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Vol. 20, No. 9 Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com | 03.01.12
USS McFaul heads to the Arabian Sea By MCC Karen E. Cozza COMNAVSURFLANT Public Affairs
NORFOLK
The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) departed Naval Station Norfolk on a regularly scheduled deployment to the Arabian Sea to participate in counter-piracy operations, Feb. 26. The crew, commanded by Cmdr. Daniel J. Gillen, has been preparing for this deployment since they returned from their last deployment in August 2010. “I have a great crew and we are ready for this deployment,” praised Gillen. “I like to think this ship is like a Swiss Army Knife – we can do everything, from humanitarian relief to full combat operations.” “I look forward to getting over there and bringing this ship, one of the best ships on the Norfolk waterfront, overseas to do our mission.” This will be McFaul’s Command Master Chief Dianne Lohner’s seventh and last deployment before retiring later this year. “It will be a little bittersweet for me, as this will be my final deployment, but I’m excited about all the new experiences we will have and the Naval traditions that we will continue to pass along,”
■ about its namesake Chief Petty Officer Donald L. McFaul was a local SEAL Team 4 hero who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the Nation’s second highest combat valor award, for his heroic actions in saving his teammates during combat operations in December 1989 as part of Operation Just Cause in Panama.
she said. “For the new Sailors making their first deployment, I stress with them to make sure they make the most out of every day out there.” This is the first deployment for Navy wives Hillary Chaney, wife of Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Bryce Chaney and AnnieVerteramo, wife of Electronics Technician 3rd Class Jameson Verteramo, who stood together as the ship pulled out. “I am proud to know that I am married to a man who is going to do this for our country, even though it’s sad that he has to leave to do it,” said Hillary. Annie added, “I feel selfish for not wanting him to leave, but I am definitely proud, it is cool to know that your husband is out there doing this.” McFaul, commissioned in 1998, is the 24th Arleigh Burkeclass Destroyer, and was named after Chief Petty Officer Donald L. McFaul. McFaul was a local SEAL Team 4 hero who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the Nation’s second highest combat valor award, for his heroic actions in saving his teammates during combat operations in December 1989 as part of Operation Just Cause in Panama.
Annie Verteramo (left), wife of Electronics Technician 3rd Class Jameson Verteramo and Hillary Chaney (right), wife of Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Bryce Chaney watch as guidedmissile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) pulls away from the pier at Naval Station Norfolk, Feb. 26.
MCSN Samantha Thorpe
Navy band celebrates Black History Month By MC1 Molly A. Burgess Navy Public Affairs Support Element East
NORFOLK
David Todd Cmdr. Adan G. Cruz, Commanding Officer USS Mason (DDG 87), presents Signalman 2nd Class Lorenzo DuFau (ret.) with his personal challenge coin.
Ceremony highlights achievements, sacrifice of WWII veteran Mason honors distinguished guests in ceremony By David Todd The Flagship Managing Editor
NORFOLK
The crew the USS Mason (DDG 87) gave a warm welcome to Signalman 2nd Class Lorenzo DuFau (ret.) and author, filmmaker Mary Pat Kelly, Feb. 24, in a special Black History Month ceremony onboard BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair. DuFau, now 92, is a plankowner of the USS
Mason (DE 529), an Evartsclass destroyer escort that served during World War II (WWII) and was the nation’s first ship manned by a predominantly black enlisted crew. “Those destroyer escorts were built in 90 days and they were expendable,” said Kelly. “The men were told that if a torpedo came, they would take the torpedo to save the troop ships that they were escorting over … because there were 160 men on the Mason – there were 10,000 men on those troop ships. So they did a very, very important job.”
NAVY DRUG TESTING EXPANDS Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Public Health Center announced, Feb. 23, that Navy Drug Screening Laboratories will begin testing for additional prescription medications in May. » see A2
» see VET | A3
The U.S. Navy Band brought songfilled tradition to Naval Station Norfolk during a musical celebration in honor of Black History Month, Feb. 24. Eight Navy Band members performed, “Pioneers of Navy Music: A History of African Americans in the Navy Music Program,” a musical piece commemorating cultural contributions of historic African American composers and musicians. “In researching the history of the Navy band, we found a lot of African American musicians that contributed to our history, to the Navy and to America,” said Chief Musician Daryl Duff, a member of the U.S. Navy Band. “It’s not just composers, but it’s characters and the men and women of Navy music, from Crispus Attucks all the way to now.” During the concert, a multi-media compilation was performed, composed of live music, a slide-show of photos and a video accompanied by narration, written and presented by Senior Chief Musician Mike Bayes, the band’s chief archivist. “We wanted to try to infuse the social culture and the Navy culture together in a way that tells the complete story,” said Bayes. The compilation highlighted works by significant African American musicians, such as Alton Augustus Adams,
■ Black History Month For more coverage on local Black History Month events, see pages A5-A7.
MARINES PRAISE GEORGIAN SOLDIERS SKILLS Georgian Soldiers honed their combat lifesaving skills at a mass casualty operation during the battalion’s mission rehearsal exercise in Germany, Feb. 21.
» see B1
MC2 (SW/AW) Joshua Mann Members of the U.S. Navy Band perform during a concert at Naval Station Norfolk during a musical celebration in honor of Black History Month.
We wanted to try to infuse the social culture and the Navy culture together in a way that tells - Senior Chief Musician Mike Bayes the complete story.” the Navy’s first African American bandmaster; William Grant Still, a former Navy World War II musician; and Langston Hughes, one of the first innovators of jazz poetry. “We had to pick pieces that were appropriate for the time period, but also had a statement of the time,” said Bayes. “We wanted to include music that had an impact on the social aspect of things, because Navy policy was dictated by social policy.” The comprised musical pieces that molded the compilation were authentic selections such as the song, “Hot House” by musician John Coltrane; “Grief” by William Grant Still; and a poetry piece, called “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes.
MOVIES IN THEATERS THIS WEEKEND From the creators of “Despicable Me” and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-feature “Dr. Seuss’The Lorax.” Also in theaters this week are high school comedy “Project X” and “Being Flynn,” starring Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore. » see C4
The Naval Station Norfolk concert was one of many locations the Navy Band performed in honor of Black History Month. Earlier in the day, the band performed at Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, and earlier in the month they performed in a pair of Washington, D.C. concerts at the U.S. Navy Memorial Burke Theater, as well as the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. The U.S. Navy Band will wrap-up Black History Month with their last performance of February at the Navy Memorial Burke Theater. “The rich history of African American composers is told best through music,” said Bayes. “The music is what brings the presentation to life for us.”
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