ADMIRAL THOMAS B. HAYWARD, USN AND MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER OF THE NAVY TOM CROW, USN -- TWO GREAT LEADERS

My first duty station as an Ensign was the super carrier USS AMERICA (CVA 66), with then Captain Thomas B. Hayward in command.

After departing Norfolk on 3 January 1970 following the ship's first overhaul period, we sailed south for Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba for eight weeks of refresher training. After being certified as ready for combat, we sailed for Vietnam, with stops in Rio and Subic Bay, Philippines. Pulling into Subic, the message came in that Captain Hayward had been selected for promotion to Rear Admiral. Eight short years later he was appointed Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)!

I still keep in touch with Admiral Hayward. As an Ensign, I learned a great deal from him and he had enough confidence in me to qualify me as an Officer of the Deck (OOD), running the AMERICA for four hours at a time. Being qualified by the skipper as an OOD on his carrier is no small matter, especially since our first night underway we almost collided with an oil tanker an hour after leaving Norfolk for Gitmo … but that’s another story.

This morning, I received this note from the Admiral …

John, for some reason I have just encountered this great email from you re Command Master Chief William's retirement. It might interest you that at my retirement in 1982, I dedicated the entire ceremony to the importance of the CPO to the Navy's mission; had invited all Command Master Chiefs to attend; and presented the Master Chief of the Navy, Tom Crow, with the Legion of Merit. His was the only award of the day. It was a stellar event that lives on in my heart. Tom Crow just passed away but served others right to the end.

Nothing like them...

Tom

(The file photo atop is from the Navy's website www.navy.mil Here is the caption: 790000-N-0000X-001 WASHINGTON, D.C. In this 1979 file photo, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Thomas B. Hayward meets with the 4th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Thomas Crow and his wife, Carol Crow. Crow died of cancer Sunday, Nov. 30th at his home in San Diego. He was 74. Crow was selected for MCPON in June, 1979. During his time in office, he was instrumental in the opening of the Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy and the re-emphasis on pride and professionalism across the Fleet. (U.S. Navy Photo/Released)

After retiring as CNO, the Admiral and his wife, Peggy, moved to Honolulu and he started a consulting business that specialized in matters concerning commerce and other matters of importance to the Pacific Rim nations. I had the pleasure of doing some reserve duty in Hawaii, which provided me with the opportunity to visit with the Haywards. Then, in 1999 at a Change of Command ceremony for the Commanding Officer of USS MICHIGAN in Silverdale, Wash., I ran into the Admiral and Mrs. Hayward again. They had moved to the Seattle area to be closer to their children. As you might suspect, the Admiral is still very active and has been very involved in advancing our educational systems in the United States.

My days aboard AMERICA were most rewarding … Ninety aircraft, four and a half acres of flight deck, 5,500 men and 80,000 tons of ship capable of 35 knots – lots of responsibility for a 22 year-old. Although assigned to the ship for only nine months, I was took my responsibilities as an OOD and the Officer-in-Charge of a Repair Locker on the Hanger Bay during General Quarters stations seriously. In a previous post, I told the story of learning from Navy Chief Petty Officers. Ever Naval officer did. And if he learned well, he just might become a leader of men.

My primary job was Assistant Public Affairs Officer -- dealing with embarked media; running the ship’s radio and TV stations, daily newspaper and monthly magazine and fun stuff, like hosting Miss America. But, nothing was more rewarding that driving the ship, being a small part of the greatest Navy in the world and serving under a Captain who would soon run the United States Navy. I also learned, thanks to my Chiefs and fellow shipmates, how to become a leader, which has helped me tremendously in both my Navy Reserve and civilian careers.

Thanks, Admiral Hayward, and thanks to the late MCPON Crow and all his fellow Navy Chief Petty Officers. Sometimes you get lucky.

50 YEARS OF TRADITION

Fifty years ago, the officers of the Royal Canadian Air Force 2451st AC & W (Auxiliary) Squadron organized the first International Armed Forces Night (IAFN) to solidify the excellent rapport between Canadian and U.S. military forces established during the first Detroit/Windsor International Freedom Festival. This 50-year old tradition will be celebrated at a formal military dinner on May 8 at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Mich.

“This is an outstanding time for the military officers of the Detroit and Windsor area to get together and look back over the many accomplishments of the past 50 years of cooperation between our countries,” said COL Jack Blanchard, US Army (Ret.) chairperson of IAFN. “The dinner is open to all officers who served in the armed forces of all allied nations, as well as their guests. We’re anticipating a record turnout, with veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts in attendance.”

In 1965, the “mess night,” or formal dinner of commissioned officers, was expanded to include not only U.S. and Canadian, but all Allied armed forces.

The evening begins with a reception at 1830 hours, (6:30 p.m. to you non-military types,) followed by a formal procession led by a military color guard and bagpiper. The post dinner ceremony begins with the bands playing the songs of all services present, and toasts to each of the armed services, the President of the United States, the Queen of Canada and to the fallen allied comrades of all armed conflicts and peacetime operations.

Major General Scott G. West, Commanding General, US Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, Warren, Mich., http://tinyurl.com/MGEN-WEST is the guest speaker for this 50th anniversary dinner.

The International Armed Forces Council, a committee of U.S. and Canadian officers, also presents the International Armed Forces Achievement Award to the individual deemed to have contributed most to international goodwill.

The dinner is open to all who have served as commissioned officers or warrant officers and their spouses and their guests. Music for the evening is provided by combined military dance band of the 338th U.S. Army Band, under the direction of Master Sergeant Tim Brennan, and the Windsor Regiment Band, under the direction of Captain Beth Dykeman, Canadian Armed Forces.

For this formal event, the preferred uniform is military mess dress or civilian black tie, though “Class A” military uniform or conservative civilian attire are welcomed.

Tickets are $70 (US) and $75 (Canadian) per person. Additional details are available on http://http://www.iafnc.org/ .