This Day in Naval History - June 20

From the Navy News Service

1813 - Fifteen U.S. gunboats engage three British ships in Hampton Roads, Va.

 1815 - Trials of Fulton I, built by Robert Fulton, are completed in New York. This ship would become the Navy's first steam-driven warship.

 1898 - U.S. forces occupied Guam, which became first colony of United States in the Pacific.

 1913 - First fatal accident in naval aviation, Ensign W. D. Billingsley killed at Annapolis, Md.

1934 - Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet Adm. Frank Upham reports to Chief of Naval Operations that based on analyses of Japanese radio traffic, "Any attack by (Japan) would be made without previous declaration of war or intentional warning."

 1944 - Battle of Philippine Sea ends with Japanese losing two aircraft carriers and hundreds of aircraft.

US Naval War College Kids' War Game Tackles Naval Warfare History

By Teresa Sullivan, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Twenty-two of the U.S. Naval War College's (NWC) youngest war-gamers participated in "Sink the Bismarck," a family event held in the college's McCarty Little Hall, Feb. 24.

Children ages 8-17 years old participated in a war-gaming exercise to acquaint them with NWC's mission in preparing future maritime leaders to make key decisions in a competitive, time-pressured environment.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to get the families in to see what we do in our department and expose the kids to the idea of roll-playing as a team," said Lt. Cmdr. Larry Johnson, one of NWC's war-gaming directors. "This really expands the perspective and point of view to their approach for problem solving, competition and working together."

The scenario was based on the World War II, naval Battle of the Denmark Strait between the German Kriegsmarine and Britain's royal navy in May, 1941. Each team comprised of a captain, navigator, operations officer and an engineer. Crews had one to three minutes to design a plan, report to the battle bridge and carry out their mission. The fleet's arsenals consisted of a main and secondary battery, torpedoes and mines, and whichever team scored the most damage points in the allotted amount of time would prevail as the winner.

For 10-year-old Mayla Ward, captain of the British battle cruiser HMS Hood, the key to success was in figuring out the other team's plan, and counteracting their strategy.

"So far we're doing really well. Our strategy is for all of our ships to do the same things and to put as much battle damage on the other ships as possible," explained Ward, a 4th-grade student from Aquidneck Island Christian Academy and daughter Dave Ward, who is a contract war-game specialist at NWC. "As you can see, the Bismarck has sustained a large amount of damage."

This is the third year NWC's War Gaming Department held the event during the local school winter break. Pete Pelegrino, NWC war-gaming senior military analyst, said the game not only gives the kids an idea of what NWC does to prepare future military leaders but also provides them a bit of a history lesson.

"It's a very kinesthetic game and it harkens back to the old retro-style of gaming NWC conducted back when they used molded-lead ships on a large classroom floor at the turn of the century," Pelegrino said. "This is just a modern version of those components. Good old floor games and board games can be powerful educational experiences."

Pelegrino said this event all started when he purchased a couple of battleship models on eBay and evolved into purchasing more model ships to form British and German fleets. He then developed the game that is now known as "Sink the Bismarck" battleship war-gaming experience.

"It's pretty true to history," said Pelegrino. "We hold similar games for Cub Scouts, cadets, high schools in and around Rhode Island. It's all free and run by NWC volunteers. Our goal is to bring gaming to the classroom as a free resource."

Historian Explains War of 1812’s Impact on National Defense

By Bradley Cantor
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON  – The War of 1812 was a watershed moment in the nation’s development of a strong national defense system, a military historian said this week, as it provided justification for building up the Navy and changed the nation’s attitude toward strengthening the central government.

Michael Crawford, a senior historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command, made that observation Feb. 7 during a “DOD Live” bloggers roundtable.

Crawford said the United States declared war against the United Kingdom because “It wanted to end impressments of its citizens into the Royal Navy.”

“[The United States] wanted to obtain recognition of the maritime rights of its merchantmen against illegal blockades, searches and seizures, and it wanted to stop British support of hostile Native Americans against the United States,” he said.

At the time, President James Madison and his war planners developed a strategy to achieve these goals. That strategy largely focused on a land-troop invasion of British-owned Canada, ignoring a naval strategy. It was expected to be a quick and decisive victory for the Americans, Crawford said, as British attention was focused on engagements with Napoleon.

But as the Canadian campaign began, it became clear that it wouldn’t go as Madison and his war planners had hoped it would. By 1815, two and a half years after the initial engagement, all attempts to invade and occupy Canada had failed.

During that time, Crawford said, the United States adopted a largely defensive posture against the British. The U.S. military had repulsed major invasions at Plattsburgh, N.Y, and in New Orleans.

But the United States suffered a “ravaging of the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, a major agricultural region, and the capture and burning of our capital,” Crawford said.

“Furthermore,” he added, “a tight British blockade of the American coast had brought the U.S. government to the brink of financial collapse.”

The war eventually ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which restored America to its prewar conditions with no loss or gain, Crawford said, and the conversation turned toward the role The War of 1812 played in strengthening the Navy.

At the onset of the war, he said, the Navy had a small fleet and focused largely on harbor defense. However, he added, it became increasingly apparent that the United States needed to develop naval power to avoid defeat.

“Early in the war, we lost an army,” Crawford said. “And so the people in Washington -- the war planners -- quickly came to understand that the conquest of Canada depended on control of the waterways, especially Lake Ontario.”

The result was a build-up of Navy vessels on the Great Lakes. By late 1814, the Navy had 400 men on ships at sea and 10,000 men on ships on the Great Lakes.

This buildup allowed for some important victories during the war, Crawford said, but those victories also drew attention to losses that that resulted from insufficient naval power. He cited conflicts at Lake Champlain and along the Chesapeake Bay as examples.

The British had an army of 10,000 invading upstate New York. An American naval victory in Lake Champlain threw that army back into Canada, Crawford said, because without control of Lake Champlain, British supply lines were vulnerable. But a lack of U.S. naval power allowed the British to wreak destruction up and down the Chesapeake Bay, he added.

“All of these events convinced the nation's leaders, as well as the nation's people, that we needed both an adequate navy and an adequate army if we wanted to be an adequate nation,” he said.

But before the end of the war, congressional Republicans didn’t support building a strong Navy, Crawford said, believing that an ocean-going Navy would draw the United States into war unnecessarily and require high taxes that would corrupt the political system, benefit mainly financiers, and hurt the common people.

But by the end of the war, he said, people of all political stripes witnessed the importance of having a strong, centrally controlled military.

“Many Republicans and all Federalists were committed to a strong Navy, an adequate, professional Army, and the financial reforms necessary to support them,” Crawford said.

“After the war, Congress … approved an ambitious naval expansion program and a regular Army of 10,000 men,” he continued. “They raised taxes to pay for these, and they created the Second National Bank as a tool for government financing.”

The War of 1812 also changed the U.S. position on the global stage, Crawford said.

“Before the war,” he explained, “the United Kingdom considered the United States to be a commercial rival and potential enemy, to be thwarted through confrontation wherever possible. After the war, the United Kingdom sought accommodation with the United States, considering the friendship of the United States as something to be curried as an asset.”

This change in thinking, Crawford said, was a direct result of the British recognizing that the United States had newfound political unity, a strong Army and Navy, and sound fiscal underpinnings.

USS Miami Returns From Five-Month Deployment

By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- The families of Sailors assigned to the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Miami (SSN 755) received an early holiday gift this year when the submarine returned to Naval Submarine Base New London, Dec. 15, following a regularly scheduled five-month deployment.

Miami, which departed for deployment July 14, conducted maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

Commanded by Cmdr. Roger Meyer, Miami visited ports in Haakonsvern, Norway; Faslane, Scotland; Portsmouth, England and Rota, Spain.

"The entire crew of USS Miami fully embraced their role as ambassadors for our Navy and country," said Meyer, a native of Blue Grass, Iowa, who assumed command of USS Miami in September 2010.

Throughout their deployment, the crew fine-tuned their skill sets, becoming true undersea warriors.

"Our team integrated the talents of multiple commands into one cohesive team, developing undersea warriors with the skills necessary to be competent and disciplined operators and maintainers while executing missions vital to national security," said Meyer.

Recognizing their contributions to the submarine force, several crew members aboard Miami were advanced to the next rank and earned warfare qualifications during a ceremony on Nov. 30 while in port Portsmouth, England.

During that ceremony, five Sailors received their enlisted submarine warfare qualification pins, and eight others were advanced to the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class aboard the historic British Royal Navy ship HMS Victory, which is the oldest commissioned warship in the world.

Other Sailors had reasons to celebrate. During their deployment seven babies were born. One of the lucky fathers was Senior Chief Electrician's Mate Ryan Rolfe, who was able to hold his three-month old son, Joseph, for the first time.

During the Miami's deployment, Rolfe's wife Lillian was chosen to participate in a group baby shower with 19 other military wives. The event, sponsored by the non-profit organization Operation Shower and Birdies for the Brave, marked the first time it was held in Connecticut and for wives of submariners.

"As military spouses, we forget how different our lives are. We are used to having an empty bed to crawl into and end of the day, making big decisions, planning birthday parties, attending school events, and finding housing on our own," said Rolfe.

USS Miami Ombudsman April Holtmeyer, a mother of two, expressed her excitement for the reunion of Sailors and their families, as well as the remaining crew members just in time for the holidays.

"Holiday Homecomings add an extra special sense of reunion. Our families exemplified strength during this deployment by utilizing the greatest asset - each other. This sisterhood was essential in the success of maintaining normal," said Holtmeyer.

As the Sailors departed the submarine and reunited with their families, the fathers recognized their children by presenting them with medals as a token of their appreciation.

With nearly 50 percent of the 134-member crew aboard Miami being married with children, support for families had new meaning for the deployed fathers, said USS Miami Family Readiness Group President Christy Thomas, a mother of two.

"The kids are the heroes in their dads' eyes because they have thrived in their daily lives while they have been gone," said Thomas.

During the submarine's deployment, Thomas, Holtmeyer and other wives coordinated with the non-profit organization Operation Gratitude to receive gift boxes. More than 150 children of the deployed Sailors were recognized during National Military Family Appreciation Month, which occurs in November every year.

Miami's family-focused homecoming included Santa riding aboard Miami as the submarine pulled into Naval Submarine Base New London. In addition, the Steve Elci & Friends band performed, a first for the Connecticut performers, best known for writing the song, "Submarine Town."

The submarine, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat Division, is the third Navy vessel to bear the name of the city of Miami, Florida. The submarine's crew compliment includes 133 officers and enlisted Sailors.

Miami's return was preceeded by Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Dallas (SSN 700) Dec. 14.

USS Constitution Underway, Celebrates Independence Day

From USS Constitution Public Affairs

CHARLESTOWN, Mass. (NNS) -- USS Constitution and its crew got underway from the ship's berth in Charlestown, Mass., July 4 to celebrate the United States' independence.

Constitution's second underway of 2011 is one of the last major events of Boston Harborfest, June 29 to July 4.

"For nearly 214 years, Constitution has been serving our nation in one capacity or another," said Cmdr. Tim Cooper, Constitution's 71st commanding officer. "Today, her job is one of education and outreach. As part of that, we're excited to take the ship out into the harbor to recognize our great nation."

The USO Liberty Bells kicked the underway off by singing the "Star-Spangled Banner." They later also recognized the 70th anniversary of the USO. The ship then departed pier-side at 11 a.m. with 552 guests, including the 2011 lottery winners in attendance.

Constitution officially opened its lottery program to the public for the first time in three years Feb. 1.

"I feel really lucky to have won," said Ray Darnell, who traveled from Needham Market, England. "I think it's got to be an experience of a lifetime, and unfortunately, we [British Royal navy] didn't manage to take the ship back from you [referring to the War of 1812].

"The ship is well maintained and is a credit to the U.S. Navy. We've also been very well looked after by the crew."

Sailors then began teaching guests about "Old Ironsides'" history. At 12 p.m. they performed a 21-gun salute near Fort Independence on Castle Island. Fort Independence is a state park that served as a defense post for Boston Harbor at one time.

Sailors performed a final 17-gun salute to the city of Boston near Coast Guard Station Boston and returned pier-side at 2 p.m.

"This was my last underway aboard this great ship," said Yeoman 1st Class (SCW) Chrishinda Dobbs, who will transfer to a different command. "Doing it on the Fourth of July couldn't conclude my experience here any better. I've learned so much, and it's amazing how every time this ship goes out just how proud she makes people. They never forget her history. She really is special, and I will be sad to leave her."

Harborfest is a six-day Fourth of July festival that showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of Boston. The festival strives to honor and remember the past, celebrate the present and educate the future with reenactments, concerts and historical tours.

Constitution Sailors have been performing 17th century-era boarding pike and gun drills in the Charlestown Navy Yard since Harborfest began. They also hosted their annual Sunset Parade July 1.

Additionally, Constitution's color guard will perform in the annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at Boston's Hatch Shell at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Constitution is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston and is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year.

FRUKUS 2011 Sailors Gain Partnerships Through Fitness

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marie Brindovas, Commander Carrier Strike Group 10 Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors participating in FRUKUS 2011 competed in the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sponsored "Thank Goodness It's Fitness (TGIF) Challenge" aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Va., June 24.

FRUKUS 2011, scheduled for June 20 through July 1 in Norfolk, Va., is an invitational exercise designed to enhance communication and interoperability between the navies of France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Fitness Challenge gave the sailors a chance to compete against each other in athletic events including relay races, an obstacle course and tug-of-war. Points were awarded not only for performance, but also for appearance with costumes and props, crowd response, command participation, sportsmanship and teamwork.

Quarter Master Seaman Donald Oflutt, a member of a team from Naval Station Norfolk Port Operations, said he was impressed by the motivation shown by participating partner nation teams.

"I think it's cool that our partners could come in and have a good time. We work together, eat together, and play together," said Oflutt.

The first week of FRUKUS 2011 covered many events, including firefighting and bridge resource management, all aimed at building teamwork among the partner nations. Although the fitness challenge was a chance to compete, it maintained the partnership theme.

"I really enjoyed the international cooperation of FRUKUS," said Senior Petty Officer Andrey Kuntzov, of RFS Admiral Chabanenko (DD 650) from Russia. "But the spirit of competition and being able to have fun, made today the most memorable day of the week."

Most of the FRUKUS events focus on seamanship skills and international cooperation in a maritime environment, but sailors also enjoyed the chance to work on relationship building in a less formal setting.

"It is very interesting to work with the other countries," said Master Chief Loic Mallet, assigned to FS Ventose (F 733) from France. "This fitness challenge is a fun way to meet our partners."

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Chris V. Phan, assigned to the Naval Station Norfolk Navy Legal Service Office, said the competition was a fun way to get to know his maritime partners in a more relaxed environment.

"I think this is wonderful," said Phan. "I was fortunate enough to learn a little Russian and share in the camaraderie of the whole event."

The event concluded with a barbecue and a live concert following an awards ceremony for the participants.

The second phase of FRUKUS 2011 begins next week with the ships getting underway to participate in various training events centered on maritime domain awareness, anti-piracy and maritime interdiction operations.

Participating forces from the U.S. Navy include Commander Carrier Strike Group 10, Destroyer Squadron 26, and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). International participants include the FS Ventose (F 733) from France, RFS Admiral Chabanenko (DD 650) from Russia and HMS Dauntless (D 33) from the United Kingdom.

U.S. Navy Welcomes Partners, Kicks off FRUKUS 2011

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Samantha Thorpe, USS Harry S. Truman Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Ships from Russia, France and the United Kingdom arrived at Naval Station Norfolk to participate in FRUKUS 2011 with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Virginia, June 20.

FRUKUS stands for the participating countries – France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - and is a two-week interoperability exercise aimed to improve maritime security through open dialogue and increased training between the participating navies.

"FRUKUS 2011 provides the opportunity for personnel of all participating nations to engage in realistic and challenging maritime training to build experience, cooperation and teamwork," said U.S. Navy Capt. Peter Demane, commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26.

FRUKUS consists of two phases: ashore and at-sea. While ashore, Sailors from each ship will participate in training areas including damage control, fire fighting and ship handling. The at-sea portion, which begins next week, will provide critical training in maritime domain awareness, anti-piracy and maritime interdiction operations. A shore-based multinational combined task group staff will provide command and control for the ships during the at-sea phase.

Plenary sessions are scheduled to be conducted in parallel with the at-sea phase, where flag and senior officers from each country will attend daily discussions about maritime topics of interest to participants.

Planning for FRUKUS 2011 began in 2010 and included close coordination from representatives from each nation's navies and several defense agencies.

"We started planning for FRUKUS 2011 in December," said Lt. Jay Davis, staff planning officer for DESRON 26. "We worked closely with our partner nations to ensure the exercise is safe and successful."

Participating forces from the U.S. Navy include Commander Carrier Strike Group 10, Destroyer Squadron 26, and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). International participants include the FS Ventose (F 733) from France, RFS Admiral Chabanenko (DD 650) from Russia, and HMS Dauntless (D 33) from the United Kingdom.

Gettysburg Participates in Saxon Warrior

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Betsy Lynn Knapper, USS Gettysburg Public Affairs

USS GETTYSBURG, At Sea (NNS) -- Guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) participated in Saxon Warrior 2011 off the coast of England, May 20.

Saxon Warrior 11 is an exercise led by the United Kingdom-based Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). It is designed to develop theater-specific combat skills as well as enhance cooperation between multi-national forces and government agencies. USS Gettysburg is training as part of the George H.W. Bush Strike Group.

"One of the exercises we ran today was an air defense exercise, and the HMS Dauntless (D 33) was activated as the air warfare commander for this event," said Lt. Curt W. Chaffinch, USS Gettysburg air defense officer. "They joined into our communications, command and control."

According to Chaffinch, Dauntless, a British navy destroyer, and her crew did all the tactics, techniques, procedures and reported in using the same communication circuits as Gettysburg would have done had they been executing the exercise as air defense commander for the strike group.

"Saxon Warrior provides us an opportunity, as a deployed force, to integrate coalition partners into our command structure and that is happening for the first time," said Capt. Patrick. O. Shea, USS Gettysburg commanding officer. "We are training in a deployed operation, so it improves our readiness should we become involved in any real world operations."

The exercise, non-scripted and unpredictable, consists of challenges for the multi-national and multi-platform force by creating a diverse war environment based on fictional geo-political and military scenarios.

"It is important for our navies to be able to work together under common mission objectives," said Shea. "The opportunity to integrate the Dauntless into our air defense structure is an important part of furthering that cooperation."

Dauntless has recently been certified to deploy as an anti-warfare platform and one of its last requirements is to join a U.S. strike group for a joint credit and work as an air defense commander.

"Today gave us an opportunity to see how our coalition partners work," said Chaffinch. "And it's even better in this case because we've not only got the United Kingdom here putting on all the events, but we have the Spanish destroyer ESPS Almirante Juan De Borbon who has joined us as well."

"The opportunity to work with George H.W. Bush and Gettysburg as part of this exercise is unparalleled, really," said Lt. Cmdr. Steven Wall, an air warfare officer attached to Dauntless. "This has been a brilliant opportunity for us and we are so grateful. I think on both sides we are really learning a great deal about how each other operate, so this is a unique opportunity."

The George H.W. Bush Strike Group is made up of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff, guided-missile cruisers USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and USS Anzio (CG 68), and guided-missile destroyers USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and USS Mitscher (DDG 57).

USS Halsey Sailor Missing at Sea

From U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

GULF OF OMAN (NNS) -- U.S. and British units are searching for a Sailor from USS Halsey (DDG 97) who went missing while the ship was conducting operations in the Gulf of Oman Jan. 18.

The Sailor did not report to watch and after a search of the ship, man overboard was called away.

Helicopters from Halsey, USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7), and the Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland (F85) are currently conducting search and rescue operations to find the missing Sailor. F/A-18 Hornets from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft have also been involved in the search.

The Sailor's name is being withheld while the search is ongoing.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

VADM Currier Visited Royal Navy in United Kingdom

By DCMS Log

SAT. 4 December: VADM Currier completed a trip to the United Kingdom (UK) where he visited the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) Dartmouth, and HMS Raleigh, the Royal Navy's enlisted training center.

VADM Currier presented an award at HMS Raleigh's recruit graduation. He was the presiding official for the ceremony.