USS New Mexico Sailors Participate in Albuquerque Navy Week
Photos by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mark O’Donald
Santa Fe, N.M. (Oct. 4, 2011) Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Attila Halacsy, Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Joaquin Arroyo and Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Geoffrey Obermaier assigned to the Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico (SSN 779) stand in the rotunda of the New Mexico State House during Albuquerque Navy Week 2011. Navy Weeks are designed to showcase the investment Americans have made in their Navy as a global force for good and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.
Santa Fe, N.M. (Oct. 4, 2011) Governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez is presented a ships hat by Master Chief Machinist’s Mate, Joaquin Arroyo, assigned to the Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico (SSN 779) in the Governor’s Chamber at the New Mexico State House during Albuquerque Navy Week 2011.
CONGRATULATIONS ON REGIONAL EMMY AWARD NOMINATION!
USS New Mexico BB40: The Drinan Diary produced by KNME - ALBUQUERQUE was nominated in the The HISTORIC/CULTURAL-NEWS SINGLE STORY category. The winner will be announced at the Rocky Mountain Emmy Award Ceremony in Phoenix on October 15, 2011. The USS NM short documentary was produced by Michael Kamins in concert with the USS New Mexico Committee at the NM History Museum.
Governor Martinez issues proclamation making September 19, 2011 "USS New Mexico Day"
Iron Fish
USS New Mexico Committee Chairman Dick Brown recently attended the 14th annual Navajo Code Talkers ceremony in Window Rock, AZ. It was Sunday, August 14th, National Navajo Code Talkers Day. The ceremony commemorated the Navajo language and the Code Talkers’ contributions to decisive WWII victories that forever changed history.
At a cook-out the evening before, with the help of Code Talker Frank Willetto of Crownpoint, NM, Dick individually presented USS NEW MEXICO challenge coins to 19 legendary Code Talkers. Frank, who served in the 2nd Marine Division, 1944-1946, blessed the boat’s pressure hull at the 2008 Keel Authentication Ceremony in Newport News, VA. Frank explained in Navajo that the souvenir was from Besh-lo NEW MEXICO. Besh-lo means “Iron Fish” and is the code word that Frank and his fellow marines used for submarines during WWII. (Photos courtesy of Rick Carver)
Just prior to the ceremony at Navajo Veterans Park in Window Rock, Dick joined Rick Carver in a meeting with the Navajo Nation President, the Honorable Ben Shelly and First Lady Martha Shelly, in the president’s office. President Shelly is from Thoreau, NM and was sworn in as the new President of the Navajo Nation on January 11, 2011. As a token of our appreciation of the Navajo people as patriotic Americans, Dick presented President Shelly with a USS NEW MEXICO coin and Admiral ball-cap. The President signed copies of Rick’s new book “A Year or so in the Life of New Mexico”.
At the ceremony, the Code Talkers were escorted by Marine Reserves, Miss Navajo Nation sung the national anthem in Navajo, and President Shelly gave the opening address. The names of all Code Talkers - there were hundreds - were read aloud. Col. Jay Vargas, USMC (Ret), gave the keynote address. Jay, who was raised in Winslow, AZ near the western reservation, received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his gallant service during the Vietnam War. He is a USS NEW MEXICO honorary plankowner and was recognized several years ago on the New Mexico Senate Floor with Commanding Officer Rob Dain, Chief of the Boat Roger Meffley and Crest Designer Emilee Sena. His career in the Marine Corps included service as Marine Officer Instructor at UNM’s NROTC unit.
During the commemoration ceremony, eight Code Talkers who were lost in the past year were recognized, including Lloyd Oliver, one of the original 29 who were recruited into the Marine Corps at Fort Wingate in 1942. Lloyd passed away in March. CDR George Perez sent the Oliver family a flag that had flown over NEW MEXICO as a tribute to Lloyd's service to our nation.
Code Talker involvement with USS NEW MEXICO goes back to December 6, 2004 when Chester Nez of Albuquerque delivered a special blessing at the submarine’s Naming Ceremony at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. There, the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Gordon England, made official his selection of the name NEW MEXICO. Chester, who is now in failing health, is the last of the original 29 Code Talkers.
USS New Mexico Update from CDR George Perez
NEW MEXICO Friends, Families and Supporters
It has been four months since my last update. Much has transpired on board, all of it for the better. First, allow me to bring you up to speed on where the ship is in her schedule. NEW MEXICO completed sea trials and delivery in mid-July following an extremely demanding, one-year Post Shipyard Availability (PSA). During this availability, the crew, in close cooperation with Electric Boat shipyard, did more work in less time than any previous Virginia Class PSA to date. In fact, the ship was delivered just two weeks off its 1 July target date. This was a huge accomplishment for both the crew and Electric Boat and was a tribute to the hard work and sacrifice by all involved to achieve such a significant milestone for the Virginia Class Program. Following sea trials, we had the opportunity for a week of training at sea where we took the ship through her paces while we acclimated ourselves to operations at sea, something we had not done in over a year. Following our return to homeport in early August, NEW MEXICO loaded her first warshot torpedos in the history of the ship. Now, we are finishing our final outfitting and minor repairs to support extended operations away from homeport.
The months ahead will see NEW MEXICO conducting a variety of testing at sea as we certify all aspects of the ship's capabilities. As such, we will be spending much of our time away from homeport. During this period, we anticipate embarking veterans of the USS NEW MEXICO (BB 40), members of the New Mexico Committee, and the Governor of the State of New Mexico for a one-day VIP cruise. We will also be completing a period of Basic Submaring Training, or BST, where we exercise our skills in all the fundamental mission areas a submarine and her crew are expected to perform.
On the personnel front, I am proud to congratulate four of the Navy's newest future Chief Petty Officers. Chief Select Christopher Matter, Chief Select Joseph Winn, Chief Select David Medert, and Chief Select Curtis Kammerer who all achieved a major career milestone with their selection. I can assure you they will make signficant contributions to the future of the Navy and the Submarine Force while serving in their first Chiefs Quarters. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't recognize an additional promotion, that of MM2(SS) Nicklaus Mitchell, who was command advanced to Petty Officer Second Class for his sustained, superior performance over the last year.
We have had several new additions to the crew including: ET3 Puls, ET3 Dunnington, MM3 Vandeventer, ENS Lefler, ITS1(SS) Liebman, STS2(SS) Barber, TM1(SS) Chayim, FT1(SS) Malone, LCDR Blais, MM2 Beaver, CS2(SS) Ingalls, MMC(SS) Kuczirka, MMFA Cowden, EMC(SS) Neufeld, MMC(Sel) Matter, MM2 Brokamp, STSSN Morris and YNSR Ledoyen. All have hit the deck plates running since joining the crew and all will be with us well through our next deployment, currently scheduled for late 2012. Sadly, we also had to bid farewell to several crewmembers since my last update including: LCDR Lundberg, ship's Engineer Officer, who transferred to Washington D.C. for duty as Commander, Naval Installation Command, Flag Secretary, MM1(SS) Huss and STS2(SS) PerezBanquez who both transferred to shore duty here in Groton, CT, TM1(SS) Burke who transferred to recruiting duty in Ohio, LS2(SS) Lyle to transferred to Mayport, FL, EMC Clark who transferred to Norfolk, VA, MM2(SS) Reichert who transferred to USS TEXAS (SSN 775) in Pearl Harbor, HI, MM1(SS) Burke who transferred to Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and LT Woods who transferred to duty on board USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) in Norfolk, VA. Each of these fine submariners made invaluable contributions to the success of NEW MEXICO and their presence on the deckplates will be sorely missed.
This month, we also bid fair winds and following seas to MM1(SS) Toby Davis, who is retiring after 20 years of distinguished Naval service, and to TM2(SS) Gil Minas and MM3(SS) Jesse Reeves who are both separating from Naval service after superb tours of duty on board NEW MEXICO. All three of these fine warriors will be missed and there is no doubt we are a better ship with them than without.
As always, it is an honor and privilege for me to lead these superb submarine warriors. They continue to amaze me with their tireless dedication and sacrifice each and every day.
Warmest Regards,
CDR George Perez Commanding Officer USS NEW MEXICO (SSN 779)
KOB Interview with USS New Mexico Committee Chairman Dick Brown
Thanks to KOB-TV, the Navy League and its USS New Mexico Committee received some very nice exposure on its support of our namesake submarine. Christina Westbrook, Executive Producer for KOB's "Good Day New Mexico" program, invited committee chairman Dick Brown to record a show segment in their studio at Broadcast Plaza. Armed with two posters and ten photos, Dick was interviewed by show host Terrie Q. Sayre on August 17th. The segment aired a week later and is available for viewing below.
Having just completed sea trials, USS NEW MEXICO proudly displays its namesake state’s Centennial license plate at the aft end of its sail. These photos were taken July 14, 2011 at Submarine Base New London, NEW MEXICO’s homeport. The license plate was custom-made with the submarine’s hull designation SSN-779.
Chief of the Boat Eric Murphy ETCS(SS) reports that they have just selected their sailors for third quarter awards. The USS New Mexico Committee will be honoring the following crew members with special plaques:
Bluejacket of the Quarter: ETSN(SU) Christopher Juillerat
Junior Sailor of the Quarter: ET2)SS) Zachary Walden
Sailor of the Quarter: ET1(SS) Zachary Scott
For the past year, USS NEW MEXICO has been undergoing modernization and refit that is standard procedure after commissioning and shakedown. The sea trials that follow Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) were a huge success. This means NEW MEXICO’s shipyard days are over and now she can concentrate on preparing for her first 6-month deployment.
A dozen or so NEW MEXICO sailors have attended the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta during the past few years and carried back to the rest of the crew glowing reports of balloon rides during mass ascensions. It was inevitable – the crew requested balloon pictures for their crew’s mess. Along the port side of the crew’s mess an "undersea mass ascension" springs to life.
The line-up of six ballooning images by official Balloon Fiesta photographers were reproduced on vinyl and mounted to locker doors as part of an effort by the Navy League’s USS New Mexico Committee, the home-state support team, to instill a New Mexico theme in the décor of the crew's onboard living quarters. It is not yet known if the submarine has benefited from the added buoyancy of hundreds of inflated balloons but certainly the spirits of the crew have been buoyed by this undersea mass ascension.
There are also pictures of the Sandia Peak tram and White Sands National Monument. NEW MEXICO also has Southwest-style bunk and passageway curtains. And about to be installed in the crew’s mess are panoramic photos of other New Mexico landscapes and five tabletops in the design of the state flag. No other submarine or ship in the Navy has such a colorful interior. Incidentally, the crew’s mess has been dubbed "La Posta Abajo del Mar" (La Posta Beneath the Sea) after the popular restaurant La Posta de Mesilla, near Las Cruces, NM.
What’s next? Stay tuned as the Commanding Officer, CDR George Perez, is getting ready to schedule a very special VIP cruise for surviving WWII veterans of battleship NEW MEXICO (BB-40) later this summer.
Frank Willetto – Honorary USS NEW MEXICO Plank Owner
On April 19th, 2011, at the Fire Rock Navajo Casino in Church Rock, NM (two miles east of Gallup on Historic Route 66), there was a special presentation to Navajo Code Talker and Tribal spiritual leader Frank Chee Willetto of Crownpoint. Three years ago, Frank had traveled to Newport News, Virginia where he honored the crew and 300 invited guests with his blessing of the USS NEW MEXICO submarine. At the keel authentication ceremony on April 12th, 2008, Frank bestowed his hope for safe journeys for all who go to sea in the submarine.
There were about 24 Navajo in attendance at Fire Rock Casino, including the casino CEO and Rhonda Ray, Marketing Manager, and Keith Little, President of the Navajo Code Talkers Association, plus staff members Yvonne Murphy and Wanda Arviso. Photographer Leigh Jimmie and reporter Jan-Mikael Patterson from the Navajo Times were present and produced a very nice story for this weekly newspaper. Rick Carver took photos for the Navy League’s USS New Mexico Committee and his next book.
At the podium just outside the casino entrance, with a beautiful custom motorcycle on display, Committee Chairman Dick Brown presented an honorary plank owner plaque to Frank. The 86-year old WWII veteran plans to donate it to the National Navajo Code Talkers Museum and Veterans Center when it is completed. Brown explained that plank ownership is a time-honored Navy tradition dating back to the days of wooden ships. Those sailors onboard during commissioning are plank owners for life and each is “entitled to one plank of the deck”. By the way, the motorcycle is being raffled off as a fundraiser for the new Code Talkers Museum planned for Tse Bonito, NM. (Photos courtesy of Rick Carver)
As an 18-year old eager to defend his country during WWII, Frank joined the U.S. Marine Corps. It was while waiting for his physical exam in Santa Fe that Frank was pulled out of line by a Marine sergeant and selected for a special mission. At the time, he did not know he was destined to become a Code Talker. After basic training and extensive radio training, PFC Willetto shipped out to the Pacific Theatre where he served with the 2nd Marine Division in Saipan and Okinawa.
The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945, and saved countless lives by speeding the end of the war. Their mission was to use their native language to transmit vital combat information over open-air radio. The enemy never cracked the code; in fact, it was kept secret for more than two decades after the war.
Frank’s plank owner plaque includes a piece of high-strength steel from the construction of the submarine, quite appropriate because during WWII the Navajo code word for submarine was “Besh-Lo” which means “Iron Fish”. Frank sends his regards to the committee and to the officers and crew of USS NEW MEXICO.
Navajo Code Talker Keith Little served with the US Marine Corps and fought in battles in the Marshall Islands, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Like most of the Code Talkers, he was not aware of the significance of his contribution to the war effort until much later in life. It was only then that he understood the importance of documenting their story for posterity. With the new museum, he hopes to teach the younger generations the importance of striving for excellence and of serving above and beyond the call of duty.
After the ceremony, Keith, Frank and Dick signed USS NEW MEXICO posters for attendees and casino patrons. There is considerable excitement about "our" submarine in Navajoland. On behalf of the Navy League, Frank and Keith were given USS New Mexico admiral ball-caps and ship’s coins in appreciation for their service to our nation.
After the war, Frank returned to his native New Mexico. He worked in the mining industry for a few years before settling into a long career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. His first wife died in 1989. They had been married nearly 43 years. Today, he and his second wife, Shirley, live near Crownpoint. He has 10 children and 65 grandchildren.
For his exemplary service as a Navajo Code Talker, Frank received the Congressional Silver Medal in 2002, long after his service to our country. He has served as Vice President of the Navajo Code Talker Association, Chairman of the National Indian Council on Aging, Navajo Tribal Councilman (for 12 years), and Vice President of the Navajo Nation. He remains a strong advocate for improving the quality of life for the Navajo people and has testified on their behalf before congressional committees in Washington. His community service continues for he has two years remaining in his term as President of the Pueblo Pintado Chapter.
The Navy League New Mexico Council expresses its appreciation to the Navajo Code Talker Association and the Fire Rock Navajo Casino for organizing and hosting this special tribute to Frank Willetto.
Postscript Story
Frank Willetto is not the only Code Talker involved in USS NEW MEXICO. On December 6, 2004, Chester Nez delivered a special blessing in Navajo during the naming ceremony at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. At this event, Secretary of the Navy Gordon England made official his selection of the name for the sixth Virginia-class submarine.
Today, Chester Nez is the last surviving Code Talker of the “Original 29” who were recruited into the Marine Corps to develop the code. It was not long ago that there were three left of the original 29 but 89-year old Allen Dale June died in September and 87-year old Lloyd Oliver died in March – both proud patriots. This leaves Chester but at age 89 he too is in failing health. He is wheelchair-bound after diabetes led to the amputation of both legs.
When the USS New Mexico Commissioning Committee heard about Chester throwing out the first pitch at a 2004 major league baseball game, it invited him to the official naming of submarine NEW MEXICO. There he joined Governor Richardson and Senator Bingaman on stage – it was a great day for New Mexico and a great honor to have this war hero’s blessing as part of the naming ceremony.
Code Talker Thanked for Blessing Nuclear Sub
By Jan-Mikael Patterson Navajo Times CHURCH ROCK, N.M., April 22, 2011
Under clear skies and a slight breeze, about 30 people gathered Tuesday outside the main entrance of Fire Rock Navajo Casino to honor Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willetto of Crownpoint for his role in the building of the nuclear submarine USS New Mexico.
Dick Brown, committee chairman for the New Mexico Council of the Navy League, presented Willetto with an honorary plaque like that given to members of the crew that built the giant vessel. The plaque held a piece of metal left over from construction of the sub.
In April 2008, Willetto traveled to the shipyard at Newport News, Va., where the Navy League had invited him to perform a blessing before construction on the $2.7 billion submarine got underway with the laying and authentication of the keel.
Willetto prayed in Navajo for the safety of the construction crew and that the craft, the sixth in a series of fast-attack submarines built by the Navy, would become operational as it goes out to sea.
"Frank was the most popular guy at the keel ceremony because the people out there had never seen a code talker before so it was exciting. He was the one everyone wanted to see," Brown said.
The USS New Mexico is 377 feet in length and 34 feet in diameter. It weighs 7,800 tons and can dive deeper than 800 feet. It's the second warship named after the Land of Enchantment. The first was an electrically propelled battleship that was built in 1915 and decommissioned in 1946.
"New Mexico is a state that recognizes their veterans," Willetto said, addressing the small audience. "I'm glad I was able to take part in the blessing. I got to meet the crew and the commander, who used to work in New Mexico.
Willetto, 85, was 16 when he was drafted into military service and chosen for training as a code talker. He is Bit'ahnii (Folded Arms Clan), born for Todich'ii'nii (Bitter Water Clan). His maternal grandfather was Taneezahnii (Tangle Clan) and his paternal grandfather was Naakaii Dine'e (Mexican People Clan).
"I want to thank the people that have given me this plaque. It is something to be remembered for," he said.
Willetto said the plaque would probably eventually go to the Navajo Code Talkers Museum and Veterans Center planned at Tse Bonito, N.M. In the meantime, he will keep it safely tucked away, he said.
"There's all kinds of plaques and pictures of my grandchildren on the wall that I don't want to move," Willetto chuckled. "I did promise that I will donate it to the museum when it's completed."
As for the blessing he bestowed on the USS New Mexico, so far it seems to be working.
"When you bless something you have to mean what you've said. This is something that was taught to me from my grandparents," Willetto said. "Mr. Brown said that since then the submarine was finished and everything is running perfectly."
USS New Mexico Update from CDR George Perez
You will all be happy to know that we successfully placed NEW MEXICO back in the water this past Thursday. The event went about as flawlessly as one can hope for in a shipyard environment. The ship and crew performed beautifully. The crew is now getting acclimated to being in the water again dealing with items they haven't done in nearly half a year ranging from taking draft readings to operating shaft seals. The diesel generator and battery were both restored over the weekend and installation of our new combat control system progresses at a superb rate. The next major milestones involves testing of the rod control system and light off of the combat control system, both scheduled for the March timeframe.
The crew is in good spirits following a challenging January that saw more delays than expected. Enthusiasm is high as we have begun working our operational schedule following Sea Trials which is still scheduled for mid-June. Since my last update, we have added some new members to our crew including YN3 Hemphill, STSSN Strait, ETSN Juillerat, MM3 Radar, EM1 Kammerer, ETCS Brownson, MMCM Arroyo, ETC Fisher, FT3 Kestranek, and ENS Schaefer.
Of course, as new sailors come, experienced ones depart. We bid farewell to ET1 Saffell who is headed to shore duty to train the next generation in New York. We also bid farewell to ET1 Young (IT Division) who has separated from Naval service in pursuit of a career in computers in the civilian world. Both will be sorely missed.
We have had another handful of promotions with new ranks listed: LT Wiesner, MM2 Mapes, LTJG Ostrin, and CS2 Obermaier (meritoriously promoted).
Two of our junior officers passed their Engineer's Exam, a significant milestone for all nuclear trained officer. Congratulations to LTJG Bove and LTJG Becknell on their accomplishment.
For the first time since taking command, NMX has had all her departments' leadership onboard. Both the Navigator, LT Joel Holwitt, and the Weapons Officer, LT Mark Barry, have been supporting other Virginia Class submarines in their operations (MISSOURI and NEW HAMPSHIRE, respectively). As the days go by, the ship and crew are coming together. I couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments.
CDR George Perez
Commanding Officer
USS NEW MEXICO (SSN-779)
Senate Memorial 25 Honors SSN-779 Crew
Great News Everyone!
This morning, the New Mexico State Senate unanimously passed Senate Memorial 25 (see attached pdf). The vote was 43-0. The Memorial was sponsored by State Senator & retired RADM Bill Payne. It not only honors the officers and crew of USS New Mexico, but the Navy League (home-state support team), the NM History Museum, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber and La Posta de Mesilla too!
View PDFSubmarine CO and COB Visit New Mexico
For four days in late January, the Commanding Officer of USS New Mexico, CDR George Perez, and his wife Liz, and Chief of the Boat Eric Murphy, and his wife Marsha, visited Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
They participated in two radio talk shows and several public events, including the opening of the 4-month USS New Mexico (BB-40 & SSN-779) Exhibition at the NM History Museum in Santa Fe. This event included three BB-40 sailors who, despite being in their late 80s and early 90s, are hoping for a ride on SSN-779 later this year.
The CO and COB visited the UNM NROTC unit and the VA Medical Center, and then had some great interactions with New Mexico youth, including Bataan Military Academy’s Bataan Battalion, the nation's largest Sea Cadet unit, and some computer-savvy high schoolers sponsored by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber.
There was some excellent television coverage by KOB TV4 and great articles in the Albuquerque Journal and Santa Fe New Mexican newspapers. In addition, CDR Perez fielded questions from KKOB Radio 770AM listeners on Bob Clark’s Morning Show and Jim Villanucci’s Afternoon Show. The latter was followed by a chance encounter with Congressman Steve Pearce.
After a meeting with the USS New Mexico Committee, the crew joined committee members at El Pinto Restaurant and Cantina.
USS New Mexico (BB-40 & SSN-779) Exhibition
The New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe is currently featuring a USS NEW MEXICO (BB-40 & SSN-779) Exhibition from January 23rd until May 9th at the Historic Plaza in Santa Fe next to the Palace of the Governors. The opening of the Exhibition included a visit from the Commanding Officer of USS New Mexico, CDR George Perez, Chief of the Boat Eric Murphy, and three USS New Mexico (BB-40) sailors.
USS New Mexico Halfway Through PSA
USS New Mexico has been in Drydock #2 at General Dynamics Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, CT since last summer. She is midway through her one-year Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) period.
Sea trials are scheduled to begin June 17th, followed by final delivery and a full summer of testing and training. Operations at sea will include weapons testing and magnetic signature testing in the July-August timeframe. CDR Perez reports that with her new combat control system and special operations support capability, USS New Mexico is the prime choice for Combat Commanders.
Photo courtesy of General Dynamics Electric Boat
PRESS RELEASE:
USS NEW MEXICO SSN-779 CREW VISIT TO ALBUQUERQUE
For Immediate Release: January 18, 2011
Contact: Dick Brown 505-238-1584
Albuquerque, NM - USS NEW MEXICO (SSN-779) Crew will visit Albuquerque January 20 through January 23. CDR George Perez, the new Commanding Officer of the USS New Mexico and his wife Liz Perez will be accompanied by ETCS Eric Murphy, Chief of the Boat, and his wife Marsha Murphy for their first trip to New Mexico since taking command of the boat.
CDR Perez and ETCS Murphy will visit UNM NROTC, the Veterans Administration Hospital and the Bataan Military Academy on January 21 as well as attend other event.
January 23 CDR Perez and ETCS Murphy will attend the Opening of the New Mexico History Museum's USS New Mexico (SSN-779) and USS New Mexico (BB-40) Exhibition. The Exhibition at the Santa Fe New Mexico History Museum will run for the next four months.
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CDR George Perez
Commander George Perez, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, enlisted in the U. S. Navy in 1986. Upon completion of training as a Nuclear Electrician's Mate, he was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program (Nuclear Option). Attending the University of Texas, Commander Perez earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in August, 1991.
Commander Perez's first sea assignment was onboard USS HELENA (SSN 725) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from August 1993 to November 1996, where he served in a variety of division officer billets including Damage Control Assistant and Quality Assurance Officer. While onboard, he completed two deployments to both the Western Pacific and the Arabian Gulf.
His follow-on assignment was as Naval Science Instructor at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida where he served from December 1996 to December 1999. During this tour he earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida.
In May 2000, Commander Perez reported as the Combat Systems Officer onboard USS MONTPELIER (SSN 765) in Norfolk, Virginia. During his time onboard, he completed two deployments, including operations off South America during UNITAS 2000 and in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In July 2003, Commander Perez reported for duty as a Combat Evaluator for the Tactical Readiness Evaluation Team for the Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In October 2005, Commander Perez reported as Executive Officer onboard USS RHODE ISLAND (SSBN 740)(BLUE) homeported in Kings Bay, Georgia, where he served for two years completing three strategic deterrent patrols and earning two Battle 'E' Awards.
In December 2007, Commander Perez took command of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan Province, in eastern Afghanistan where he served with both the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following this combat tour; Commander Perez served as the Current Operations Officer, Navy Region Southeast, in Jacksonville, FL from February 2009 to March 2010 before entering the Submarine Command pipeline.
Commander Perez is entitled to wear the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (five awards), Navy Achievement Medal (two awards) and various unit and service awards. Commander Perez is married to the former Ms. Elizabeth Masterton of Brooklyn, NY and has two children, Matthew Austin and Sydnie Marie.
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ETCS (SS) Eric Murphy
His duty assignments include services aboard USS Providence (SSN-719), Performance Monitoring Team New London, USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720), Commander Submarine Squadron Fifteen Performance Monitoring Team Guam, and USS North Carolina (SSN 777).
Senior Chief Murphy first qualified in submarines in 1993 aboard the USS Providence (SSN-719). During that tour, he completed two deployments to the North Atlantic and one Mediterranean deployment and was advanced to Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class. While serving at Performance Monitoring Team New London, he earned NAVSEA certification as an inspector of Hatches, Steering and Diving Systems and Oxygen Generators. Aboard USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) he served as the Navigation Electronics Division Leading Petty Officer, Qualified Quartermaster of the Watch, completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and was advanced to Chief Petty Officer. While assigned to the staff of Commander Submarine Squadron Fifteen, he assisted in establishing the first forward deployed Performance Monitoring Team in Guam. He reported to USS North Carolina (SSN-777) commissioning crew as the 3M Coordinator, qualified and served as Assistant Navigator as well as the Navigation and Operations Department Enlisted Advisor, and was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer. He reported aboard USS New Mexico in July of 2009, where he now serves as Chief of the Boat.
His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (six awards) and various unit and campaign awards.
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USS New Mexico (SSN-779) Committee
USS NEW MEXICO (SSN-779) CHANGE-OF-COMMAND OCCURS OCTOBER 16, 2010
By Dick Brown, Chairman USS New Mexico Committee
The new USS New Mexico CO is CDR George Perez (of Corpus Christi, TX, site of last year's Navy League National Convention) and he's very excited about his new command and to continuing the strong state-submarine relationship that we have going. He and the COB, plus wives, plan to be here in January for the grand opening of the USS New Mexico Exhibition and a meeting with our committee. The boat goes back in the water mid-December but will be pierside till June, but after that, the skipper wants to take us to sea for a day. Our boat will spend the second half of 2011 getting certified for deployment in 2012. With our shortage of subs, deployments are now 7 & 8 months long instead of 6.
CDR George Perez (right) relieves CDR Mark Prokopius (left)
SUBRON4 Commodore Capt Michael Bernacchi (middle)
George has a house in Groton but Liz and the kids (Matt & Sydnie) still live in Jacksonville where I'm headed later this coming week. ADM and Cindy G introduced us to George who has recently returned from Afghanistan. In his remarks, George stated it will be a refreshing change being in a place where no one is trying to shoot him. He addressed his crew, acknowledging the many challenges they have met in the past, but cautioned that there are many more ahead. He thanked Mark for laying the foundation for the next three decades (life of the boat). David, Marlene and I had lots of chances to talk with George and get to know each other a little better. Then I joined George and his family on a 90-minute tour of USS New Hampshire (SSN-778). Also good talks with Rob Dain as well as Capt Michael Bernacchi, SUBron4 Commodore to whom George reports. Bernacchi was the Navigator on USS Albuquerque and the XO on USS Santa Fe. Speaking of reports, the Commodore is going to encourage George to send quarterly reports to us and the Gov as everyone is wanting to keep our state-sub relationship active and vibrant. We'll encourage responses from the Gov.
(Left to Right) CDR Robert Lee Dain,
CDR Mark Prokopius, CDR George Perez
I'm very encouraged that we have another skipper who is very upbeat about our state (George has been to ABQ, Santa Fe & Taos a few times) as well as being highly interested in our Navy League support of the crew. He is also interested in BB-40 and encourages us to invite some BB-40 sailors to the Santa Fe exhibit in Jan. He was at New Mexico's commissioning but maintained a low profile.
It was also good to see many of the crew members we have come to know and RDML McLaughlin CSG2 again; he served as the principal speaker. First photo courtesy of CSG2. The second two photos were taken by Wendy Lopez Poling who does a program called NavyWifeRadio. George and I were separately interviewed by Wendy. She's from Alamogordo, NM and her husband is at sea on USS Missouri (SSN-780) right now.
Also, I've accepted an invitation to attend VADM Donnelly's change-of-command and retirement ceremony in Norfolk on 11/5, pier 14, along side the USS Montpelier (SSN 765). The very next day, PCU California (SSN 781) will be christened at Newport News. George was the Weapons Officer on Montpelier and his former CO joined us on the New Hampshire tour. As Disney said, it's a small world after all.
March 2008 Update:
USS NEW MEXICO is now approximately two-thirds complete. The aft section is complete except for the shaft and propeller. The shaft tube has been hydrostatically tested. The reactor core is loaded. The forward section is coming along nicely with insertion of the torpedo room module in 2A. The control room module (CCSM) will be inserted in 2A in this month. The 2B/5 module, the last big hull section, arrives by Sea Shuttle this month. The Christening is still scheduled for January 2009 and delivery to the Navy in August 2009. Commissioning will be 3 or 4 months after that. The crew for PCU New Mexico now numbers 80 and is fast-approaching the full complement of 130. The navigator will be reporting aboard soon. Some forward crew members are training at sea aboard USS OKLAHOMA CITY (SSN-723). The crew is standing watches aft but forward crews will not stand watch until the sub is in the water (January 2009).
December 2007 Update:NEW MEXICO 's bow and stern are looking very good and the submarine has been declared 55% complete. The sail has landed on Section 1/2A which completes the forward one-third of the hull. Pictured below is Section 2A as it appeared in November 2006 sitting on end at GDEB’s Quonset Point, RI.
The remaining one-third, the so-called super-module or Section 2B/5, is all that is needed to complete NEW MEXICO’s pressure hull. This long straight mid-section of the hull is scheduled to arrive by sea shuttle from GDEB in early March 2008. This leaves only two big welding jobs, the 5/6 weld and the 2A/2B weld to reach the “Pressure Hull Complete” milestone. Pictured below is Section 5 as it appeared in November 2006 at Quonset Point.
August 2007 Update:
The NEW MEXICO is now 50% complete. She is taking shape in Bay #4 in the Module Outfitting Facility at Northrop Grumman’s Newport News shipyard. Her bow faces the James River.On July 16th, hull section 2A and the Main Propulsion Unit (or engine raft) arrived from General Dynamic’s Electric Boat Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island. Section 2A has since been welded to the 1A/B bow section.
The Main Propulsion Unit (MPU) raft was loaded in the 8/9 stern section on August 7 th. See photo of the section 8/9. This 25-ton engine raft includes turbines, main engines and gears. On the nuclear path, the initial primary coolant fill has taken place and testing is ongoing. The crew is very busy standing watches and testing systems. Special acoustic mold-in-place hull coating operations are underway for sections 6 and 7. The sail (see photo) is nearing completion.
Joining Sections 8 and 9 - this is the tapered stern section of the hull, with rudder and stern planes. It houses the aft portion of the engine room. The white tent is for temperature control and slag containment during welding. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Newport News)
New Mexico’s sail under construction. (The scaffolding in the foreground hides some details.) The forward edge of the sail is on the left. The structure is free-flooding and houses electronic masts and a multitude of sensors. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Newport News)
July 2007 Update:
The main propulsion unit (Engine Room Raft) for Section 8 has just arrived at the shipyard. The crew started standing watches in Section 7 (forward part of engine room) on 7/6. The sonar sphere is installed on front of Section 1A but there is no bow dome yet. Vertical Launch Tubes (VLTs) are installed, torpedo tubes are installed, and work on the shutter doors is underway. Section 2A just arrived from Quonset Point, RI where General Dynamics Electric Boat fabricates the straight sections of the hull. It will be joined to Section 1 and then the sail will be attached. The weapons module (torpedo room) is in the works. The crew now numbers 62 and is on track to reach 100 by January 2008.
March 2007 Update:
Modules or sections of NEW MEXICO’s hull are presently aligned in Bay #4 of the 10-story Module Outfitting Facility (MOF) at the shipyard. Once a section of NEW HAMPSHIRE was moved out of the way, Section 8, the aft portion of NEW MEXICO’s Engine Room, which arrived by Sea Shuttle from Electric Boat in January, was maneuvered into position. It is being welded to Section 9, the stern. This will complete the aft end of NEW MEXICO.
Also in Bay #4, in perfect alignment with the aft section, is NEW MEXICO’s forward section. It contains 12 vertical launch tubes in the forward ballast tank, just outside the forward-most portion of the pressure hull. The sail is under construction as well as many mid-sections of the hull. Northrop Grumman Newport News manufactures the tapered hull sections of VIRGINIA-Class submarines and General Dynamics Electric Boat manufactures the straight sections. The largest straight section is called the 2B/5 supermodule. It will arrive from Electric Boat in late February 2008. Before any hull sections are welded together, they are first packed full of equipment, systems, and machinery -- every permanent component of the submarine. This process of installing equipment modules is called end-loading.
As of early March 2007, the shipyard reports that NEW MEXICO is 41% complete and looking very much like a submarine. As major hull sections come together, we expect additional construction photos that can be posted on this web site. It takes a while for photos to be cleared for public release but more pictures of NEW MEXICO are definitely coming our way.
She costs $2.7 billion and requires 14 million manhours to assemble her one million parts and 140 shipboard systems, all encased in the strongest submarine hull ever built. She is NEW MEXICO, the Navy’s sixth Virginia-class fast-attack submarine.
The partnership between two shipbuilders, General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and Northrop Grumman Newport News (NGNN) is unique. These former competitors have teamed to produce the world’s most technologically advanced submarines. NEW MEXICO’s hull sections are being built in two shipyards. GDEB is building the straight sections at its facilities in Groton, CT and Quonset Point, RI and transporting them by sea shuttle to Newport News, VA. NGNN is building the tapered hull sections and doing the final assembly at its Newport News shipyard. The company has been building ships since 1891 and NEW MEXICO is its 664th ship.
At present, NEW MEXICO is nearing 40% complete. Assembly is taking place inside NGNN’s 10-story Module Outfitting Facility (MOF) with NEW MEXICO’s bow pointed towards the James River near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. In the MOF, hull sections are end-loaded with system modules which are powered up and tested before hull sections are welded together. Pictured here is the New Mexico state flag which is dwarfed by the 60-ft length of this cylindrical hull section. The forward direction is on the left side. This is section 7 which houses the forward portion of the engine room and the aft portion of the reactor compartment. NEW MEXICO’s reactor will power the submarine for its entire 33-year design service life without refueling. In this photo, section 7 is resting in Bay #3 but it will eventually be moved laterally and take its rightful position in NEW MEXICO.
Before tapered sections of the hull reach the MOF, they are fabricated in the Ring Assembly Building. Pictured here are two forward hull sections. Section 1A (on the right) is outside the pressure hull and houses the forward ballast tanks and 12 vertical tubes for launching cruise missiles. Section 1B (on the left) will be connected to 1A and contains the forward end of the pressure hull. The area with shiny buffed steel is where the sail will be attached. NEW MEXICO’s sail is also under construction in the Ring Assembly Building. The bow dome, housing a spherical sonar array, will complete the forward end of the submarine.
Another tapered hull section is the stern. Here section 9B is being raised vertically by the shipyard’s giant crane for transport to the MOF. Shown in this photo are the aft ballast tank flood ports, special ports from which countermeasures are launched, dihedral (fin) connection points, temporary steel pads for resting on chocks and the receptacle for the rudder pin. At this time, sections 9A and 9B are welded together as one unit and are in their normal horizontal position at the far end of Bay #4 where machining for the propulsor (ultra-quiet propeller in a special housing) is currently in progress. The upper and lower sections of NEW MEXICO’s rudder have already been installed.
With a length of 377 feet and a beam of 34 feet, NEW MEXICO will be slightly larger than the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines. She will weigh 7,835 tons submerged. When on the surface, the bottom of her rudder will be 32 feet down. NEW MEXICO is scheduled for launch in April 2009 with delivery to the Navy one year later.
