Page 8. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2014 UNITED STATES NAVY NEWS Continued from Page 7.


U.S. Navy Works with Indonesian Part- ners in Protecting, Preserving Sunken Gravesite


From U.S. Pacifi c Fleet Public Affairs


PEARL HARBOR, HI (NNS) -- U.S. Navy underwater archeologists, in conjunction with Indonesian Navy divers, have assessed in an interim report that the wrecked vessel surveyed in the Java Sea in June is “consis- tent with the identifi cation” of the World War II wreck of the cruiser USS Houston (CA 30), and that divers documented conclusive evidence of a pattern of unauthorized distur- bance of the gravesite. “We’re grateful for the support of our Indonesian partners in determining the condition of the USS Houston,” said Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacifi c Fleet. “In my discussions with our Indonesian navy partners, they share our sense of obligation to protect this and other gravesites.”


“Surveying the site, of course, was only


the fi rst step in partnering to respect those Sailors who made the ultimate sacrifi ce to ensure the freedoms and security that we richly enjoy today,” he added. As part of the Cooperation Afl oat Read-


iness and Training (CARAT) 2014 exercise in June, U.S. Navy divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) One Company 1-5, along with personnel from the Indonesian navy, surveyed the wreck during a joint training evolution. Over the course of 19 dive excursions, both ends of the wrecked vessel were marked with buoys and the exposed port side, as well as the deck, was documented using video recording. After analyzing all of the data, an assessment from the Naval History and Heritage Command concluded that all of the recorded data is consistent with the identi-


fi cation of the wrecked vessel as the former USS Houston.


The site of the sunken ship, while a popular recreational dive site, is the fi nal resting place of approximately 700 Sailors and Marines. The assessment noted signs that unknown persons removed hull rivets and a metal plate from the ship. U.S. and Indonesian representatives are currently coordinating to develop measures to prevent continued disturbance of the site. During the June survey, the joint team conducted a wreath-laying ceremony on June 11 presided over by the Deputy Chief of Mission to Indonesia, Kristen Bauer, memorializing the loss.


The assessment also said that “evidence suggests the unauthorized recovery of un- exploded ordnance (UXO) from the vessel raising public safety and security concerns” and that there is “active seepage of oil from the hull.” Underwater archeologists are still working through data collected from the vis- it, and expect the fi nal report to be completed later this fall.


Houston, nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast,” was sunk in com- bat during the World War II Battle of Sunda Strait in 1942. Capt. Albert H. Rooks, the ship’s commanding offi cer who was killed in action, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism, while USS Houston was awarded two battle stars, as well as the Presidential Unit Citation.


CNO Releases Annual Navigation Plan Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs


WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy’s top leader released a detailed plan Tuesday that highlights the U.S. Navy’s intended track and investments for the next fi ve fi scal years. “This navigation plan defi nes the course and speed we will follow to organize, train and equip our Navy over the next several


Just Released


Adventures and History from Downeast Maine By Arthur S. Woodward, Beals Island


Lobster Smacks, Lobsters, Lobster Boats, Beals “Lobster Island”


Adventures and History from Downeast Maine...


Great Stories About: Lobster Smacks Old Jonesporters Early Lobster Boat Racing A Truck Driver's Recollection Towing the Beals Bridge Views from the Pilothouse Buying Lobsters and Coastal Sea Stories And much, much more.


$20.00


Plus $3.00 for shipping and handling To order write: Maine Coastal News,


By Arthur S. Woodward


P. O. Box 710, Winterport, ME 04496 or call (207) 223-8846


KUSTOM STEEL


years,” said Greenert in the document. “Despite likely sequestration in 2016, our priority is to operate forward where it mat- ters, when it matters, and be ready to address a wide range of threats and contingencies.” Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert’s 2015-2019 Navigation Plan defi nes how the Navy will use its re- sources to safely and effectively pursue the vision detailed in Sailing Directions. “Crafting this year’s budget included tough choices across a wide range of com- peting priorities - we focused fi rst on build- ing appropriate capability, then delivering it at a capacity we could afford,” said Greenert. Each year since Greenert released the Sailing Directions the Navigation Plan has described the annual Navy’s budget submis- sion for the future years. The Navigation Plan has highlighted investments in support of DOD’s guidance and strategic documents as well as this year’s 2014 Quadrennial De- fense Review.


In the plan Greenert explains how the Navy will acclimate to budget challenges, increasing operational tempo while balanc- ing current readiness with the need to build a highly capable future fl eet. Pursuing the vision set in the Sailing Directions this plan lays out the investments that will allow the Navy to maintain its warfi ghting edge, forward presence and keep Navy members prepared, confi dent and profi cient. This plan highlights how investments will support Navy missions through the lens of the three tenets, Warfi ghting First, Operate Forward and Be ready.


Greenert emphasizes in the document that everything sailors and civilians do must be grounded in the responsibility of warf- ighting fi rst. He says the Navy must be able to achieve access in any domain and possess the capability mix of kinetic and non-kinetic weapons to prevail today and be ready to win tomorrow. He provided a list of capabilities that center on this objective and followed with a comparable list of items that support operate forward and be ready. Additionally, the Navigation Plan summarizes the six programmatic priorities that guided the Navy’s budget planning for the future of the fl eet: maintaining sea based strategic deterrent, sustaining a global forward presence, preserve the means for victory against aggressors, focus on readi- ness afl oat and ashore, enhance asymmetric


capabilities in physical domains as well as in cyberspace and electromagnetic spectrum and sustain a relevant industrial base. This navigation plan was released by Greenert to Navy’s senior leaders and dis- tributed on Navy’s social media properties as a priority to be communicated at all levels. Greenert will release a Position Report later in the year that reviews the Navy’s progress over the last year in pursuing ob- jectives laid out in the Sailing Directions and earlier Navigation Plans, which can be found on his leadership page.


Submarine Group 2 Disestablishes By Lt. Timothy Hawkins, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs


GROTON, CT. (NNS) -- The top command at Naval Submarine Base New London was disestablished Aug. 22 during an outdoor ceremony aboard Virginia-class attack sub- marine USS Missouri (SSN 780) stationed in Groton, Connecticut.


Submarine Group 2 has been disbanded after 49 years in a move that streamlines the command-and-control structure for At- lantic-based attack submarines and aligns it with a more effi cient organizational arrange- ment on the West Coast.


Three submarine squadron com- manders, who oversee attack submarines stationed in Connecticut and Virginia, will now immediately report to Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. “A smooth and responsible ‘sundown’ of Submarine Group 2 has been our ob- jective for the past year. We deliberately sought to make it seamless,” said outgoing commander Rear Adm. Kenneth Perry. “We make that transition now, the result of thoughtful planning and solid teamwork.” Personnel who staffed Submarine


Group 2’s 45 military and civilian positions in Groton have been reassigned. Perry, 53, is retiring following 32 years of active-duty service. “You have given so much, Admiral Per-


ry, to our nation over these many years,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut. He was the fi rst of four speakers, which included Adm. John Richardson, director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, and Vice Adm. Michael Connor, commander, Submarine Forces.


Connor spoke about contributions Submarine Group 2 has made throughout history to prepare submarines for forward operations around the world.


“The true strength of Submarine Group 2 has been their ability to adapt, to remain fl exible, to adjust to the mission and the needs of the Navy,” said Connor. Submarine Group 2 was originally named “Submarine Flotilla Two” when it formed in August 1965. It provided over- sight for the planning and operation of ballistic-missile submarines until the early 1990s.


Most recently, Submarine Group 2 has provided oversight to three submarine squadrons, waterfront maintenance and sup- port units, a torpedo facility, 23 operational attack submarines and fi ve newly formed crews for Virginia-class submarines under construction.


Looking to have metal work done at a reasonable cost? Welding a specialty!


Also marina slips with lots of parking and storage available. Call: (207) 991-1953


South Main Street, Brewer, Maine 04412


“The proud history of Submarine Group 2 is etched in all of our DNA,” said Richard- son.


Perry was awarded the Legion of Merit for achievements during his fi nal tour. He assumed command of Submarine Group 2 in April 2013.


In addition to maintaining responsi- bility for 29 attack submarines, Perry led a


Continued on Page 9.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31