Defense Force to the city during a
five-port visit in June.
The Russian Slava-class “carrier
killer” cruiser Varyag was joined by
three Japanese Self-Defense Force
ships and the U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill during
the visit, which was part of a joint
training mission. It was the first visit
by a Russian warship to San Francisco in 147 years. Bunker Hill served
as fleet host during the port call.
San Francisco Council Vice President Angus Blackwood and Board
Members Walt Usinowicz and Joan
Leone attended a reception for the
visitors onboard Bunker Hill during
the first full evening in port June 20.
Capt. Dominic DeScisciolo, Bunker
Hill commanding officer, welcomed
guests during the official reception,
which included Rear Adm. Ted N.
Branch, commander, U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group One; Rear Adm.
Vladimir L. Kasatonov, commander,
Russian Navy Fleet Diverse Forces;
and Rear Adm. Shinichi Tokumaru,
commander, Japan Training Squadron. Tokumaru and Kasatonov were
the Senior Officers Present Afloat for
the Japanese and Russian Sailors.
During the historic visit, former
U.S. Secretary of State George
Shultz joined both Bunker Hill and
Varyag crews as they paid their
respects at a dedication ceremony
for a plaque commemorating Rus-
sian Sailors killed fighting a fire in
San Francisco in 1863. The visit
also included a wreath-laying cere-
mony at the USS San Francisco
Memorial and a soccer game
between the Bunker Hill and
Varyag crews on Treasure Island.
The ships departed June 25.
NSCC Cadet Honored
At Greater L.A. Women’s
Council Luncheon
U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC)
Cadet Petty Officer Jacquelyn Phillips was presented with the Gladys
Ann Smith Scholarship by the
Greater Los Angeles Women’s Council during its June luncheon.
Phillips, who is attached to the
Trident Patrol Squadron in Point
Mugu, Calif., received the scholar-
ship, worth $10,000 to help defray
educational expenses during her
first two years of college, from Edna
Ralston, past president of the coun-
cil and chairman of the Scholarship
Committee. Phillips received the
highest overall score among the Sea
Cadets who submitted an applica-
tion and essay on their accomplish-
ments and future education goals to
the Scholarship Committee.
Angus Blackwood, vice president of the San Francisco Council; Joan Leone, council
director; and Rear Adm. Ted Branch, commander of Carrier Strike Group 1, enjoy
a June 20 reception on USS Bunker Hill while the ship was in San Francisco.
Short Bursts
■ The Key West, Fla., Council has
presented its Naval Junior Reserve
Officer’s Training Corps (NJROTC)
Scholarship to Key West High
School’s Brett T. DeHanas. The
$2,000 award is given to a qualifying
senior who has demonstrated values
of citizenship, personal responsibility, self-discipline, self-confidence
and leadership skills, and earned a
required academic achievement
minimum grade point average.
This is the sixth consecutive year
the council has presented the award,
according to council Board Member
Lenny Salazar. Previous NJROTC
scholarship recipients include Kent
Scholl, who now is an ensign
assigned to Naval Aviation School at
Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.,
and Caleb Genschorck, who is
attending the U.S. Naval Academy.
■ The Orange County, Calif.,
Council welcomed its adopted
frigate, USS Gary, to Naval Weapons
Station, Seal Beach, June 28. While
the ship was in port taking on a
weapons load before departing on a
southern deployment, the council
hosted some of the crew for dinner
at the home of council members
John and Cindy Gates in Newport
Beach. The event featured live country music by Mark Easterday and a
presentation by the Valley Forge Sea
SEAPOWER / SEPTEMBER 2010
