March 4th - On This Date - USN Submarine Service

 1908 - 

PCU STINGRAY (later C-2) (SS-13) keel laid as STINGRAY at Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, MA.

1917 - 

The Appropriations Act of 1917 added eighteen more boats to the submarine construction program. The Navy used resources from the Naval Emergency Fund for twenty more.

1918 - 

PCU R-8 (SS-85) keel laid as R-8 at Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, MA.

1943 - 

PCU CAVALLA (SS-244) keel laid as CAVALLA at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.

1943 - 

PCU SKATE (SS-305) launched at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA; sponsored by Mrs. George P. Shamer.

1944 - 

 PCU STERLET (SS-392) commissioned USS STERLET (SS-392) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME; Comdr. O. C. Robbbins commanding.

1946 - 

 PCU AMBERJACK (SS-522) commissioned USS AMBERJACK (SS-522) at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA; Comdr. William B. Parham commanding.

1966 - 

 USS CAPITAINE (SS-336) second decommissioning in preparation for being loaned to Italy.

2002 - 

 USS BOISE (SSN-764) led the fast combat support ship USS Seattle (AOE-3) and the guided missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG-66) as the ships of USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) Battle Group transited the Suez Canal. The Kennedy battle group rendezvoused with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) to relieve "TR" in supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

2005 - 

Rear Adm. Paul Sullivan, Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, HI, presented the Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) to Cmdr. Brian Howes, commanding officer of USS LA JOLLA (SSN-701). The Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation was instituted in 1967 and is awarded to Navy/Marine Corps units for valorous actions or meritorious achievement (combat or non-combat).

2005 -  

Cmdr. Matthew A. Weingart relieved Cmdr. Frederick J. Capria as commanding officer of the fast-attack submarine USS NEWPORT NEWS (SSN-750) in a ceremony at Pier 3, Naval Station Norfolk, VA.

Capria reported as NEWPORT NEWS’ commanding officer in July 2002. He completed two demanding deployments, including Operation Iraqi Freedom, where the submarine launched 19 Tomahawk missiles.

Capria graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and was commissioned through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

After completing nuclear power training and the Submarine Officer Basic Course, his first assignment was aboard USS BERGALL (SSN-667). His previous sea tours include navigator, USS KEY WEST (SSN-722) and executive officer, USS MAINE (SSBN-741) (GOLD, where he completed three strategic deterrent patrols.

Weingart, a native of San Jose, Calif., attended Santa Clara University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He received his commission from the Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., in November 1986.

Following completion of the nuclear power and submarine basic training pipelines, Weingart reported to USS BUFFALO (SSN-715), homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in July 1988. Aboard BUFFALO, he completed two deployments and several extended operations in the western Pacific. His other sea tours include navigator and operations officer, USS TAUTOG (SSN-639) and USS NEW YORK CITY (SSN-696), and executive officer, USS WYOMING (SSBN-742) (BLUE), where he completed three strategic deterrent patrols in the Atlantic.

COB