Jacqueline Klimas

'Top Gun' stars voice fighter jets in Disney's 'Planes'

By Jacqueline Klimas on August 4, 2013 Aviation, Movies, Naval aviation, Navy

Navy heroes are making another appearance on the silver screen, but unlike the characters portrayed in “Act of Valor” or even “Zero Dark Thirty,” they’re a little less … well … real. Two animated Super Hornets, Bravo and Echo, star in Disney’s “Planes”, a “Cars” spinoff hitting theaters Aug. 9 that tells the story of a single-propeller crop-duster — named, naturally, Dusty. When Dusty enters a flying contest that takes him around the world, he gets into some trouble over the Pacific and the two Navy jets come to his rescue, USA Today reported. The jets are voiced by “Top…

Flags at Navy Memorial send strange message to some

By Jacqueline Klimas on July 26, 2013 Navy, Washington

Most people who visit the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., see a tribute to the nation’s seagoing service, but one man sees something very different: “Vomiting is present.” Robert Royer told the Wall Street Journal that the signal flags flying at the memorial could be sending a message of men overboard, illnesses and icebergs. The signal flags at the memorial, when read as letters, spell out “U-S-N-A-V-Y-M-E-M-O-R-I-A-L.” But Royer says if the flags were flown at sea, they would be read as codes, not letters. A spokeswoman for the memorial points out in the article that the plaza and flags…

Lt. Brad Snyder represents Tampa Bay Rays at All Star Game

By Jacqueline Klimas on July 16, 2013 Baseball, EOD, Navy

Lt. Brad Snyder is the only sailor among 30 military members selected to represent a Major League Baseball team at the All Star Game at Citi Field in New York, an MLB release said. The “Tribute for Heroes” contest, run by MLB and People’s Magazine, selected 90 finalists, then let the public vote online for the top 30, who were announced last week. The winners, one for each MLB team, will be recognized during the pre-game ceremony on Tuesday. They also took part in activities in the days leading up to the game like a private tour of the 9/11…

Cap'n Crunch is only a commander?! What about 'General' Mills?

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 18, 2013 Humor, Navy, Officers

Cap’n Crunch is a fraud?! It turns out that the friendly Naval officer who has saluted kids eating breakfast for generations is not actually a captain, a Buzzfeed article reports. Navy captains have four stripes on their sleeves, but Faker Crunch only has three, making him a commander. If we’re really going to start picking apart his uniform, his cover is way too low on his head. It should be two fingers above the nose, not pulled down below his eyes (how did he even get it behind his eyeballs?). Also, that mustache is definitely out of regs–and I’m assuming…

World War II vet finally graduates from boot camp … Seventy years later

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 17, 2013 Navy, Pearl Harbor, Recruiting, The Old Salt, World War II

Joe Sanes served his country during wartime for six years and survived a torpedo sinking his ship — all before he graduated boot camp. Sanes, a World War II veteran, officially graduated from boot camp on June 14, more than 70 years after he enlisted in the Navy, a Navy release said. The young sailor had only been in boot camp for four weeks in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed; he was immediately assigned to the destroyer Hammann, never graduating. “After 72 years, I am proud and happy to be a part of this graduation,” the 91-year-old said in…

Hero corpsmen save unconscious Djiboutian man

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 13, 2013 5th Fleet, Hospital corpsman, Marine Corps, Marine Expeditionary Unit, Navy

Two corpsmen put their medical skills to use when they happened upon an unconscious man during convoy operations in Djibouti. Local nationals flagged down members of Battalion Landing Team 3/2, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, on May 23 to help the young man, an apparent drowning victim who was not breathing when the sailors arrived, a Defense Department release said. Chief Hospital Corpsman (FMF/PJ) Adrian Figueroa and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class James Haddenham were able to resuscitate the man and get him to Arta City Hospital, where is expected to recover, the release said. “The actions of our corpsmen on the…

Constitution gets underway to honor Boston Marathon responders

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 10, 2013 Navy

Old Ironside’s first underway of 2013 honored heroes, past and present. The USS Constitution sailed in Boston Harbor on June 4 to honor those who responded to the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15 as well as to pay tribute to those who fought in the Battle of the Midway in 1942. More than 375 Boston first responders took part in the three-hour cruise, which included a wreath-laying ceremony for victims of both the bombing and the battle, as well as a 21- and a 17-gun salute. The first responders onboard came from the FBI, Boston Fire and Police Departments,…

Navy studying cicadas to improve sonar

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 6, 2013 Navy

While the cicadas taking over the East Coast may just seem like a bother or a tasty snack for your dog, researchers at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center are studying how such a tiny animal can make such a loud noise in the hopes that they can borrow the technology to improve underwater sonar. The researchers from Newport, R.I., presented their findings Monday at the International Congress of Acoustics, Popular Science reported. Researchers hope that by mimicking the cicada’s method of making sounds, small unmanned underwater vehicles will be able to use active sonar systems, which today are too large…

Rare torpedo discovered by dolphins arrives at Navy Yard for restoration

By Jacqueline Klimas on June 4, 2013 Diving, EOD, Historical, Mine warfare, Navy, ordnance

The rare torpedo discovered by dolphins off the coast of California arrived safely at the Washington Navy Yard on May 30. Naval History and Heritage Command’s Underwater Archaeology Branch now has the remains of the Howell torpedo, a Navy release said. It is only the third one known to exist; the other two are displayed at the Naval Undersea Museum and the Naval War College. Before arriving in D.C., the torpedo was placed in fresh water, which helps leech the salt out of the artifact, the release said. “It’s kept in water because it was found in a saltwater environment,”…

Academy grad's first salute comes from deployed brother

By Jacqueline Klimas on May 24, 2013 Naval Academy, Navy, Officers, Traditions

Newly commissioned officers often share their first salute with close friends or family members who have served before them, so it’s not remarkable that Ensign Andrew Wondolowski, who graduated from the Naval Academy on Friday, received his first salute from his brother. What is remarkable is that the salute came from over 7,000 miles away, where Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Philip Wondolowski is deployed on the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in 5th Fleet. “It’s a privilege to be his first salute,” the machinist’s mate said in a Navy release. “I was a first salute for one of my chiefs when…

Author Jacqueline Klimas