Atlanta Chapter’s Monthly luncheon was held on Friday, June 22nd at the Golden Corral (2211 Cobb Pkwy in Marietta), close to the Battery.
Mr. Samuel Franklin who is the Operations Manager of Homeland Security and Immigration Service gave an interesting talk about immigration and border security and answered numerous questions. Attendance, including some spouses was good, especially for a summer month. Paul “perfect-pitch” Hurst, ’62 led the singing of Navy Blue and Gold. We were fortunate to have a private room with excellent acoustics.
The Board has reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s Lobesterfest, based on website difficulties, a lack of volunteers for the event, and the concern that it would not measure up to the high standards of previous years. We will still be having the Lobsterfest in 2019, and we plan on its being a great event (with the proper planning and website support).
Please stay tuned as we plan to have another event (besides football viewing parties) for our alumni in the fall.
Atlanta Chapter’s Monthly luncheon was held on Friday, May 18th at Taco Mac (The Prado at Sandy Springs – 5600 Roswell Rd Ste M003, Sandy Springs GA 30342) Approximately 40 members and wives attended.
Registration and pre-lunch social began at 11:30 am and lunch was served at 11:45 a.m.
Doug Norton, ’65, was the guest speaker. Doug gave a fascinating and informative talk about his two books, Code Word: Paternity, and Code Word: Pandora.
Preparations are underway for the hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs on March 3 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The league will play its 25th outdoor game March 3 in Annapolis when the Washington Capitals play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The matchup will be just the third played in March and is part of the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series.
Workers began arriving in Annapolis over the weekend to transform the field into a hockey rink in time for the faceoff at 8 p.m.
“Right now we’re on schedule to be making ice Thursday evening,” Derek King, NHL senior manager of facilities operations said Tuesday at a news conference in Annapolis. “We’ll get to where we want to be on game day, which is about 2 inches thick of ice. We’ll be ready for practices on the 2nd.”
Instead of just taking a garden hose into a backyard and flooding an area and waiting for the temperature to fall, the National Hockey League uses a special technology to create an ice rink fit for the best hockey players in the world.
The process takes about seven days and will begin once the foundation of the rink is down.
“Every game that we get to do in different cities is really exciting, especially being here at the Naval Academy is pretty cool,” said King, who’s participated in roughly 15 of the outdoor games. “We have the equipment to manipulate whatever we need to, so we’ll be in good shape.”
As the members of the media gathered at the stadium Tuesday under sunny skies with temperatures approaching 70 degrees, the big question was if the weather will be an issue.
“If we had a day like this on game day, I’d have no concerns,” King said. “We’ll have the ice covered throughout the day, and then when the sun leaves the field we’ll uncover.”
To accommodate its outdoor games, the NHL created a one-of-a-kind mobile refrigeration unit and rink system. The 53-foot-, 300-ton-capacity unit make a solid sheet of ice while removing heat from the surface and then stabilizing the temperature.
Once the ideal surface temperature is reached, the actual process of building the ice begins. Typical thickness of ice inside an NHL arena is approximately 1 to 1.25 inches. The outdoor rink requires up to 2 inches to help withstand the more extreme elements. There is no special water used to make the ice, either. King says the water used is the same tap water used in a home.
“It’s a basic refrigeration unit, no different than what you’d see in an NHL arena, except we’ve put it inside a 53-foot trailer,” King said. “We’re using ammonia for our refrigerant along with glycol. The pipes are connected and are running down to the field and we’ll start making the ice Thursday evening.”
Once the ice is down, monitoring the status of the ice is a 24-hour job. A high-tech system called Eye on the Ice is embedded in the surface and helps to provide updates on the temperature at different areas of the ice and will signal an alert if more glycol is needed or if the heating system needs to engage if the weather gets too cold.
Along with a few former Washington Capitals players, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Walter E. “Ted” Carter attended the press conference Tuesday. While Naval-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium has a smaller capacity, average attendance for outdoor games is 53,504 per game. By the numbers
A look at what goes into an outdoor NHL game like the one set for March 3 at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
34.9: Average temperature for the previous 24 outdoor NHL games.
200: Workers will spend one week building everything needed for the game.
300: Ton capacity of refrigeration trailer that will keep the ice cool.
3,000: Gallons of glycol coolant used to freeze the rink.
20,000: Gallons of water needed to create a two-inch ice surface.
96,500: Pounds of the refrigeration unit that travels to the NHL outdoor games.
The Atlanta Chapter of the US Naval Academy Alumni Association (USNAAAA) held its 2018 Dark Ages Dinner Party at the venerable 57th Fighter Group Restaurant. On a rainy Saturday evening in February, a total of forty-eight (48) Atlanta area alumni and spouses braved the soggy weather of the “dark ages” and gathered for an intimate evening of camaraderie and fellowship at the World War II era aviation themed restaurant located adjacent to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The airport and restaurant occupies the original site of Naval Air Station Atlanta, which operated at the location from 1942 to 1959.
57th Fighter Group Restaurant
The USNA Alumni year groups represented during the evening spanned nearly forty years with Reggie Vachon ’55, the senior alumni present and DJ Marzetta ’94, the junior alumni present.
During the festive evening of re-telling sea stories and rekindling the shared experiences of USNA that bounds us together, the group took a moment to remember the loss of Carl McCallum, Class of 1960, who was a foundation of the Atlanta Chapter for more than five decades.
Steve ’74 and Diane Rasin, Dennis ’74 and Ursal Tate, Ed ’81 and Andrea Brownlee, Chad Hyde ’91, and DJ Marzetta ’94
Overall, the 26 Annapolis alumni present had an enjoyable and memorable evening of camaraderie and fellowship. The Dark Ages Party represents the third largest annual function hosted by the Atlanta Chapter. As the evening concluded, Chapter President Ed Brownlee ’81 introduced incoming Chapter President Dante (DJ) Marzetta ’94; and, the evening ended with a rendition of Thai Academy alma mater…Navy Blue and Gold.
For more information regarding USNAAAA, please visit the Chapter’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/USNAAAA
Carl P. McCallum of Marietta, GA passed away peacefully on January 5, 2018. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 9, 1937. Carl grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from Mariemont High School. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1960. Carl served in the Navy from 1960 to 1968. He was first stationed at Patuxent River, MD and flew the first generation P3 Lockheed Orion.
Later in his military career, he flew for the Department of Defense as a test pilot for Lockheed in Palmdale, California. Carl served as President of the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Atlanta Chapter, and was a Trustee at the United States Naval Academy. Carl began his 30-year career as a pilot with Delta Airlines in 1968, retiring as Captain in 1997. Carl was an active member of his church and served as an Elder for many years at John Knox Presbyterian Church in Marietta, GA. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Marilyn (Bach) McCallum; his sons Cary McCallum (Susan), Christopher McCallum (Elizabeth) and Carl (Chip) McCallum, Jr.; granddaughters Kaitlyn, Kelsey, Erin, Kelly, Parker, Macy, Julia; and great granddaughter Camryn. He was preceded in death by his parents Douglas and Verna (McKeeth) McCallum and son Kevin McCallum.
Visitation is at John Knox Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 20th at 10:00am and funeral services at 11:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, USNAF Gift Processing, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
or
CASA – Christian After School Academy, John Knox Presbyterian Church, 505 Powers Ferry Rd, Marietta, GA 30067.
The day prior to the 2017 Army – Navy football game, metro Atlanta experienced a rare winter storm that dumped double digit inches of accumulation and more than twenty hours of snowfall on the region. Local meteorologist reported that the Atlanta region had not seen a storm of this magnitude since the Blizzard of 1993.
Regardless of winter weather and the resulting less than ideal road conditions hampering the Atlanta region, plans had been finalized and promulgated to hundreds of fans regarding the 2017 Army – Navy football game viewing in the Atlanta area. The venue, Sports & Social Atlanta @ The Battery, quickly resolved their weather-related staffing challenges and welcomed more than 250 Annapolis and West Point alumni, parents, family members and fans to the recently opened sports and entertainment complex co-located with the new Atlanta Braves’ SunTrust Park, in Cobb County, Georgia. Also present at the football game gathering was a contingent of freshly minted Army Second Lieutenants from Fort Benning.
The Naval Academy contingent of alumni, parents, family members and friends was vastly outnumbered by Army at the football game viewing by ratio of four-to-one. Despite the demographics of the crowd, Navy football was well represented by a small, but vocal group of fans.
The near standing room only crowd was boisterous and at times, subdued, as the 118th Army – Navy football classic hung in doubt until the final seconds of the game. Two illegal procedure penalties during Navy’s final drive of the game proved the likely difference between the ball sailing through the uprights for a Navy Midshipmen victory or drifting wide left that resulted in Army Black Knight second consecutive game win streak. At the end of the competition, like at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the Army contingent in Atlanta sang second at Sports & Social Atlanta.
Navy Midshipmen record versus Army Black Knights over the past twenty years now stands at 16 wins vs. 4 losses.
Atlanta Chapter is on social media:
Unfortunately, the winter storm has created challenges forthe Atlanta area gathering of the 2017 Army – Navy Football game viewing @sportssocialATL sports bar / restaurant at the The Battery. Due to the winter storm that dumped double digit inches of snow and the related hazardous road conditions in Cobb County and metro Atlanta, Sports & Social sports bar will delay opening until 1 p..m. They intend to staff the restaurant this afternoon to accommodate a large gathering of football fans.
If your unable to physically gather together to cheer for the Midshipmen, let’s gather as a community in spirit to cheer for a Navy victory over Army in today’s 118th Army – Navy game.
Game starts at 3 p.m. on CBS channel 46 in Atlanta broadcast market.
It is that time of year for Navy Midshipman to resume its dominating winning streak versus the Black Knights of Army in the Army – Navy football game…America’s Game. On Saturday, December 9, 2017, the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point will meet on the gridiron for the 118th time.
Navy football team will wear Under Armour Blue Angels uniforms for the 2017 Army-Navy Game.
Calling Atlanta area Naval Academy Alumni, Parents, Family Members and Friends to view the Army – Navy football game at Sports & Social at the Battery at SunTrust Park on Saturday, December 9, 2017. Kickoff is 1500 (3:00pm). Sports & Social is located at 825 Battery Ave SE Suite 640, Atlanta, Georgia. Telephone (770) 675-9138. Restaurant’s entrance is located across from the Right Field Gate entrance of SunTrust Park stadium.
Parking — Four (4) hour free parking in the Red Parking deck is available; restaurant will validate parking with purchase of food and beverages over four (4) hours.
Here are a few Army – Navy facts you may not know.
1. Army and Navy have faced off a total of 117 times. To date, Navy has 60 wins, Army has 50. There have been seven ties.
2. Cadets and midshipmen played the first Army-Navy football game Nov. 29, 1890 on “The Plain” at West Point. Navy defeated Army team, 24-0.
3. Although today we know the game as an annual tradition (and it has been such since 1930), there have been 10 times when the Army-Navy game was not played.
It’s said that the longest interruption, which lasted from 1894 to 1898, came about after an argument between an Army general and a Navy admiral almost resulted in a duel following the 1893 game.
The game also wasn’t played in 1909. That year, Army canceled its remaining games after Cadet Eugene Byrne died from an injury sustained in an October game against Harvard.
Twice during World War I, in 1917 and 1918, games were canceled on orders from the War Department. And in 1928 and 1929, the academies could not reconcile player eligibility standards.
4. On Nov. 27, 1926, the game was held in Chicago for the formal dedication of Soldier Field in honor of the American servicemen who had fought in World War I.
5. The tradition of mules as mascots for Army dates back to 1899, when a quartermaster officer decided the team needed a mascot to counter the Navy goat and chose a white mule used to pull an ice wagon.
6. A 1973 episode of “M*A*S*H” referenced a fictional Army-Navy game that ended 42-36 Navy. To this day, no Army-Navy game has ended with that score. The radio announcer in the episode says the game is the 53rd Army-Navy game. That game was played in 1952; Navy won, 7-0.
7. The Rose Bowl is the only site west of the Mississippi River to host the Army-Navy game — it did so in 1983.
8. Only six Army-Navy games have been held on the campus of either academy. Two of those games were during World War II, one in 1942 and the other in 1943.
9. New York’s Polo Grounds holds the record for the most games hosted outside of Philadelphia, although the last game played there was in the 1920s.
10. Following each game, players sing both teams’ alma maters. The winning team joins the losing team and sings facing the losing team’s students. Then the losing team joins the victors on their side of the field and sings the winner’s alma mater to its students. This act is a show of mutual respect and solidarity.
