Georgia sailor found dead in Ghana

Two U.S. Navy sailors, one a Georgia man, who were found dead in a hotel room in the West African nation of Ghana on New Year's Eve have been identified.

A statement released by the Navy identified them as 35-year-old Lonnie Davis Jr. of Riverdale, Georgia, and 22-year-old Patrick Mack of Warren, Michigan.

The statement says they died of "unknown causes while on liberty" and that the exact causes of their deaths are under investigation.

Both men were assigned to the USS Fort McHenry, which is on a seven-month voyage through the Gulf of Guinea aimed at training local law enforcement on maritime security.

An official at the Tema Naval Base -- who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media -- said their bodies were found at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, a luxury hotel in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, located 18 miles from the base.

(The Associated Press)

Johnson Leaves Navy for Georgia Tech Job

Johnson. (AP Photo)

Navy football coach Paul Johnson is headed to Georgia Tech after turning around a struggling program in six years at the military academy.

Johnson informed the team at an 11:45 a.m. meeting at Ricketts Hall, where the football offices are located, said Scott Strasemeier, Navy's associate athletic director for sports information.
Georgia Tech has scheduled a news conference for Friday at 5:30 p.m. EST, when athletic director Dan Radakovich will announce a new head coach.

Johnson, a former Georgia Southern coach, also negotiated with Southern Methodist and Duke this week.

He will replace Chan Gailey, who was fired one day after a 7-5 regular season ended with his sixth straight loss to Georgia. Gailey had four years left on his contract at $1 million per season.

The Midshipmen had a miserable 1-20 record in the two seasons before Johnson took over. He had a 2-10 record in his first season, but turned things around quickly. He led the Midshipmen to five straight bowl games, a school record. Navy will play Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20 in San Diego.

Johnson was 45-29 at Navy. He was also successful against the other service academies. He got his sixth straight win against rival Army last week, an unprecedented streak.

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(The Associated Press)

Navy supply corps school closer to relocating

The navy is apparently one step closer to relocating a supply corps school from Athens to Rhode Island.

It also comes closer to clearing the way for the Medical College of Georgia to possibly open a branch campus there.

The Athens Banner Herald is reporting that navy officials have signed a $24.5 million contract with a construction firm in Rhode Island. It includes plans to construct a new building and renovate an existing one in Newport.

The Athens school provides administrative, logistical and media training to sailors and Marines. Officials expect it to close it within three years.

Governor Sonny Perdue and officials in Athens want the property to be used as a branch campus of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

The proposal is controversial, though. Some community leaders in Augusta want any expansion of the medical school to happen at the main campus there.

Georgia sailor killed in Persian Gulf

Today the U.S. military released the names of two Navy sailors allegedly shot and killed by fellow sailor this week on a base in Bahrain on the Persian Gulf. 19-year-old Seaman Genesia Mattil Gresham of Lithonia was one of the victims. Earlier this week, a U.S. State Department official said the incident appeared to be a case of a jilted boyfriend shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend and then shooting himself.