Briefs

Advertiser Staff

ARMY

'Wolfhounds' back in Japan

More than 500 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks deployed last week for exercise Orient Shield in Japan, where they'll train with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.

But before the exercise began, a group of the "Wolfhounds" continued a tradition by visiting the children of Holy Family Home Orphanage.

The relationship began on Christmas Day 1949 when conditions at the orphanage tore at the heartstrings of visiting 27th Infantry soldiers, who began contributing portions of their pay to help the children.

NAVY

Sub commanders get Bronze Stars

Four commanders of attack submarines based at Pearl Harbor received Bronze Stars for their leadership during Operation Iraqi Freedom. They are:

Cmdr. Michael Jabaley, USS Louisville; Cmdr. Charles Merkel, formerly of the USS Key West; Cmdr. Duane Ashton, USS Columbia; and Cmdr. Charles Doty, USS Cheyenne.

All four submarines fired Tomahawk cruise missiles early in the war. The Cheyenne was the first U.S. warship to launch Tomahawks in the war's initial strike March 19.

USS Chafee commissioned

The Navy commissioned its newest destroyer on Oct. 18, a $1 billion warship expected to arrive at Pearl Harbor later this year.

The guided missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90), was "brought to life" at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island, in honor of that state's late U.S. senator John H. Chafee

Chafee was a decorated Marine veteran of World War II and Korea, and served as secretary of the Navy before being elected a U.S. senator.

More than 6,000 people witnessed the commissioning in Rhode Island.

Another new destroyer, the Chung-Hoon, is expected at Pearl Harbor next year.