Nov 12 Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, 12 November 2025

1861 - Fingal, a ship purchased in England by the Confederacy, becomes the first ship to successfully run the blockade under the sponsorship of the Confederate government. Reaching Savannah, with a cargo of military supplies, it is later put into naval service and renamed Atlanta.

 

1912 - His previous attempt having ended with his aircraft crashing into the Severn River in Maryland, Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson makes a successful catapult launch in the C-1 hydroaeroplane from a barge anchored in the Anacostia River off the Washington Navy Yard, D.C. The development of a successful catapult is vital if aircraft are to be operated from ships at sea.

 

1943 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt boards the battleship Iowa (BB-61) for his journey to conferences at Cairo, Egypt, and Tehran, Iran, the latter the first meeting of the so-called Big Three—Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. A close call occurs two days later when, during battle practice at sea, the destroyer William D. Porter (DD-579) accidentally launches a live torpedo at the battleship. Iowa receives a warning in time to avoid being hit.

 

1952 - CAPT Gerald Dyson '27, USN was lost when the Privateer patrol bomber he was aboard crashed in Washington. He was the commanding officer of Fleet Air Wing Four; the aircraft was a part of Patrol Squadron (VP) 772. His brother Howell was also a classmate. From the Lucky Bag: “OLD Louisiana lost a boy and the Navy gained a man! It is not one of Jerry's characteristics to talk much so he does a great deal of thinking. this attribute has given him success in athletics, perseverance in any undertaking, and best of all —- a friend in every man who knows him.” He had only been in command of the Wing for a few months prior to his death; until June 1952 he was “Chief of the Navy Section” at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Gerald was survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, and two siblings.

Academy & Graduate happenings

Artist, Navy veteran and USNA alumnae Kristin Cronic '11 created the Veterans Day Google Doodle, a special illustration that replaces the usual Google logo on Google.com to honor a moment or story of national significance. Her Doodle highlighted and honored those who served through her vision of “coming home.” Her hand-painted composition celebrated veterans' lives and legacies by drawing from the everyday objects that connected service to home. With deep respect for sacrifice and community she encouraged us to pause and recognize both the return and the journey. Her piece offered a space where medals and memories lived side by side and where home became a symbol of resilience and gratitude. Discover the full story below and see how Kristin brought her creative tribute to life.

Honoring Service at the Women's Military Memorial

USNA AA&F joined USNA Women at the 28th Annual Military Women's Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony in Arlington honoring the courage, service and sacrifice of women in uniform. The ceremony featured formal military honors, inspiring remarks from veterans across generations and every branch of service, a keynote address from the creator of the memorial's newest exhibition War to Peace and wreathlayings that paid tribute to those who served and continue to serve. It was a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of women in the Armed Forces and the shared bond that connects the Naval Academy community to this proud legacy. USNA AA&F captured it all in their social media video which can be viewed at the link below.

Our very own alumni, 2ndLt May McConkey '25, USMC, and her dad Phil McConkey '79 were featured on the FOX Sports NFL Sunday Veterans Day Pregame Show this past Sunday. Phil, a Super Bowl champion and former wide receiver for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, appeared alongside May, a proud U.S. Naval Academy graduate and newly commissioned Marine officer. This incredible father-daughter duo showcased Navy pride, leadership and service across generations on a national stage.

Didn't catch it live? Watch their inspiring story and interview now at the link below.

Tom Sessi got to see his son, Midshipman Guiseppi Sessi '27, play in Notre Dame Stadium Saturday. Although Navy succumbed to the Fighting Irish 49-10 in South Bend, it was a bittersweet moment for the Sessi family.

 

Tom is a 1991 graduate of Notre Dame. His father is a 1964 alumnus of Notre Dame who played football for the Irish his freshman year.

 

Guiseppi was raised to root for the other Blue and Gold. Last Saturday, the proud father was sporting the Navy Blue and Gold as he prepared to enter a stadium he's visited more than 100 times.

 

This one was different.

 

“It's a little surreal,” Tom Sessi said. “I've always been the biggest, diehard Notre Dame fan but today, I'm going for the Navy Midshipmen.”

 

Guiseppi finished the game with seven tackles, second most for the Midshipmen against the Irish.

 

The Sessi family was among a throng of Navy fans tailgating in eight parking spaces just outside the stadium. Sessi said about 300 family and friends of Navy football players were expected to attend the tailgate.

 

A few rows over, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation partnered with Holtz's Heroes for a tailgate that included fans of both teams. Naval Academy Superintendent LtGen Michael J. Borgschulte '91, USMC, Navy Athletic Director Michael Kelly, Bill the Goat and the Navy Spirit Team all made appearances at the tailgate.

Sneak Peek: November/December Shipmate Cover

In this issue, we talk Culture of Winning with USNA's 66th Superintendent, LtGen Michael J. Borgschulte '91, USMC. The yearlong Legacy of Valor: Vietnam series comes to a close, and the Gulf to Goat charity bike ride wraps up in Annapolis. All this and more in your Nov/Dec Shipmate magazine.

 

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Government & Military News

The Navy's largest aircraft carrier entered the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility Tuesday after setting sail from the Mediterranean on Nov. 4, according to the Navy. The Pentagon announced in an Oct. 24 X post that the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group would be traveling to the region in support of what the Pentagon has referred to as counternarcotics efforts in the area. “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell, according to the release. The Ford joins eight other Navy vessels in the USSOUTHCOM AOR, including the USS Iwo Jima, USS Fort Lauderdale, USS San Antonio, USS Lake Erie, USS Jason Dunham, USS Gravely, USS Stockdale and USS Wichita.

Venezuela is deploying weapons, including decades-old Russian-made equipment, and is planning to mount a guerrilla-style resistance or sow chaos in the event of a U.S. air or ground attack, according to sources with knowledge of the efforts and planning documents seen by Reuters. The approach is a tacit admission of the South American country's shortage of personnel and equipment. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of ground operations in Venezuela, saying "the land is going to be next" following multiple strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and a large U.S. military build-up in the region. He later denied he was considering strikes inside Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013, says Trump is seeking to oust him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will resist any such attempt.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concluded his tour of the Indo-Pacific last week, where he assured regional allies that the Trump administration's “America First” policy did not mean Washington was reducing its presence in the region. “We are implementing 'America First' but 'America First' does not mean 'America alone.' It means with our allies [and] partners, able to uphold stability, security, freedom of navigation ― ultimately peace,” Hegseth said Nov. 1 on the sidelines of the U.S.-Association of South East Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During the informal meeting, Hegseth warned defense ministers from allied countries of China's threat to their sovereignty and reaffirmed U.S. commitments to maintaining a secure and stable Indo-Pacific region.

Local, Education & other academy news

When Frances Dixon and Kevin Luft '97 transitioned from active military duty, they didn't stop serving — they simply found new missions as part of the Global Product Development & Supply (GPS) organization at Bristol Myers Squibb. Having dedicated nearly three decades combined to the U.S. Armed Forces, both Frances and Kevin carry forward the same courage, precision, and sense of purpose that defined their service. Today, they channel those values into a different kind of impact — one that saves lives through science. Kevin was drawn to the challenges of submarine service at the Naval Academy. “Operating a nuclear reactor underwater and completing national security missions were incredible tests of teamwork, discipline and focus,” he says. Kevin was the “officer of the deck” of a missile submarine on deterrent patrol during the critical early hours of September 11, 2001. He ultimately served for eight-years in the U.S. Navy, honing his leadership skills and learning the power of adaptability and quick thinking.

Discover the historic treasures of Malta and Sicily on this nine-night adventure with four nights in Sliema, Malta and five in Taormina, Sicily. Explore Neolithic temples older than the Pyramids, wander the ruins of Syracuse, and marvel at exquisite Roman mosaics. Enjoy guided walks through Mdina, Rabat, and Ortygia, and visit Valletta's baroque landmarks. Choose an excursion to Agrigento's Valley of the Temples or Catania as you experience two islands shaped by centuries of rich, diverse cultures.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Women's Basketball vs Longwood - Annapolis, Md. - 7:00 p.m.

Men's Basketball at PSU - L 71 - 80

 

Army - Navy Star Series: Army leads 4-2-1 (Army - Volleyball, Men's Soccer, Women's Rugby, Women's outdoor. Navy - Men's Golf, Men's Cross Country. Tie - Women's Soccer)

 

 

6 Dec - M. Swim & Dive - Annapolis - Noon

6 Dec - W. Swim & Dive - Annapolis - Noon

13 Dec - Football - Baltimore, Md. - 3:00 p.m.

7 Feb - Rifle - West Point - 9:00 a.m.

7 Feb - Gymnastics - Annapolis - 2:00 p.m.

7 Feb - M. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

7 Feb - W. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

20 Feb - Wrestling - Annapolis - 7:30 p.m. - Alumni Hall

21 Feb - W. Basketball - West Point - TBA

21 Feb - M. Basketball - West Point - TBA

11 Apr - M. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA

11 Apr - W. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA

TBA - Baseball - Annapolis

TBA - M. Lacrosse - West Point

TBA - W. Lacrosse - Annapolis

TBA - M. Tennis - Annapolis

TBA - W. Tennis - Annapolis

USNA and AA&F Events

10-16 Nov - Santa Fe, New Mexico Navy Week.

12 Nov - GSMC Social & Business Mtg. Brudergarten - 5-6 p.m. - 22725 Duke St, Leonardtown, MD 20650 - Online event: Meet - toh-nvgs-yvn

14 Nov - Run to Honor's annual pre-Honor Our Fallen Heroes Gathering (FAC) - 6:30 p.m. - Register

14 Nov - U.S. Naval Academy Athletic & Scholarship Program Fall Meeting, NMCMS

15 Nov - Navy vs University of South Florida, NMCMS

15 Nov - Honor Our Fallen Heroes ceremony, USNA Chapel - 9 a.m.

15 Nov - Honor Our Fallen Heroes tailgate luncheon, NMCMS - 10 a.m.

17 Nov - Council of Class Presidents Fall meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center

18-19 Nov - U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees Fall Meeting, FAC

19-20 Nov - SACC Chicago

20 Nov - Naval Academy Service Assignment Notification

27 Nov - Navy Football @ University of Memphis, Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN

 

5/6 Dec - American Conference Football Championship Game, TBD

6 Dec - Distinguished Graduate Selection Committee Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

10 Dec - Greater Southern Maryland Chapter Social & Business Mtg. - 5-6 p.m. - Brudergarten, 22725 Duke St, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Online event: https://meet.google.com/toh-nvgs-yvn

12 Dec - Greater Southern Maryland Chapter - 8:30-10 a.m. - Taphouse, 1637 23418 Three Notch Rd, California, MD 20619, USA

13 Dec - Army-Navy, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

 

4 Jan - USNA Semester Leave ends

6 Jan - USNA Classes Begin, Spring Semester

10 Jan - Pensacola Chapter Congressional Academy Day - 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Fl.

24 Jan - Thriving as Leaders Award Recognition, Fluegel (TBD)

 

14 Feb - Commissioning 101, Fluegel

19 Feb - USNA Entrepreneurs event, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Fluegel