and went on to the Naval Academy, is taking command of one of the Navy's most prominent ships. Keeler isn't the first Notre Dame graduate to rise in the Navy ranks. Retired Adm. Mike Mullen '68 was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011 and graduated from Notre Dame in 1964. Mullen once came back to his alma mater to address the student body.

In November 2024, Mike Balow became the newest member of Michigan State University's Board of Trustees. A veteran and parent of an MSU alum, Balow wants to ensure transparency and promote dialogue at the university. MSU's self-described "ninth trustee," he's a constant presence at board meetings and has been a longtime advocate for bringing back MSU's dissolved swim and dive team. After graduation from the United States Naval Academy, he served on active duty for seven years as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, 1st in the U.S. Pacific Fleet and then with the First Marine Division and finally as an instructor at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City.

Government & Military News

President Donald Trump said Saturday night that Iran's major nuclear enrichment facilities were “completely and totally obliterated” after the United States dropped bombs on them — and warned that American forces would carry out further hostilities if Tehran does not negotiate a peace settlement. The airstrikes, which targeted the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites, are the first time the United States has conducted a direct military attack on Iran, and they further escalated a military conflict between Iran and Israel that began on June 13. More than 125 U.S. military aircraft participated in the operation, according to military officials. The B-2s hit Fordo and Natanz. The submarines hit Isfahan with Tomahawks.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday insisted that U.S. officials are not seeking regime change in Iran following American military airstrikes against nuclear facilities there. But he warned that any response for those actions “will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed” this weekend. “All of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect,” Hegseth told reporters during an early morning press conference hours after the military assault.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) will depart Tuesday for its second deployment, U.S. 2nd Fleet announced on Friday. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which includes guided-missile destroyers USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), USS Mitscher (DDG-57), USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) – will deploy to U.S. European Command, according to the Navy release. Forrest Sherman deployed from Norfolk on May 6. Winston S. Churchill will serve as the air defense commander in lieu of a guided-missile cruiser. Carrier Air Wing 8 will embark on the carrier.

Local, Education & other academy news

The Anne Arundel County Food Bank (AACFB) hosted its fourth annual Feeding Hope fundraiser on June 12, 2025, at the U.S. Naval Academy's Fluegel Alumni Center. Presented by the Deerbrook Fund, the event brought together community members and local businesses in support of AACFB's mission to provide fresh, nutritious food to residents in need across the county. Guests enjoyed a wide selection of food from a lineup of local restaurant sponsors, including Caliente Grill, Café Mezzanotte, Galway Bay Irish Restaurant & Pub, Metropolitan, Garten, Prime Rib at Live!, Vin 909 Wine Café, Ken's Creative Kitchen, Annapolis Smokehouse and Tavern, and Julie St. Marie Catering. The evening also featured live music from Red Betty & The Ruckus.

Dr Michael Robert Singleton, born Dec 1, 1944 to Richard & Elizabeth Singleton in Klamath Falls, OR, died at home in Annapolis, MD on May 21, 2025. Mike grew up in Conesville, IA; his academic & sports achievements led to an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1967. Mike spent 14yrs as a Naval Officer, first as a an Engineering officer aboard nuclear submarines USS Tautog (SSN 639) & USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN 636), & as 8th Co Officer Class of 1974 before resigning his commission to enter Medical school at the University of Iowa. Mike was laid to rest Saturday in Annapolis.

Capital Gazette

A Naval Academy grad and co-founder of Operation Caged Bird, an organization that opposed the school's book removal by providing midshipmen access to once-locked away literature, is running for Congress.

 

William Marks, a 1996 Naval Academy graduate, said he's been in search of new ways to give back since retiring from the Navy in 2018. That search led him to the 25th Congressional District in Texas, where his wife is from.

 

“From Jan. 20 on, there has been a fire inside me,” Marks, a Democrat, said, referring to President Donald Trump's inauguration. “When I saw what they were doing to the Naval Academy and the military as a whole, I said 'I need to do something and I need to stand for something.' ”

 

After the Naval Academy released a list of 381 books that were removed from its Nimitz Library  — in compliance with a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office to eliminate works focused on diversity, equity and inclusion — Marks, 51, enlisted the help of his favorite Annapolis book store, Old Fox Books.

 

That partnership produced Operation Caged Bird, which raised money to purchase and make available to academy faculty and midshipmen many of the removed books. Since launching in April, Operation Caged Bird has raised about $70,000.

 

The name is a reference to Maya Angelou's autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” The book, one of the more high-profile titles on the removed-books list, details the racial abuse Angelou encounters throughout her early life.

 

Last month, the academy announced that most of the removed books were placed back on their shelves after a second Pentagon-ordered review, but Operation Caged Bird is continuing.

 

“If you're a midshipman, if you're Naval Academy staff, and you need a book, we're going to get you a book,” Marks said. “That's fully funded all the way up to the next [presidential] election.”

 

Marks said he was in Annapolis having dinner with fellow alumni and fundraiser volunteers last month when news broke that the books were being returned. He said his reaction was a mixture of elation and disbelief.

 

“When we saw it was true, we just celebrated,” Marks said.

 

The following morning, Marks said he visited the Nimitz Library, where he watched staff removing books from boxes and putting them on shelves.

 

“Everyone at the Nimitz Library was thrilled,” Marks said. “You could see it on their faces, the relief. It was just such a feeling of joy and accomplishment.”

 

During his 22-year military career, Marks was deployed on guided missile destroyers located as far as the Persian Gulf, before switching to work in naval communications.

 

He's since worked as a spokesperson at the Pentagon, led public affairs for the Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln Battle Group and directed communications for the Naval Academy. He was the lead spokesperson for the relief efforts of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in 2014.

 

Throughout his career, Marks said he's developed an ability to listen — a tool he knows will prove useful in Congress.

 

“I'm here to listen to people's concerns,” Marks said. “My number one priority is fighting for the people of [District 25] in Texas. The first thing I will do is listen.”

 

Marks said he is grounding his campaign in five things: prioritizing the middle class, closing financial loopholes for billionaires and corporations, minimizing government overreach in programs like Social Security and Medicare, returning ethics to Congress and ensuring “safety and security” by prioritizing investment in soldiers first, rather than defense contractors.

 

Marks lives in Arlington, Texas, with his wife and two children.

 

The primary election is March 3, 2026, and the general election Nov. 3, 2026.

 

Marks will join the race against incumbent Rep. Roger Williams, a Republican. Williams took office in 2013 and ran unopposed in the 2022 and 2024 general elections. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

“Sometimes when you're trying to lift up other people, it's not a quiet activity, it's a fight,” Marks said. “That's what we do in the military. I can still do that, I still have that fight in me. Truth is, this country needs it right now so here I am.”

USNA and AA&F Events

JUNE

23 Jun - Commandant of Midshipmen Change of Leadership ceremony

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

1-22 Oct - Class of '75 Gulf to Goat Charity Bike Ride

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