TRIDENT TRIBUTE

Fiscal Year 2020 Volume 8 - June

Inside USS Florida Returns to Kings Bay

Captain’s Quarterly Safety Award

Hurricane Season Begins Captain’s Corner Capt. Edward J. Robledo Commanding Officer The month of May has come and gone, and The initial work towards the DDRP, Phase A, starts this month summer will soon be here. with setting up the laydown area and approximately 100 contrac- As usual, TRF-KB has continued to support tors on site. Phase B, the construction phase, starts in July 2021 the Strategic Mission with excellent service and will last for about 15-months. while maintaining a vigilant fight against the As summer approaches, the 101 days of the summer safety COVID-19 pandemic. period will run through Labor Day. Personnel will spend time While the states of Georgia and Florida have lifted at home quaran- swimming, boating, operating recreational vehicles, grilling and tine restrictions and groups start to resume old routines, we all need participating in activities near fireworks. to continue to follow CDC guidance with social distancing to ensure Unfortunately, history shows these and other summer activities we don’t have a rise in COVID cases. create three high-risk months for our Team. After the stress Great accomplishments by our TEAM last month! The undocking of everyone has endured during the continued concern of the USS ALASKA after 203 days in Dry Dock and getting closer every day COVID pandemic, everyone deserves some time to have fun … I to the completion of her Extended Refit Period (ERP). just ask that everyone be careful and wear proper personal pro- Outstanding emergent work on USS MARYLAND during a very tective equipment and hydrate with plenty of water. short voyage repair period while maintaining the boat in a COVID As Rear Adm. Bernacchi prepares to depart as the Commander free condition. Excellent support for USS GEORGIA as she prepares for of Submarine Group Ten, he is continuously in awe of the meticu- deployment and the successful dry docking of USS WEST VIRGINIA. lous work, dedication and commitment by the TRF-KB Team and Finally, a small team from TRF-KB is at Norfolk Naval Shipyard he’s confident in our Team’s ability to sustain and maintain the supporting the completion of USS WYOMING’s Engineering Refueling OHIO-class SSBNs until the COLUMBIA-class SSBNs arrive in 2028. Overhaul by replacing the boat’s battery. “Fair Winds and Following Seas” to Rear Adm. Bernacchi as we Unfortunately, the tempo is not going to slow down as we have wish him continued success at his next command! four more dry dockings until the Dry Dock is secured for the Dry Dock Recapitalization Project (DDRP). TRF-KB TEAM - FIRST LINE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE! June Safety Message Let the FUN in the SUN Begin Summer Safety Remember these safety tips: As summer fast approaches, let’s make sure we’re ready 1. Never leave a child unattended in or near water. and thinking about how to keep ourselves and loved ones 2. Learn how to swim and teach your children. safe. As you prepare for summer fun and travel, please 3. Teach children to stay away from drains and other pool structures that may remember to follow the CDC’s and local guidance for cause entrapment. COVID-19. Most areas still recommend social distancing, 4. Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers. groups no larger than 10, and some businesses require 5. Never hyperventilate or play breath-holding games. the wearing of face coverings while inside. 6. Learn CPR for adults and children. 7. Always keep sight of children, child drowning is a silent Pool Safety tragedy, you will not hear warning signs of drowning. Every day there are about 10 unintentional drowning 8. Never swim alone, and avoid alcohol use while swimming. deaths and two of the 10 are likely to be 14-years or younger. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury/death in that age group after motor vehicle accidents. It’s possible to drown in water as shallow as one-inch. Children can even drown in buck- ets, bathtubs and toilets. However, drowning can even affect adults in excellent shape. Many factors influence drowning risk: swimming ability, swimming alone, lack of appropriate barriers, lack of qualified supervision, failure to use a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), and alcohol use. Continued on page 2

1 CMC’s Message CMDCM(SS) Amanuel McMillan Command Master Chief At times, doesn’t it feel like Groundhog Day? Espe- with that like Respiratory Protection cially with the Boats? Do you feel like you’re being Assistant (RPA) School, Satellite asked the same questions every few months? Accumulation Area (SAA) School, and a PDS qualification card. If so, then I need your help! These are all great things because it makes the pro- With your valuable input, I’d like to put together a gram safe and tight, but how many of you knew all the “catalog” for our homeported and visiting units to processes required to get it done? use as a quick-reference guide. The COB also admitted that he didn’t know that it was It would provide a needed service and contain an annual requirement to maintain access for the PDS. shop information like services, points of contact, phone numbers, and common procedures/process- This is just one example of the items I’d like to include es. in the catalog.

A Chief of the Boat (COB) recently asked about the Please forward me your ideas, “Lessons Learned” and/ Paint Distribution System (PDS) hours of operation. or “Frequently Asked Questions” and we’ll get those He also said that he was running into problems reviewed, drafted and put into a catalog and quick-ref- with qualifications and getting supplies. erence guide that will benefit everyone!

To be honest, I didn’t realize how much effort went into getting paint and the procedures associated Thank you, and Hooyah America!

Beach Safety 6. Understand the advisement flags on the beach, and NEVER assume that A weekend beach trip is a common excursion for people the ocean is completely safe. living on the coast. Unfortunately, many people are in- jured or killed on our nation’s beaches each year during recreational activities. Commonly known hazards include Boating Safety drowning, being caught in a rip current or strong surf, According to the U.S. Coast Guard, every year over 300 hazardous marine life, or other hazards on the beach. lives are lost, thousands are injured, and millions of dollars of property damage occurs as the result of pre- Follow these safety guidelines to enjoy your ventable recreational boating accidents. Seventy percent summer trips to the beach: of boating accidents are attributed to human error and 1. The second most common cause of fatal lightning strikes occur on the inexperience; know the rules and responsibilities before beach— keep a watchful eye on the sky in all directions, on the east coast you boat. most storms come from the west. 2. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and The following safety tips may help you sand and water can reflect harmful rays. Know the day’s UV Index and wear a make safe decisions while boating: hat and sunscreen. 1. Wear your PFD— The USCG estimates that 80% of boating fatality victims 3. Avoid swimming at the beach when harmful algae blooms (Red Tide) are could have been saved simply by wearing a life jacket. present; these micro-organisms may cause harmful health effects, especially 2. Check your equipment and know your limits. on the very young, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. 3. Never mix alcohol and boating— it’s dangerous and boating under the 4. Understand how rip currents and other hazardous currents form and know influence is against the law. how to escape them. Avoid swimming near jetties and other structures that 4. Have a float plan so people know where to look in the event of an accident. extend into the surf zone. 5. Report boating accidents IAW Federal Law. 5. If lifeguards are on duty, always swim in sight and heed warnings from 6. Download the USCG mobile app to report hazards, pollution, suspicious lifeguard staff. activity, and emergencies.

2 USS Florida Returns After Extended Deployment By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ashley Berumen, Commander, Submarine Group 10 Public Affairs KINGS BAY, Ga. - The Ohio-class guided-missile subma- like this for this amount of time, especially without a real rine USS Florida (SSGN 728) returned to its homeport of home base,” said Capt. Brian Tothero, Florida (Blue) com- Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, May 9, after manding officer, from Reamstown, Pennsylvania. “So, operating forward deployed for more than two years after being sort of homeless for the past 30 months, it’s supporting the U.S. Africa, Central and European Com- nice to be back in Kings Bay.” batant Commands. While forward deployed, the ship sailed more than For over 800 days, Florida provided unprecedented 98,000 nautical miles, which is the equivalent to nearly strike and special operation mission capabilities, bring- four times around the world, and pinned 202 new sub- ing mission flexibility and unparalleled stealth to the mariners with their submarine warfare, or “Dolphins.” fighting force. Missile Technician 1st Class Eckle Penley, Florida (Blue), “For the past 30 months, USS Florida has been forward from Charlotte, N.C., said he is happy to be home. deployed, providing our combatant commanders with “It’s difficult being away and not having contact with not only one of the most versatile and clandestine plat- my family,” said Penley. “I can’t wait to spend time with forms the United States Navy has to offer, but also one my son and daughter.” capable of delivering an absolutely devastating punch SSGNs are equipped with superior communications at our timing and tempo,” said Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, capabilities and have the ability to carry up to 154 Tom- Commander, Naval Submarine Forces. ahawk land-attack cruise missiles. The platform can also Florida is one of just four guided-missile submarines be configured to host up to 66 Special Operation Forces. in the U.S. Navy’s fleet and comprises half of the guid- Rear Adm. Mike Bernacchi, Commander, Submarine ed-missile submarine force in Kings Bay, home to all Group Ten, said everyone who had part in keeping the East Coast Ohio-class submarines to include five ballis- ship forward deployed for so long exemplifies the true tic-missile and two guided-missile submarines. dedication of Team Kings Bay. It was commissioned in June 1983 as a ballistic-missile “For over 800 days you have stood the watch, that’s submarine (SSBN), and completed more than 50 patrols a true testimony to resiliency, hard work, perseverance before its conversion to a guided-missile submarine. and toughness,” said Bernacchi. “You, the crew, the fam- The boat’s conversion began in 2003 and the subma- ily, the support staff, and, of course, the ship, remind us rine re-entered service with new and unprecedented of why we are proud to be a part of the submarine force strike and special operation mission capabilities in May and proud to be a part of Team Kings Bay.” 2006. As an Ohio-class submarine, Florida has two crews; “Most submarines don’t operate forward deployed Continued on page 7

KINGS BAY, Ga. – USS Florida (SSGN 728) returned to Kings Bay May 9 after operating forward deployed for more than two years. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron Saldana) 3 June Marks Start of Hurricane Season

June 1 marked the official start of the 2020 Atlantic page for information and regular updates. hurricane season. • Stay inside. Even if it looks calm, don’t go outside. Wait until you hear or see an official message that This hurricane season is predicted to be very active, the hurricane is over. Sometimes, weather gets calm so it’s important for personnel and their families at in the middle of a storm, but then quickly gets bad SUBASE Kings Bay to be prepared. again. • Stay away from windows—you could get hurt by Planning for hurricane season and other potential pieces of glass or debris. Stay in a room with no disasters can be stressful, and because the 2020 hur- windows or inside a closet. ricane season comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, • Be ready to leave. If emergency authorities order it may be even more challenging. It’s important that you to leave or if your home is damaged, you may you and your family are prepared. need to go to a shelter or a neighbor’s house. • Keep at least three days of food and water on Have a plan: You should have a plan for two situa- hand, plan for at least one gallon of water per person tions, staying home or evacuating. and foods that won’t spoil.

If you need to evacuate: During and after a hurricane, you may need supplies • Grab your emergency supply kit and only take what to keep your family safe and healthy. Remember you really need with you (cell phone, chargers, medi- that a hurricane could cut off your power and water cine, and identification like a passport or license, and supply. cash). • Bring supplies for COVID-19 (Masks, hand sanitizer, You also may not be able to drive because of damage bleach wipes). to your car. Roads may be flooded or blocked and • Ensure you fill your vehicles with gas, and fill a gas local counties may be closed for a few days. can in the event gas stations run out of gas. • Unplug your appliances. If you have time, turn off That’s why it’s best to be prepared—stock up on the gas, electricity, and water. everything you might need now. Be sure to have • Know your hurricane evacuation route. or prepare the following: • If possible, make hotel reservations at least 48 • An emergency food and water supply, at least 3-7 hours prior to the storm. Hotels will book fast due to days worth. other states evacuating. • Extra cash. • Ensure your Navy Family Accountability and As- • An emergency medical kit. sessment System (NFAAS) is updated, and download • Charcoal/propane to cook, and fire extinguisher. the NFAAS app on your phone so you can check in • Emergency power source such as generator, flash- with your command. lights, batteries, portable radio, and charger for cell • Follow the roads that emergency workers rec- phone. ommend even if there’s traffic. Other routes might • Safety and personal items such as medication, be blocked or flooded. Never drive through flooded supplies for COVID-19, cleaning items, and personal areas—cars and other vehicles can be swept away or hygiene items. may stall in just six inches of moving water. • Important documents, including medical docu- • Contact your local emergency management office ments, wills, passports, and personal identification. and ask if they offer accommodations for owners and pets at the local shelter. For additional information on hurricane preparedness visit the If you need to stay home: FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov, or https://sp.trfkb.navy. • Keep your emergency supply kit in a place you can mil/sites/TRFPortal/Docs/Training Library/Forms/AllItems.aspx easily access. or contact Corey Wilhite, Emergency Manager at 912-573-4241, cell • Monitor radio , TV and/or the TRF-KB Facebook phone 912-674-3812.

4 Operation Neptune - The U.S. Navy on D-Day, June 6, 1944

Three Soldiers placing explosives on a structure. “Placing a Charge on a ‘Belgian Gate’,” drawing, ink and wash on paper, by Mitchell Jamieson, 1944 (88-193-HQ)

“Omaha Beach—there’s a name that will live, like Tarawa and Guadalcanal, as long as men prize valor and feel for suffering.”

peration Neptune, the naval craft, and merchant vessels under the cruisers, and scores of destroyers and Ocomponent of Operation Over- command of Admiral Sir Bertram H. destroyer escorts. lord, began in the early hours of June Ramsay, RN. Divided into a Western Those onboard the ships could hear, 6, 1944, off a stretch of France’s north- (American) Task Force and an East- if they could not see, hundreds of air- ern coast now synonymous with the ern (British) Task Force, the beaches planes filled with well-trained para- sacrifice of Allied servicemen. The U.S. earmarked for invasion included five troopers from the 82nd and 101st Navy played a vital role in spearhead- beaches designated Sword, Gold, Airborne Divisions as well as the Brit- ing the assault on Hitler’s Festung Juno, Omaha, and Utah. ish 6th Airborne Division. Destined to Europa (Fortress Europe), serving in Under the direction of Admiral Er- be scattered far from their assigned a variety of important roles before, nest J. King, a task force had been drop zones, the paratroop misdrops during, and after the landings. formed to control operations and the actually helped sow confusion in the Her ships began one of history’s training for the cross-channel assault. German high command, convincing most famous days by bombarding Under the command of Rear Admiral many that a much larger force had German forces on or near the Amer- Alan G. Kirk, Task Force 122 (Western jumped into France. ican invasion beaches code-named Task Force) formed and continued Opening the invasion, a naval bom- Omaha and Utah. A newly created developing plans for the naval part bardment within the American sectors Navy demolition team removed ob- of the operation. The U.S. warships, was expected to coincide with the ar- stacles alongside Army engineers ear- alongside some British and French rival of Eighth Air Force bombers. Al- ly in the invasion, suffering high num- vessels, were designated either Force lied planners wanted to preserve the bers of casualties in the process. At a “O” for Omaha Beach, or Force “U” for element of surprise, allotting the U.S. critical moment in the battle, several Utah Beach. Navy only an hour to bombard the as- destroyers steamed as close to shore The numerous Allied ships arrayed signed beaches. Fearing that a longer as possible to fire point-blank on Ger- in the English Channel steamed to the pre-invasion strike would allow the man positions. Their bravery allowed severely congested rendezvous point, Germans time to assemble forces and the pinned-down GIs to move for- Area Zebra, or “Picadilly Circus,” for counterattack, the agreed-upon bom- ward, engage, and destroy the enemy. the final drive in to the beaches. This bardments went ahead as planned, The Allied invasion fleet consisted astonishing force included 284 war- but were ultimately doomed to of thousands of warships, landing ships, including five battleships, 23 Continued on page 8

5 Shop of the Month

SHOP 25D Temporary Services Code 300

Shop 25D, Temporary Services, is ”First and flushing water, industrial elec- Additionally, new systems such as to Serve the Fleet”. trical power distribution, high and Heat and Smoke Detection and No- The shop employs 49 personnel low pressure air, exhaust ventilation, tification (HASDAN), and Casualty including Electricians, Pipefitters, Ap- breathing air, refrigerated contain- Control System (CASCON) were also prentices, Work Leaders, Supervisors ers for food storage, Damage Control introduced, installed, operated and and a Training Leader who support equipment, dewatering pumps, por- maintained by Shop 25D. the command’s mission by setting the table generators, temporary lighting, The shop is also an active participant foundation for TRF’s success from start electrical grounding system for dry in all fire drills and exercises to ensure to finish. docked units, telephone services, air readiness in the event of an emergent Shop 25D operates non-stop with conditioning, and a main ballast tank situation. three shifts, seven days a week, low pressure blow system. Shop 25D is essential for all unit 52-weeks per year. The shop is re- Past events necessitated improve- arrivals, departures, dockings and sponsible for providing a wide vari- ments with fire protection and fire undockings. Recently the shop ety of general and special services in fighting capabilities onboard all provided support and services to five support of TRF-KB refit operations for submarines resulting in the devel- submarines, a berthing barge, and on SSBNs, SSGNs, SSNs, United Kingdom opment of the Industrial Ship Safety short notice, prepared for the arrival submarines, cranes, barges, produc- Manual for fire prevention and re- and services for a second berthing tion shops and contractors. sponse. barge all during the same timeframe. For moored and docked submarines, This manual required a complete The shop is also trained in Radiolog- Shop 25D connects, maintains and redesign of the Temporary Fire Pro- ical Emergency Response Organiza- operates a broad range of temporary tection System which now allows our tion (RERO) for drill participation and services such as shore power, chilled temporary system to become com- to ensure readiness in the event of an water, auxiliary sea water, diesel sea patible for use by local fire depart- emergency. Shop 25D also performs water, oily waste and sanitary over- ments in conjunction with their own a crucial role in destructive weather board discharge capabilities, potable systems. support and recovery efforts as well.~

6 _USS Florida Returns to Kings Bay..._(cont. from page 3)

KINGS BAY, Ga. – USS Florida (SSGN 728) enters Kings Bay harbor May 9 after spending two years forward deployed. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ashley Berumen ) blue and gold. These crews of roughly 160 Sailors alter- ous Maintenance Availability (CMAV) on Florida. nate manning the submarine and typically deploy with “Blue and gold crews did an incredible job operating the ship for three month before swapping. forward deployed in three different theaters over the Blue crew brought the submarine back to its homeport. last 30 months,” said Tothero. The crew that isn’t deployed, trains at Trident Training Fa- At the end of a 30-day availability period, TRF-KB cility Kings Bay, conducting a rigorous training program shipped more than 69,000 lbs. of equipment to com- including simulated missions and scenarios they could plete over 16,000 man-hours of work on nearly every encounter while at sea. This training regimen helps en- major component in the engine room, making it the sure the crew is always tactically and operationally ready. largest CMAV in the history of any forward-deployed “This was my last deployment with Florida,” said Mis- submarine. sile Technician 1st Class Noah Givens, Florida (Blue), from “As always in the submarine force, there is no rest for Houston. “I was there for the first deployment too, so it’s the weary,” said Capt. William Patterson, Commodore, like bringing it back full circle.” Submarine Squadron 16. “The teams will immediate- They also prepared for the logistical effort of flying a ly transition into a complex maintenance period that crew half way around the world to their forward refit site, will rapidly turn the boat around for their next deploy- along with TRIDENT Refit Facility (TRF-KB) team mem- ment. I fully expect this new challenge will be met bers, so they were able to make any necessary repairs to with the same tenacity and determination that is the the boat during the crew turnover. hallmark of Team Florida.” “As a massive team effort among our international Florida will begin an extended refit period while in partners, submarine staffs, Trident Refit Facility, Norfolk homeport. Naval Shipyard, Seal Delivery Vehicle Teams, Strategic “I cannot be more proud of your flexibility, dedica- Weapons Facility Atlantic, U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet staffs, tion and toughness,” said Caudle in a message to the Navy Undersea Warfare Center, Naval Sea Systems Pro- crew. “It takes a team—from support at home to half grams, the DoD logistics enterprise and Strategic Sys- way around the world, to keep a combat ship like Flori- tems Programs, we completed multiple maintenance da on station executing our undersea missions. Each of availabilities, unprecedented in scope, in forward-de- you embodies the core values of our great submarine ployed isolated environments ranging from the Indian force.” Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea,” said Capt. Seth Burton, Florida is the first submarine and the sixth U.S. Navy commanding officer of USS Florida (Gold), from ship to bear the name of the state. It was the second Huntsville, Ala. submarine to complete the conversion from a ballis- While in Souda Bay, TRF-KB completed its first Continu- tic-missile submarine to a guided-missile submarine.~

7 Operation Neptune...Navy on D-Day (cont. from page 5) failure. Battleships Arkansas (BB-33) poles, most of which had Teller mines and Texas (BB-35) shelled Omaha affixed to them. Another type of ob- Beach, alongside two French cruis- stacle were the tetrahedrons, consist- ers, Montcalm and Georges Leygues, ing of three steel beams welded to- firing in the hope of liberating their gether, looking like an enormous toy homeland. Nevada (BB-36) struck jack. positions at Utah Beach, firing 337 The Belgian Gates, or “Element C,” rounds of 14-inch shells and nearly were obstacles standing nearly six 2,700 rounds from her 5-inch guns. feet high and thick enough to stop The GIs in the tiny Higgins boats and smash a landing craft. Despite the heading to shore watched in awe as volume of fire, the gap assault teams the shells flew over their heads at the USS Augusta (CA-31) off French invasion coast on Omaha managed to clear five of enemy positions.5 Despite the Navy’s the 16 gaps assigned them. remarkable firepower, German forces The NCDUs were combined with U.S. Not until D + 2 would all gaps on did not suffer significant casualties Army engineers into groups known Omaha Beach finally be cleared. The during the bombardment. As the as- as gap assault teams (GATs), made up casualty rate for the NCDU units on saulting infantry divisions sadly dis- of six NCDU Sailors, 27 Soldiers, and Omaha Beach alone was around 70 covered, most of the Navy and Army three additional Sailors. The combat percent. At Omaha, 31 NCDU service- Air Forces’ ordnance landed well be- demolition units’ dangerous assign- members were killed in action and 60 hind enemy fortifications and troop ment involved detonating mines and wounded, while at Utah Beach, 6 were positions. clearing obstacles at the waterline killed and 11 wounded, showing the A contingent of Naval Combat Dem- and on the landing beaches. incongruity of German defenses at olition Units (NCDUs) had arrived in At Omaha Beach, 16 teams were the two American-assigned invasion England in late 1943, after undergo- to clear 16 gaps of approximately 50 zones. ing arduous training at Fort Pierce, yards each. The GATs began their as- The success of the invasion seemed Florida. The first NCDU class began sault at H-hour + 3 minutes (0633). most dubious at Omaha Beach, where training, oddly enough, on 6 June Everything that could go wrong the American GIs remained pinned 1943. By May 1944, 32 NCDU teams quickly went wrong on Omaha, as down, unable to move forward onto were in Britain or Scotland conduct- the assault force entered a veritable the bluffs from where German troops ing training with their Army engineer hell of pre-sighted artillery, intersect- poured murderous fire. Successive counterparts. ing machine-gun fire, and obstacles waves of infantrymen attempting to Six Sailors made up an NCDU team, topped with plate-like Teller anti-tank come ashore only added to the cha- one officer and five enlisted men (the mines. otic situation. “What saved the day exact number that could fit into one With smoke obscuring the land- for the Allies was a handful of British of the Navy’s rubber boats). All Sailors marks coxswains used to bring their and American destroyers,” as historian volunteering for NCDU underwent landing craft to their assigned zone, Craig Symonds asserts. the infamous “Hell Week,” a staple troops were brought in far off course, Officially, the destroyers were only to of Underwater Demolition Training mixing units and leading to mass con- screen the invasion fleet from U-boats (UDT) still in existence in Basic Un- fusion. The heavy enemy fire caused and the smaller, faster E-boats. Yet, derwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) soldiers to bunch up and scramble with the crisis on Omaha reaching a school today. Devised by Lieutenant for any available cover, often behind critical point, they were ordered to Commander Draper L. Kauffman, the the obstacles the NCDU teams were provide close-in fire support for the founder of the Bomb Disposal School, attempting to detonate. The quickly troops stuck on the beach. Rear Admi- the tough training was designed to rising tide also worked against the as- ral Carleton F. Bryant, who command- weed out individuals who did not sault units, rising one foot every ten ed the naval gunfire support groups, possess the physical or mental stami- minutes. radioed a message from his battle na needed to perform the most dif- NCDU 23, also known as “Vetter’s station onboard Texas to the nearby ficult of missions. Kauffman himself Vandals,” was wiped out when a Ger- destroyers: “Get on them, men! Get on took the training alongside officers man shell struck their rubber boat, them! They are raising hell with the and enlisted men. The closeness which was filled with 300 pounds men on the beach, and we can’t have with which the officers and enlisted of explosives. Among the obstacles any more of that. We must stop it.” worked together in the teams was al- encountered on the beaches were Among the first Allied ships lost most unheard of in Navy history. wooden poles resembling telegraph Continued on page 9

8 Operation Neptune...Navy on D-Day (cont. from page 8) during the invasion, destroyer Cor- keep them firing. Finally, at around “primary naval responsibility [was] ry (DD-463) took heavy fire from noon, the destroyers established con- the landing of men and supplies.” enemy shore batteries even before tact with spotters ashore. The successful invasion of northern H-hour began at 0630. While original- Two of the U.S. destroyers, Satterlee France on D-Day became one of the ly believed sunk by a shot striking her (DD-626) and Thompson (DD-627), major events in U.S. naval history. amidships, Corry hit a mine and broke supported over 200 men of the Ar- Some 11 weeks later, Allied troops ad- in two. After her forward engine room, my’s 2nd Ranger Battalion scaling the vancing from Normandy and Brittany forward fire room, and aft fire room cliffs at Pointe du Hoc. liberated Paris, almost two months flooded, the order to abandon ship The Rangers’ mission involved ahead of schedule. Rear Admiral Kirk, came at 0641. She went to the bottom destroying several heavy guns the reflecting on the day, stated, “Our in less than 30 minutes, taking 24 men enemy could use against the landing greatest asset was the resourceful- with her. forces at both beaches. ness of the American Sailor.” Under orders not to fire more than Joined later by Ellyson (DD-454), the From those manning the shipboard half the ammunition they carried in three destroyers provided guns, to the coxswains conning the case it was needed for an emergency indirect fire on German positions LCIs, on down to the “naked war- situation, the destroyer captains de- atop the cliffs, enabling the Rangers riors” of NCDU teams, every man per- cided unanimously that chaotic Oma- to reach the top—only to find the formed his job faithfully. The destroy- ha Beach was such a situation. Begin- Germans had replaced the guns with ermen received accolades from many ning around 0800, destroyers such as wooden dummies, moving the high-ranking officers within the Allied Emmons (DD-457), Carmick (DD-493), actual ones further inland. For over command, for coming to the aid of McCook (DD-496), Doyle (DD-494), 90 minutes, U.S. destroyers pounded their comrades just as the situation Baldwin (DD-624), Harding (DD-625), the enemy gun positions. appeared at its direst. Frankford (DD-497), and Thompson Some of the ships were so close in Major General Leonard T. Gerow, (DD-627) began engaging German to shore that they received German establishing his V Corps headquar- positions. rifle and machine-gun bullets to ters on Omaha Beach, summed up With smoke still obscuring the ene- their hulls and superstructures. Still, the sentiment in a message to Gen- my guns, the gunners onboard the the LSTs (landing ship, tank) and LCIs eral Omar N. Bradley, Commander, “tin cans” searched for “targets of op- (landing craft, infantry), were able to U.S. First Army, then on board heavy portunity.” Carmick arrived off Nor- steer into the beach to unload their cruiser Augusta (CA-31): “Thank God mandy with 1,500 shells for her 5-inch cargo, even if haphazardly launching for the United States Navy!”— Guy J. guns and in less than an hour, fired men and machines into deep water. Nasuti, NHHC Histories and 1,127 of them. The Allies put nearly 132,500 men Archives Division, May 2019~ Her gun barrels, smoking red hot, ashore on D-Day. After the beach- Sources: had to be hosed down in order to heads were firmly established, the 1 Samuel E. Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II— Vol. XI: The Invasion of France and Germany, 1944–1945, (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1957), 110.

2 The idea of a Festung Europa, as the Germans called it, involved the construction of a massive array of defensive artillery positions, strongpoints, and concrete fortifications along the Atlantic coast.

3 Gordon A. Harrison, United States Army in World War II: The European Theater of Op- erations: Cross-Channel Attack (Washington, DC: Center of Military History, 1993), 160.

4 Craig L. Symonds, Neptune: The Allied Invasion of Europe and the D-Day Landings (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 248–50.5 Designed and built by Andrew Jack- son Higgins, each of these small landing boats could carry 36 Soldiers at a time.

6 Craig L. Symonds, World War II at Sea: A Global History (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018), 530.

7 Elizabeth K. Bush, America’s First Frogman: The Draper KauffmanStory (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2012), 80–86.

8 John C. McManus, The Dead and Those About to Die: D-Day: The Big Red One at Oma- ha Beach (New York: Penguin, 2014), 49–51.

9 Craig L. Symonds, Neptune, 272–75.

10 Symonds, World War II at Sea, 531.

11 Morison, The Invasion of France and Germany, 143.

12 Morton Deyo, “Naval Guns at Normandy,” Personal Papers of Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison, Box 87, Folio 42, NHHC Archives.

13 Christopher D. Yung, “Action This Day of Days,” Naval History, June 2009, Vol. 23, Num- ber 3, 26.

14 Symonds, World War II at Sea, 532.

15 Symonds, Operation Neptune, 293–94.

16 Robert J. Cressman, The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy inWorld War II (Annapo- lis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2000), 232..

Seabees of the 111th Naval Construction Battalion unloading a Rhino Ferry on a Normandy Beach 17 Morison, The Invasion of France and Germany, 152–53.

9 USS Alaska Extended Refit Period - Dry Dock Phase • Biggest *Preservation package accomplished at TRF-KB *Preservation = Work growth (40%) • Project did not miss any key events • In Dry Dock for 203 days, departed two-weeks ahead of schedule • Departed Dry Dock, May 10, 2020 • More than 992,000 man-hours expended • Major work included 460K lbs. of lead removal/reinstalled • Six (6) MBT tanks fully preserved • 35 Interior tanks fully preserved • Superstructure frame (fully blasted/repaired/painted) • Major modernization (upgraded fire control and communication systems) • Torpedo tube alteration upgrade USS Alaska (SSBN 732) • Main shaft removed/overhauled/reinstalled • Ship’s anchor fully overhauled (removed/ overhauled/full preservation) • Seven (7) hull valves overhauled and five (5) tested/inspected • Comprehensive overhaul of steering/diving system • Comprehensive overhaul of high-pressure air system • Supported major nuclear evolutions (DMD/elbow replacement, completed on time/ahead of schedule)

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the ‘Stars and Stripes’ on June 14, 1777, as the official flag of the United States by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

10 Captain’s Quarterly Safety Award Code 340 25D Temporary Services, 64A Shipwrights, 71A Paint Shop and 71T Tile Shop.

Mobile Awareness Barriers for Dry Dock

KINGS BAY, Ga. – Danny Mobbs, Production Superintendent for Code 340, and Jordan Foddrell, Shop 64A Shipwright and Code 340 Safety Committee Chairman, display the Captain’s Quarterly Safety Award for 1st Quarter, FY 2020. (Photo by Keith R. Boydston, TRF-KB Public Affairs) Wooden crates made for Code 200 Safety Committee KINGS BAY, Ga. - Code 340 – Shops 25D (Temporary Services), safety working group which included deck plate level work- 64A (Shipwrights), 71A (Paint Shop) and 71T (Tile Shop) ers, work leaders, and first-line supervisors. recently earned the Captain’s Quarterly Safety Award, 1st The shops consistently looked for ways to improve safety Quarter, FY 2020. and implement new ideas. The code/shop initiatives in- With social distancing precautions in place due to the coro- cluded the research and purchase of a new tile scraperthat navirus pandemic, the “normal” and formal presentation of directly reduced ergonomic stressors, and eye and noise the award could not be held. hazards. Over the last several months focus has been on keeping A working group was also established to fabricate “8010” TRF-KB employees safe and healthy during the pandemic fire main hose support cable anchor points at the Refit and maintaining the Nation’s strategic deterrence assets and Wharves, and mobile ‘Lahyer Scaffolding’ awareness barriers operational commitments. were constructed for manhole openings in the Dry Dock During the 1st quarter, Code 340 shops shouldered a heavy replacing the original yellow awareness barriers. workload that included a significant Dry Dock period that Additionally, a traffic window was installed in the door to reported only one minor mishap. the Shop 64A Tool Room and interlocking wooden crates The shops’ continued efforts to support command goals were fabricated for the Code 200 Safety Committee that enabled them to develop and update over 45 Job Hazard enhanced the safety and workflow of the Crane Team. Analysis (JHA) documents and they created an aggressive Bravo Zulu and well done Code 340! THINK SAFETY!

Command Climate Survey Is Coming! The survey is a confidential, command-requested organization devel- Cover Photo: opment survey focusing on issues of organizational effectiveness, equal TRF-KB Shop 25D technicians, “First to Serve the opportunity, and sexual assault response and prevention. Fleet”, work on daily tasks as part of their mission to support submarine maintenance and repair. This is a chance for your (Photo by Keith R. Boydston, TRF-KB Public Affairs) voice to be heard.

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