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FEBRUARY 28, 2014|VOL. 40| ISSUE 7
Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz was a war hero. His leadership in the Pacific solidified our victory against the Japanese during WWII, and is regaurded as one of the greatest military minds in US history. Today, we sail under his name. But how did he do it? What drove him? Who was he really? Nimitz News delves into
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the
Information
Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth Executive Officer Capt. J.J. Cummings Command Master Chief CMDCM Greg Renick Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski Media DIVO Ensign John Mike Media LCPO MCC Mike Jones Media Production Chief MCC Gregory Roberts Media LPO MC1 Michael Cole Editor MC2 Phillip Ladouceur Lead Designer MCSA Kole E. Carpenter
Media Department
MC2 Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Devin Wray MC2 Ryan Mayes MC2 Jacob Milner MC2 Jess Lewis MC3 George J. Penney III MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Linda S. Swearingen MC3 Vanessa David MC3 W. J. Cousins MC3 Derek Volland MC3 Sam Souvannason MC3 Nathan McDonald MC3 Joshua Haiar MC3 Kaitlyn Haskett MC3 Eric Butler MC3 Siobhana McEwen MCSN Andrew Price MCSN Aiyana Paschal MCSN Kelly Agee MCSN Victoria Ochoa MCSN Eli Buguey MCSN Lauren Jennings Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions must be in by Friday, COB. Submissions are subject to review and screening. “Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.
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College Accreditation Type May Affect Sailors’ Wallets By Susan D. Henson, Center for Personal and Professional Development Public Affairs
Sailors working on completing a degree should ensure their school has the appropriate type of accreditation or it could cost them money later, said Center for Personal and Professional Development education professionals Feb. 24.
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Most students know the school they attend should have some sort of accreditation as a way of ensuring the quality of their education, - Ernest D’Antonio, but they don’t understand how important director of Navy the type of accreditation is in their school Voluntary Education at selection. I’ve seen way too many examples of the Center for Personal service members using their tuition assistance and Professional Development. or G.I. Bill education benefits to earn a degree at a school whose credits aren’t transferrable to or recognized by other schools. And when a Sailor’s benefit is spent, it’s spent.
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According to Raymond Sayre, director of the Navy College Office in San Diego,
there are three kinds of accreditation. Regional:
Granted by an accrediting organization in one of six regions in the United States. “Schools with regionally accredited programs focus on academic theory for a full range of degrees from accounting to zoology at all educational levels.”
National:
Tend to focus on operational/technical skills. “These accreditors tend to focus on a particular discipline such as business or technical skills, or distance learning,” he said.
Specialized Programs and Single-Purpose Organizations: A specialized accreditation is typically granted for a particular section or discipline within a regionally accredited educational institution, such as for a school’s law, medical or engineering program.
For more information about the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd/ and www.navy.mil/local/voledpao/, https://www.facebook. com/pages/Center-for-Personal-and-Professional-Development/100056459206 and Twitter @ CENPERSPROFDEV.
ABOVE: From left, Lt. Vivian Maner, food service officer on board Nimitz, Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer, and Capt. John Cummings, executive officer, cut a cake for the 129th birthday celebration of Admiral Chester Nimitz on the mess decks.
photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kelly M. Agee
Chester Nimitz
was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, Feb. 24, 1885. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1905, he served at various commands that led up to his selection to admiral. He played a huge role in the success of the U.S. in the war in the Pacific during World War II. Feb. 24: The ship posted a link to a set of never-before published photos of Adm. Nimitz with family and friends provided by Chet Lay, Nimtiz’s grandson. Feb. 25: Posted an audio interview with Lay providing a unique look into Nimitz’ personal life. Feb. 26: Posted a photo album containing the rare photos along with caption information. Feb. 28: Will post the link to Fleet Adm. Nimitz’ “Gray Book,” digitized and published by the Naval War College. The book, named simply for the color of its cover, is a collection of communications between Nimitz and other commanders during World War II. It provides an in-depth look into U.S. strategies and actions during the war.
Inside COMMUNITY
Highway Cleanup Pg. 4
HERITAGE What Makes a Legend Pg. 6
TRAVEL Visit Portland Pg. 12
Links to these items can be found at http://www.facebook.com/cvn68
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COMMUNITY Nimitz Sailors help clean up a portion of Highway 529 during a COMREL.
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Nimitz Sailors Adopt Highway Story and Photo by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen Sailors on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) participated in a community relations (COMREL) project Feb. 21 to clean up Hwy 529. The COMREL took place on Nimitz’ recently adopted highway, on Broadway between 19th Street and 25th Street. Hwy 529 is the first highway Nimitz has adopted since being homeported in Everett, Wash., in 2012. “The goal of this COMREL is to help clean up our city and to give back to the community,” said Chief Religious Programs Specialist Stanley D. Ponder, of Atlanta, Ga. The cleanup is part of Nimitz’ ongoing Special Accommodations For Everyone (SAFE) program in which Sailors volunteer to participate in COMRELs that
reach out to the local community. February marks the first month for the SAFE program and it will continue throughout the year. “Tuesday and Wednesday of this week we went to a local school to tutor children and Thursday we went to clean up a state park and today we are cleaning our adopted highway,” said Ponder. Sailors who participated in the COMREL said that it was a rewarding experience that they plan on participating in regularly. “Every time there’s an opportunity to volunteer to clean our adopted highway I’m going to take it,” said Air Traffic Controller Airman Elegia C. Hendricksbulado, of Oceanside, Calif. These sentiments are echoed by Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Andrew C. Wilcox, of Athens, Tenn.
“I plan on coming back to do this again because I like being able to help people and the community,” said Wilcox. Sailors who want to participate in future Hwy 529 trash pickup COMRELs or any other COMRELs under the SAFE program are encouraged to go to the ship’s library where they can fill out the appropriate paperwork and sign up with any religious programs specialists (RP). Ponder, the event’s organizer, said that he was very happy with the turnout for this COMREL and hopes to see more Sailors show their pride in helping to clean up Nimitz’ adopted highway. “I’m really pleased with the Sailors who came out today to show that the Nimitz is more than just a warship,” said Ponder.
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HERITAGE 6
“Some of the best help and advice I’ve had comes from junior officers and enlisted men.”
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During World War II Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz commanded more military might, both in manpower and machinery, than any other commander had ever wielded in any war before him combined. How was it that he was selected for such a position? What made him so successful against a Japanese Navy that up until that point appeared invulnerable?
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Story By MC3 (SW/AW) Nathan R. McDonald All photos from the private collection of Chet Lay.
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t first glance, Nimitz seems like an unlikely choice for the position of Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC). He did not come across as boisterous and aggressive like General Douglas MacArthur. His promotion meant skipping over more senior officers in line for the position, which could invite resentment from the very officers he would have to rely on. However, he possessed qualities that made him perfect for the role, especially when one considers the challenges he faced given the incredible distances separating his area of responsibility and the ships under his command. Nimitz’s leadership style differed from many of his contemporaries. Rather than micromanaging those working under him, he believed in selecting the right person for the job and then letting them accomplish it. He delegated as much authority to those working for him as he believed they should be able to handle, and trusted that they would rise to meet the challenge of the occasion. His background as Chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, then called the Bureau of Navigation, made him an ideal candidate to juggle the varying and sometimes conflicting personalities of his staff. In planning sessions for major actions, Nimitz often conducted his meetings more as a mediator before
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Douglas MacArthur, Franklin Roosevelt and Chester Nimitz on board the USS Baltimore at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, July 26, 1941. weighing in. He encouraged debate among his staff, but ultimately reserved the final decision, even if it was contrary to the advice of others. He encouraged his staff to voice their ideas and opinions and follow through on their lines of thought. Nimitz was able to run his staff so successfully using these methods because he was adept at recognizing the right person for the job and setting them up to do it well. Despite the vast responsibilities he carried and power he wielded, he always maintained a humble and approachable demeanor regardless of how well or poor the war effort was going at the time. This contributed to his staff feeling comfortable enough to voice their thoughts when consulted. He took time every day to meet with junior personnel to hear their opinions and informal reports, as well as inquire if there was anything he could provide for their commands. “Some of the best help and advice I’ve had comes from junior officers
and enlisted men,” Nimitz said of these meetings. These meetings also bolstered morale around the fleet as word trickled down aboard individual ships that the fleet admiral took a personal interest in their well-being. An anecdote from these meetings holds that an enlisted Sailor requested a meeting with the admiral. After Nimitz accepted and met the Sailor, the Sailor confessed that he had requested the meeting in order to win a bet he had made with friends on his ship. Not losing a beat, Nimitz called in his photographer to take pictures of them in his office and provided him with several prints for proof in order to cash in on the bet. At the height of the war, Nimitz had more than two million men and 1,000 ships at his command across 65 million square miles of ocean. He expertly managed the wildly differing personalities of his staff, playing to each one’s strengths and even flew to meet General of the Army Douglas MacArthur to avoid
any sort of friction arising from overlapping commands. MacArthur could be called the opposite of Nimitz. Where Nimitz always seemed cool and composed, shirking media attention, MacArthur was very much a larger than life figure: boisterous and always in the media spotlight. Nimitz was not afraid to be firm when it was necessary, however. At the war’s conclusion when it was decided that MacArthur would conduct the surrender ceremonies with Japan, Nimitz muttered, “vWell this does it!” He did not seek to command the surrender ceremonies, but he bristled at an army officer taking center stage when it was the Department of the Navy’s forces that had been instrumental in securing victory against Japan. Ever one to stick up for those under his command, a compromise was brokered by the Secretary of the Navy: the surrender would take place aboard the USS Missouri, and if MacArthur signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of the Allied powers, Nimitz would be the one to sign on behalf of the United States. Throughout his command of naval forces during World War II, Nimitz exhibited a poise and steadying influence that proved integral to bringing a Navy in crisis after the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor to the most powerful naval force the world had ever seen at the war’s close. His ability to read people and inherently understand the right person for the job set up the U.S. Navy’s stunning victories at the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, the Solomon Islands Campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Saipan, Guam, Tinian and Iwo Jima. After the war, Nimitz was named Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). During his tenure of CNO, Nimitz proved to be very forward thinking and perhaps his longest lasting legacy is supporting Admiral Hyman Rickover’s effort to build a nuclear powered Navy. Throughout the later part of his career, Nimitz proved to be an expert manager and tactician, and endures in history as one of the Navy’s greatest leaders.
Chester Nimitz (second from right).
Chester Nimitz, Capt. Preston Mercer, and dog Makalapa. 9
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Visit
TRAVEL
Portlan Story and Photos by MC3 (SW) Siobhana McEwen
eattle’s closest neighbor city, Portland, Ore. is nestled between the Mt. Hood and the Cascade Mountains, and Cannon Beach and the Pacific Ocean. Portland is the third largest city on the West Coast. A ‘foodie’ haven, beer lovers heaven, and hipster hide-away, Portland also offers an abundance of options and activities for city-lovers and outdoorsman type folks. Like many cities in America, Portland has a distinct personality. Made famous (or infamous in the minds of some) by the television show ‘Portlandia,’ Portland is typically
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known as a liberal hot-bed, where twenty-somethings go to retire. But like any other hipster and his chic facade, with Portland, there is more than initially meets the eye. Portland is home to over 60 microbrews, more than any other city in North America, and earning the city the nickname ‘Brewvana.’ Each year, Portland brewers host multiple brewfests, ranging from the North American Organic Brewers Festival, to Portland Beer Week. There are even alehouses in Portland that donate proceeds to non-profit organizations around town.
According to the magazine ‘Travel Portland,’ Portland is home to more than 600 food carts. CNN even declared Portland to have the best street food of any city in the United States. Every mid-May brings the Rose Festival, a month long festival featuring a halfmarathon, Portland’s Fleet Week, and dragon boat races. The culmination of the festival is the Grand Floral Parade, which finds locals lining the streets and camping out the night before in order to guarantee a great view of the parade. Hundreds of thousands of flowers are used to
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decorate giant floats, and high schools from around the region send their bands to represent them in the festivities. Portland is no stranger to oddities, the most famous of which is probably the World Naked Bike Ride. Started in 2004, the event has grown from just over 100 participants, to more than 8,000 riders last year, according to web site for the group that hosts the event. The ride is held annually during the first week in June and consists of a several-mile long ride through downtown Portland. Each year a new route is created, but not revealed until just hours prior to the start of the ride. Portland police provide traffic control, and spectators again line the streets to cheer on participants.
For those looking for less brazened activities, Portland also boasts miles and miles of bike trails and city parks. PDX is home to the largest wilderness park in any city limits in the nation, as well as the only dormant volcano within a city. Several national magazines have named the city as one of the friendliest for bicyclers and outdoorsmen. In 2013, United Van Lines found Oregon to be the number one destination among people who moved from one state to another, and more people move to Portland than any other city in the state. A three-hour drive (or a five-hour train ride) from Everett, Portland is a little more than a hop, skip and a jump away.
Top: The St. Johns Bridge,
one of 16 bridges in Portland. Above:Mt. Hood overlooking the city. Left: Portland Natives busking downtown. 11
Ensign Jesse LeRoy Brown First African-American Naval Aviator (1926-1950)
FEBRUARY IS
AFRICAN AMERICAN
HISTORY MONTH
Brown
was born in Hattiesburg, Miss., Oct. 13, 1926. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1946 and was appointed a Midshipman the following year. He became the first African-American to be trained by the Navy as an aviator. After attending pre-flight school and flight training, he was designated a naval aviator in October 1948. Midshipman Brown was then assigned to Fighter Squadron 32. He received his commission in April 1949. During the Korean War, Brown also became the first African-American naval aviator to see combat when his squadron operated from USS Leyte (CV-32), flying F4U-4 Corsair fighters in support of United Nations forces. Dec. 4, 1950, while on a close air support mission near the Chosin Reservoir, Ensign Brown’s plane was hit by enemy fire and crashed. Despite heroic efforts by other aviators, he could not be rescued and died in his aircraft. To prevent Brown’s body and his aircraft from falling into enemy hands, Navy aviators dropped napalm on them two days later while reciting the Lord’s Prayer over the radio. Ensign Jesse L. Brown was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his Korean War combat service. USS Jesse L. Brown (DE-1089) was named in his honor.
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