Watch the 2023 Naval Academy graduation ceremony; relive commissioning week activities

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III delivered the keynote speech during the U.S. Naval Academy graduation and commissioning ceremony Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Here’s some of our other coverage of commissioning week and Naval Academy events from the end of the academic year:

Blue Angels fly over Annapolis

Thousands turned out in Annapolis Wednesday to witness the Blue Angels perform their annual aerial demonstration above the United States Naval Academy for Commissioning Week. The air show was led by Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman, a former Navy men’s lacrosse player and Lt. Amanda Lee, the first female pilot to fly with the squadron.

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The Blue Angels performed their Commissioning Week show over Annapolis and the Severn River Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Paul W. Gillespie/Capital Gazette)

On Tuesday, The Blue Angels arrived in the skies above Annapolis Tuesday to practice for their annual show.

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The Blue Angels performed a practice show Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Annapolis to prepare for the Naval Academy Commissioning Week show tomorrow. (Paul W. Gillespie/Capital Gazette)

Climbing the Herndon Monument

The United States Naval Academy Class of 2026 capped its plebe year on May 16 by scaling the Herndon Monument in 2 hours, 32 minutes.

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A female midshipmen makes her way up the monument. The Naval Academy held the annual Herndon Monument Climb, a traditional culminating event to plebe year, Wednesday, May 17, 2023. (Paul W. Gillespie/Capital Gazette)

Sea Trials

U.S. Naval Academy’s fourth-class midshipmen participated in the annual Sea Trials on May 16. Modeled after the Marine Corps Crucible and the Navy’s Battle Stations recruit programs, and led by upperclassmen as a leadership training exercise, Sea Trials provides a final physical and mental challenge to the plebes, designed to test their teamwork and reinforce their bonds as a company and class.

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Midshipmen from the 11th Company make their way through the “Wet and Sandy” station exercising on the shores of the Severn River. The Naval Academy held their annual Sea Trials, a “capstone” event for the fourth class midshipmen (freshmen or “plebes”), Tuesday, Mat 16, 2023. (Paul W. Gillespie/Capital Gazette)