Wrap-Up

2024 National Congress - Buffalo, New York

02-05 October 2024

Four Centuries of Naval and Maritime History

The Naval Order’s 2024 Congress of the General Commandery was held from Wednesday, October 2nd through Saturday, October 5th at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo Hotel & Conference Center, in Buffalo, New York.

CDR “Father Mike” Zuffoletto and RADM John Paddock from the Western New York Commandery finally got us to Buffalo in 2024. Originally planned for 2020, despite Father Mike’s fervent prayers, COVID intervened, and circumstances forced us to cancel the in-person gathering. However, the experience encouraged us to learn how to use “ZOOM” and (then) Commander General Al Cruz was able to fulfill the requirements of holding a Congress/Meeting of the General Commandery electronically. It had the beneficial effect of forcing us to learn the new technology. Zoom is now a part of our repertoire for meetings and Congresses – it has especially benefited Continental Commandery and History Night presentations.

However, nothing beats getting together and sharing the ambience and history of the host site with companions from around the country. This year, considering Buffalo’s well-deserved reputation for early winters, we scheduled the Congress to start approximately two weeks earlier than usual. We unofficially began on Tuesday, 1 October with an organized tour to Niagara Falls and nearby landmarks of the Underground Railroad.

Niagara Falls, being on the border with Canada was a destination terminus for enslaved peoples seeking freedom before the American Civil War. Slaves escaped their captivity in the south and with the help of a network of sympathizers, known as the Underground Railroad, slowly made their way north to freedom in Canada. Numerous historic sites connected with those dark days are in Buffalo and other locations in the area. The trip to Niagara Falls afforded an opportunity to visit some of them.

There is a monument to the flight to freedom at a terminus for the Underground Railroad in Lewistown, New York, to the north of Buffalo and south of Fort Niagara. The monument depicts enslaved people who could see freedom across the Niagara River while boarding a small boat that will take them there.

Wednesday marked the unofficial opening of the Congress activities with committee meetings and roundtables to discuss strategy and finalize details for the official events later in the week.

Thursday was another day of committee meetings that ended with the Commander General’s Reception. Commander General Andrus was a gracious host. Everyone was well satiated and primed for Friday’s official start of Congress 2024.

Everyone (except maybe some on the west coast) joining by Zoom was alert and primed for a busy day filled with committee reports and a field trip to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. We began, as we do with every Congress, with colors and the tolling of the bell to honor those companions who had crossed the bar during the previous year.

After morning formalities and prescribed committee reports, we had our first speaker, CAPT Benjamin J. Armstrong.

CAPT Armstrong is a Permanent Military Professor and former Search & Rescue and Special Warfare helicopter pilot who has deployed to the 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleet in support of multiple Amphibious Ready Groups, Marine Air Ground Task Forces, and global operations.

Ashore, he flew as an Advanced Flight Instructor and served in the Pentagon as a strategist and a staff officer in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. He joined the faculty of the Naval Academy History Department during the fall term of 2016. In addition to his teaching and scholarship, CAPT Armstrong serves as the Founder and Principal Associate of the Forum on Integrated Naval History and Seapower Studies, Faculty Representative to the Naval Academy Men's Swimming and Diving Team, and Director of the 2023 McMullen Naval History Symposium. CAPT Armstrong’s subject was “Developing Naval Minds: History and Uses of Studying the Naval Past.”

The CAPT Jan Armstrong award was presented to the Tampa Bay Commandery who earned the award for the second consecutive year. Tampa Bay is young, but with a great leadership team led by Jim Hoey and mentored by Kris Carlock and Bill Merlin.

Our luncheon speaker was DSSA Senior Enlisted awardee Force Master Chief Bill King, USN (Ret.). Master Chief King said that he was honored to receive the award which he did not expect. He used the opportunity to reflect on his career with the Navy Seals and the history of SEAL Team 1 and praised the Seals of prior generations, “Thank God they did what they did (found Bin Laden).” He is now mentoring the younger generation and, with his wife Robin, is active in the SEAL Foundation.

After lunch, companions went on an official “field trip” to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park, the largest inland Naval Park in the United States. Located on Buffalo’s Waterfront, this unique family destination features four decommissioned Naval vessels that served in a variety of military conflicts in our nation’s history. The USS Little Rock is the last surviving vessel from the Cleveland-class of light cruisers in the world. The USS The Sullivans, the first ship in the U.S. Navy to be named for more than one person, is one of only four remaining examples from the Fletcher-class of destroyers in the world. The USS Croaker is a Gato-class submarine on the National Register of Historic Places. The PTF-17 is one of only 20 fast patrol boats from the Nasty-class to be built. It was used as a high-speed reconnaissance and patrol craft in Vietnam.

USS Little Rock (CLG-4), a Cold War flagship of the U.S. 2nd and 6th Fleet, is the last surviving vessel from the Cleveland-class of light cruisers in the world. Commissioned in 1945, it was launched too late to see action during WWII. Originally classified as CL 92, USS Little Rock was one of three ships to be converted to a Galveston-class guided missile cruiser and was recommissioned in 1960 as CLG 4. The ship patrolled the Atlantic from the Arctic Circle to South America and was a fixture in the Mediterranean Sea. USS Little Rock arrived in Buffalo for display in 1977 and is the largest vessel at the Buffalo Naval Park. Companion Don Schuld served aboard Little Rock as an enlisted Radarman.

Founded June 28, 1991, by: James Kays, Don Schuld, John Sheppard & Ed Caggiano, the USS Little Rock Association is a not-for-profit corporation, incorporated in New York.

We had the opportunity to tour of the decommissioned Fletcher Class Destroyer USS The Sullivans (DD-537), a Fletcher-class Destroyer, the largest and most important class of American Destroyers used during World War II and beyond. Named after the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who died aboard USS Juneau (CL-52) in November 1942 during the Naval Battles of Guadalcanal.

USS The Sullivans was the first Navy ship named after more than one person. She was commissioned in 1943 and saw action in the Pacific theater, shooting down eight Japanese planes, bombarding Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as rescuing American pilots and crew from burning or sinking vessels. She also saw action during the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. USS The Sullivans was decommissioned in 1965 having earned 11 battle stars. Companion CAPT Ryan Tillotson, who commanded USS The Sullivans, (DDG-68) and Amy visited his command’s namesake predecessor.

Saturday began with the usual committee reports and administrative remarks. After we finished our “business” session we had a historical lecture from SBCS Bill Abbott, USN (Ret.), Director of Operations for Naval and Military Park on the USS The Sullivans (DD- 537). We learned more about the ship and how the loss of the five Sullivan brothers on one ship led to the Navy barring close relatives from serving on the same ship. Ironically, the brothers had joined the Navy to honor their sister Genevieve’s boyfriend, killed aboard the USS Arizona on 7 December 1941. Their uncle, Patrick, had originally expected to be assigned to Juneau as well. Later during the war, he asked to be assigned to their namesake ship.

The Sullivans (DDG 68), also named for the brothers, was commissioned in 1997, and serves with the Atlantic fleet. Other morning speakers included our host, RADM John Paddock, and CAPT Henry J. Hendrix, who spoke on “Measuring and Modeling Naval Presence.”

We adjourned for lunch and the presentation of the LCDR Lee Douglas Award to the San Francisco Commandery, represented by CAPT Tom Snyder, MC, USN (Ret.). We also presented the Admiral of the Navy George Dewey award to Ambassador/Former Secretary of the Navy John W. Mittendorf. Middendorf, who celebrated his 100th birthday on September 22, did not attend in person. However, an ad hoc group of presenters led by Commander General Andrus had already visited him at his home to present the award.

During lunch we showed a video of the Dewey Award presentation to Ambassador Middendorf. We continued with the “official business of the Investment Committee Report and Foundation Committee report, respectively.

Saturday afternoon speakers included Mr. William Mahood a former Officer in Charge on Swift Boats who spoke on “Deploying Swift Boats to Vietnam” and RADM Sean Filipowski, USN (Ret.) whose subject was “Information Warfare” – a subject in which he is well versed having worked for both the National Security Agency and the United States Cyber Command.

Of course, being the last day of the Congress, the evening was reserved for the formal banquet in which everyone dressed up in their Sunday best for the presentation of the Distinguished Sea Service Award to Admiral Philip Scott Davidson, USN (Ret.) who last served as the 25th commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. His experience in that role gave him a unique perspective on the challenges we face in that theatre of operations.

In his remarks ADM Davidson expressed appreciation to the Naval Order for his receipt of the DSSA and congratulated the other awardees of the DSSA-SE and Dewey awards. He continued by expressing his recognition of the outstanding performance of the Navy in the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea in recent weeks in demonstrating the highly technologically advanced missile defense capability used in support of Israel against the attacks of Iran. He also outlined the strategic situation on the world stage of Russian vs. Ukraine, Iran vs Israel, and the engagement of the PRC with Taiwan in the South China Sea.

All of these represent an unprecedented array of threats. He expressed the need to deter if possible and defeat if necessary, using the full range of economic, diplomatic, technological, and military means to maintain peace. He also emphasized the increasing role of technology and innovation as tools tool in these efforts.

He noted the historic role of the US as a trading nation and how conflicts with the Barbary pirates and the issues that led to the War of 1812 proved the need for a United States Navy. He noted that the Navy’s role was to assure the prosperity of the Nation. He emphasized that the will to deter and prevent war, or to fight and win, if necessary, was the essential element. In closing, he expressed his appreciation for his 40+ year career serving with the sailors and Marines of our sea services and for the Naval Order’s role in preserving and celebrating our sea service history.

At the evening’s end, the Congress Organizing team posed for a group photo. Positive vibes abounded as we adjourned with the refrain “See You All Next Year In Philadelphia.”