THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TAG: 9607020374
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 46 lines
AVIATORS TRAP HISTORY: Three pilots from Carrier Air Wing 7 reached significant milestones for career arrested landings on board the carrier George Washington. Cmdr. Thomas Phelan, commanding officer of VAQ-140, and Cmdr. David Mercer, executive officer of VFA-131, both reached the 1,000 trap mark. Capt. Kolin Jan, commander of CVW-7, attained his 1,200th career trap. Only 262 pilots have ever reached the ``Grand Club'' of 1,000 arrested landings. All three aviators have spent most of their careers flying the A-6 Intruder.
SHIPYARD'S PARK OPEN TO PUBLIC: The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, located in Portsmouth, will open its historic Trophy Park to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday The destroyer Comte De Grasse, which is berthed near the park, will be open during the same hours. Visitors should enter the shipyard on First Street, adjacent to the Portsmouth city stables. Call 396-9550 for more information.
NATO CEREMONY: In celebration of Independence Day, a NATO flag-raising ceremony is scheduled at the Allied Command Atlantic Headquarters at 10 a.m. today The ceremony, which is open to the public, features music by the Atlantic Fleet Band and a barber shop quartet.
CEREMONY AT FORT MONROE: A 50-gun ``Salute to the Union'' ceremony in commemoration of America's 220th birthday begins at 11:55 a.m. Thursday in Continental Park at Fort Monroe. The ceremony is open to the public.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
RETURNING: The tank landing ship La Moure County deployed from Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base Tuesday to take part in UNITAS `96, an annual Navy exercise with South American navies.
CHANGE OF COMMAND
Capt. Paul Miller relieves Capt. Gary Steinfort as commanding officer of the new Coast Guard Command and Control Engineering Center. Miller's most recent assignment was at Coast Guard Headquarters, where he was chief of systems resources. Steinfort will report to Coast Guard Headquarters where he will be chief of systems research and development.
Lt. Debra Norton Melton of Virginia Beach has assumed command of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station in Bahrain.
Cmdr. Keith Wray relieves Cmdr. Richard Feckler as commanding officer of the guided missile frigate Carr. Wray's last assignment was at the U.S. Southern Command and American Embassy, Guatemala, as the Navy section chief. Feckler's next assignment is in the surface warfare officer detailing branch of the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington. by CNB