That flag
August 2nd, 2011 | Aviation Foreign navies Helicopters Historical Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Maritime operations Naval aviation Navy Pearl Harbor Photos Ships The Pacific Training World War II | Posted by Bill McMichael
I remember a 1990-ish visit to a Japanese submarine base and being dumbfounded to see the subs flying the rising sun flag off their stern masts. Dumbfounded, because being, ahem, of a certain age, I associated the flag — a red disc with red and white “beams” extending outward — with the aggressive World War II-era regime that launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in an effort to exercise total dominance over the Pacific. Its use was banned in 1945 following the surrender to the United States and its allies, but many Americans don’t realize that it was re-adopted in 1954 as the war flag and naval ensign of the Japan Ground and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, respectively.
This isn’t news to U.S. sailors stationed in Japan, now a staunch U.S. ally, or those who’ve trained with the Japanese navy — such as the Norfolk-based sailors assigned to Destroyer Squadron 26, taking part in a “PASSEX” with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Training Squadron — manned by newly commissioned Japanese surface warfare officers — through today off the U.S. East Coast.
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force training ship KASHIMA passes the destroyer Nitze during a passing exercise. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marie Brindovas, PASSEX Public Affairs.
PASSEX is an exercise that tests routine operational challenges and is meant, according to the Navy, to strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and Japan. Tasks include operating a Japanese helo on a U.S. ship.
Sailors assigned to the destroyer Nitze guide a Japanese SH-60 helicopter onto the flight deck. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marie Brindovas, PASSEX Public Affairs.
Today, incidently, is a big date in post-World War II affairs. The final meeting of the “Big Three” nations — the U.S., the Soviet Union and Great Britain — concluded on a sour note. The failure to resolve expected post-war issues at the Potsdam Conference, historians say, helped set the stage for the Cold War.
One for the history books
June 10th, 2011 | Gator Navy Helicopters LPD-17 Navy Photos San Antonio class Ships testing | Posted by Bill McMichael
No, it’s not a doctored photo. That’s two — TWO — San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships operating simultaneously.
The amphibious transport dock ships San Antonio (left) and New York steam alongside while operating together in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia. // U.S. Navy Photo by MC1 (SW/AW) Edwin F. Bryan
To be fair, two of the other three commissioned ships in the class are also at sea. Mesa Verde and Green Bay are deployed. New Orleans just completed sea trials following a scheduled maintenance period. New York took part in the recent Fleet Week event in New York City and, as you can see in the June 9 photo above, is now underway, conducting unit-level training. But let’s face it: This is a rare pic — particularly since San Antonio is in it.
The class has been beset with problems from the day in 2005 when the Navy accepted San Antonio and a mountain of mechanical and electrical problems that have limited it to one deployment in five years as a commissioned ship. It’s now in the second phase of sea trials that follow cancellation of this year’s scheduled deployment and extensive — and expensive — repair work ordered by Fleet Forces Command.
Subsequent ships in the class came to the Navy in better shape than San Antonio, but only slightly. In late 2009, inspectors discovered that a bent crankshaft in one of New York’s four diesel engines, our colleague Christopher Cavas reported. Similar problems had surfaced earlier on Mesa Verde and Green Bay. New Orleans had propulsion, communication and well deck/vehicle ramp issues.
Given the problems, and the prodigious efforts to correct them, the above photo struck us as unique.
The entire program has obviously been a mess. Everyone, from Congress and Big Navy to the waterfront, is pulling for the class, and its hard-working crews, to put the problems in the rear-view mirror and fully join the fleet.
It really is a coalition, folks!
March 21st, 2011 | Admirals Carriers French navy Helicopters leadership Odyssey Dawn Photos | Posted by Bill McMichael
The Obama administration is working hard to play down the U.S. role in the airstrikes and no-fly zone operations on and over Libya, with senior officials stressing that the U.S. involvement is “limited” and that the operation is a broad-based coalition effort with international participation and Arab League backing — not a U.S.-led foray into yet another predominantly Muslim nation, which could further damage its already poor image in that part of the world. The Navy released at least seven images Monday, all apparently aimed at reinforcing that sense: All but one includes a coalition officer or aircraft. For example: this photo of liaison officers from coalition countries meeting with Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn (JTF OD) staff members aboard the command ship Mount Whitney to discuss command and control of the “multi-phase international military operations.”
And this one:
A French navy AS365 F Dauphin rescue helicopter from the French carrier Charles de Gaulle test lands aboard Mount Whitney. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Gary Keen
And this one:
Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, speaks with French navy Rear Adm. Philippe Coindreau, deputy commander, French maritime forces, aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, operating in the Mediterranean in support of the operation. // U.S. Navy photo
The Navy has released some mostly-shadowy video of U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps-only operations, including several ship-based Tomahawk missile launches from over the weekend. So far, though, the U.S.-only pickings have been rather slim.