Operationally Responsive Space Office

The Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS Office) is a joint initiative of several agencies within the United States Department of Defense (DoD). The "stand up" of the office took place 21 May 2007 at Kirtland Air Force Base. The first director of the ORS Office was Col. Kevin McLaughlin, who was also dual-hatted as commander of the Space Development and Test Wing located at Kirtland. The ORS Office focuses on providing quick-response tactical space-based capabilities to the warfighter utilizing smaller satellites, such as the Tactical Satellite Program and smaller launch vehicles.
Organizations that have been involved in ORS activities include the United States Space Force, United States Army, the United States Navy, DARPA, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Missile Defense Agency and NASA.
Leadership.
Col. John Anttonen took over as Director of the ORS Office in February 2013.
Previous directors.
Peter Wegner was director of ORS from May 2008.
History.
The Joint ORS Office is working with the broader space community to provide "assured space power focused on timely satisfaction of Joint Force Commanders' needs". The end state of the ORS concept is the ability to address emerging, persistent, and/or unanticipated needs through timely augmentation, reconstitution, and exploitation of space force enhancement, space control, and space support capabilities.
The ORS Office is implementing a rapid innovation process using a Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) to facilitate rapid assembly, integration, and test (AI&T), deployment, and operations of space assets into the current space architecture in operationally relevant timelines. The ORS Office focuses on material (spacecraft, launch, range payloads) and non-material solutions (business model, acquisition, policy, industrial base, training, command and control, tasking, exploitation, processing, and dissemination, concept of operations), and collaborates with national and international agencies to leverage existing investments and develop long-term relationships.
Mission.
The Joint ORS Office is taking a new approach to risk and mission assurance to rapidly deploy capabilities that are good enough to satisfy warfighter needs across the entire spectrum of operations, from peacetime through conflict.
Satellites.
Jumpstart.
On May 29, 2008 SpaceDev announced its Trailblazer spacecraft bus had been selected by the ORS Office as the primary payload to fly on its inaugural "Jumpstart" mission. The Jumpstart payload was carried by the third Falcon 1 flight, which launched from Kwajalein in August 2008 but failed to reach orbit.
ORS-1.
June 29, 2011 ORS-1 was launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island on a Minotaur rocket.
TacSat-3.
TacSat-3 is the first on-orbit Department of Defense intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability delivered to U.S. Strategic Command for their direct imagery support to worldwide combatant commanders. TacSat-3 complements the wide array of Intelligence Community Combat Support Agencies and other space-based ISR systems that provide information to the United States armed forces.
TacSat-4.
TacSat-4 was launched on September 27, 2011. The Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office and Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) provided the launch on a Minotaur-IV from Kodiak, Alaska.
ORS-4.
Launch on November 4, 2015 GMT (November 3, Hawaii Standard Time) of a SPARK, also called Super Strypi, rocket occurred using a new rail-guided system; this was the first launch from Hawaii. Spaceflight Now received a statement from the Air Force that "The ORS-4 mission on an experimental Super Strypi launch vehicle failed in mid-flight shortly after liftoff", which matched observations of viewers on the ground. 13 CubeSat spacecraft were on board; the primary payload was from the University of Hawaii, two were a part of a NASA's Launch Services Program ELaNa mission, and eight were the EDSN constellation from NASA's Ames Research Center.
ORS-5.
On 26 August 2017 the Operationally Responsive Space-5 (ORS-5) satellite was launched from Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. An Orbital ATK Minotaur IV rocket lifted SensorSat into low Earth orbit. A second Orion (rocket stage) was used to push SensorSat into equatorial orbit. Its mission is situational awareness, to scan the geosynchronous belt for any new geosynchronous satellites, as well as for space junk that may threaten existing geosynchronous satellites.


Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center

Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center is a regional office of the United States Federal Aviation Administration on the grounds of Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City. With around 7,500 direct federal employees, the Aeronautical Center is one of the Department of Transportation's largest facilities outside the Washington, DC area, and one of the 10 largest employers in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is named for Senator Mike Monroney of Oklahoma, who wrote and sponsored the Federal Aviation Act of 1958.
FAA Logistics Center.
The FAA Logistics Center is an organization that supports the National Airspace System of air traffic controllers and aviation safety inspectors. The Logistics Center provides consulting, engineering, repair, distribution, and technical support for air traffic control services in the United States and 44 different countries. Because some of the components are unique and not in current production, the center also provides technical solutions through a network of engineers using in-house manufacturing and repair facilities.
FAA Academy.
The FAA Academy is a principal training facility of the FAA. Air traffic controllers receive their training at the Academy. The FAA Academy received accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Different courses have different admissions criteria, with some being available to other government agencies, industry, and international civil aviation authorities.
Other FAA services.
The Aeronautical Center's Counsel advises the aviation public on matters regarding the registration of U.S. civil aircraft and the recordation of aircraft-related instruments. This office has responsibility for enforcing violations of FAR Sections 61.15 and 67.403 discovered through the FAA's DUI/DWI Program, including representing the Administrator before the NTSB in appeals of certificate actions. It provides legal advice and representation on procurement actions generated on behalf of FAA Headquarters, Regional and Center offices, including the FAA Logistics Center and FAA Academy, and represents the FAA in protests and contract disputes.
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).
The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) is the medical certification, education, research, and occupational medicine wing of the Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) and consists of:
Research Associateship Program.
The National Academy of Science offers Research Associateship Programs for fellowship and other grants for CAMI research. Eligibility requirements can vary for each research opportunity, and fellowships are available for Postdoctoral Associates.


USCGC John F. McCormick

USCGC "John McCormick" (WPC-1121) is the United States Coast Guard's 21st cutter, and the first to be stationed in Alaska, where homeported at Coast Guard Base Ketchikan.
The vessel's manufacturer, Bollinger Shipyards, of Lockport, Louisiana, delivered the ship to the Coast Guard on December 13, 2016, for her acceptance trials, and then "John McCormick" was commissioned on April 12, 2017 in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Mission.
The Sentinel-class cutters are lightly armed patrol vessels with a crew of approximately two dozen sailors, capable of traveling almost 3,000 nautical miles, on five day missions. The cutter is a multi-mission vessel intended to perform law enforcement, search and rescue, fisheries and environmental protection, and homeland security tasks. "Houma Today" quoted Ben Bordelon, Bollinger's CEO, that "John McCormick" will ""assist in defending our nation's interests in the Alaskan maritime region.""
Operational history.
On March 12, 2017, "John McCormick" stopped in Astoria, Oregon, on its way to its commissioning in Ketchikan. The Coast Guard invited Astoria residents to tour the vessel. The "Daily Astorian" reported that the Coast Guard was considering stationing two Sentinel-class cutters in either Astoria or Newport, Oregon.
The vessel arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska on March 17, 2017. The Ketchikan fireboat, and smaller coast guard vessels, escorted her to her moorings. She was commissioned on April 12, 2017. Five other Sentinel-class cutters will be based in Alaska, including the USCGC Bailey T. Barco in Ketchikan.
Charles Michel, the Coast Guard's Vice Commandant, attended the vessel's commissioning ceremony on April 12, 2017. He published an op-ed in the "Juneau Empire" celebrating the improvements the cutter offered over earlier models. He explained how important the cutter, the five sister ships that will join her patrolling Alaska's water, will be for the Alaskan economy.
On September 23, 2020, the "John F. McCormick" proceeded to Hoonah, Alaska, on a rescue mission. Her crew rescued the crew of a fishing vessel that was stranded on rocks there, and were able to tow the vessel back to port.
Namesake.
In 2010, Charles "Skip" W. Bowen, who was then the United States Coast Guard's most senior non-commissioned officer, proposed that all 58 cutters in the Sentinel class should be named after enlisted sailors in the Coast Guard, or one of its precursor services, who were recognized for their heroism. In 2014 the Coast Guard announced that John F. McCormick, a Coast Guard seaman who earned a Gold Lifesaving Medal for saving the life of fellow Coast Guard sailor, Richard O. Bracken, off Clatsop Spit, near the treacherous Columbia River bar, would be the namesake of the 21st cutter.
Accolades.
On Jan 11th, 2018, the Douglas Munro Chapter of the Surface Navy Association awarded the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick with the 2017 Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (small cutter) in conjunction with the 2018 Surface Navy Association National Symposium in Washington, D.C. The John McCormick was awarded top honors over more than 150 cutters in the “Small Cutter (175′ or less)” category. To merit this award, the cutter distinguished itself from other units through exceptional performance in categories including, but not limited to:
1. Operations and mission accomplishment
2. Cutter training and readiness
3. Engineering
4. Impact to the Fleet and examples of accomplishments for this cutter
5. Commitment to crew and families
As the first Fast Response Cutter (FRC) assigned to Coast Guard District 17, cutter John McCormick was recognized for setting high standards in crew readiness and training. This training ensured John McCormick’s safe and timely transit of more than 6,000 nautical miles from Key West, Florida, to its homeport in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the crew’s rapid response to engineering and damage control casualties along the way. The John McCormick was also recognized for being an immediate asset to D17 where the crew conducted 77 fisheries boardings, saving or assisting 10 lives and more than $1 million in property and developed close bonds with the community.
“It is truly an honor for the crew of the John McCormick to be recognized for this prestigious award, especially considering the accomplishments over this calendar year, which included transiting to Ketchikan from Key West, getting commissioned in April, and serving the great state of Alaska ever since,” said Lt. Mike Moyseowicz, commanding officer of the cutter John McCormick. “More than anything, this award is about the crew, all of whom sacrificed so many nights away from home in service to their country, and none of this would have been possible without their exceptional professionalism, teamwork, and dedication to serving others.”
The Cutter John McCormick is a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. It has a crew of 25.


United States Navy staff corps

In the United States Navy, commissioned officers are either line officers or staff corps officers. Staff corps officers are specialists in career fields that are professions unto themselves, such as physicians, lawyers, civil engineers, chaplains, and supply specialists. For example, a physician can advance to become the commanding officer (CO) of a hospital, the medical hospital on a hospital ship or large warship, or a medical school; or the Chief of the Medical Corps or of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. A supply officer can become the CO of a supply depot or a school, or the head of the Naval Supply Systems Command, etc.
The eight staff corps fall under different organizations throughout the Navy. The four medicine-related corps (Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, and Medical Service Corps) all fall under the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED). The Civil Engineer Corps and Supply Corps fall under two of the Navy's systems commands, respectively Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command and Naval Supply Systems Command. The Judge Advocate General's Corps and Chaplain Corps are directly under the Navy Secretariat.
Staff Corps officers wear their specialty insignia on the sleeve of the dress blue uniforms and on their shoulder boards, in place of the star worn by line officers. On winter blue and khaki working uniforms, the specialty insignia is a collar device worn on the left collar, while the rank device is worn on the right.
History.
Current corps.
The office of Purveyor of Public Supplies, which would eventually evolve into the modern Supply Corps, was the first staff corps established, in 1795. The insignia of an oak leaf and acorn was adopted in 1830 to signify members of all staff corps then in existence, which included doctors and pursers. The Medical Corps originally additionally used a rod of Asclepius, while the Pay Corps (renamed the Supply Corps in 1919) used a cornucopia.
The Medical Corps was formally founded in 1871, and after several design changes, in 1894 symbols resembling the modern insignia were adopted.
The Chaplain Corps was established and conferred relative rank in 1863. Chaplains had been appointed to the Navy since at least 1799. The staff corps insignia has evolved to include, as of 2019, four faith symbols: the Christian (Latin) cross, the Jewish Star of David and tablets, the Muslim crescent moon, and the Buddhist wheel of law.
The Civil Engineer Corps came into existence and was conferred relative rank in 1881, despite the fact that civil engineers had been employed by the Navy at least since 1827. The insignia of two crossed silver sprigs was adopted in 1905.
The Nurse Corps was established in 1908, and was granted relative rank in 1942. In 1948, female Naval officer uniforms were standardized using the current corps insignia.
The Dental Corps was established in 1912, and its current insignia was adopted the following year.
The Medical Service Corps was established in 1947; from 1941 until 1947, these officers had been part of the Hospital Corps, which previously had contained only warrant officers and enlisted men. Its current insignia was adopted the following year.
Although there had been a Judge Advocate General of the Navy since 1865, naval lawyers were line officers until they were split into their own staff corps, the Judge Advocate General's Corps, in 1967.
In 1918, the uniforms for all staff corps became identical to those of line officers, except for the distinguishing staff corps insignia. This was in response to complaints of inequality from staff corps officers. Prior to this, staff corps were distinguished by colored bands between the rank stripes, with a different color for each corps.
As of January 2015, the chiefs of five of the eight staff corps were women, including the Medical and Nurse Corps. The chiefs of the Civil Engineer, Chaplain, and Judge Advocate General's Corps were the first women to hold those posts.
Former corps.
The Engineer Corps was established in 1842, and they were conferred relative rank in 1859. From 1861 their insignia was four silver oak leaves in the form of a cross. The corps was disestablished in 1899 when its officers became line officers. The absorption of ship engineers into the line was the result of conflicts in the chain of command; as staff officers, engineers were not authorized to command ships, but when in battle the engineer was in charge of maneuvering the ship while under steam power, which occurred usually during battle. An exchange of open letters in 1878 voiced line officers' concerns that discipline was suffering because engineers were sometimes of higher rank than the ship's second-in-command executive officer. The assimilation of engineers as line officers was a compromise that clarified the chain of command and elevated the status of engineers. This move made the United States Navy unusual, as other modern navies such as the Royal Navy still have a separate engineering corps. Due to the increasing complexity of ships' engineering systems after World War II, commanding officers were themselves required to undergo basic engineering training.
The Corps of Professors of Mathematics was established in 1848, consisting of schoolmasters responsible for instructing midshipman at the Naval Academy, Naval Observatory, and aboard ships. Although they were civilians, discipline at the Naval Academy required that they be commissioned officers. Despite the name, their specialties were not limited to mathematics, but included astronomy, engineering, justice, and the teaching of foreign languages. They were conferred relative rank in 1863, and in 1866 their insignia was defined as a silver live oak leaf and an acorn. In 1916 it was provided that no further appointments would be made to the Corps of Professors of Mathematics, but that existing members would retain their appointment until all such members had died, resigned, or been dismissed. The corps' dissolution was the result of their own efforts in training line officers who would replace them, making civilian appointments as professors unnecessary.
The Naval Construction Corps was established and assigned relative rank in 1863, before which they were civilians. Their insignia was two silver leaves of live oak arranged vertically. In 1940, the corps was abolished and naval constructors became line officers.
List of current staff corps.
†An officer designator describes their general community or profession. The (fourth) digit (X) denotes whether the officer has a Regular (0), Reserve (5), or Full Time Support (7) commission.


Seal of the United States Space Force

The Seal of the United States Space Force is the official seal of the U.S. Space Force, the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The seal itself was approved on 15 January 2020.
Description.
The Space Force seal is on a dark blue disc, between two constellations in white, a light blue globe grid-lined in silver surmounted by a silver delta both encircled diagonally by a white orbit ring, all beneath a white Northern star in the upper left portion of the disc and above the Roman numerals "MMXIX" arching in white below. Encircling the disc is a dark blue designation band edged with an inner and outer border and between two deltas, the inscription "UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE" at top and "DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE" at bottom, all in white.
History.
The Seal of the United States Space Force was first approved on 15 January 2020, and was officially revealed on 24 January 2020. The seal quickly gained social media notoriety, as individuals compared it to the seal of Starfleet; however, the Space Force refuted the notion, stating that the central delta insignia was first used in 1942 by the United States Army Air Forces, and then adopted by the Air Force's early space program in 1961, years before "" debuted in 1966. A number of military commentators noted that it was likely that "Star Trek" derived its symbolism from Air Force Space Command, rather than the other way around.
Air Force Space Command shield.
The Air Force Space Command shield, which directly inspired the seal of the U.S. Space Force, was patterned off the Space Badge and was made official with the standup of Air Force Space Command on 1 September 1982. The centrally dominant globe represents the Earth as viewed from space, the Earth being both the origin and control point for all space satellites. The lines of latitude and longitude emphasize the global nature of Air Force space operations. The emblem is provided its distinctive appearance by two symmetric ellipses representing the orbital paths traced by satellites in Earth orbit; the satellites themselves being symbolically depicted as four point stars. The 30 degree orbital inclination and symmetrically opposed placement of the satellites signify the worldwide coverage provided by Air Force satellites in accomplishing the surveillance and communications missions. The slight tapering of the orbital ellipses represents the characteristic eastward motion. The centrally superimposed deltoid symbolizes both the Air Force upward thrust into space and the launch vehicles needed to place all satellites in orbit. The distinctive dark blue background shading, small globe, and stars symbolize the space environment.


USCGC Bluebell

USCGC "Bluebell" (WLI-313) is a United States Coast Guard inland buoy tender based out of Portland, Oregon.
History.
"Bluebell" was commissioned on April 4, 1945. From 1945 to 1973 "Bluebell" was stationed in Vancouver, Washington. "Bluebell" was moved to Swan Island in Portland, Oregon, in 1973, where she has remained since. "Bluebell" is classified as an inland buoy tender and is one of two 100-foot inland buoy tenders in service. The other, is the Coast Guard Cutter "Buckthorn" (WLI-642) homeported in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
"Bluebell" is the second oldest cutter in the Coast Guard fleet, and the oldest west of the Mississippi River. The ship is home to a crew of 15 led by a chief warrant officer, with a chief petty officer as the second in command.
Mission.
As a buoy tender, the crew's primary mission is to ensure the safety of mariners by establishing and maintaining essential navigation aids along established waterways. The crew is responsible for maintaining more than 420 aids to navigation (ATONs) along 500 miles across the Columbia, Willamette and Snake Rivers. Altogether, "Bluebell’s" crew is responsible for 23 percent of the ATONs in the Pacific Northwest.


Royal Air Force Marine Branch

The Marine Branch (1918-1986) was a branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF) which operated watercraft in support of RAF operations. Just days after the creation of the RAF itself, the Marine Craft Section (MCS) was created with the transfer of Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS) vessels and personnel to the new service. Originally tasked with the support of RNAS, and later RAF, seaplanes, Marine Craft Section was to achieve its greatest size during the Second World War, and achieved fame for its role in air-sea rescue operations. After the war MCS was granted full branch status on 11 December 1947, however post war the role of the new branch became greatly reduced with the end of the British Empire, the withdrawal of flying boats from service, and the increasing use of helicopters in air-sea rescue. The branch was disestablished on 8 January 1986.
History.
Formation.
In 1918 the RAF was established through the merging of the aviation arms of the Royal Navy, the Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS), and that of the Army, the Royal Flying Corps. During the First World War the RNAS had
structured its force to protect Britain from both surface sea and air attack. Against surface attack the RNAS had built up a force of seaplanes and in support of these had accumulated between 300 and 500 vessels of various kind including pinnaces, lighters, launches, motorboats, depot ships and other vessels. These were used as primarily as seaplane tenders. The term seaplane tender in British usage being used for small watercraft of launch to pinnace size used as tenders, what in United States usage would be called a seaplane tender the British would call a seaplane depot ship.
These craft were used to ferry crews, stores and supplies between shore and the aircraft, to maintain the buoys used to mark out "taxiways" and "runways" and to keep these clear of debris to prevent foreign object damage, and in the case of emergency to act as rescue craft and airport crash tenders. All those functions that on land would require wheeled ground support equipment had a need for a watercraft equivalent. Other vessels were equipped as high speed target tugs, pickets and for range safety. On the creation of the RAF, along with the seaplanes they served, these RNAS vessels and their crews would become the RAF's Marine Craft Section (MCS), However, the Navy was from the start opposed to and did its best to prevent the creation of the new service, of the vessels that were now theoretically part of the RAF some could not be found; others were carried aboard Royal Navy vessels that were not part of the RNAS transfer, and to which the RAF had no option but to accede to their transfer back to the Navy. The MCS officers tasked with carrying out an inventory of the new service's assets concluded that achieving the transfer of 323 vessels was possible. However, of those boats handed over, because of their war service, some 50℅ were unserviceable, with some in such a poor state of repair so as to be totally unseaworthy.
Interwar.
In the interwar period the MCS contracted to a force of 150 vessels, which in addition to supporting the operation of seaplanes were equipped for rescue operations, with a launch being at the ready whenever an aircraft was flying over water. However, the training and seamanship of the crews, especially with regards to navigation, and the fact that these boats were hard pressed to make , meant that the MCS at this time was only capable of inshore rescue operations. The MCS were subdivided into Marine Craft Units (MCU) with individual units assigned to an individual RAF Coastal Command seaplane base. In 1921 the RAF was officially granted its own ensign, to the dissatisfaction of the Navy, and henceforth MCS vessels would fly the Royal Air Force Ensign.
As the vessels it had inherited from the Navy began wear out the MCS began to have built for it launches capable of higher speeds and - in light of the larger crews of some aircraft - greater capacity. The arrival of high speed craft into the MCS was driven in part by T.E. Lawrence, better known as "Lawrence of Arabia", whilst an airman at RAF Mount Batten; Lawrence had previously witnessed the drowning of the crew of a seaplane when the seaplane tender sent to their rescue was too slow in arriving. Working with Hubert Scott-Paine, the designer of the record breaking Miss Britain III and Miss England boats and founder of the British Power Boat Company (BPBC), the long ST 200 Seaplane Tender Mk1 was introduced into service. These boats had a range of when cruising at , and could achieve a top speed of . As even faster boats became available many of the ST 200s were converted into fireboats.
The work of the BPBC would lead in the late 1930s to the RAF 100 class High Speed Launch (HSL), based on the elongated hull of a 64 ft Motor Torpedo Boat the RAF 100 was designed to have a maximum speed of 35 knots, and achieved over 39 knots during trials, making it one of the fastest boats of the time.
However, the internal arrangements of the RAF 100 was to prove vulnerable to combat damage, its high deck made the recovery of aircrew in the water difficult, and for wartime use it was underarmed. These shortcomings were rectified in the Type Two 63 ft HSL, nicknamed the "Whaleback" from its deck shape.
Second World War.
As Britain entered the Second World War the MCS found itself ill-prepared for war. During the Battle of Britain the MCS could only keep 10 of 13, HSL launches available for air-sea rescue operations at any one time, the high performance of the craft was brought at the expense of engines which had a service life of only 360 hours. The HSLs were also individually assigned to individual Coastal Command bases, primarily to support the operation of those squadrons based there; and although theoretically available for rescue operations in general this was done on an uncoordinated ad hoc basis. So that even with the help of civilian vessels and the Royal Navy, aircrew who baled out or ditched in the North Sea and English Channel had only a 20% chance of being returned to their squadrons. Between mid July 1940 and October Britain lost 215, hard to replace, pilots and aircrew to the seas.
In light of this, in 1941, an emergency meeting was convened by Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris. The Royal Navy offered to take over in its entirety the at sea rescue role, the RAF declined and subsequently created the Directorate of Air Sea Rescue on 6 February 1941, which adopted the motto "The sea shall not have them". Operationally it was to become known as Air Sea Rescue Services (ASRS), which later became the RAF Search and Rescue Force. The headquarters of the ASRS was co-located with that of Coastal Command with which it was to operate closely.
As more High Speed Launches became available these were formed into new dedicated Air Sea Rescue Units (ASRU). Together with the expansion of the ASRS component of the MCS, the ASRS worked to improve the survival of aircrews through the development and issue of better individual survival equipment-including one man inflatable dinghies for fighter pilots copied from the Germans; the training of aircrew in ditching drills to maximise their chances of surviving to be retrieved; the development and fielding of air droppable survival equipment; and better coordination and collaboration amongst the different services, branches and units in the locating and retrieval of downed airmen.
The air-sea rescue squadrons of the ASRS flew a variety of aircraft, usually hand me downs rejected or withdrawn from front line service by the RAF's other branches or as in the case of the Walrus begged from the Navy. They used Supermarine Spitfires and Boulton Paul Defiants to patrol for downed aircrew and Avro Ansons to drop supplies and dinghies. Supermarine Walrus and Supermarine Sea Otter amphibious craft were used to pick up aircrew from the water. Larger aircraft were used to drop airborne lifeboats. Although the Walrus and Sea Otters could pick up survivors in calm seas, further out to sea and in rougher waters, it was still not possible for aircraft to routinely pick up survivors, the large flying boats that could do so, such as the Catalinas and Short Sunderlands of Coastal Command, had many other jobs to do and were not always available. The role of aircraft in the ASRS therefore, was to locate downed airmen and to keep them alive, by dropping them survival equipment and stores, until an ASRS launch, or one from the Royal Navy's Naval Sea Rescue Services, arrived to pick them up. Generally MCS launches had responsibility for the Channel and North Sea, and Navy ones for the Western Approaches.
In addition to more and better "whalebacks", the ASRUs would acquire United States built powerboats under Lend-Lease, known as "Miamis" in RAF service, from the name of their builder. These boats were not used in home waters. In addition to High Speed Launches, the MCS would also acquire larger craft, such as the Fairmile D derived "115 Foot Long Range Rescue Craft" (LRRC), these traded outright top speed for much better seakeeping and range. The MCS craft also became much better armed, sporting multiple machine guns in powered turrets derived from those found in the RAF's multiengined bombers. By convention craft with weapons in front of the deckhouse are not considered rescue craft, and the MCS craft disposed its armament in the amidships, wing, and aft deck positions. This was achieved despite the ship yards and boat builders of Britain coming under the control of the Admiralty, and which ensured that the needs of the Navy were met first, for example the MCS's LRRCs, only being delivered once the naval need for motor torpedo boats was satisfied.
By the end of the Second World War, more than 8,000 aircrew and 5,000 civilians had been rescued, and the MCS had some 300 HSLs and over a thousand other vessels, located not just in the waters around the United Kingdom, but everywhere around the world. The largest fleet of such rescue craft in the world. This fleet and the RAF sailors that crewed it would contract as Britain entered peacetime, however it continued be found everywhere that the RAF flew over water. On 11 December 1947 the MCS was granted full branch status and on 25 June 1948 the largest of its vessels, of 68 feet or more were, granted the ship prefix His Majesty's Air Force Vessel (HMAFV).
Postwar and demise.
As the British withdrew from Empire, and aircraft reliability improved, the need for rescue craft to provide cover for the routes that the troop planes and supply transports flew waned, and with the withdrawal from service of flying boats a large part of the Branch's reason to exist disappeared.
In the early 1950s, helicopters had begun to replace fixed–wing aircraft and supplement the marine craft in the search and rescue role, with the introduction of the Westland Wessex and later the Westland Sea King, it was now possible to consider the replacement of marine craft in all sea and weather conditions. However, even into the 1970s helicopters had not completely replaced RAF marine craft, however by this time the Marine Branch craft were becoming increasingly elderly and service in the Branch increasingly unattractive. Physically isolated from the majority of RAF bases and personnel, with the withdrawal of the flying boats and the absorption of Coastal Command into Strike Command, the majority of RAF bases were now inland; the Marine Branch became largely forgotten and neglected by the rest of the Royal Air Force. The only interaction between the Marine Branch and the rest of the RAF was when the Branch had to draw supplies from another base, or when aircrew arrived at Mount Batten for safety and survival training. Associating the RAF with the conducting of flight operations, other members of the RAF, like the public at large, were often unaware that the RAF had its own marine craft or why they were needed, and when they did become aware of the fact, found it strange and surprising.
The last roles for the MCS craft were as guard ships and target tugs for the training of the maritime anti-shipping squadrons of the RAF, and its vessels were designated Rescue & Target Towing Launches (RTTL) to reflect this. In 1986 the Marine Branch was disbanded, the last of the RAF's vessels were retired and handed over to civilian contractors for the target towing role, in the rescue role they were replaced by helicopters, and by the RNLI where necessary.
Actions and engagements.
In addition to being available for rescue operations on at ready basis, the MCS was tasked with providing a rescue capability for specific operations, including clandestine ones.


USCGC Alexander Hamilton

USCGC "Alexander Hamilton" (WPG-34) was a . She was named after the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Sunk after an attack by a German U-boat in January 1942, the "Hamilton" was the U.S. Coast Guard's first loss of World War II.
Design.
The design of the "Alexander Hamilton" was based on the U.S. Navy's Erie-class of gunboats. This "Treasury"-class of U.S. Coast Guard cutters was sometimes referred to as the "Secretary"-class.
History.
The "Hamilton" was built at the New York Navy Yard for the U.S. Coast Guard. Her keel was laid on September 11, 1935 and she was launched on January 6, 1937. The U.S. Coast Guard had truncated her name to "Hamilton" that year, but resumed using the full name in January 1942 after a request by the U.S. Navy to avoid confusion with the destroyer USS "Hamilton".
Sinking.
On January 29, 1942, the "Hamilton" was torpedoed on the starboard side by the , which had been patrolling the Icelandic coast near Reykjavík. The explosion killed twenty men instantly and the total death toll was 26. After she capsized on January 30, salvage attempts were abandoned and the American destroyer USS "Ericsson" fired upon the wreck three times to send her to the bottom of the sea, from the coast.
Discovery of shipwreck.
On August 19, 2009, the Icelandic Coast Guard discovered a shipwreck believed to be the "Hamilton" in Faxaflói. After she was positively identified using the technology of a Gavia AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen flew to Iceland in August 2010 with an entourage to visit the wreck in a mini-submarine. His luxury yacht, the "Octopus", arrived separately at Reykjavík Harbor for the trip.
On June 26, 2011, a team of divers including Team Blue Immersions Jonas Samuelsson, Aron Arngrimsson and Valgeir Petursson left Reykjavik at 5am departing for "Alexander Hamilton" wreck. At 30 miles out and 95 meters down, the wreck lies upside down. This is the first dive team that ever dived this wreck.
The dive went without any problems and the conditions were better than expected. The sea at the surface was pretty rough and most (including Icelandic Coast Guard) warned not to take the boat out, saying the dive was impossible to conduct under current conditions . Visibility at the wreck was around 4 meters. Temperature was 7° C (44.6° F) at 90 meters, which was warmer than divers prepared for.
During the deep dive the divers set three Icelandic diving records: Deepest wreck dive in Iceland, deepest sea dive in Iceland, and deepest dive ever made in Iceland.
Attaching memorial plaque on Alexander Hamilton.
Team Blue Immersion, including divers Jonas Samuelsson, Aron Arngrimsson, Erik Brown, Chris Haslam in partnership with the diving company OceanReef returned to "Alexander Hamilton" in August 2013. On the assignment from the families related to the men that served on the cutter during World War II the Team dived down and attached a memorial plaque on the ship. The plaque listed all men that served and died during the attack by the German VII Submarine on the 29th of January 1942, just seven and a half weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
On August 10, just two days before the Team Blue Immersions reached the 1937 Cutter "Alexander Hamilton", a new US Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton was launched in the water for the first time. This ship is the sixth cutter named after "Alexander Hamilton".


Marechal Joffre (ship)

Note: Full name would have been SS "Marechal Joffre".


Assistant Secretary of the Air Force

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of four civilian officials in the United States Department of the Air Force. They report to and assist the United States Secretary of the Air Force and the United States Under Secretary of the Air Force.
According to U.S. law, there are four Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force "appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate." "The Assistant Secretaries shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe." The duties of three of the Assistant Secretaries are statutorily defined:
The duties of the fourth Assistant Secretary are not statutorily defined, but recently, the fourth Assistant Secretary has been designated:
The General Counsel of the Air Force is also considered to be equivalent in rank to an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.


Casco-class cutter

The "Casco" class was a large class of United States Coast Guard cutters in commission from the late 1940s through the late 1980s. They saw service as weather reporting ships in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans until the early 1970s, and some saw combat service during the Vietnam War.
Design.
Between 1941 and 1946, the United States Navy acquired 35 "Barnegat"-class small seaplane tenders, designated "AVP" in the Navys alphanumeric hull numbering system and designed to logistically and administratively support a squadron of flying boats operating from undeveloped areas and, with a substantial anti-air, antisurface, and antisubmarine capability, to escort larger seaplane tenders. Most of them served during World War II, although even during the war the Navy determined the number of "Barnegat"s to be surplus to requirements; as a result, one was completed as a catapult training ship for Navy floatplane pilots (retaining its "AVP" designation) and four were converted during construction into motor torpedo boat tenders, redesignated "AGP".
After World War II, the Navy had a surplus of seaplane tenders, and the Coast Guard was looking for ships to serve on ocean stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on weather-reporting duties, also performing law enforcement and search and rescue operations as required. The "Barnegat"s were reliable, long-ranged, and seaworthy, and had good habitability, and, suitably modified, were good candidates to meet the Coast Guards requirements; in the words of the Coast Guards assessment of the "Barnegat"s, "The workmanship on the vessel is generally quite superior to that observed on other vessels constructed during the war. The vessel has ample space for stores, living accommodations, ships, offices and recreational facilities. The main engine system is excellent. . . .The performance of the vessel in moderate to heavy seas is definitely superior to that of any other cutter. This vessel can be operated at higher speed without storm damage than other Coast Guard vessels."
Acquisition and modifications.
The Navy transferred three of the seaplane tenders outright to the Coast Guard in 1946; they entered service that year and in 1947. The Navy loaned twelve more seaplane tenders, the catapult training ship, and two of the motor torpedo boat tenders to the Coast Guard in 1948, and these entered Coast Guard service in 1948 and 1949; in 1966, the Navy transferred these ships outright to the Coast Guard as well. Of the ships the Coast Guard received, two had been built by the Boston Navy Yard at Boston, Massachusetts, and the rest in the state of Washington: three by Associated Shipbuilders, Inc., at Seattle, ten by Lake Washington Shipyard at Houghton, and three by the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton.
Once they were accepted into Coast Guard service, a number of changes were made to prepare the ships for ocean-station duty. A balloon shelter was added aft, a hydrographic winch and an oceanographic winch were installed, and spaces on board were devoted to oceanographic equipment.
Classification.
Under the alphanumeric hull classification system in use at the time, Coast Guard cutters transferred from the Navy retained their Navy classification, with a "W" added to the beginning of the classification to indicate their Coast Guard subordination. The former seaplane tenders and the former catapult training ship thus all received the classification "WAVP"; the two former motor torpedo boat tenders (AGPs), which reverted to their original "AVP" designation before transfer to the Coast Guard, also entered Coast Guard service as WAVPs. The only exception was , which initially was designated WAGC-18, but soon received a WAVP designation like the others.
In 1965, , uniquely among the "Casco"s, was reclassified as an "oceanographic" ship, WAGO-377.
In 1966 the Coast Guard reclassified all of the "Casco"s—including "Rockaway"—as high endurance cutters and changed their classification to "WHEC". The ships retained the same hull numbers they had had as WAVPs.
Some "Casco"s later underwent additional classification changes as their roles changed in their final years in service. was a training ship (WTR-379) from 1969 to 1975 before reverting to her WHEC classification, became a "meteorological cutter" (WAGW-387) in 1970, and "Rockaway" became an "offshore law enforcement vessel" (WOLE-377) in 1971.
Naming.
The class was named for , later WHEC-370, the unit with the lowest Coast Guard alphanumeric hull number. The three ships transferred outright to the Coast Guard in 1946 were given new names upon commissioning in the Coast Guard, being named after U.S. Secretaries of the Treasury. The 15 ships loaned to the Coast Guard in 1948 retained their original Navy names, and were named for islands, bays, and inlets, around the United States and the then-Territory of Alaska.
Operations.
The first three ships entered service in 1946 and 1947, with the rest following in 1948 and 1949. Apart from , which was out of commission for several years in the 1950s, all remained active without break until the late 1960s and early 1970s, and one, , after a brief period out of commission in the mid-1970s, remained in service until 1988. All saw service as weather-reporting ships on ocean station patrols until the late 1960s and early 1970s except "Dexter", which became the Coast Guards United States West Coast training ship after returning to commission in 1958.
The "Casco"s had a variety of fates. The Navy sank five as targets in 1968 and 1969, and five others were scrapped in the early 1970s. The last survivor in Coast Guard service, "Unimak", was scuttled to form an artificial reef.
Seven ships were transferred to South Vietnam in 1971 and 1972. When South Vietnam collapsed at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, six fled to the Philippines, where two were cannibalized for spare parts and the other four entered service in the Philippine Navy, operating until the mid-1980s. The seventh ship, the former , was captured by North Vietnam, appears to have remained active in the Vietnam People's Navy into the 1990s, and may remain afloat today as the last surviving "Barnegat"- or "Casco"-class ship.
Ships.
USCGC "Casco" (WAVP-370, WHEC-370).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1941 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-370 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1969. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target later that year.
USCGC "Mackinac" (WAVP-371, WHEC-371).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1942 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at New York City throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-371 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1967. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1968.
USCGC "Humboldt" (WAVP-372, WHEC-372).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1941 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1966 and at Portland, Maine from 1966 to 1969, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic throughout her career. Redesignated WHEC-372 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1970.
USCGC "Matagorda" (WAVP-373, WHEC-373).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1941 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1954, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic, and at Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1954 to 1967, performing ocean station patrols in the Pacific. Redesignated WHEC-373 in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1967. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1969.
USCGC "Absecon" (WAVP-374, WHEC-374).
 served as the U.S. Navy catapult training ship from 1943 to 1947. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-374 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1972 and transferred to South Vietnam, becoming the patrol vessel . Captured by North Vietnam upon the collapse of South Vietnam in 1975, she became the patrol vessel in the Vietnam People's Navy and may have remained an active unit until into the 1990s. Her current status is unclear, although she may remain afloat as the last surviving "Barnegat"- or "Casco"-class ship.
USCGC "Chincoteague" (WAVP-375, WHEC-375).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-375 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned in 1972 and transferred to South Vietnam, becoming the patrol vessel . Upon the collapse of South Vietnam in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she served as the frigate until 1985.
USCGC "Coos Bay" (WAVP-376, WHEC-376).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1949 and commissioned that year. She was stationed at Portland, Maine, throughout her Coast Guard career, performing ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-376 and permananelty transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was decommissioned later that year. The U.S. Navy sank her as a target in 1968.
USCGC "Rockaway" (WAVP-377, WAGO-377, WHEC-377, WOLE-377).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned in 1949. She was stationed at Staten Island in New York City throughout her Coast Guard career. Until 1965, her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated as an "oceanographic ship," WAGP-377, in 1965, she became more involved in oceanographic survey work. Redesignated WHEC-377 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she was again reclassified as a "offshore law-enforcement vessel," WOLE-377, in 1971. She was decommissioned in 1972 and sold for scrapping.
USCGC "Half Moon" (WAVP-378, WHEC-378).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was stationed at Staten Island and Governors Island in New York City throughout her Coast Guard career. Her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-378 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she served one combat tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam War in 1967 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1973.
USCGC "Unimak" (WAVP-379, WHEC-379, WTR-379, WHEC-379).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1943 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned in 1949. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1954; at Cape May, New Jersey, New Jersey, from 1954 to 1972; and at Yorktown, Virginia, from 1972 to 1975, her main duty being to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Redesignated WHEC-379 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, she reclassified as a training ship and redesignated again as WTR-379 in 1969. She was decommissioned in 1975. Recommissioned in 1977 and again designated WHEC-379, she was stationed at New Bedford, Massachusetts, for the remainder of her Coast Guard career, focusing primarily on fisheries patrols in the Atlantic and law enforcement operations in the Caribbean. She was decommissioned in 1988 and scuttled to form an artificial reef.
USCGC "Yakutat" (WAVP-380, WHEC-380).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1944 to 1946, She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. Stationed at Portland, Maine, in 1949 and at New Bedford, Massachusetts, from 1949 to 1971, her main duty was to serve on ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. She was redesignated WHEC-379 and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966, and served two combat tours in Vietnam during the Vietnam War with Coast Guard Squadron Three, from 1967 to 1968 and in 1970. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she served as . Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was cannibalized for spare parts.
USCGC "Barataria" (WAVP-381, WHEC-381).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was based at Portland, Maine, from 1949 to 1968, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. In 1966 she was reclassified as a high endurance cutter, redesignated WHEC-381, and transferred outright to the Coast Guard. She served one combat tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1968 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was based at San Francisco, California, from 1968 to 1969, where she carried out for law-enforcement and search-and-rescue duties in the Pacific. She was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrapping in 1970.
USCGC "Bering Strait" (WAVP-382, WHEC-382).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard and in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She served on ocean station patrols in the Pacific Ocean throughout her Coast Guard career, based at Seattle, Washington from 1948 to 1954 and at Honolulu, Hawaii from 1954 to 1971. She was redesignated WHEC-382 and transferred permanently to the Coast Guard in 1966, and served two combat tours in Vietnam during the Vietnam War with Coast Guard Squadron Three, from 1967 to 1968 and in 1970. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she served as . Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until 1985 as .
USCGC "Castle Rock" (WAVP-383, WHEC-383).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and commissioned the same year. She was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1948 to 1967 and at Portland, Maine, from 1967 to 1971, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in North Atlantic, and spent one combat tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam War with Coast Guard Squadron Three in 1971. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1971 and served as . Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until 1985 as .
USCGC "Cook Inlet" (WAVP-384, WHEC-384).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1944 to 1946. She was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1948 and was commissioned in 1949. Based at Portland, Maine, throughout her Coast Guard career, she was primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic and spent one combat tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam War with Coast Guard Squadron Three in 1971. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1971 and served as . Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was cannibalized for spare parts.
USCGC "Dexter" (WAGC-18, WAVP-385, WHEC-385).
 served as the U.S. Navy seaplane tender from 1941 to 1946. She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned the same year as USCGC "Dexter" (WAGC-18), soon changed to WAVP-385. Based at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1952. she primarily was responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. Out of commission from 1952 to 1958, she then was based at Alameda, California, from 1958 to 1969, serving as the Coast Guards United States West Coast training ship. She was redesignated WHEC-385 in 1966. She was decommissioned in 1968, and the U.S. Navy sank her as a target later that year.
USCGC "McCulloch" (WAVP-386, WHEC-386).
 served as the U.S. Navy motor torpedo boat tender from 1944 to 1946, She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned as "McCulloch" (WAVP-386) the same year. She was based at Boston, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1966 and at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1966 to 1972, primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic. In 1966 she was redesignated WHEC-386. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1972, and served as . Upon the collapse of the South Vietnamese government at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and served in the Philippine Navy until either 1985 or 1990 as .
USCGC "Gresham" (WAVP-387, WHEC-387, WAGW-387).
 served as the U.S. Navy motor torpedo boat tender from 1944 to 1946. She was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946 and commissioned in 1947 as "Gresham" (WAVP-387). Based at Alameda, California, from 1947 to 1970, she was primarily responsible for ocean station patrols in the Pacific Ocean, and was redesignated WHEC-387 in 1966. She served one combat tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1968 as a part of Coast Guard Squadron Three. She was based at Norfolk, Virginia, from 1970 to 1973, responsible for ocean station patrols in the North Atlantic, and was reclassified as a meteorological cutter and redesignated WAGW-387 in 1970. She was decommissioned and sold for scrapping in 1973.


Stevens Model 77E

The Stevens Model 77E was a pump-action shotgun offered in 12 gauge, 16 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, and 410 gauge. The military version 77E was the most widely used shotgun of the Vietnam War. It was a short-barreled pump-action shotgun known variously as the "trench" or "riot" shotgun in 12 gauge. The Military Model 77E had a noticeably shorter stocks than similar United States military shotguns built by Ithaca Gun Company, Remington Arms, and Winchester Repeating Arms Company. These short stocks were intended to accommodate South Vietnamese soldiers, and the Military Model 77E was the first United States combat shotgun equipped with a rubber recoil pad. Military Model 77E shotguns were Parkerized with sling swivels and wooden stocks. Receivers were marked "U.S." and "p" proofmarks appeared on both barrels and receivers.
A few prototypes were fitted with bayonet adapters, but none are known to have been issued. A few Stevens Model 69R shotguns also saw service during the Vietnam War. The Model 77E gave satisfactory service, but proved less durable than the Ithaca Model 37. Breakage at the point of attachment of the buttstock to the receiver was the most common complaint.
Though the Model 77E is most widely known for its Vietnam era military version the longer barrel civilian versions were, and still are very popular shotguns.
Please note:The information box to the right is relevant for the Military model 77E.


2nd Dental Battalion

2nd Dental Battalion (2nd Den Bn) is unit of the United States Navy that supports United States Marine Corps forces. The battalion includes ten dental clinics and annexes spread throughout North Carolina. The unit is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group and the II Marine Expeditionary Force. The current commander is Captain Nadjmeh "Nadji" Hariri.
Mission.
Dental force health protection of Marines and Sailors of II MEF, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Bases East and tenant commands.
History.
Activated 1 October 1979 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as 2d Dental Battalion,
2d Force Service Support Group, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
Elements participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia,
August 1990-April 1991
Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic redesignated 31 July 1992 as U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic
Detachments participated in support of Operation Uphold Democracy, Haiti,
September 1994-March 1995
Redesignated during January 1996 as 2d Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center,
2d Force Service Support Group, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic predestinated 30 December 2005
as U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command
Elements participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, 2003-2008
The 2nd Dental Battalion runs dental clinics and annexes on MCB Camp Lejeune, including French Creek, Mainside, as well as satellite facilities such as Camp Johnson and Camp Geiger. The battalion also provides dental services at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Marine Corps Air Station New River.


Bob Ursel

Robert (Bob) "Bobby" Ursel (born February 12, 1965) is a Canadian curler and curling coach. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ursel curls out of Kelowna, British Columbia.
Curling career.
In 1984, Ursel skipped his native Manitoba to a Canadian Junior Curling Championship. The following year, he skipped the Canadian Junior Team to a World Junior Curling Championship title.
It would be 15 years out of junior that Ursel would finally make it to the Brier. He played third for Bert Gretzinger's 1999 British Columbia team. They finished 5-6. In 2002 Ursel moved to play third for Pat Ryan where he made the 2003 Nokia Brier. At the 2003 Brier, the team lost in the semi-final to Nova Scotia (skipped by Mark Dacey).
After the 2003 Brier, Ursel left the Ryan team to form his own team. He played in his third Brier in 2008 where he lost in the 3-4 game to Ontario's Glenn Howard.
Ursel sat out most of the 2010-11 season with a knee injury. His team continued to be referred to as "Team Ursel" on the World Curling Tour, but he was replaced by Ken Maskiewich at the third position while regular fourth Jim Cotter took over the reins as skip.
He is the coach of Japanese men's team, who won gold at the 2018 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.
Personal life.
Ursel's father, Jim, won the 1977 Brier as skip of the Quebec team. Ursel is currently married, and has four children. He is employed as a police officer.


United States Navy Health Care

The United States Navy Health Care organization consists of more than 4,300 physicians, 1,200 dentists, 3,900 nurses, and 2,600 administrative, research and clinical specialists. These sailors work on all Navy ships, within Medical Treatment Facilities, and serve on the front lines with Marine Corps Units while providing health care to servicemembers located on bases worldwide. Sailors within Navy Health Care work behind the scenes, as well as on the front lines, to provide physical and mental health care to fellow servicemembers. The men and women in Navy Health Care also provide rapid humanitarian assistance services for people in countries affected by catastrophe or conflict. In addition to providing care to Navy servicemembers and their families, the Navy Health Care Team also supports the Marine Corps, Coast Guard and their dependent populations.
Navy service areas.
The Navy Medical Department consists of four Officer Corps: the Navy Medical Corps, which is made up of physicians; the Navy Nurse Corps; the Navy Dental Corps; and the Navy Medical Service Corps, which consists of 22 communities including Environmental Health, Clinical Psychology and Health Care Administration. Sailors serving within the Enlisted medical community are Navy Hospital Corpsmen, a Corps that has more Medal of Honor winners than any other Navy Enlisted specialty.
Navy land support.
There are four major medical centers located within the United States that are operated by the Navy. East Coast commands include the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, located in Virginia, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, located in North Carolina, and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, formally known as the National Naval Medical Center and colloquially referred to as the Bethesda Naval Hospital, located in Bethesda, Maryland, which is the primary health care provider for the President and his family. On the West Coast, there is the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Along with these medical centers, there are hospitals and clinics located on all Navy bases across the globe.
Navy sea support.
In addition to the medical centers and clinics on bases, there are Sailors in the medical sea support system serving on all deployed Navy ships. The U.S. Navy also operates two Hospital Ships, the USNS "Mercy" and the USNS "Comfort". These floating full-service hospitals are stationed on the east and west coasts of the United States, respectively, and are deployed to provide emergency care to U.S. combat forces as well as to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
Navy scholarship and financial aid programs.
The United States Navy offers scholarship opportunities to prospective Sailors interested in a career in health care in exchange for service as commissioned Officers in the Navy. These programs and opportunities include:


List of Chasseurs Alpins

Notable persons that have served in the Chasseurs Alpins.


Organization of the United States Coast Guard

This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.
The headquarters of the Coast Guard is located at 2703 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE in Washington, D.C.. The Coast Guard relocated to the grounds of the former St. Elizabeths Hospital in 2013.
Flag officers.
Admiral.
The commandant of the Coast Guard is the Coast Guard's most senior officer, who, by law, holds the rank of admiral. The commandant is selected for a four-year term, which may be renewed for additional four-year periods. The current incumbent is Admiral Karl L. Schultz, who replaced Admiral Paul F. Zukunft on June 1, 2018.
The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard is Admiral Charles W. Ray, who replaced Admiral Charles D. Michel on May 24, 2018.
Vice admiral.
The commander of the Atlantic Area is Vice Admiral Steven D. Poulin.
The deputy commandant for mission support is Vice Admiral Michael F. McAllister.
The commander of the Pacific Area is Vice Admiral Linda L. Fagan.
The deputy commandant for operations is Vice Admiral Scott A. Buschman.
Rear admiral and rear admiral (lower half).
There are approximately 48 rear admirals in the Coast Guard who are either in the rank of rear admiral or rear admiral (lower half). Positions held by rear admirals include the commanders of each of the nine Coast Guard Districts, the nine assistant commandants, and the deputies to each of the vice admirals. They are also located at Coast Guard Headquarters, Department of Defense commands, and other Coast Guard commands.
The superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy is Rear Admiral William G. Kelly.
The Coast Guard also utilizes members of the civilian Senior Executive Service (SES) to serve as executives within the organization. There are approximately 18 SES officials in the Coast Guard as of Fiscal Year 2017.
Commodore (title).
The rank of commodore is no longer used in the Coast Guard. The equivalent rank used today is rear admiral (lower half). The chief elected officers of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are referred to as commodores, signifying their senior elected office, rather than a military rank.
The title of commodore is occasionally granted to senior officers (typically of pay grade O-6, which is a captain) who are placed in command of a group or squadron of cutters. It is not a flag rank, but rather a title used to signify command of multiple units afloat.
Senior officers.
Captain.
Coast Guard captains, like their Navy counterparts, rank immediately below rear admiral (lower half). Coast Guard captains command most large operational units—sectors, large cutters, large air stations, integrated support commands, training centers and large headquarters units. Captains also direct most headquarters, area and district staff elements. Most captains have served in the Coast Guard for 21 to 30 years.
By maritime tradition, the commanding officer of a ship is also called "captain", regardless of actual rank held. Thus, a young junior officer commanding a patrol boat is properly called "captain" even if his or her actual rank is lieutenant, or lieutenant (junior grade). This tradition has also carried over to many shore units. Occasionally, terms like "old man" and "skipper" are also used, though not usually in the presence of the "captain". However, in current usage, the person in charge of a Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary small boat is the "coxswain" (pronounced cok-sun).
Commander.
Coast Guard commanders (Pay grade O-5) may head departments in large operational units or staff positions, or they may be the commanding officer of a medium-sized unit. The term "commander" is also associated with specific commanding officer positions, such as sector commander (usually a captain) or district commander (usually a rear admiral).
Junior officers.
The other commissioned officer ranks are (from most senior to least senior)
Chief warrant officers.
The Coast Guard has three active ranks of chief warrant officers. Chief warrant officers are warranted officers and are promoted from senior enlisted ranks. The ranks of warrant officer (WO1) not used in the Coast Guard. Although authorized in 1994, the Coast Guard does not currently use or have any active CWO5 grade. The three ranks in use are (from most senior to least senior):
An example of a position held by a chief warrant officer is commanding officer of a small cutter, such as USCGC "Abbie Burgess".
A chief warrant officer is not addressed as "chief"; that title that is normally reserved for the enlisted rank of chief petty officer (E-7). The proper way to address a chief warrant officer is to refer to their title (CWO, CWO3) or to address them as "Mr." or "Ms."
Due to the small and decentralized nature of the service, Coast Guard Warrant Officers often fill command roles. Warrant Officers may serve as officers-in-charge of Coast Guard Stations, or as Command warrant officers.
Chief petty officers.
As in the Navy, Coast Guardsmen in the rates of Chief Petty Officer (E-7), Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), and Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9), are collectively called "chiefs," and serve as the service's senior non-commissioned officers. The Coast Guard is often found short of leaders therefore. Chiefs often can fill roles that would normally be filled by commissioned officers in other branches. Chiefs can serve as officers-in-charge of Coast Guard Stations, command or serve as engineering petty officers on smaller cutters, and act as department heads on larger cutters.
Jason M. Vanderhaden is the current Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) and is the senior enlisted person of the Coast Guard and serves as an advisor to the Commandant. Like the Commandant, the MCPOCG serves a four-year term.
Regional responsibilities - Areas, Districts, and Sectors.
Since most Coast Guard operations are domestic, the service has always been organized along regional lines. The Coast Guard's shore establishment divides the continental United States and its territories into two area commands--Coast Guard Atlantic Area and Coast Guard Pacific Area--each commanded by a vice admiral. The area commands are divided into districts, each commanded by a rear admiral and responsible for a portion of the nation's coastline and/or inland waterways. Each district is further divided into sectors. Sectors are the primary organizational unit for many of the duties the public most closely identifies with the Coast Guard, such coordinating search and rescue missions and conducting law enforcement operations.
Operational units report to various levels in this organizational structure. For example, small boat stations report to Sector Commanders while air stations report to District Commanders; both sectors and air stations are typically commanded by a captain.
Cutters are not organized into standing fleets as in most naval forces. Instead, individual cutters report to shore establishment commanders at various levels. Generally speaking, the larger the cutter, the higher up the chain the cutter reports. For example, USCGC William Trump (WPC-1111), a Sentinel-class cutter based in Key West, Florida, reports to Coast Guard Sector Key West, while USCGC Thetis (WMEC-910), a larger Famous-class cutter also based in Key West, reports to the Atlantic Area Commander.
Additionally, there are three major operational commands located outside the United States:
Coast Guard Sectors.
Within each District, large operational shore-side units known as Sectors are responsible for mission execution within their area of responsibility. Sectors were formed when "groups" were merged with what were formerly known as Marine Safety Offices. Coast Guard small boat stations are called Stations and report to Sectors. Each Sector Commander reports to the appropriate District Commander.
Coast Guard Air Stations.
Coast Guard Air Stations provide aviation support for other Coast Guard activities. Unlike small boat stations, air stations are not subordinate to Sector commanders. Instead the commanding officer of a Coast Guard Air Station reports to the appropriate District Commander.
Staff elements.
On July 23, 2007, the Coast Guard instituted a consolidated acquisition directorate, which handles major systems and future equipment acquisitions. It is the second-largest staff element at Coast Guard headquarters. Rear Admiral Michael J. Johnston, Assistant Commandant for Acquisition, leads the directorate. The directorate’s programs include all platforms and mission systems designed to modernize and recapitalize the Coast Guard’s fleet of cutters, boats, aircraft, and information technology assets. Under the new organization, these programs are consolidated from the legacy Coast Guard acquisitions directorate and the Integrated Deepwater System Program. The new directorate also brings together the office of procurement management; the office of research, development and technical management; the Research and Development Center; and the head of contracting.
Other.
The Curatorial Services Office (CG-92) is located in Forestville, Maryland which includes the U.S. Coast Guard Exhibit Center.


Donald M. Morrison

Donald McGregor Morrison (December 4, 1906 – March 9, 1989) was a Vice Admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as the 8th Vice Commandant from 1962 to 1964.


Camp Tarawa

Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on the big island of Hawaii constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Marines were sent straight from the bloody Battle of Tarawa to the campsite, which they had to build themselves. It was well known for its harsh and dusty conditions by Marines who trained there. After the 2d Marine Division left for Saipan, the 5th Marine Division moved into the base and trained for the Battle of Iwo Jima. The base was closed for good in November 1945.
The base was chosen by Marine commanders because the colder climate was beneficial to Marines still suffering with malaria symptoms from the Guadalcanal Campaign, the nearby Parker Ranges were excellent training areas, the leadership knew that the Marines' next fight would be in mountainous terrain and the relative isolation of the camp gave the Marines time to adjust to the people of Hawaii after their brutal fight at Tarawa.
A small memorial can be viewed by the side of the Māmalahoa Highway at coordinates .
It was located on the grounds of Parker Ranch, just outside the town of Waimea.
In the 1950s a new training center was located inland and became the Pohakuloa Training Area.


Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler

The "Henry J. Kaiser" class is an American class of eighteen fleet replenishment oilers which began construction in August 1984. The class comprises fifteen oilers which are operated by Military Sealift Command to provide underway replenishment of fuel to United States Navy combat ships and jet fuel for aircraft aboard aircraft carriers at sea. One ship, operated by the United States from 1987 to 1996, was sold to Chile in 2009 and commissioned into the Chilean Navy in 2010; and two ships were scrapped in 2011 while still incomplete.
Twelve of the "Kaiser"s are not double-hulled like most modern tankers; the class will be replaced under the TAO(X) project which will build 20 double-hulled ships, starting with and .
Technical overview.
There are stations on both sides of each ship for underway replenishment of fuel and stores. The ships in this class have a small capacity to carry and transfer fresh and frozen foods as well as other materials, and have two dry cargo transfer rigs.
, , and differ from the other 15 ships in having double hulls to meet the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Hull separation is at the sides and on the bottom; this resulted in a 12% reduction in cargo capacity.
Construction program.
The circumstances of the construction program were convoluted and it is worthwhile to spell them out here. The original contract, for T-AO 187, was awarded to Avondale Industries, (Avondale), on November 12, 1982: this contract included options for T-AOs 188, 189 and 190, which were exercised on January 20, 1983, (T-AO 188) and November 22, 1983, (T-AOs 189 and 190). A second-source contract, for T-AOs 191 and 192, was awarded to Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company, (Penn Ship), on May 6, 1985. This contract included options for T-AOs 194 and 196, which were never exercised: after Penn Ship began to have cash flow problems, the Navy transferred these options from Penn Ship's contract to Avondale's contract and exercised them on June 16, 1988. Additional options on Avondale's contract were executed on June 28, 1985, for T-AO 193, on February 27, 1986, for T-AO 195; on February 12, 1987, for T-AO 197; on June 20, 1988, for T-AO 198; on October 6, 1988, for T-AOs 200, 202 and 204; and on March 24, 1989, for T-AOs 199, 201 and 203.
The Navy's contract with Penn Ship for T-AOs 191 and 192 was terminated before the ships were complete and a new contract was executed with Tampa Shipyards, Inc., of Tampa FL, a division of the American Ship Building Company. (Note that this company should not be confused with Tampa Shipbuilding Company, (TASCO), which was a totally different entity, at a different location, long gone by 1989.) Disputes over corrective construction and materials costs between the U.S. Navy and Tampa Shipyards resulted in termination of this contract in 1993, when T-AO 191 was said to be 95% complete and T-AO 192 84% complete. The Navy then determined that the ships were no longer needed as oilers, and undertook a study of the feasibility of converting them to ammunition ships. This study concluded that such a conversion was cost-prohibitive and the ships were placed in long-term storage in an incomplete condition. They were sold for recycling in 2011.
Naming.
The class is named for its lead unit, , which in turn is named for the American industrialist and shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser (1882–1967). The first nine ships were named for American shipbuilders, inventors, naval architects, and aeronautical engineers who played important roles in the history of the U.S. Navy. The tenth through eighteenth ships were named after American rivers, which is a more traditional naming convention for U.S. Navy oilers.
Operations.
In U.S. Navy service, the ships serve in a non-commissioned status in the Military Sealift Command, with primarily civilian crews. After joining the fleet, the 16 completed ships all saw active service between 1986 and 1996, when became the first unit of the class to be laid up. Since then, some of the others have also spent periods out of service in reserve or in a limited operational status.
Foreign transfer.
"Andrew J. Higgins" never re-entered U.S. service after being laid up in 1996. She was sold to Chile in 2009 and was commissioned into the Chilean Navy in 2010 as "Almirante Montt".


2nd Maintenance Battalion

The 2nd Maintenance Battalion is a battalion of the United States Marine Corps that provides intermediate-level maintenance for the II Marine Expeditionary Force's tactical ordnance, engineer, motor transport, communications electronics and general support ground equipment. They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
Mission.
To provide direct and general support, intermediate (2d through 4th echelon)
maintenance support for Marine Corps furnished tactical ordnance, engineer, motor,
communications-electronics and general support equipment of II MEF. To provide
reparable support to include stock, store and fiscal accounting for normal accounting for
normal and low-density reparables.
History.
Battalion Commanding Officers
Battalion Sergeants Major
The 2nd Maintenance Battalion (2nd Maint Bn) previously fell under the command of Combat Logistics Regiment 25 (CLR-25), as a subordinate unit of 2d MLG. In 2020, CLR-25 was dissolved, and 2nd Maint Bn now falls directly under 2d MLG.


List of S.H.I.E.L.D. members

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a Marvel Comics fictional advanced counterterrorism and intelligence agency charged with investigating and neutralizing paranormal and superhuman threats for global security. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in "Strange Tales" #135 (August 1965) and appeared throughout the publisher's entire comic book line. The agency and its traditional executive director, Nick Fury, have also starred in their own series and miniseries sporadically since that time, most notably during a late-1960s run by writer-artist Jim Steranko.
Three official continuity versions of S.H.I.E.L.D. are listed here: the traditional version in mainstream Marvel Universe continuity, followed by the alternate reality version published under the Ultimate Marvel imprint, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe version. Amalgam Comics, a joint venture between Marvel and DC Comics, have their own version of S.H.I.E.L.D. that combines characters from both publishers.
Marvel Universe S.H.I.E.L.D.
Notable Agents (Post-Civil War).
After the Civil War, all super-heroes that fought on the Pro-registration side of the conflict are now agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pre-modern agents.
As revealed in the 2010 series "S.H.I.E.L.D.":
Marvel Cinematic Universe S.H.I.E.L.D..
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded by Howard Stark and Strategic Scientific Reserve Agent Peggy Carter. However, as revealed in "", S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by Hydra since its formation. When Hydra emerges in 2014, S.H.I.E.L.D. is labeled as a terrorist organization while most of its non-Hydra members leave S.H.I.E.L.D. to work the private sector or go off the grid. In the second season of the television series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", after Nick Fury charges him with rebuilding the organization, Phil Coulson manages to win back the American government's trust as S.H.I.E.L.D. now works behind the scenes. S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently defunct after the destruction of The Playground, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s HQ and the mysterious disappearance of Former Director Philip J Coulson.


National Defense Reserve Fleet

The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.
The NDRF is managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD). It is a different entity from the United States Navy reserve fleets, which consist largely of warships.
NDRF vessels are at the fleet sites at James River, Virginia (James River Reserve Fleet); Beaumont, Texas (Beaumont Reserve Fleet); and Suisun Bay, California (Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet); and at designated outported berths. Former anchorage sites included Stony Point, New York (Hudson River Reserve Fleet); Wilmington, North Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; Astoria, Oregon; and Olympia, Washington.
Through the 2010s, the oldest, most decrepit hulls at Suisun Bay were stripped of toxic materials, then broken up in Texas, California, or Asia. Twenty of the most polluting mothball ships were slated for recycling by 2012, and another 32 by 2017.
At its peak in 1950, the NDRF had 2,277 ships in lay-up. In 2003, it had 274. In July 2007, it held 230 ships, primarily dry cargo ships with some tankers, military auxiliaries, and other types. As of January 2020, the number of ships was down to 89.
History.
The NDRF was established under Section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 to serve as a reserve of ships for national defense and national emergencies.
NDRF vessels were used in seven wars and crises. During the Korean War, 540 vessels were broken out to move military forces. During a worldwide tonnage shortfall in 1951–53, more than 600 ships were reactivated to carry coal to Northern Europe and grain to India. From 1955 through 1964, another 600 ships were used to store grain for the Department of Agriculture. Another 223 cargo ships and 29 tankers were activated during a tonnage shortfall after the Suez Canal was closed in 1956. During the Berlin Crisis of 1961, 18 vessels were activated and remained in service until 1970. Another 172 vessels were activated for the Vietnam War.
Ready Reserve Force.
In 1976, a Ready Reserve Force component was established as a subset of the NDRF to provide rapid deployment of military equipment and later became known as the Ready Reserve Force, which numbers 72 vessels. These are crewed with a reduced crew but kept available for activation within four, five, ten or twenty days.
An additional 28 ships are held under United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) custody for other Government agencies on a cost-reimbursable basis.
Operations.
Vessels with military utility or logistic value are held in retention status and are in a preservation program that is designed to keep them in the same condition as when they enter the fleet. The internal spaces are dehumidified to slow the corrosion of metal and the growth of mold and mildew. DC power is distributed through anodes to the exterior underwater portions of the hull, creating an electric field that suppresses corrosion and preserves the surface of the hull. External painting and other cosmetic work are generally deferred since they do not affect the ability to activate and operate the vessel.
MARAD is authorized as the government's disposal agent through the NDRF program for merchant type vessels equal to or greater than 1,500 gross tons. A state agency can file an application to request title to a vessel "as-is where-is" from the NDRF for the purpose of creating an artificial reef. A total of 51 vessels have been transferred to 10 states under the program including: Texas (12), Florida (10), North Carolina (7), Virginia (6), Alabama (5), Mississippi (5), Georgia (2), South Carolina (2), California (1), and New Jersey (1). Of the 132 non-retention vessels in the NDRF, there are 117 that are being prepared for disposal.
The NDRF program can give and lend historic artifacts to maritime-heritage organizations and transfer entire ships to memorial associations through special legislation.
 Inactive naval ships of merchant design, including amphibious ships but not ships maintained in a mobilization status by MARAD for Military Sealift Command (MSC), may be laid up in the NDRF when overcrowded berthing conditions exist at a Navy Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. Battleships, cruisers, and aircraft carriers which have been stricken or those awaiting final disposition may be transferred to MARAD locations for berthing.
Initially, these ships will be transferred to MARAD for caretaking in accordance with the Economy Act of 1932.
Ships transferred to the NDRF may be retained in Navy Mobilization Plans and maintained by MARAD under priorities set by the Department of the Navy. If the Navy decides it no longer needs the ship, the Secretary of the Navy strikes the ship from the Naval Vessel Register and transfers the title to MARAD. When possible, MARAD gets first disposition rights, which allows it to convert merchant ships to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) or to sell the ship for scrapping in connection with the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, Sec. 508, and use the proceeds to buy more supply ships.
Fleet reduction.
The Suisun Bay location contained 324 ships in 1959. Forty years later, the number was down by about 250, but pollutants had begun to accumulate in the area. Paint containing toxins such as lead, copper, zinc and barium had been flaking off many of the ships' hulls and superstructures. By June 2007, some 21 tons of toxic paint debris was estimated to have been shed from the ships, to settle in the bay sediment. A further 65 tons of paint was estimated to be in danger of flaking off.
David Matsuda, acting administrator of MARAD, said in March 2010 "We are moving expeditiously to remove the worst-polluting ships first and diligently moving to clean the rest." Some 52 ships were identified as problematic, and were scheduled for removal and recycling by September 2017. The process began in October 2009; as of October 2012, 36 ships had been removed and the disposal effort was ahead of schedule. One such vessel, the SS "Winthrop", the last Victory ship of the California mothball fleet, was towed in March 2010 to BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair dock to be cleaned of barnacles and plant matter before its final journey to ship breakers in Brownsville, Texas. The hull cleaning was prescribed by the U.S. Coast Guard to prevent the spread of California species to other locations. Some of the recycling work may be completed in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard—an application for such work is under permit review. Some $38 million in federal funds will be used to complete the dismantling project.


Bruce E. Melnick

Bruce Edward Melnick (born December 5, 1949) is a retired American astronaut and United States Coast Guard officer. Following retirement from NASA and the Coast Guard, he entered the aerospace industry. He served as a Vice President with the Boeing Co.'s Integrated Defense Systems group, in charge of Boeing's Florida operations at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Melnick retired in 2008 and currently resides on Merritt Island, Florida.
Early life and education.
Melnick was born December 5, 1949, in New York City, New York, but considers Clearwater, Florida, to be his hometown. He graduated from Clearwater High School, Clearwater, Florida, in 1967. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology for a year, and then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1972, and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Systems from the University of West Florida in 1975. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the University of West Florida on 28 April 2001.
Coast Guard career.
Melnick spent 20 years in the United States Coast Guard, rising to the rank of Commander. His assignments included serving as operations officer and chief test pilot at the Coast Guard Aircraft Program Office in Grand Prairie, Texas. In that capacity, he conducted most of the developmental and all of the acceptance test flights for the HH-65 Dolphin helicopter, including sea trials, and wrote the HH-65 flight manual.
During his Coast Guard service, Melnick received numerous awards, including two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and the Secretary of Transportation Heroism Award.
In 1992, he received the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Distinguished Alumni Award. He logged over 5,000 hours flying time, predominantly in the HH-3F Pelican, HH-52 Sea Guard, HH-65 Dolphin, and T-38 Talon aircraft.
Commander Melnick retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and left NASA in July 1992.
NASA career.
Melnick was selected by NASA in 1987 and became an astronaut in August 1988 with the missions STS-41 and STS-49. He was the first Coast Guard aviator to participate in the space program, and was the first Coast Guard aviator into space.
Commander Melnick retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and left NASA in July 1992.
Aerospace-industry career.
Currently, Bruce Melnick is the Vice President for Boeing Florida Operations at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Melnick's organization, a part of the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems group, provides a variety of support services to Boeing programs in the state. Headquartered in Titusville, Florida, the organization has approximately 2,400 employees. Services provided by Boeing in Florida include engineering, facilities and maintenance support to NASA and the Department of Defense for the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Delta rocket programs. Melnick is also responsible for the pursuit of new business for the company in Florida.
Melnick was formerly the Boeing Company Vice President at KSC for the Payload Ground Operations Contract with NASA, with 1,600 employees. The contract included all the engineering and facilities support and maintenance activities related to preparing spacecraft and/or payloads for the Space Shuttle missions prior to launch and after landing. The division also provided support to NASA and its contractors for the International Space Station hardware.
Prior to joining Boeing (McDonnell Douglas at the time), Melnick was Vice President/Director for Shuttle Engineering at United Space Alliance, formerly Lockheed Martin Space Operations, from 1994 to 1996. From 1992 to 1994, he was Director of Process Improvement Technology at Lockheed Space Operations Company.
Affiliations.
Memberships:
Board of Directors:
Board of Governors:
Brevard Community College Foundation
Board of Advisors:


Terasca

Terasca, or Terrier-ASROC-Cajun, was an American three-stage sounding rocket developed and launched by the United States Navy. Derived from a combination of the Terrier, ASROC and Cajun rockets, three launches were attempted during 1959, but only one was successful.
Design and development.
The Terrier-ASROC-Cajun ("Terasca") rocket was developed during early 1959 by the Naval Ordnance Test Station, located at China Lake, California, to fill a U.S. Navy requirement for a three-stage sounding rocket, intended to launch experimental payloads for conducting high-altitude research. The rocket utilised a combination of existing missiles in its construction; the first stage was a Terrier surface-to-air missile; an ASROC anti-submarine rocket made up the second stage, while a Cajun sounding rocket was utilised as a third stage.
The Terrier first stage produced thrust, while the ASROC second stage provided , and the third-stage Cajun motor had a thrust rated at . The theoretical apogee for Terasca was ; it could carry a scientific payload of up to .
Operational history.
Three launch attempts of the Terasca missile were made from the launch facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base during 1959, utilising the Western Launch and Test Range. The first launch attempt took place on May 1; this launch was a failure. A second launch attempt on June 26, however, was successful, with the rocket reaching an apogee of . A third launch, attempted on August 12, however, was also a failure; following the third launch, the Terasca program came to a close.


Larry L. Hereth

Rear Admiral Larry L. Hereth was the Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District of the United States Coast Guard. He has also acted as director of port security and Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection. He retired in 2007, after 34 years of service.
Rear Admiral Hereth is a 1973 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy. He also earned an MBA in 1992 from Florida Institute of Technology. In his 32 years of service, he has seen a broad-based career with an emphasis on field operations. His wide-ranging assignments have taken him throughout the United States with multiple tours at east, gulf and west coast ports. The Fifth Coast Guard District was his fourth command assignment. In 2005 he served as the Principal Federal Official for Hurricane Rita Recovery operations reporting directly to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff.
He has received numerous personal awards throughout his career, including the Department of Transportation Secretary's Gold Medal Award, the Legion of Merit, the 9-11 Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with the Operational Distinguishing Device.
After retiring from the Coast Guard, Hereth settled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana where he became a certified financial planner. He was elected to the board of directors of the Military Officers Association of America in 2012, serving on the board's print and digital media committee.


USCGC Gallatin

USCGC "Gallatin" has been the name of more than one ship of the United States Coast Guard: