Surfers Not the Only Ones Riding the Waves in San Diego

CORONADO, California (June 22, 2009) – Thirty-three Naval Academy Midshipmen kicked off their summer training program last Monday by riding the waves with the Coronado-based Assault Craft Unit One “Surf Riders.” Assault Craft Unit One (ACU 1), comprised of approximately 300 sailors and 23 landing craft, specializes in moving Marine amphibious units from ship to shore and back again. Their primary platform, the 135-foot Landing Craft Unit (LCU), is designed for heavy lift and can carry a variety of equipment, tanks, and troops. Made famous by movies depicting campaigns like the World War II landing on the beaches of Normandy, these “workhorses of the Pacific” are once again surging to the forefront of the Navy’s capabilities. “Our operational tempo has more than doubled since September 11th,” said Cmdr. Mike Lockwood, commanding officer of ACU 1. “Our craft are very good at operating in many theatres because we are so operationally flexible. We also integrate well with small navies, and even do international relations and diplomacy work.” The midshipmen spent a day with ACU 1 as part of a four-week training program designed to immerse them directly into the operational environment. One week of training focuses specifically on the surface warfare community, exposing the soon-to-be officers to the many leadership opportunities available throughout the fleet. By the time they return to the Naval Academy in the fall, 800 midshipmen will have seen firsthand what ACU 1 can do. Read the entire Navy Compass article here.