A Super-Spectacular Star-Studded Centennial Celebration

Ten Navy Leaguers Honored by DON, DOT; Barry Wins DSA; Baldridge, Shanahan Selected for Hall of Fame; Lenken Tops Member-Getter List; Three New National Officers Elected

By JAMES D. HESSMAN
Editor in Chief

The Navy League of the United States concluded its first century of service and support for the sea services of the United States--the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine--with an appropriately spectacular national convention at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, the birthplace of the Navy League.

During the convention, hosted by the New York Council under the direction of Convention Chairman Victor T. Gainor Jr. and Council President Robert A. Ravitz, the more than 600 Navy Leaguers and distinguished guests attending had the opportunity to hear personally from senior leaders of all of the sea services about the new programs and policies put into place since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. All committees of the Navy League, including both the outgoing and incoming boards of directors, met at least one time. Several workshops--e.g., a "goals" workshop for region presidents and computer demonstrations of the Navy League Online Community--also were included on the action-packed agenda.

Among the senior sea-service speakers headlining various events during the 28 June-2 July meeting were Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England, Maritime Administrator William G. Schubert, Deputy New York Mayor Carol Robles-Roman, Vice Adm. Albert H. Konetzni Jr., deputy commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Lt. Gen. Robert Magnus, deputy Marine Corps commandant for programs & resources, and Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen.

The Navy League's Centennial Convention celebration "was extremely well-planned and well-executed," said National President Timothy O. Fanning, "and a fitting tribute not only to the members of today's Navy League but to the tens of thousands who have served before us and made the organization what it is today.

"It is our duty," he continued, "to carry on the tradition of Pride, Service, and Patriotism that has characterized our great organization for the past one hundred years, and pass on to our successors an organization that is even more effective, more productive, and more capable in every way of continuing our programs of support for the sea services, and for a strong overall defense program in general. At this time of maximum crisis in our nation's history, America's sea services, and the United States itself, need the support of the Navy League and other patriotic organizations more than ever before. The work we have accomplished during our Centennial Convention will serve as the foundation for that support."

Fanning was reelected for a second one-year term as national president by the Navy League's new (2002-2003) board of directors, which also reelected nine national vice presidents and National Treasurer Richard H. Kennedy. The board also elected three new national officers: Bradley W. Nemeth, a new national vice president; W. Eugene Proctor, the Navy League's new corporate secretary (succeeding Jerome Rapkin, who served as a member of the Navy League's Steering Committee for 15 consecutive years in three different leadership posts); and John E. Gordon, the new national judge advocate, who succeeds Richard A. Saliterman.

Fanning thanked "the entire New York Council" for hosting the 2002 national convention, "and closing our first century with a truly spectacular program that was as productive as it was enjoyable." He expressed particular appreciation to Convention Chairman Gainor, Council President Ravitz, Council Executive Administrator Donald I. Sternberg, and Council Directors Kitty Coburn, Juergen Goldhagen, and Frank Visconti. He also expressed "special thanks on behalf of the entire Navy League" to Macy's, Merrill Lynch, and the Treadwell Corporation "for their generous financial underwriting support."

Honors and Awards

Among the other highlights of the Centennial Convention (which also provided time for Navy Leaguers and guests to visit New York City's world-renowned museums and attend several of the "hot ticket" Broadway shows) were a visit to the landing ship dock USS Whidbey Island; tours of Ellis Island, Rockefeller Center, and the NBC Studio; and:

* The announcement that seven Navy Leaguers had been selected to receive Department of the Navy awards, and three had been named to receive Department of Transportation Meritorious Public Service awards, in recognition of their outstanding support of the nation's sea services. The Department of the Navy awardees were Victor T. Gainor Jr. and Richard H. Kennedy (Superior Public Service Awards) and Grandis Lenken, John W. Lockwood, Steven W. McGanka, Kristina Peterman, and Connie O'Shaughnessy-Los (Meritorious Public Service Awards). The recipients of the Coast Guard awards were Albert H. Herberger, Randy W. Hollstein, and Connie O'Shaughnesy-Los.

* The presentation to John W. Barry, a national director from the Atlantic Region, of the League's 2002 Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor the Navy League bestows on one of its own members.

* The induction of two past national officers--former National Judge Advocate Ward A. Shanahan and former National Vice President Paul E. Baldridge--into the Navy League's Hall of Fame.

* The presentation, by Fanning, of the 2002 National President's Award to National Vice President (Sea-Services Liaison) John A. Panneton.