Keeping Up
With the Corps
Ijust wanted to compliment your
publication’s coverage of the
Marine Corps. I feel like I’m getting exactly what I need to know to
keep me informed.
Your coverage provides me with
both small-picture and big-picture
issues my beloved Corps is facing
these days, and those are many.
The “Trauma Training” article
[in July] was particularly well
done. God bless our Sailors.
Steve Smith
Chicago
USS Raven was commissioned in
the Inner Harbor on Sept. 5, 1998.
Raven was built in Savannah, so
there was a sizeable delegation
from the Savannah Council in
attendance.
The success of Raven’s commissioning was due in large measure
to support by Art Modell, owner of
the Baltimore Ravens.
John C. Snedeker
Navy League
National Director Emeritus
Savannah, Ga.
Of particular note is the interview article in each issue with our
military personnel in their own
words [such as Senior Chief
Hospital Corpsman Keith Hus-song, July issue], in which we get
to share their real-life experience
on the front lines and in support
roles. It gives one a true understanding of their wonderful contribution. I hope to see more of these
in future issues.
Robert Seal
Navy League
National Director Emeritus
McKinney, Texas
The Challenge of
Ship Commissionings
Having been the chairman or
co-chairman for fund-raising
for four commissionings sponsored by the Savannah, Ga., Council in the 1990s, I totally agree that
ship commissionings pose unique
challenges to council sponsors
[Navy League News, August
Seapower].
USS Osprey, the lead ship in the
class, built in Savannah by Intermarine USA, was commissioned in
Savannah on Nov. 20, 1993, as was
USS Heron on Aug. 6, 1994.
The Savannah Council and the
Hilton Head, S.C., Council also
collaborated to sponsor the commissioning of USS Port Royal on
July 9, 1994.
That may have been a record,
for one council to commission two
ships a month apart.
The Savannah Council sponsored the commissioning of USS
McFaul on Aug. 21, 1998. Looking
back at the commissionings in
Savannah, it is also worth noting
that, in the aggregate, the Savannah Council had earned a cash surplus after all the bills were paid for
the four events.
The Sterett commissioning was
not the first such event in Baltimore in 20 years, it was the first in
10 years.
Real-life Experience Makes
For Inspiring Own Words
Thank you for maintaining and
growing such a fine publication. There is so much interesting
information about the men and
women of our sea services and
their leadership. The conduct of
our military service personnel and
their dedication to their mission is
so inspiring.
Send letters to:
Seapower
2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200
Arlington, VA 22201-5424
E-mail: seapowermail@navyleague.org
Letters may be edited for space. Letters
must include the author’s name, home
city and state.
CORRECTION
■ The August Navy League News article on ship commissionings
contained some incorrect information about the USS
Constellation. Lt. Andrew Sterett, the namesake of the USS
Sterett that was commissioned in Baltimore Aug. 9, served
aboard the frigate Constellation that captured the French frigate
L’Insurgente in 1799. The frigate was dismantled in 1853. The
sloop-of-war Constellation, which is now a museum ship in
Baltimore Harbor and was included as part of the Sterett
commissioning events, was commissioned in 1855.
CLARIFICATIONS
■ At press time for the August issue, the Coast Guard
announced a new name for the third National Security Cutter
(NSC), which was mentioned in a Washington Report item on the
July 26 christening of Waesche, the second NSC. The third NSC
will be called Stratton. It began production in Pascagoula, Miss.,
July 21.
■ The September Historical Perspective article on the 1958 U.S.
Marine Corps landings in Lebanon should have noted that the
actual date of the landings was July 15, 1958.
