Last Port of Call for the U.S. Merchant Marine?
Part II in a two-part series, continued from the January 2017 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News. Read Part I here. If reliance on the foreign commercial market is risky because of uncertain reliability, then what of U.S. Government ownership of a fleet of vessels? That has also been on the menu since the early 20th century. President Woodrow Wilson proposed in September 1914 that the U.S. Government acquire commercial cargo vessels. Congress disagreed, which delayed enactment of the President’s proposal until the Shipping Act, 1916. A compromise was struck to permit U.S. Government ownership as a war time measure – but all vessels so acquired had to be sold to private owners within five years of the end of the war.
WNY Victims Honored at Memorial Service
Family, friends and co-workers of the 12 people killed in the Sept. 16, 2013 shooting at the Washington Navy Yard (WNY) gathered for a memorial ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington. The memorial honored the service and sacrifice those killed in the incident:
Michael Arnold, 59, of Lorton, Va. Martin Bodrog, 54, of Annandale, Va. Arthur Daniels, 51, of Southeast, Washington, D.C. Sylvia Frasier, 53 Waldorf, Md. Kathy Gaarde, 62, of Woodbridge, Va. John Roger Johnson, 73, of Derwood, Md. Mary Francis Knight, 51, of Reston, Va. Frank Kohler, 50, of Tall Timbers, Md.
Hospital Ship Comfort Deploys to Haiti
Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Jan. 16 beginning a five to seven day transit to Haiti, where more than 800 military and civilian aid workers aboard the ship will provide relief in response to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation Jan. 12. President Barrack Obama activated the ship, which houses one of the largest trauma facilities in the U.S., due to its capability to provide a full spectrum of surgical and medical services. "The Navy is capable with this vessel, with the large decks, with the men and women we have and with the aircraft to do a couple of things," said U.S. Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam G. Robinson.
Mabus Sworn in as New Navy Secretary
Ray Mabus, former Mississippi governor and U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was sworn in today as the 75th Secretary of the Navy. Leading the Navy and Marine Corps, Secretary Mabus will be responsible for an annual budget in excess of $150 billion and almost 900,000 people. The Secretary of the Navy is responsible for conducting all the affairs of the Department of the Navy, including recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, and mobilizing. Additionally, he oversees the construction, outfitting, and repair of naval ships, equipment and facilities, and is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs that are consistent with the national security policies and objectives established by the president and the secretary of defense.
