Tomorrow, May 21, is Armed Forces Day.
The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950.
President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days.
The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.
In a speech announcing the formation of the day, President Truman “praised the work of the military services at home and across the seas” and said, “It is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace.”
On the third Armed Forces Day — May 17 1952 — the New York Times printed a tribute to the men and women in our military that is as true and pertinent today as it was 64 years ago:
This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.
While thanking all our military men and women in all of our military Services, this “military weekend” piece focuses on the U.S. Navy as that Service is making lots of news this week.
First, today, in the words of Rear Adm. (select) James Downey, “The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the most technically complex and advanced warship the world has ever seen.”
Downey is referring to the future next-generation guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) (below) that is scheduled to be homeported at Naval Base San Diego following its commissioning in fall 2016.
From various U.S. Navy reports:
DDG 1000 is the lead ship of a class of next-generation multimission surface combatants tailored for land attack and littoral dominance with capabilities to defeat current and projected threats. Zumwalt will triple naval surface fire coverage, add an improved sonar system to track deep and shallow water threats, as well as pace current anti-ship cruise missile threats. For today’s warfighter, DDG 1000 fills an immediate and critical naval warfare gap, meeting validated Marine Corps fire support requirements.
The multimission DDG 1000 is tailored for sustained operations in the littorals and land attack, and will provide independent forward presence and deterrence, support special operations forces, and operate as an integral part of joint and combined expeditionary forces. Its multimission design and littoral capabilities make it a 100 percent globally deployable asset to the fleet.
The 610-foot, wave-piercing tumblehome ship design provides a wide array of advancements. The shape of the superstructure and the arrangement of its antennas significantly reduce radar cross section, making the ship less visible to enemy radar at sea.
Zumwalt is the first U.S. Navy surface combatant to employ an innovative and highly survivable Integrated Power System (IPS) distributing 1000 volts of direct current across the ship. The IPS’ unique architectural capabilities include the ability to allocate all 78 megawatts of installed power to propulsion, ship’s service, and combat system loads from the same gas turbine prime movers based on operational requirements. Each ship in the class features a battery of two Advanced Gun Systems, capable of firing Long-Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAP) that reach up to 63 nautical miles, providing three-fold range improvement in naval surface fires coverage. Each ship is equipped with eighty Advanced Vertical Launch System cells for Tomahawk missiles, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Standard Missiles, and Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rockets (ASROC) (VLA).
The ship will employ active and passive sensors and a Multi-Function Radar (MFR) capable of conducting area air surveillance, including over-land, throughout the extremely difficult and cluttered sea-land interface.
Following delivery and a crew certification period at General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works, the ship will be commissioned in Baltimore Oct. 15. Zumwalt will then transit to her homeport in San Diego where Mission Systems Activation will continue in parallel with a Post Delivery Availability.
“Zumwalt’s crew has diligently trained for months in preparation of this day and they are ready and excited to take charge of this ship on behalf of the U.S. Navy,” said Capt. James Kirk, commanding officer of future Zumwalt. “These are 143 of our nation’s finest men and women who continue to honor Adm. Zumwalt’s namesake with their dedication to bringing this ship to life.”
Please view the video below on the USS Zumwalt.
Meanwhile our Sailors and their ships continue to serve our country on the (“seven”) seas, as shown below.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez travels in the Gulf of Aden, May 14, 2016. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Pasquale Sena
Navy Airman John Shaw holds a flag to signify a fire during a general quarters drill in the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman in the Arabian Gulf, May 11, 2016.Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mason M. Gillan
U.S. and Australian sailors prepare to fast-rope from an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter during Exercise Tricrab off the coast of Guam, May 10, 2016. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Doug Harvey
Members of the visit, board, search and seizure team conduct training with an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter attached to the Chargers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14 aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Emiline L. M. Senn/Released)
Navy divers head for the surface during an anti-terrorism force protection dive during exercise Eager Lion 2016 in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, May 14, 2016. The divers are explosive ordnance disposal technicians assigned to commander, Task Group 56.1. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Furey
Finally, in the air, the U.S. Navy is supporting in the search for EgyptAir flight MS804. In the photo below, a P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) Four taxis at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily in preparation to take off for the search. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tony D. Curtis)
Source for Armed Forces Day information: http://afd.defense.gov/
All photos: DoD
