www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 1 | Thursday, September 30, 2021 1
IN THIS ISSUE
A sense of community
Lt. j.g. Glen Moran was Moran is proud to be a Mustang in the U.S. Navy as he models a future available to other young Hispanic Sailors. PAGE A2
VOL. 28, NO. 39, Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com
September 30-October 6, 2021
Hispanic Heritage Feature:
A Hero of the Bloody Nose Ridge
In September 1944, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Eleuterio“Joe”Marquez took part in the invasion of Peleliu. For his his heroic actions on the island Marquez was later awarded the Navy Cross. He is the first Hispanic Corpsman to receive the Navy Cross. (ANDRÉ SOBOCINSKI)
The Story of Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Joe Marquez and the Fight for Peleliu By André Sobocinski
Navy Bureau Of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs
FALLS CHURCH, VA — On the morning of September 15, 1944, the 1st Marine Division began their assault on a tiny coral island in the Central Pacific called Peleliu. For Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Eleuterio “Joe” Marquez this would be a baptism of fire (1).
The 19-year old Los Angeles native had enlisted a year earlier with his two best friends, each anxious to make their own contributions to the good fight. After a whirlwind of Boot Camp and Corps School in San Diego followed by field medical training at Camp Elliott, Marquez was now part of this deadly assault on the highly fortified island. At only 13 square miles, Peleliu
was far from the largest battlefield of the war, but it was deemed by strategists as vital for the execution of the Pacific campaign and for ensuring success in the mission to retake the Philippines, some 600 miles to the west (2). Peleliu was hard-fought and bloody. Half of the men who landed in that first wave would become casualties—victims of artillery, mortar rounds, shrapnel, explod-
Searching For a Better Future: NAS Oceana becomes first Navy installation to partner with Project SEARCH By MC3 Mike Botts
NAS Oceana Public Affairs
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana kicked off Project SEARCH in September, becoming the Navy’s first installation to host the innovative program, which connects high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to internships and on-the-job training. Project SEARCH is a ten-month, school-to-work program where students who are military dependents or are military-connected engage in internships at various locations around the installation. They will Turn to SEARCH, Page 7
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ing coral fragments and cunning snipers. Corpsmen especially were prime targets for the latter. Within the first month of fighting, 59 of the 1st Marine Division’s Corpsmen were either killed in action or died from their wounds. For Marquez a sense of fear and helplessness welcomed him on D-Day. “The mortar and artillery that we were receiving was terrible. Later that day we received another
heavy shelling with many . . . wounded and a few killed in action.” Marquez helped to establish a battalion aid station where he would clean and dress wounds, administer plasma and evacuate casualties to the hospital ships offshore. Over the next three weeks he would serve on patrols along the north-south backbone of the island. Turn to Hispanic heritage, Page 7
USS South Dakota holds change of command By Submarine Readiness Squadron 22 Public Affairs GROTON, Connecticut — Cmdr. Craig Litty turned command of the Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS South Dakota (SSN 790) over to Cmdr. Adam Zaker in a traditional change of command ceremony held Monday, Sept. 27, at Naval Submarine Base New London. During his remarks, Litty thanked his family and friends, Navy mentors and crew, who he called “the best of the best.” “You are the heart and soul of the South Dakota,” he told the assembled crew. “You are experts and you are resilient and you are one family. … I will never forget the warrior spirit you’ve demonstrated over the last three years, and I will always cherish the
FNS Améthyste The French submarine FNS Améthyste (S605) visited Naval Station Norfolk, Sept. 16-19. PAGE A3
opportunity to have worked with such an amazing crew.” Litty took command of South Dakota in November of 2018 and led the crew through the ship’s commissioning three months later. Under his leadership, the submarine earned the Retention Excellence Award in 2019. “Congratulations to Cmdr. Litty on an exemplary command tour, during which he oversaw South Dakota during a crucial stretch of her formation as a fighting ship of the line. From the end of her pre-commissioning period through her introduction to the operational Navy, CDR Litty led with a steady hand,” said Capt. John Stafford, commanding officer of Submarine Squadron 4. “His success is e vident Turn to USS South Dakota, Page 7
Change of Command
Captain Chris Horgan assumed the duties of the Commanding Officer of Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. PAGE A6
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