Farewell, Mr. President

As it is now known, the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush has passed away at the age of ninety-four. While I disagreed with his politics or what took place during his tenure at the CIA, the former CIA Director, Vice President, and 41st President, George H. W. Bush was still a patriot who served his country in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He flew the TBM Avenger and was shot down by the Japanese near Chichijima and later rescued by American Submarine. He would one day be Commander in Cheif during Desert Storm and hailed as the Liberator of Kuwait. He was a devoted husband who recently lost his wife Barbara and father of five children of which his son George W. Bush served as the 43rd President. He dedicated a lifetime of public service to this country he once hoped would be a "Kinder, Gentler, Nation" and the "Thousand Points of Light" to Ronald Reagan's vision of that shining beacon on the hill. Friends to former political foes and to former Presidents, he was also a doting grandfather and that kinder gentleman we no longer see enough of these days. To him, I say Godspeed, Fairwinds, and Following Seas. Barbara, Robin, and your Shipmates await you in heaven.

 George H.W. Bush
1924-2018
Rest in Peace 

JMSDF Makes Port Of Call at Subic Bay

As tensions continues to grow over territorial disputes in the South China Seas, three JMSDF vessels including the diesel-electric attack Oyashio Class Submarine Oyashio (SS-590), and destroyers JDS Arike (DD-109) & JDS Setogiri (DD-156) make their first Port of Call to the Philippines in over 15 years. This visit to the former U.S. Naval Base at Subic Bay is just 200 KM from a Chinese held shoal they claim is their sovereign territory which they have been militarizing with artificial islands whose boundaries overlap territorial waters of several nations. It should be noted that one third of the world's oil is transported through the sea lanes in the South China Seas and for the PRC to claim nearly the entire sea as their own has created some serious problems for the region. Ten years ago, the Chinese Navy was just another regional power. Now out of nowhere, they are claiming nearly an entire sea as their own sovereign territory (which they are threatening to fight over) right in the middle of international sea lanes which presents a big problem for global commerce. As it stands, the Philippines do not have the military resources to argue with the Chinese Navy on the high seas. Japan has agreed to help upgrade the Philippines with upgraded military hardware but ultimately it will be up to the JMSDF and the United States Navy to keep the peace. Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, & Brunei also have found themselves in Beijing's cross hairs in this South China Seas dispute with China drawing ire from all around. We all know this is bad for business and the Chinese economy thrives on business as does it's neighbors. As we have stated before, we hope that cooler heads and peace prevails. But of course, we know this is not the end this ongoing saga so we shall say for now: To be Continued.....