Mobile Council
Mobile Council
The Navy League Council of Mobile held our annual meeting last week. We awarded the Hugh Casteix Award to MST1 Frances Caselton as outstanding enlisted person of the year for the Mobile area.
We also presented the Admiral William Stewart scholarship to Cadet Ashlynn Simmons of Robertsdale High School NJROTC.
[July 2, 2020] Today, the Mobile Area Chamber and its Military Affairs Committee presented five awards during the broadcast of its 33rd annual Military Appreciation event, and recognized 14 Junior ROTC cadets from area high schools. “As so many of you know, the Mobile area boasts a high concentration of veterans and veterans are an integral part of business in Mobile,” said Bill Sisson, the Chamber’s president and CEO.
On Oct. 14, the Navy League scholarship application period is opening for the 2020-2021 school year. These scholarships are available to children and grandchildren of veterans or active-duty sea service men and women, as well as members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps.
We also have a new $10,000 scholarship, the Gloria and J. Michael McGrath Scholarship. The purpose of this award is to honor Gloria and J. Michael McGrath and to provide financial assistance to children and grandchildren of sea service personnel who properly enroll in an accredited institution of higher education.
Please note that to qualify, applicants must be high school seniors who will attend college in fall 2020. For more details about the scholarships and to find the application, please visit the scholarship page of the Navy League website after this date.
If you have any questions, please email scholarship@navyleague.org.
We held out annual Fish Fry and Awards Dinner at the Mobile Yacht Club on June 11. We had several members of the crew of the USS CINCINNATI (LSC 20) at our dinner. Naval Sea Cadet Price was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Award for outstanding Sea Cadet. Navy JROTC Cadet Potts was awarded the RADM Stewart scholarship.
Austal hosted the keel laying ceremony for the USS SAVANNAH (LCS 28) on September 20, 2019. Mrs. Dianne Isakson is the ship’s sponsor.
We try to host a BBQ for each departing ship. The USS CINCINNATI is scheduled to depart at the end of September and we plan on serving a dinner on the ship on September 27. If you want to attend let us know. It is a great chance to see the ship and meet the crew.
The USS CINCINNATI will be commissioned in Gulfport, MS on October 5. If you are interested in attending, let me know and I can try to get you tickets.
Our annual Navy Day dinner will be on October 10, 2019 at the Mobile Country Club. Lynne Price will be getting out the invitations in the next few weeks. Our speaker will be CDR Michael Meno, Commanding Officer of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One in Gulfport, MS.
We have the annual Mobile Veteran’s Day luncheon on November 11 at Fort Whiting. We have reserved two tables for Navy League Members. Let Lynne know if you want to attend.
Our Annual Meeting will be held on December 3, 2019 at the Battleship Alabama Aircraft Pavilion. Details will be coming soon on that event.
On Friday, December 13, 2019, Davidson High School NJROTC will be hosting a reception to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NJROTC at Davidson High School. The reception will be at 1:30 PM at the Lewis Copeland Auditorium on the campus at Davidson. Please RSVP to CAPT Tom Daniel (Retired) at tdaniel@mcpss.com.
The USS MOBILE (LCS 26) is currently under construction at Austal in Mobile. It looks like they will have the christening sometime in late November/Early December. We will keep everyone up to date on that event. The commissioning will be in Mobile sometime spring/summer of 2021.
The Alabama State Port Authority will be hosting another Navy vessel for 2020 Mardi Gras. The ship will arrive on Friday, February 21, 2020 and remain until Wednesday, February 26, 2020. There may be some opportunities for a ride up the bay on the ship. If you are interested in riding the ship, please contact Bill Haffner at (251) 421-2033. There will be daily public tours of the vessel while at the State Port Authority.
The Mobile Council of the Navy League will hold our Annual Mardi Gras party on Friday, February 21, 2020 at the Chamber of Commerce on Government Street in Mobile. We will post information on making reservations for this event on our webpage.
If you have Navy League news you would like to share, please email us at tdgilb@gmail.com or lpricenavyleague@gmail.com
We will continue to move toward the use of our website for getting information out to our members regarding upcoming events and paying dues. We will also be working toward allowing members to RSVP for events and pay for the event using a credit card online. We hope to eliminate our use of paper mail outs and to exclusively electronic notifications in the near future.
Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS (DDG 95) AND USCG CUTTER MANOWAR ARRIVE MARCH 1
Mobile, Ala. –February 25, 2019. The Navy League of Mobile, the Alabama State Port Authority and GulfQuest Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico will host this year’s Mardi Gras Ships, the USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS (DDG 95) and the USCG CUTTER MANOWAR. The USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS will berth at the Alabama State Port Authority’s Pier 2 Terminal located on Water Street, downtown, Mobile, Ala. The USCG CUTTER MANOWAR will berth at GulfQuest located on South Water Street, downtown Mobile, Ala.
The Navy ship, whose motto is “Lead from the Front”, should begin transiting the Mobile Ship Channel shortly after daybreak the morning of March 1, 2019, with an anticipated arrival at Pier 2 sometime around 11:00 am. CST. Members of the media are invited to cover the Navy ship’s welcoming festivities and should arrive early to photograph/record vessel approach to the dock. The U.S. Navy will host a press forum with the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer and the Command Chief immediately following the welcoming ceremony. Crew hailing from the region will also be available on the forecastle deck of the ship.
The USS JAMES E WILLIAMS (DDG 95) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was named for First Class Petty Officer James Elliott Williams (1930–1999), a River Patrol Boat commander and Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War who is considered the most decorated enlisted man in Navy history. Commissioned on December 11, 2004, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems built the USS JAMES E WILLIAMS at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship’s leadership includes Commander Joseph E. Fals, as her Commanding Officer, Commander Christopher Norris, as her Executive Officer, and Command Master Chief, Vernon Al Milligan, as her Command Master Chief. Learn more at https://www.public.navy.mil/surflant/ddg95/Pages/default.aspx
The USCGC MANOWAR is a Marine Protector class of coastal patrol boats of the United States Coast Guard. The 87-foot-long vessels are based on the Stan 2600 design by Damen Group, and built by Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. Each boat is named after a marine predator. This vessel class, which can reach speeds of 26 knots, carry a mission to combat drug smuggling, illegal immigration, marine fisheries enforcement and search and rescue support. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, many have a homeland security mission in the form of ports, waterways and coastal security (PWCS) patrols. The Commanding Officer of the MANOWAR is LTJG Julia Mundy. The motto of the U.S. Coast Guard is Semper Paratus, meaning “Always Ready.”
USS JAMES E WILLIAMS (DDG 95) Welcome Ceremony and Public Tours Info
Welcome Ceremony: 11:00 am, CST, Friday, March 1, 2019. Alabama State Port Authority, Pier 2. Gates open at 9:30 am (CST).
Public Tours: March 2-5, 2019 between the hours of 8:00 am – 11:00 am and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (CST) Pier 2 Terminal, downtown Mobile, Ala.
The gate entrance is located on the north side of the Mobile Convention Center on Water Street, Downtown Mobile, Ala.
USCGC MANOWAR Public Tours Info
March 2-3, 2019 between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm (CST) at the GulfQuest Maritime Museum, 155 S Water Street, in downtown Mobile, Ala.
CONTACTS:
Judith Adams, Alabama State Port Authority: jadams@asdd.com
CDR Brian Campbell, United States Navy
+1 251-441-7003 / +1 251-751-3497 +1 251-776-4000
bacnavy94@gmail.com
Happy New Year to all of our Mobile Council Navy League Members.
We have hosted a couple of events over the last few months that were exciting. We had our Annual Holiday Meeting on December 4, 2018 at the Battleship Memorial Park.
We served a BBQ dinner for the crew of the USNS BURLINGTON (EPF 10) prior to their departure from Austal
We try to host a BBQ for each departing ship. If you have not participated in this ship visit, let us know. You get a very nice tour of the ship and get a chance to speak with the crew of these Austal ships prior to departure.
On December 14, 2018, we witnessed the keel authentication for the USS MOBILE (LCS 26). Mrs. Rebecca Byrne authenticated the first plate cut for the USS MOBILE. She is the Ship’s sponsor for this ship.
Mardi Gras Events
The Alabama State Port Authority will host the USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS (DDG 95) on Friday, March 1, 2019. The ship will remain through Mardi Gras weekend and will depart on March 6, 2019. There may be some opportunities for a ride up the bay on the ship. If you are interested in riding the ship, please contact Bill Haffner at (251) 421-2033. There will be daily public tours of the vessel while at the State Port Authority. Contact Brian Campbell at (251) 776-4000 if you are interested in touring the ship.
The Mobile Council of the Navy League will hold our Annual Mardi Gras party on Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Chamber of Commerce on Government Street in Mobile. This is our biggest annual event and will include sailors from the USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS, USNS PUERTO RICO and USS CHARLESTON. We will post information on making reservations for this event on our webpage.
Save The Date
Mobile Chamber of Commerce – Military Appreciation Luncheon will be held at the Battleship ALABAMA on April 3, 2019. More information coming soon!
Annual Fish Fry and Recognition Dinner – June 11, 2019 at the Mobile Yacht Club. More information to be coming soon.
If you have Navy League news you would like to share, please email us at tdgilb@gmail.com or lpricenavyleague@gmail.com
We will continue to move toward the use of our website for getting information out to our members regarding upcoming events and paying dues. We will also be working toward allowing members to RSVP for events and pay for the event using a credit card online. We hope to eliminate our use of paper mail outs and to exclusively electronic notifications in the near future.
Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
On February 5, 2019, members of the Mobile Council of the Navy League hosted a BBQ dinner for the crew onboard the USS CHARLESTON (LCS 18). We had a great visit with the crew and a tour of the ship.
Dinner was served by the Navy League onboard the USNS BURLINGTON (EPF-10) on Friday, December 14th. We had a very nice tour of the ship and good time speaking with the crew of the ship.
The Navy’s newest littoral combat ship, the future USS TULSA (LCS 16), departed from Mobile, Alabama, October 5. USS TULSA is the 13th littoral combat ship to be delivered to the U.S. Navy. She will head to homeport in San Diego, before making her way to San Francisco for the commissioning in early 2019.
Mobile Council of the Navy League welcomed the Captain of the future USS TULSA (LCS 16) and his senior leadership team to Mobile.
We enjoyed hosting JROTC STEM Academy for a tour of the shipyard and Maritime Training Center this week. Austal is proud to partner with the JROTC STEM Leadership Academy (maritime focus) to support local high school cadets.
We had our annual Fish Fry and awards dinner last night at the Mobile Yacht Club. We gave out awards to our top Sea Cadets and our annual RADM Stewart scholarship award. We also celebrated Mr. Denniston’s 98th birthday with a cake cutting. The Commanding Officer from the USS TULSA spoke about his crew and their time in Mobile. Congratulations to the winners.