That's U.S. Navy Captain Robert S. McKenna, whose Change of Command ceremony took place just before his retirement ceremony today at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville. Captain McKenna, who has never minced words to placate the politically correct elements in our society, delivered his remarks in typical fashion. Here is a clip from his speech that perfectly encapsulates his respect for, and dedication to, his sailors and the United States Constitution, unencumbered by "penumbras."
The staff here at NOSC Jax will tell you how much the CO loves to talk about history. We often begin staff meetings with a recount of “This Day in History” and then tie it in to current events or topics. So that being said as a matter of intro, I’d like to begin my remarks by telling you all about a little known but very important moment in our Navy and Nation’s history. It did not happen on this day, but close enough. On June 21st, 1853, a man of Hungarian descent named Martin Koszta was seized in Smyrna, Greece, by a party of armed Greeks who were employed by the Austrian Consul-General. He was then imprisoned onboard an Austrian warship in the port. Now this man Koszta had been a leader in an attempt to free Hungary from Austrian rule. The attempt obviously failed and the young man fled to escape execution. In 1850 as now, people who yearned for freedom came to our shores. Koszta became an importer by trade and took out his first citizenship papers. On the day that he was seized, his business had taken him to this Mediterranean port. As his good fortune would have it, a small American war sloop was berthed in that same port – the USS St Louis, commanded by CAPT Duncan Ingraham. When CAPT Ingraham heard of the imprisonment of Koszta, he sought intervention by the American Consul. The Consul, who apparently had much in common with his modern day brethren, washed his hands of the incident because Koszta had only taken out his first citizenship papers. Perhaps he was concerned about offending the aggressors. Ingraham, on the other hand, being a courageous and audacious man who fully understood his obligations and responsibilities as a US Navy Officer, believed that under his oath of office he owed this man the protection of our flag. He boarded the much larger Austrian ship and demanded to see the prisoner, and our citizen. He was in chains and badly beaten. He asked Koszta one question: Do you ask the protection of the American Flag? Koszta nodded and the Captain said: “You shall have it” and left the ship. Later that day, three more Austrian ships sailed into Smyrna and it became apparent that the four were preparing to sail. Ingraham sent a junior officer to the Austrian flagship to tell the Admiral that any attempt to leave the harbor with our citizen aboard would be resisted with the appropriate level of force. He then ordered the decks of St Louis cleared for action and all was made ready for an attack on Hussar, which was much superior in size and armament. Suddenly, the ship’s lookout called out that the Hussar was lowering a boat which then rowed Koszta over to the American ship. CAPT Ingraham then went below and wrote out his letter of resignation from the United States Navy saying: “I did what I thought my oath of office required, but if I have embarrassed my country in any way, I resign.” The Senate refused his resignation with these words: “This battle that was never fought may turn out to be the most important battle in our Nation’s history.”
Now here’s the tie-in. First, we, as citizens and sailors of the United States must read, know and understand our Navy and Nation’s history. It is only through our knowledge of past glorious events that we can understand and believe in American Exceptionalism and then we can begin to understand and appreciate our part in that tradition and our responsibility as sailors and citizens to keep the flame burning. This profession is not a 9 to 5 job. We are an integral part of something much larger than ourselves. We wear the same uniform as CAPT Ingraham, we salute the same flag and most importantly we all take the same oath of office that he took so very seriously. He took it so seriously, in fact, that he was prepared to lay down his life – and when the immediate danger had passed – to resign his commission in order to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. Here at NOSC Jax, we often discuss the Constitution. I encourage the staff, beg them, implore them to read it and understand it. I think most of them have – it’s not very long; it can be read in one sitting. It really should be mandatory, I mean, after all we do raise our right hands and swear an oath to support and defend it. So we should know what it is that we are pledging our lives to: individual freedom, rule of law, limited government, consent of the governed. These are important concepts that we all must understand. Remembering our place in this long and proud tradition and our role as defenders of the Constitution, helps us keep perspective, helps us understand that we are not bureaucrats. We should be reminded of that every time we put on the uniform and every time we salute the flag. We cannot just go through the motions no matter how mundane our jobs can feel at times.
At the conclusion of the Change of Command and the Retirement ceremonies, Captain McKenna's sailors surprised their retiring C.O. with a framed copy of the Constitution, complete with quill pen. Every member of his staff signed the matting. Captain McKenna then surprised his staff with a framed copy of the Constitution for proper display at the NOSC. Neither Captain McKenna nor his staff were aware of the surprises, but the choice of gift could not have been more appropriate.
Here's a photo of the presentation.
And here's a photo of some of the staff seated in the back of the room who, on signal from the X.O. after the line, "I encourage the staff, beg them, implore them to read it and understand it. I think most of them have...," offered proof.
