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NAVADMIN 116/09

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SUBJ/NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMEMORATION - BATTLE OF MIDWAY//

RMKS/1.  THE U.S. NAVY SEIZED THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE AND INFLICTED
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE ON THE ENEMY DURING THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY FROM 4 TO
7 JUNE 1942.  JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER PEARL HARBOR, THIS BATTLE PUT THE
UNITED STATES BACK ON OFFENSE AND HELPED SET THE CONDITIONS FOR
ULTIMATE VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC.  MIDWAY HAD MANY HEROES - THE CODE
BREAKERS THAT GAVE US THE DATE AND LOCATION OF THE BATTLE, PEARL HARBOR
SHIPYARD WORKERS WHO REPAIRED YORKTOWN IN 72 HOURS FOLLOWING HER NEAR
DESTRUCTION AT CORAL SEA, THE AIRMEN AND MARINES WHO FOUGHT FROM MIDWAY,
AND THE SAILORS WHO FOUGHT AT SEA IN TASK FORCE 16 AND 17.

2.  JUST AS THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY SET THE CONDITIONS FOR VICTORY IN THE
PACIFIC, INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE DURING THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE START
OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN 1929 SET THE CONDITIONS FOR VICTORY IN THE
BATTLE OF MIDWAY.  FROM 1930 TO 1934, THE NAVY STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON
A QUARTER OF THE 19 SUBMARINES AND HALF OF THE 26 SURFACE COMBATANTS,
INCLUDING TWO OF THE THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, THAT FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE
OF MIDWAY.  IN THE 1930S WE PERFECTED UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT, WHICH
GAVE US THE ENDURANCE AND AGILITY WE WOULD NEED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER. 
AND WE SPIRAL DEVELOPED OUR SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT TO GIVE US THE
WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY THAT DELIVERED VICTORY.

3.  WITH THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY COMMEMORATION QUICKLY APPROACHING THIS
JUNE, NOW IS THE TIME TO RENEW AND BUILD UPON OUR OBLIGATION TO
PRESERVE OUR RICH NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE.  AS THE WORLD WAR II
VETERANS PASS FROM OUR LIVES, WE MUST CARRY THEIR LEGACY FORWARD BY
SPEAKING TO OUR SAILORS AND TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO
THE NAVY AND TO THE NATION.  IN THAT SPIRIT, I DIRECT THE FOLLOWING
ACTIONS:
A.  COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE:  USE NAVY HISTORY TO
EDUCATE AND MOTIVATE OUR SAILORS.  IN LINE WITH MY 2009 GUIDANCE AND
OUR NAVY ETHOS, COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE THE FRONT LINE IN COMMUNICATING
OUR MISSION, SPIRIT, AND HERITAGE.  WE ARE A PROFESSION WITH COMMON
GOALS, COMMON PURPOSE, AND STRONG CULTURE THAT IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER. 
EACH YEAR, SAILORS FACE CHANGE; THEY GROW, DEVELOP, LEAD, AND MOVE ON
TO NEW CHALLENGES.  THE MISSION, THE CULTURE, AND THE BONDS OF SERVICE
REMAIN.  COMMANDING OFFICERS LEAD DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE TIES TO
PROFESSIONAL ESPRIT DE CORPS.  USE NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
(NHHC) PRODUCTS MADE AVAILABLE ON THE NHHC WEBSITE, AS OUTLINED BELOW,
TO ENGAGE YOUR CREWS AND STAFFS.  EXECUTE CHINFO PUBLIC AFFAIRS PLAN
AND PARTICIPATE IN PLANNED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AS OPERATIONALLY
FEASIBLE.
B.  NHHC:  DEVELOP AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO COMMANDING OFFICERS A BODY OF
LESSONS LEARNED AT THE TACTICAL, OPERATIONAL, AND STRATEGIC LEVELS FROM
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY; PLAN OF THE DAY HISTORICAL NOTES FOR EACH WARFARE
COMMUNITY FOR THE WEEK LEADING UP TO THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY; AND POST
LESSONS LEARNED, PLAN OF THE DAY NOTES AND NHHC POINT OF CONTACTS ON A
DEDICATED WEB PAGE AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.HISTORY.NAVY.MIL.
C.  CHIEF OF NAVAL INFORMATION (CHINFO):  DEVELOP A BATTLE OF MIDWAY
PUBLIC AFFAIRS PLAN AND PROMULGATE TO SHORE AND AFLOAT COMMANDS BY 8
MAY 2009.  THIS PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE NAVY'S STRATEGIC MESSAGE AND
TALKING POINTS FOR THIS EVENT; A COORDINATED WREATH LAYING CEREMONY
AROUND THE WORLD ON 4 JUNE 2009; AND PLANNED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN
EACH FLEET CONCENTRATION AREA THAT COMMANDERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
D.  NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON (NDW):  CONTINUE YOUR TRADITION OF
SPONSORING A WREATH LAYING CEREMONY TO HONOR THE HEROES OF MIDWAY.  I
WILL HOST THE WREATH LAYING AT NAVY MEMORIAL WITH NDW SERVING AS MY
EXECUTIVE AGENT.  NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON'S CEREMONY WILL SERVE AS
THE MODEL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW, AND AS THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY FOR THE
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  ISSUE VIP INVITATIONS IN MY NAME.
COORDINATE YOUR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS CEREMONY WITH NHHC FOR OTHER
NAVY REGIONS.  IN 2010, I INTEND FOR EACH REGION TO HOST A SIMILAR
CEREMONY AS A FOCAL POINT FOR THE COMMANDS IN THEIR AREA AND FOR THE
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

4.  IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO PRESERVE OUR RICH NAVAL HISTORY AND
HERITAGE.  HISTORY IS THE MAGNET GUIDING OUR CULTURAL COMPASS.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PAST IN HOW WE VIEW THE CHALLENGES
OF THE FUTURE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO BUILDING AND OPERATING THE NAVY OUR
NATION REQUIRES.

5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//

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