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NAVADMIN 116/09

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/APR//

SUBJ/NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMEMORATION - BATTLE OF MIDWAY//

RMKS/1.  THE U.S. NAVY SEIZED THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE AND INFLICTED 
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE ON THE ENEMY DURING THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY FROM 4 TO
7 JUNE 1942.  JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER PEARL HARBOR, THIS BATTLE PUT THE 
UNITED STATES BACK ON OFFENSE AND HELPED SET THE CONDITIONS FOR 
ULTIMATE VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC.  MIDWAY HAD MANY HEROES - THE CODE 
BREAKERS THAT GAVE US THE DATE AND LOCATION OF THE BATTLE, PEARL HARBOR 
SHIPYARD WORKERS WHO REPAIRED YORKTOWN IN 72 HOURS FOLLOWING HER NEAR 
DESTRUCTION AT CORAL SEA, THE AIRMEN AND MARINES WHO FOUGHT FROM MIDWAY, 
AND THE SAILORS WHO FOUGHT AT SEA IN TASK FORCE 16 AND 17.

2.  JUST AS THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY SET THE CONDITIONS FOR VICTORY IN THE 
PACIFIC, INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE DURING THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE START 
OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN 1929 SET THE CONDITIONS FOR VICTORY IN THE 
BATTLE OF MIDWAY.  FROM 1930 TO 1934, THE NAVY STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON 
A QUARTER OF THE 19 SUBMARINES AND HALF OF THE 26 SURFACE COMBATANTS, 
INCLUDING TWO OF THE THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, THAT FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE 
OF MIDWAY.  IN THE 1930S WE PERFECTED UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT, WHICH 
GAVE US THE ENDURANCE AND AGILITY WE WOULD NEED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER.  
AND WE SPIRAL DEVELOPED OUR SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT TO GIVE US THE 
WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY THAT DELIVERED VICTORY.

3.  WITH THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY COMMEMORATION QUICKLY APPROACHING THIS 
JUNE, NOW IS THE TIME TO RENEW AND BUILD UPON OUR OBLIGATION TO 
PRESERVE OUR RICH NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE.  AS THE WORLD WAR II 
VETERANS PASS FROM OUR LIVES, WE MUST CARRY THEIR LEGACY FORWARD BY 
SPEAKING TO OUR SAILORS AND TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
THE NAVY AND TO THE NATION.  IN THAT SPIRIT, I DIRECT THE FOLLOWING 
ACTIONS:
A.  COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE:  USE NAVY HISTORY TO 
EDUCATE AND MOTIVATE OUR SAILORS.  IN LINE WITH MY 2009 GUIDANCE AND 
OUR NAVY ETHOS, COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE THE FRONT LINE IN COMMUNICATING 
OUR MISSION, SPIRIT, AND HERITAGE.  WE ARE A PROFESSION WITH COMMON 
GOALS, COMMON PURPOSE, AND STRONG CULTURE THAT IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.  
EACH YEAR, SAILORS FACE CHANGE; THEY GROW, DEVELOP, LEAD, AND MOVE ON 
TO NEW CHALLENGES.  THE MISSION, THE CULTURE, AND THE BONDS OF SERVICE 
REMAIN.  COMMANDING OFFICERS LEAD DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE TIES TO 
PROFESSIONAL ESPRIT DE CORPS.  USE NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND 
(NHHC) PRODUCTS MADE AVAILABLE ON THE NHHC WEBSITE, AS OUTLINED BELOW, 
TO ENGAGE YOUR CREWS AND STAFFS.  EXECUTE CHINFO PUBLIC AFFAIRS PLAN 
AND PARTICIPATE IN PLANNED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AS OPERATIONALLY 
FEASIBLE.
B.  NHHC:  DEVELOP AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO COMMANDING OFFICERS A BODY OF 
LESSONS LEARNED AT THE TACTICAL, OPERATIONAL, AND STRATEGIC LEVELS FROM 
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY; PLAN OF THE DAY HISTORICAL NOTES FOR EACH WARFARE 
COMMUNITY FOR THE WEEK LEADING UP TO THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY; AND POST 
LESSONS LEARNED, PLAN OF THE DAY NOTES AND NHHC POINT OF CONTACTS ON A 
DEDICATED WEB PAGE AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.HISTORY.NAVY.MIL.
C.  CHIEF OF NAVAL INFORMATION (CHINFO):  DEVELOP A BATTLE OF MIDWAY 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS PLAN AND PROMULGATE TO SHORE AND AFLOAT COMMANDS BY 8 
MAY 2009.  THIS PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE NAVY'S STRATEGIC MESSAGE AND 
TALKING POINTS FOR THIS EVENT; A COORDINATED WREATH LAYING CEREMONY 
AROUND THE WORLD ON 4 JUNE 2009; AND PLANNED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN 
EACH FLEET CONCENTRATION AREA THAT COMMANDERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
D.  NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON (NDW):  CONTINUE YOUR TRADITION OF 
SPONSORING A WREATH LAYING CEREMONY TO HONOR THE HEROES OF MIDWAY.  I 
WILL HOST THE WREATH LAYING AT NAVY MEMORIAL WITH NDW SERVING AS MY 
EXECUTIVE AGENT.  NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON'S CEREMONY WILL SERVE AS 
THE MODEL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW, AND AS THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY FOR THE 
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  ISSUE VIP INVITATIONS IN MY NAME.
COORDINATE YOUR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS CEREMONY WITH NHHC FOR OTHER 
NAVY REGIONS.  IN 2010, I INTEND FOR EACH REGION TO HOST A SIMILAR 
CEREMONY AS A FOCAL POINT FOR THE COMMANDS IN THEIR AREA AND FOR THE 
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

4.  IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO PRESERVE OUR RICH NAVAL HISTORY AND 
HERITAGE.  HISTORY IS THE MAGNET GUIDING OUR CULTURAL COMPASS.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PAST IN HOW WE VIEW THE CHALLENGES 
OF THE FUTURE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO BUILDING AND OPERATING THE NAVY OUR 
NATION REQUIRES.

5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//

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