THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 3, 1996 TAG: 9601030472
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Staff report
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
SIMPSON AIDS RUSSIAN: A ``Seahawk'' helicopter assigned to the Norfolk-based frigate Simpson airlifted an injured Russian merchant seaman from his ship in the Western Mediterranean Dec. 29 to a U.S. medical facility in Sigonella, Sicily following a radio distress call. The sailor had severely injured his hand in a generator. Participating in the rescue were: pilots Lt. Jack Sheppard and Lt. Greg Griffitt, Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Wilson and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Keith Staples.
ROLL OUT THE TOMCATS! Workers at the Naval Aviation Depot next week will roll out the first F-14 Tomcats to complete the major F-14 A/B upgrade program. The revamped Tomcats will provide crews with a new mission computer that provides for faster software processing. Better radar warning systems have been added along with digital communications networks that upgrade the avionics. The new and improved Tomcats will be unveiled at a ceremony at 1 p.m. on Jan. 10. The rollout will be bittersweet, marking the end of the Norfolk NADEP, which is scheduled to close by September 1996. NADEP is expected to upgrade additional F-14s before closing.
FOR MONROE HONORS KING: The late civil rights leader Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., will be honored at the Fort Monroe Chapel of the Centurion at 2 p.m. Jan. 10. Rev. Isaac McDonald, pastor of Wesley Grove United Church of Christ in Newport News will be guest speaker. The public is invited. For more information call 727-3500.
``ANY'' SAILOR MAIL: The American public may send cards and letters to Navy service members supporting Operation Determined Effort and Joint Endeavor in the former Republic of Yugoslavia Mail addressed to ``Any Service Member,'' Operation Determined Effort/Joint Endeavor, FPO AE 09398, will be sent to the Fleet Mail Center in Rota, Spain. There it will be designated for various ships. The designated FPO will keel the mail out of the commercial mail channel. Sailors deployed on the gorund for these operations will be given support for ``Any Service Member'' mail from their servicing APO in that area.
OPERATION DECORAMA: The results are in. The Navy has named the following winners for the best lighted ships or shore commands during this year's Decorama: The carrier George Washington, the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge, the guided-missile cruiser Cape St. George, the fast-combat support ship Supply, the nuclear-powered attack submarine Boise, and the Defense Distribution Depot. More than 20 ships and nine shore commands were judged during this year's competition. Those who haven't had a chance to see the lights should do so today. They'll be turned off tomorrow.
ALERT WWII HISTORY FANS: The Mariner's Museum is offering a seminar to look into how the Allies' capacity to solve enemy codes contributed to an early and decisive victory. The symposium will be held in conjunction with the museum's exhibition, ``Carriers, Codes, and Silent Ships: World War II and the New Navy.'' A panel of scholars, including naval history professor Jurgen Rohwer from the University of Stuttgart in Germany, has been tapped to explore issues surrounding the use of signal intelligence. The symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 26. There is a registration fee of $35 per person or $25 for students and active-duty military. For more information, call 591-7733.
BOXING SHOW: Come out and watch the 1996 All-Navy Boxing Team and local fighters in the Fort Story annual Boxing Show. The show will be held at 7 p.m., Jan. 11 at the Fort Story Gymnasium, Building 707. Admission is $2.50 in advance or $3 at the door. For more information, call 422-7975.
FAMILY SERVICES
HELP WITH MOVING: Navy Family Services Center Northwest in Chesapeake will offer a ``Junior Smooth Move'' workshop for families moving with children from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 at the NSGA-NW Youth Center. Children, ages six to 13 years of age, will prepare for their move, discuss their feelings about moving, plan for goodbyes and much more. To register, call 421-8770 by Monday.
COMINGS & GOINGS
Cmdr. Michael G. Hlywiak will be relieved Friday by Cmdr. Timothy R. Hanley as commanding officer of the dock landing ship Ashland in ceremonies at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Hlywiak is being assigned to the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. as a student. Hanley comes from the staff of the Pacific Fleet where he was chief, targets branch in the intelligence directorate. by CNB