Navy Medicine Education and Training Command (NMETC) senior leaders spoke at a Sept. 19 event in San Antonio commemorating the 180th anniversary of the Texian Navy, the Japanese surrender ending World War II, and the role of today's U.S. Navy.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, NMETC commander, gave the keynote address as the third of three speakers, discussing today's Navy and its presence in San Antonio.

Capt. Jim LeTexier, NMETC deputy commander, told of the Japanese surrender aboard USS Missouri through the eyes of his grandfather, who was stationed aboard Missouri and witnessed the historic signing.

"We gather to reflect on and celebrate the pivotal roles past Navies played in shaping the life we enjoy today," McCormick-Boyle told an audience of Sailors from San Antonio-based Navy commands and members of several San Antonio historical and patriotic organizations. "We gather also to reflect on and celebrate today's Sailors, particularly here in San Antonio, and the role these men and women play in preserving and protecting the life we enjoy."

McCormick-Boyle described today's Navy and added a splash of Texian and U.S. Navy history, helping ensure her comments were relevant to the diverse audience.

"The Chief of Naval Operations describes the Navy as, 'Where it matters, when it matters,'" she said. "It is such a great phrase. It applied way back when, and it applies still today. A fledgling Navy was where it mattered, when it mattered during the Revolutionary War, on Lake Champlain, in the British Isles and on the Chesapeake Bay. And a fledgling Navy was where it mattered, when it mattered in 1836 protecting the Texas coast and allowing General Sam Houston to prevail in the Battle of San Jacinto.

"Today, we honor the Texian and the United States Navy past, but we would be remiss if we did not also reflect on today's Sailor."

She went on to describe the Navy's mission and how San Antonio's 11 Navy commands and detachments manned by more than 10,000 Sailors, civilian employees and family members support that mission.

Texian Navy Historian Jerry Patterson was the first speaker and described the significance of the Texian Navy, humorously sprinkling his comments with questionable and even unlawful antics of Texian Navy leaders.

Patterson explained how the Texian Navy contributed to the final victory at San Jacinto when the brigs and schooners harassed the Texas coast, disrupting Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's efforts to re-supply and support his troops in Texas.

The flour and gunpowder captured at sea made their way to Gen. Sam Houston's Texan troops, leaving Santa Anna's forces unable to reinforce Mexican forces at San Jacinto. The resulting loss to Houston's army was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution and determined Texas independence.

LeTexier was next and described the Missouri enlisted mess decks where his grandfather worked as a first class mess cook specialist. He talked about the scuttlebutt and the clouds of cigarette and cigar smoke hovering over the mess deck tables as Sailors sat listening to the honors rendered as Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz and Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived on board.

He also explained how his grandfather slipped to the upper exterior decks of the ship to witness the signing of the surrender. And he spoke about how his grandfather's sea stories and patriotic beliefs, and how they influenced his decision to join the Navy.

McCormick-Boyle's presentation wrapped up the formal presentations, perhaps best capturing the spirit of the event.

"I opened by describing the importance of protecting the seas and the Chief of Naval Operations' phrase being 'where it matters, when it matters,'" she said. "The Navy, your Navy, our Navy, is a big and bold organization. We come from good stock, such as the Texian Navy. I am thankful to San Antonians for your warm embrace and support to us here in the great state of Texas."

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