Month: July 2024

Source: United States Navy

Richard E. “Dick” Miralles, assigned to Bombing Squadron (VB) 21 of Carrier Air Group (CVG) 11, received the Air Medal (first through 14th Strike/Flight) and Distinguished Flying Cross (with three gold stars in lieu of fourth) awards for meritorious achievement in aerial flight during 85 combat missions as an Aviation Radioman 2nd Class from 16 August 1942 to 25 July 1943.

During the ceremony, Lt. Cmdr. Brantley Harvey, Naval Aviator and executive officer of Navy Reserve Center Sacramento had the privilege of presenting the awards to Miralles in the presence of his friends and four generations of family.

“I accept these for all of those that didn’t make it back,” said Miralles.

Miralles is believed to be the last surviving veteran of CVG-11 and received this award days before his 100th Birthday on July 28, 2024.

Dick joined the Navy at 17 years old and began his career in the back seat of the Scout Bomber Douglas (SBD) Dauntless Dive-Bomber. He describes experiences in war where he survived multiple crash landings, being shot down, torpedoed on USS Honolulu (CL- 48), and even an occasion where he threw his radio and equipment as a last resort during aerial combat. He concluded his service as ship’s company aboard the escort carrier USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75).

Miralles completed his service in 1945 without receiving the awards he earned in aerial flight.

During a search for fellow members of CVG-11, Miralles connected with the grandson of one of his old shipmates, George Retelas. George Retelas, named after his grandfather who served with Dick, wrote to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro on October 10, 2023 and helped Miralles finally receive his awards.

“It was a great honor to help him get his awards,” said Retelas. “Mostly, it was an honor to spend time with him. Hearing his stories and the oral history of the service members was such an honor. Dick is the last living member of Air Group 11, so being there for the award pinning was so special because at any age, but especially at his age, every day is a gift.”

After the war, Dick spent more than 30 years with the California Department of Forestry (now CalFire) and authored his memoir, “War and Fire” where he recounts his time in service and in Forestry.

Miralles currently resides in Sacramento, California with his wife Joy and will celebrate his 100th birthday this Sunday with friends and family at the church he attends.

Source: United States Navy

“This is the foundation that enables our Sailors to be an effective warfighting force,” said Rear Adm. Blackmon, vice commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “Our ability to be well-trained and work efficiently in the MOC on day one acts as a deterrent to our adversaries.”

The MAKO exercise series is conducted annually at the Navy Warfare Development Center (NWDC) in Norfolk, the Navy Reserve OLW Center of Excellence in San Diego, and other key locations nationwide to ensure reserve Sailors are prepared to support their active-duty counterparts in real-world situations with hands-on experience.

“It makes a tremendous difference in our ability to go into the numbered fleet commands, stand the watch, and provide the commander with the best decisions to execute at an operational level of war,” said Rear Adm. Ruttenberg, reserve deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The U.S. Navy acts as a bastion of defense across the globe, and MAKO is crucial for maintaining readiness and adapting to rapidly changing situations worldwide. The unique perspective of reservists, who work in diverse civilian occupations, adds valuable insights to the exercise and prompts the active duty coordinators to improve training based on feedback gathered each year.

“I really like the fast pace of the watchfloor,” shared Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Meghan McLellan from U.S. Fleet Forces about her first experience at MAKO Global. “I would recommend everyone do at least one MAKO, especially in your first two years, to get a good situational awareness of how information is passed and used.”

As Sailors continue to attend MAKO exercises, the MOC becomes a familiar environment allowing them to excel when manning watchstations and operate comfortably on the operational level of warfare.

“You’re here wearing the cloth of the nation,” concluded Rear Adm. Blackmon. “Thank you for what you do.”

This integrated training operation is a unique partnership between reserve and active-duty Sailors across the U.S. and is integral in preparing them to perform at the highest level upon deployment. As MAKO continues to evolve every year with the support of Sailors across the nation, so does the reserve force.

Source: United States Navy

Romania hosted exercise Eurasian Partnership Mine Countermeasure (EPMCM) in and around Constanța, while the latter exercise was the Bulgarian-hosted TRITON, which took place at Varna Naval Station. The exercises, designed to increase interoperability with NATO Allies in the Black Sea region, focused on mine countermeasures (MCM), demolition operations, and helicopter cast and recovery.

“Maritime exercises like EPMCM and TRITON strengthen our collective security alongside our Black Sea Allies on NATO’s Eastern Flank and strengthen our collective capabilities to be ready to demine the Black Sea when conditions permit,” said Capt. Geoffrey Townsend, Commodore, CTF 68. “We are grateful for these opportunities to train alongside our Allies in Romania and Bulgaria, and grateful for their wealth of knowledge and experience in this area.”

EPMCM is an annual exercise hosted by the Romanian Navy near the important Romanian port city of Constanța. This year’s iteration involved personnel from Bulgaria, France, Romania, Türkiye, the United States, and observers from Japan. Participants conducted multi-national floating mine response training to increase capability and interoperability for future mine countermeasures operations in the Black Sea.

TRITON 2024 was the fourth annual diving exercise hosted by the Bulgarian Navy in Varna. Five Allied nations, including Bulgaria, France, Romania, Türkiye, and the United States, participated in the latest iteration of the exercise. These nations came together to train in executing NATO procedures and standards for underwater diving and demolition operations, bolstering interoperability among participants in neutralizing the mine threat at sea.

“The camaraderie built at these important exercises builds a foundation for future multi-national engagements like this,” said EODMU 8’s officer-in-charge for the exercises. “Our team performed admirably in these exercises and came away with a greater understanding of MCM operations in this region by working alongside our close Allies.”

Both exercises came shortly before another MCM-focused exercise involving Black Sea nations, Sea Breeze 2024-1, kicked off in Glasgow, Scotland, and concurrently with other MCM training in the Baltic Sea. Taken together, CTF 68’s routine participation in these exercises demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in international waters. The exercises, designed to identify and neutralize the threat of mine warfare in European waters, particularly in the Black Sea, ensure maritime safety and security throughout the continent.

CTF 68, headquartered in Rota, Spain, commands all Navy Expeditionary Forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility and is responsible for providing EOD operations, naval construction, expeditionary security, and theater security efforts in direct support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) and U.S. Sixth Fleet.

For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the USEUCOM and USAFRICOM areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

Through a phased approach, the U.S. plans to convert U.S. Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters which will report to the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.S. secretary of defense said today following the conclusion of a two-plus-two ministerial meeting in Tokyo.

Included in the meeting were Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa and Japan’s Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara.

“We welcome an historic decision to modernize our alliance command and control to better meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said Austin during a press briefing today that followed the high-level meetings. “The United States will upgrade the U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities.” 

The new joint force headquarters will be commanded by a three-star officer and will serve as a counterpart to Japan’s own Japan Self-Defense Forces Joint Operations Command, Austin said. 

“This will be the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest, improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years,” he said. “Japan’s new Joint Operations Command will further allow our forces to work together more closely than ever. And these new operational capabilities and responsibilities will advance our collective deterrence.” 

Austin said the change is based on a desire to work more closely with Japan and enhance the effectiveness of the existing relationship. 

Also part of the discussions, Austin said, were ways to increase bilateral presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands; a reaffirmation of the importance of cooperation on cybersecurity, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cross-domain operations and bilateral exercises and training; and ideas for new areas for defense industrial cooperation. 

According to a joint statement by the Security Consultative Committee, meeting participants discussed co-production opportunities to expand production capacity of both Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles. 

“Finally, we held a separate two-plus-two ministerial level meeting on extended deterrence, and that has never been done before,” Austin said. “During that meeting, I reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to defend Japan with the full range of our capabilities, including our nuclear capabilities.” 

As part of the extended deterrence meeting, participants discussed, among other things, North Korea’s destabilizing activities in the region, including its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs; China’s expansion of its nuclear arsenal; and Russia’s unlawful arms transfers with North Korea. 

Austin said he considered both meetings in Tokyo to be a success. 

“We are reinforcing our combined ability to deter and respond to coercive behavior in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” he said. “We’re reinforcing the rules-based international order that keeps us all safe. And the agreements that we’ve advanced today will ensure that the U.S.-Japan alliance remains a cornerstone of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”