Look alive with Seventy-Five!

Dear ’mates: What do you mean the deadline was two weeks ago? [Yep.  Sure was.]  Well how come it’s not on my calendar? [Uhh, who is in charge of putting things on your calendar?] How come I don’t have anything written?  [Guess you better get crackin!]

Jim Jackson is the curator of an exhibit on black admirals at the Banneker-Douglass Museum in Annapolis.  In August, he gave a talk at the museum called “Leading Ladies” about the two black women who have made flag rank in the Navy.  Lillian Fishburne graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1971 and achieved the rank of Rear Admiral.  RADM Michelle Howard ’82 became the first black woman to command a Navy ship. The museum exhibit, titled "Seaworthy: The Navy's Black Admirals," focuses on the 39 African Americans who have made flag rank.  “Even though blacks make up about 22 percent of the Navy,” Cmdr. Jackson said, “they have not been appointed in great numbers to the upper echelons.  There are about 230 admirals on active today, but only 15 of them are black. There are 7,000 women officers in the Navy, but there is only one black female (on active duty) who is an admiral.”

Steel Partners II, L.P. announced in August that its nominees, James R. Henderson, Terry R. Gibson, General Merrill A. McPeak, Bernard C. Bailey and Robert Chefitz, have been overwhelmingly elected to the board of directors of Point Blank Solutions, Inc.

Jay Carrizales was at USNA on Friday, 30 May to watch a very good friend pin on Captain.  “Anne G. Hammond '86, was Officer Programs Officer for me when I commanded Navy Recruiting District, Albuquerque.  She was outstanding then and obviously remained so.  To the Navy's great credit, they saw the wisdom of promoting her. She had been 2nd Battalion Officer at USNA and upon her promotion received orders sending her back to DC to be Deputy of the Diversity Directorate (N134).  I include a couple of pictures from that wonderful day knowing she'd probably be too modest to include them on her own since she's Scribe for '86.”

<Photo 75#1: “Anne Hammond and JJ”>

<Photo 75#2: “The new captain”>

Bill Dixon left Fluor on 4 September for a two-week stay in Tulsa, and then departed for Baghdad as a program manger for EODT.

A new contributor (via President Hubbs!)  Dayton Warfle checks in:

I continue to enjoy the Shipmate news every month, but I have not been a contributor until now. In August my oldest daughter was married in St. John, US VI. It was an outstanding wedding on the beach at Cinnamon Bay. I think this was the first real vacation Kathy and I have really been on. One that was not visiting family and friends, so it was a real treat. Kathy has already said we are going back.  After I retired from the Marine Corps I went to work as a process design engineer for General Electric. I was trained in Six Sigma and Lean principles and applied then in Erie PA working to build 4400 HP locomotives. It did not take long for me to decide to head south. We moved to Melbourne Florida, continued to work for GE until the locomotive technology arm moved to Kansas City. Since Patrick was big into baseball in High School we started looking.  I have been working for Bank of America since 2001 as a process design engineer and am currently supporting the Bank’s cash vaults across the country.  I have been helping to start a Military Support Affinity group at the bank and we are now getting great traction supporting veterans both active and reserve.  Kathy and I would love to catch up with any 75’er! Semper Fi!

George Windsor reports from the NDIA Joint Undersea Wafare Technology Conference – great info on USW technology and plans.  But the really interesting part was that the three top speakers where all from the class of 75!  Admiral Kirkland Donald - Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion; Vice Admiral John Donnelly - Commander Submarine Force Altantic; and Rear Admiral David Gove - Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy.  Not bad for 75!

JJ Cuff reports that Suzanne and Van Rose are looking forward to the arrival of two more grandchildren.  Seems that both of their children, Julia and Ryan ’00, are expecting before the end of the year.  JJ also forwarded a note from Dirk Ahle.  Dirk had lunch with John Stufflebeem at the Dubliner in Washington DC.

<Photo 75#3: “John and Deke do lunch”>

Andy Howard presents an eye-witness account of Hurricane Ike from their place in Houston:

We lost power about 00:30 on Saturday morning. Never lost running water and cooking gas. Plus, we had about 22 gallons of water stored up along with 3 propane canisters for the barbie. We took a day to remove all potential flying debris from the yard. Being about 80 miles from the coast and on the "clean" [er] side of the eye [thanks to its eastward jog at the last minute]. While the storm had 110 MPH winds, by the time it got to us, only about 80 MPH.

The winds lasted several hours, which was probably the most unnerving. It wouldn't go away. Very little rain during the hurricane, only about 3 inches. The cold front from the north that followed the next day brought the rain. Since we were somewhat on the northwest edge of Houston damage, spots of power existed and we were able to get gasoline for the car and ice for food without much wait. The Points of Distribution [PODS] weren't near us. Neighbors were out in the street, helping each other. We have met all sorts of people new to us!

The last hour eastward jog helped limit the surge in the Bay to about 15' [from 22' originally predicted]. Even so, in our marina, boats on "fixed" piers" had problems. Especially our original pier, with riser poles only about 10' tall. The pier is wiped out and, as the boats floated up, they yanked up the poles and floated over land. As the water receded, the boats just settled down. Others sank in place.  On the floating piers, not as much problem. The riser poles were not broached, so the boats and piers rose up and came back down in place. Some boats that had "roller reefing" for the front sail and did not take their jibs down now have shredded sails.   As for Yippee HiHo, a few superficial scratches above the water line in the gel coat. The batteries [we had just bought and installed new ones 2 Fridays ago] still had a good charge and the generator started right up. Later, we discovered we had shore power.  So, all in all, Yippee!  Maybe a little "survivor's remorse" for all our friends at the old pier whose boats didn't do so well.  As we pulled into the neighborhood this evening, from visiting the boat, the power came on in the neighborhood!

Here’s hoping that everyone in the western Gulf are getting their lives back together after Gustav and Ike.  --   '75 Sir!  Larry

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Last modified: December 22, 2009