Source: United States Navy
Introduction/Thank you
Good afternoon, everyone! It is an honor to be here onboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) for the start of San Francisco Fleet Week and this Senior Leader Seminar.
Mr. Loeven, thank you for inviting me for this wonderful occasion and for providing me with the opportunity to say a few words.
Captain Harrington, thank you for hosting us here on your ship—this incredible instrument of American naval power and a phenomenal example of our Navy-Marine Corps team.
Representative Garamendi, it’s wonderful to see you. Thank you for joining us, and for your steadfast partnership and advocacy for our Sailors and Marines in Congress.
Ambassador Romualdez, it is wonderful to see you. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to strengthen the critical partnership between our nations.
Lieutenant General Cederholm, thank you for your leadership and guidance of our Marines and Sailors at One MEF.
Vice Admiral Downey, Ms. Forbes, Mr. Wunderman, Mr. Vaca, and Mr. Gonzales, thank you for being part of the panel in a few minutes to discuss how the Bay Area can work with us to restore our national maritime industry.
To the rest of our distinguished guests and panelists in later sessions, thank you for coming.
It truly is wonderful to be back here in San Francisco.
San Francisco holds a special place in my heart—when I was a student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, my wife Betty and I would often make the drive up to the city with our kids.
History
This city’s rich maritime and naval history and tradition is worth celebrating, not just annually during Fleet Week, but yearlong.
San Francisco Bay once hosted an extensive Naval presence from Port Chicago to Treasure Island, and two major Naval shipyards—Hunters Point and Mare Island.
Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first U.S. Navy base established on the Pacific coast and, in the middle of last century, was the only shipyard on the West Coast that built nuclear submarines.
In fact, the first commanding officer of Mare Island Naval Shipyard—indeed the man hand selected by the 22nd Secretary of the Navy, James Dobbin to establish the shipyard—was also our Navy’s first Admiral, and our first Hispanic-American Admiral, David Glasgow Farragut.
I think he’s a little more famous for his service during the Civil War, but I would submit that his work creating a basing and repair station on the West Coast for the Navy had nearly as profound an impact on the future of our Navy and our Nation.
And during World War I, the Union Iron Works Shipyard south of the Embarcadero built cruisers, submarines, and battleships and during World War II, nearly two thirds of Liberty and Victory ships were built in the Bay area.
On a more somber note, I was most recently here in July for the 80th commemoration of the Port Chicago Disaster.
If any of you are unfamiliar with the story, 258 African-American Sailors were wrongfully and shamefully labeled as criminals for refusing to work in unsafe conditions during World War II.
Thanks to the work of my General Counsel, Mr. Sean Coffey, and his military assistant Captain Justin Pilling, I was able to make the decision in July to set aside the court martial results of all Sailors convicted as part of the Port Chicago incident.
That action was about more than correcting the historical record.
It was and is a resounding affirmation of the values we, as Americans, hold dear—justice, equality, and the right to a safe workplace.
The legacy of the Port Chicago Sailors should inspire us all to be more vigilant, to speak truth to power, and to never give up on the pursuit of liberty and justice.
San Francisco has long been a key part of our nation’s maritime industry—and our naval heritage.
And while we don’t currently build naval ships here, our relationships with industry here and academic partnerships through the Naval Postgraduate School are integral to developing the fleet of the future.
World Today
The world our nation faces today is much different than when I was sworn in as Secretary of the Navy in August 2021, much less during my career on active duty or the end of World War II.
In Europe, the unprovoked and illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine continues—and is now well into its third year.
This conflict poses a direct threat to European security and the principles of democracy and sovereignty upon which our international order is built.
In July, we, alongside our NATO allies, convened in Washington to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine.
We stand united in our commitment to helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, recognizing that their struggle is not just for their own freedom but for the preservation of democracy worldwide.
Beyond the European theater, for the first time since World War II, we face a comprehensive maritime power—our pacing challenge—in the Indo-Pacific.
The People’s Republic of China continues to assert its unlawful maritime claims through its naval, coast guard, and maritime militia forces.
I can assure you that the PRC is watching the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Red Sea closely and drawing valuable lessons for its own strategic ambitions.
In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, we have been working tirelessly alongside our NATO allies and Middle Eastern partners to protect innocent civilian mariners and commercial shipping from Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks.
Following the October 7th attacks in Israel one year ago this week, our Navy and Marine Corps were swiftly deployed to the region, forming a formidable and integrated force capable of responding to any threat.
Carrier Air Wing Three, our “Battle Axe,” played a pivotal role in protecting civilian mariners, deploying over sixty air-to-air missiles and over 420 air-to-surface weapons.
The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, made significant contributions by deterring hostile Houthi attacks and preventing the conflict from escalating throughout the region.
Our warships, including the Carney, Mason, Gravely, Laboon, Thomas Hudner, and Eisenhower, have demonstrated exceptional performance under fire, successfully deterring and defeating missile and drone attacks targeting innocent maritime shipping.
And last week, Cole and Bulkeley—the latter of which I had the honor and privilege to construct and commission as her first commanding officer—launched interceptors in defense of Israel from nearly 200 Iranian ballistic missiles.
As President Biden said, “Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. We unequivocally condemn this brazen attack by Iran.”
The actions of our ships and their crews echo the valiant and heroic legacies of their namesakes.
Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, the namesake of the ship I commissioned, was awarded the Medal of Honor for bringing Douglas MacArthur through Japanese controlled waters in a PT boat to safety in the dark early days of World War II.
As a destroyer skipper in the Mediterranean later in the war, he spotted a pair of German ships that threatened to overwhelm the group of vulnerable coastal vessels he was assigned to protect.
Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, and with just one of his destroyer’s main guns operable, Bulkeley charged into close action and sank both German ships without losing a single one of his sailors.
As he later said of his actions on that day in 1944, and I quote, “What else could I do? You engage, you fight, you win. That was the reputation of our Navy then, and in the future.”
Ladies and gentlemen, that is still the reputation of our Navy and Marine Corps—and it will remain our reputation because of the brave men and women who have chosen, in this era of accelerating change and uncertainty, to serve our country.
They truly have earned our deepest respect and gratitude.
Their exceptional service and courage in the face of danger represents the absolute best of our Navy, Marine Corps, and indeed our Nation.
And if anyone is inspired to join the Navy or Marine Corps, I’m happy to administer the oath right here!
Maritime Statecraft
Last fall, at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, I set out a vision for a new Maritime Statecraft to guide our nation through an era of intense strategic competition.
This comprehensive approach extends beyond traditional naval diplomacy and maritime competition, encompassing a whole-of-government effort to build robust U.S. and allied maritime power, both commercial and naval.
Maritime Statecraft recognizes that great naval power requires the solid foundation of a thriving commercial maritime industry.
Investing in economic development, trade, education, science, innovation, and climate diplomacy can enhance our global competitiveness and support our maritime industry.
A cornerstone of Maritime Statecraft is the revitalization of U.S. commercial shipping and shipbuilding.
By restoring the competitiveness of these sectors, we can not only improve the cost-effectiveness of naval shipbuilding but also strengthen our national economy and maritime capabilities.
To achieve this goal, I have worked tirelessly with cabinet leaders across the administration to raise awareness and advocate for long-term solutions to the Navy’s challenges.
The solutions to many of our Navy’s most pressing issues lie in renewing the health of our nation’s broader seapower ecosystem.
A significant step in this direction was our creation of the Government Shipbuilder’s Council.
This interagency body brings together representatives from the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and even the Army to address common ship construction and maintenance challenges.
Furthermore, we have catalyzed multiple White House-led interagency processes on both naval and commercial shipbuilding, involving the National Security Council, National Economic Council, and various departments across the Executive Branch. These efforts aim to identify and implement effective strategies for strengthening our maritime capabilities.
In addition, my team is working closely with Congress to revitalize existing authorities and create new incentives for building and flagging commercial ships in the United States.
By investing in domestic shipbuilding, we can support our naval shipbuilding efforts, create jobs, and boost our domestic manufacturing base.
And as part of Maritime Statecraft, it is essential to forge strong partnerships with local governments, suppliers, and leaders.
These collaborations will be instrumental in revitalizing our nation’s maritime industry.
By working closely with local officials, we can identify and address the specific challenges and opportunities, including potential infrastructure improvements, streamlining regulatory processes, and attracting investment to support shipbuilding, repair, and maritime-related industries.
I have long advocated for the restoration and expansion of some of our nation’s smaller, dormant, and underutilized shipyards as part of the effort to rebuild our maritime industrial capacity, and nowhere is that more applicable than here in San Francisco.
We are confident that these initiatives will yield significant returns for naval shipbuilding and sealift.
By adopting a holistic approach to Maritime Statecraft, we can position the United States to maintain its global leadership and safeguard our national interests.
Conclusion
As we move to the panel, I want to leave you with one question.
The theme for this session is “Reimagining the American Maritime Industry.”
At the heart of the matter the question I would ask us to ponder today, this week, and moving into our shared future is:
“How can the Bay Area and the Navy work together to restore the comprehensive maritime power of the United States?”
Whether through workforce development, improving and increasing maritime infrastructure, partnerships in the technology sector and with academia, or revitalizing dormant or underutilized shipyards, the Navy is prepared to work alongside you, to partner with you, and to succeed together.
Thank you for joining us today, and may God grant the Navy, the Marine Corps, San Francisco, and indeed our Nation fair winds and following seas.