Season-long behind-the-scenes coverage into the lives of the football players and coaches of the United States Naval Academy. The third installment of the all-access documentary series premieres Sept. 5 at 10PM ET/PT. New episodes on Tuesdays.
A Season with Navy Football
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During the French Revolution, Commodore John Paul Jones, the great naval leader of the American Revolution, died in Paris at the age of 45. Lacking official status and without financial security, Jones died alone in his apartment on July 18, 1792. An admiring French friend arranged for his funeral and provided for a handsome lead coffin. John Paul Jones was buried in St. Louis Cemetery, the property of the French royal family. Four years later France’s revolutionary government sold the property and the cemetery was forgotten.
Over a century later, a search began to find the body of John Paul Jones for the purpose of returning his remains to the United States. The American Ambassador to France, General Horace Porter, personally led in the research to relocate the forgotten cemetery, provided the funds to excavate the casket and coordinated the efforts to repatriate the mortal remains of the great naval hero. Correspondence, antique maps and other records in the French national library and archives provided Ambassador Porter the information which helped in the discovery of the built-over cemetery. After weeks of tunneling through basement walls and streets, the casket of Jones was found and disinterred.
Remarkably, his corpse, which had been wrapped in a winding cloth and placed in straw and alcohol in a tightly sealed lead casket, was nearly perfectly preserved. He was taken to the University of Paris where a complete autopsy was performed. There the head of the corpse was compared to the sculptured portrait bust of Jones executed in 1780 by Jean Antoine Houdon, who had taken a plaster impression directly for his subject’s head. The autopsy and forensic study proved conclusively that the body was John Paul Jones. He had died of the kidney ailment nephritis, complicated by pneumonia.
Following an impressive parade, a religious service in Paris and a special train arranged by the French government to the port of Cherbourg, the remains of John Paul Jones were transferred to the USS Brooklyn, flagship of a special naval squadron sent by President Theodore Roosevelt to bring Jones home to his “country of fond election” and to the nation for which he immeasurably helped gain independence. On July 24, 1905, the naval tug Standish carried the casket ashore at Annapolis, Md., for placement in a temporary vault across the street from the new U.S. Naval Academy Chapel, which was under construction.
On April 24, 1906, elaborate and impressive ceremonies in commemoration of John Paul Jones were held in Dahlgren Hall, the new Naval Academy armory. Incidentally, this day was the anniversary of the battle between the Jones’s Ranger and HMS Drake, fought in the Irish Sea in 1778. It had been the first major naval battle fought under the newly adopted “starred and striped” flag and had resulted in Jones’ capture of an important warship in Great Britain’s home waters. President Roosevelt, Ambassador Porter, Admiral George Dewey and many other dignitaries attended the ceremonies. France sent an entire naval fleet up the Chesapeake Bay to mark the occasion. Afterwards the casket of John Paul Jones was placed in the Academy’s Bancroft Hall to await completion of his permanent tomb, in the new Naval Academy Chapel.
Jones was bid to rest in the crypt of the Naval Academy Chapel on Jan. 26, 1913. The crypt was designed by Beaux Arts architect Whitney Warren, and the 21-ton sarcophagus and surrounding columns of black and white Royal Pyrenees marble were the work of sculptor Sylvain Salieres. The sarcophagus is supported by bronze dolphins and is embellished with cast garlands of bronze sea plants. Inscribed in set-in brass letters around the base of the tomb are the names of the Continental Navy ships commanded by John Paul Jones during the American Revolution: Providence, Alfred, Ranger, Bonhomme Richard, Serapis, Alliance and Ariel. American national ensigns (flags) and union jacks are placed between the marble columns. Set in brass in the marble floor at the head of the sarcophagus is the inscription:
Important historic objects related to Jones’ life and naval career are exhibited in niches around the periphery of the circular space. Visitors today the Naval Academy can see an original marble copy of the Houdon portrait bust, the gold medal awarded to Jones by the Congress in 1787, the gold-hilted presentation sword given by Louis XVI of France and Jones commission as Captain, Continental (U.S.) Navy, signed by John Hancock. Here, too, is a plaque to Ambassador Porter, who was responsible for repatriating the great naval leader.
Normal public visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Closed on Federal Holidays. For information call 410-293-1100.
Nominations for this annual award will normally be provided by the presidents of Alumni Association chapters or graduated classes. However, nominees need not necessarily be a member of the Chapter or Class presenting the nomination. A narrative detailing the nominee’s contributions and distinguished service justifying selection as the recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award must accompany the nomination. Individuals who currently occupy or are currently candidates for elective office at the state or federal level and those who currently serve in an appointed senior government position (e.g. typically requiring Senate confirmation) are not eligible to receive the award. The exemption also applies to all individuals still serving on active duty. It is preferred that those selected agree to accept the award at the Naval Academy.
Alumni nominated, but not selected in the current year, are eligible for a total of three consecutive years and then are not eligible for one year. Nominators must submit a new nomination letter each year the Alumnus is eligible in order for their package to be reviewed by the selection committee. The nomination can then be resubmitted for an additional three years; this cycle of 3 on and 1 off are indefinite. Nominations that carry over should have current year endorsements and executive summaries.
Nomination Procedure
Any Alumni Association member can nominate eligible graduates for the DGA. All nominations must have the endorsement of a Class President or Chapter President. Each nomination for DGA must be routed through the nominee’s class president for their information and review. Nominations for the Naval Academy DGA are due each year by November 1st to be considered for the following year’s award.
Submissions should be made to DGA@usna.com consistent with the DGA Nomination Guidelines promulgated each year by the Alumni Association.
Nomination packages will clearly state that the nominee agrees to be nominated for the award and will make every effort to attend the DGA ceremony. Nominees should further understand that their packages will be vetted to take into consideration all publicly available information.
A member of the DGA Selection Panel may not be nominated or receive the award during his or her time serving on the Panel and for a period of two years after terminating service on the DGA Selection Panel.
Military officers, elected officials, political appointees, and Senior Executive Service officials may not be nominated or receive the award while still serving on active duty, holding public office, or still working for the government.
DGA Timeline
Nomination Packet Guidelines
For more information, contact Noreen Frenaye.
Why doesn’t the Navy have a more flexible toolkit, with more types of vessels designed to tackle more specific sorts of missions? In part, it’s a question of cost. More ship designs mean more expense to maintain them. In addition, when the Navy has tried to introduce new ship types to the fleet, it’s sometimes been shocked to find the ships arriving over budget and behind schedule.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/29/why-the-navy-needs-a-new-destroyer.aspx
Hopper Hall will accommodate students taking the academy’s cyber operations major, first available to the Class of 2016. Construction of the five-story building is expected to begin this winter and to be finished in September 2019.
The 206,000-square-foot center, which received $120 million from Congress in 2014, is between Nimitz Library and Rickover Hall. The center will include labs, offices, classrooms, lecture halls, an observatory and a rooftop space.
The academy received $106,674,440 in gift donations.
The center will be the first building on the Yard with a Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Facility — required to allow midshipmen to handle classified information.
http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/naval_academy/ph-ac-cn-hopper-hall-breaking-ground-1022-20161022-story.html
All midshipmen begin the four-year Naval Academy program with Plebe Summer, a period designed to turn civilians into midshipmen. Plebe Summer is no gentle easing into the military routine. Soon after entering the gate on Induction Day, young men and women are put into uniform and taught how to salute by the first class midshipmen who lead the plebe indoctrination program.
Purpose of Plebe Summer: The purpose of Plebe Summer is to lay the foundation of the Academy’s four-year professional development curriculum. At the conclusion of summer training, each Plebe class shall:
Mission of the United States Naval Academy
The mission of the United States Naval Academy is to develop Midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically and imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of Naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.
https://www.usna.edu/PlebeSummer/index.php
2017 Atlanta Chapter’s LobsterFest was a great success, children and grandkids are on summer vacation, and once again, it is that time of the month (3rd Friday) for the Chapter’s 
monthly luncheon.
U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Atlanta (USNAAAA) Chapter Monthly luncheon is scheduled for Friday, June 16, 2017 at 11:30 a.m.
The luncheon speaker will be Kevin Mueller, General Manager, Allied Universal Security Services, one of the leading security services companies in North America.
Visit USNAAAA chapter’s website for more information: http://atlanta.usnaaasiteadmin.net. Cost is $15 for chapter members / $20 for non-members.
Please mark your calendars and join fellow alumni, family members and friends at the June 2017 Chapter luncheon. The monthly luncheons are always an invaluable opportunity for camaraderie, reconnecting and fellowship.
Please like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/USNAAAA
The United States Naval Academy’s obstacle endurance course known as “Sea Trials” took place on Tuesday, 16 May 2017.
The Naval Academy freshman class endures 14 hours of rigorous physical and mental challenges during the Academy’s annual Sea Trials training exercise as part of the culmination of their plebe (freshman) year.
Sea Trials is modeled after the Marine Corps’ Crucible and the Navy’s Battle Stations recruit programs. It is a “capstone” event for the fourth class midshipmen (freshmen or “plebes”) and serves as a leadership challenge for the upper class. Sea Trials is led by Academy upper class and provides a final physical and mental challenge to the plebes, designed to test their teamwork and to reinforce their bonds as a company and class.
At the end of Sea Trials, the company of plebes who demonstrated the top unit performance through endurance and spirit during the entire course will be recognized with the “Iron Company” award during a brief presentation.
Sea Trials events take place at various locations throughout the Yard and Naval Support Activity Annapolis and include emergency re-supply, shore defense, Spartan relay, combat fitness test, military operations on urban terrain, damage control (pipe patching and fire hose handling), underwater events, aquatics challenges and endurance, water tactics, hill assault, two-mile regimental run, ground fight, stretcher relay, land navigation, survival skills, simulated bridge defense and demolition, paintball, endurance course, obstacle course, pugil stick jousting, riverine operations, rucksack run and casualty evacuation.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usna_aaf/sets/72157683903840495/
 The fourth time’s a charm! Private gifts from alumni, parents and friends play an essential role in the Naval Academy’s ability to achieve its vision. The Naval Academy has consistently outpaced our rivals in dollars raised each year during the All Academy Challenge. This year, we want the top spot in participation, too. It’s time to show our rivals what it means to bleed blue and gold by supporting Navy in the All Academy Challenge from 31 May to 6 June. This year, victory WILL be ours! Go Navy! Stay tuned for further announcements by email, website and social media. |
