2021 Second Virtual National Congress
“Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

22 – 23 October 2021

Saturday - 23 OCT 2021 Presentation 16:15 EDT

The Battle of Midway: How America Won the Pacific War

CAPT Stephen M. Andres, USN (Ret)

Synopsis

The U.S. Navy had no business winning the Battle of Midway in 1942. The Americans were outgunned and outmanned following the devastating attack at Pearl Harbor. Yet codebreaking, daring leadership, and extraordinary heroism led to the most remarkable victory in U.S. Navy history. And it became the turning point in the Pacific in World War II and the inspiration behind naming the USS Midway three years later.

Steve Andres has been a Midway Museum Docent (Tour Guide) for over ten years accumulating over 5,000 volunteer hours in support of the museum. He became a Museum Member after he retired from IBM in 2006 and then became progressively more involved in museum activities participating in the overnight program, community outreach and speakers’ bureau.

Steve has a naval background. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1967 and served eleven years on active duty in submarines. He served another five years in submarine intermediate maintenance in the Naval Reserve before becoming an Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) as a Commander. He served in two command assignments: at a naval shipyard and at Naval Sea Systems Command which is the organization responsible for all the Navy’s warships and weapons systems. He retired from the Navy in 1997 as a Captain after 30 years of service.

After leaving active duty in the Navy in 1977, Steve worked at Data-Design Laboratories, Inc. for fourteen years rising to the position of corporate Vice President, Administration of this NYSE public corporation. Later, in 1995, after two years as Strategic Systems Manager with DynCorp’s Norco Division, he joined International Business Machines (IBM) as a Principal and Executive Consultant. He also worked in services sales for five years and finally retiring from IBM in 2006.

In retirement, Steve is active as a Museum Docent at both the Midway Museum and at the San Diego Maritime Museum where he is the Past Chairman of the Docent Council. He conducts guest tours at both museums, has narrated the harbor cruise aboard the Maritime Museum’s Pilot boat and weekly operates the 120 year old triple-expansion steam engine aboard the Berkeley ferry boat.

Steve is also active in the USNA Alumni Association in which he has held local and national elected offices and supports USNA recruiting as a “Blue and Gold” Officer. USNA “Blue & Gold” Admissions Officers provide information to candidates and their parents about the opportunities USNA offers young Americans who want to serve their country as naval officers.

Steve is a member of the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club.

He and his wife, Louise, reside in La Jolla. They have two grown children and are the proud grandparents of three granddaughters and a grandson.

2021 Congress is hosted by the Continental Commandery, the Naval Order’s virtual, national Commandery, using collaboration software easily downloaded from the Internet. Training /practice sessions will be provided in the preceding months to familiarize Companions with the use of the collaboration software.

The events leading up to our 2021 CONGRESS are important for all companions.  They involve our various committee meetings and essential business of the Order. A timeline is provided for Pre-CONGRESS activities; inputs and comments are still welcome.

Welcome to the 2021 Naval Order Virtual CONGRESS
“Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

Our Congress this year will again be held in a Virtual Environment. The CONGRESS endeavors to deliver the same level of information on the business of the Order and Educational opportunities as professional and rich as at past Congresses.  The key to success is YOU. Your participation in our advance training in mid-September and other test opportunities to make sure your equipment works prior to the Congress is critical.  Please sign up!   We will have a sign up (Registration) page, and those registering up will receive a very nice 2021 Congress challenge coin (for the nominal fee); but your commitment to your Commandery as soon as possible ensures that the Virtual Environment is sized, planned and readied for the Congress. 

The Meeting URL for the Survey for the Congress 2021 will be posted to this web site throughout the CONGRESS; the Zoom event code will have the same password. If you do not have internet or computer access, please contact us at nouscongress@outlook.com or contact your Commandery Commander, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. A Kindle device with all reports and briefs can be provided to Companions (on a limited basis). The Zoom event can be accessed from a computer or a Smartphone. The Congress Brochure will be available soon.

Coming Soon: CONGRESS Brochure

Pre-CONGRESS presentation and preps

Wednesday - 22 SEP 2021 Presentation 20:00 EDT: Naval History Night - “From Belleau Wood to Guadalcanal: Thomas Holcomb and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps” Speaker: D. Ulbrich

Thursday - 21 OCT 2021 14:00-16:00 EDT: Gathering and Equipment Checks

2021 CONGRESS Theme: “Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

Friday - 22 OCT 2021 “Business Day”  1400 – 1900 Eastern Daylight Time

17:45 – History Presentation: ”Harrison and McCool; the ‘Double Dose of Bad Luck Twins’ of the Marine Corps” Speaker: D. Kent

18:30 – Q&A

Saturday - 23 OCT 2021 “History Day & Change of Command”  1400 – 1900 Eastern Daylight Time

15:15 – History Presentation: “Cold War in the Tropics; the Cuban Missile Crisis” Speaker: A. Atwood

16:15 – History Presentation: “The Battle of Midway: How America Won the Pacific War” Speaker: S. M. Andres

17:00 – Break

17:30 – History Presentation: “Medium Tank Operations During the 1943 Battle of Tarawa” Speaker:  D. Vickers

 Coming Soon: CONGRESS Brochure

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