VOL.54 NO. 18 JUNE 11, 2015
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS
Dam Neck celebrates reopening of chapel
JET
INSIDE
BY MC2 (SW) ALYSIA HERNANDEZ NAS Oceana Public Affairs After nearly six months, the Dam Neck Annex Chapel by the Sea has reopened its doors for worship services and ceremonious events. Patrons celebrated the reopening with a ceremony on June 3 that included a ribbon and cake cutting. “We are glad to have it open again,” said Lt. Cmdr. Chris Hester, NAS Oceana command chaplain. “We’ve been closed since the middle of December and now it’s the beginning of June … but we are thankful for the product and for the results,” Hester said of the chapel’s new carpet and tile flooring. Prior to a ceremonious ribbon cutting in the doorway of the chapel, Hester shared some of the facility’s history according to an article adapted from material provided by Louisa Venable Kyle. The article of the chapel’s history explained that the Chapel by the Sea aboard Dam Neck Annex goes back to the summer of 1889 when the original church by that name was built as a mission of Eastern Shore Chapel, located near the Dam Neck Mills Lifesaving Station.That year during a bad storm a three-masted ship, the Agnes Barton, was blown ashore and wrecked near the life station. In 1890 it was decided to use the lumber from the ship to build a church and use the mast, on which one Sailor was saved by tying himself to the top,
— See Chapel, Page 3
OCEANA HONORS BATTLE OF MIDWAY SAILORS & MARINES —Page 9
Photo by MC2 (SW) Alysia R. Hernandez Cmdr. Brett Dresden, the commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, is greeted by his son during a homecoming celebration at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana. The VFA-81 “Sunliners” returned to Oceana after a nearly 10-month deployment as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).
“Sunliners” return to Oceana from Western Pacific, U.S. Central Command deployment
AIR OPS OFFICER LEAVES NAVY BUT NOT AIR OPS —Page 10
REDSKINS RECEIVER COACHES AT OCEANA PROCAMP —Page 13
From Commander, Carrier Strike Group 1 Public Affairs
USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Dewey (DDG 105). SAN DIEGO (NNS) — The Carl Vinson Carrier Additional CVW-17 squadrons include the Strike Group (CSG) returned to San Diego June VFA-22 “Fighting Redcocks,” the VFA-113 “Sting4, following a nearly 10-month deployment to ers,” and the VFA-94 “Mighty Shrikes” from NAS the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations. Lemoore, Calif.; the Electronic Attack Squadron After arriving in San Diego, the crew of Strike 139 “Cougars” from NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.; Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, the “Sunliners,” de- the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron parted for Naval Air Station Oceana and arrived 116 “Sun Kings” from NAS Point Mugu, Calif.; and the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 15 at their homebase on June 4 and 5. The Carl Vinson CSG includes the Nimitz- “Red Lions,” the Helicopter Maritime Strike class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Squadron (HSM) 73 “Battlecats,” and Fleet Loembarked squadrons from Carrier Air Wing gistic Support Squadron 30 from NAS North (CVW) 17 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) Island, Calif. 1 with the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and the guided-missile destroyers — See Sunliners, Page 8
FLEA MARKET The Princess Anne chapter of the Navy Wives Clubs of America will be hosting their semi-annual flea market June 13 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the NAS Oceana front gate picnic area. The event is open to all to shop. For more information, call the Oceana Thrift Shop at 433-2193 or 567-2020.