02/02/2025
HISTORY COMES FULL CIRCLE WITH PROJECT “SEAWOLF” IN OCEAN PINES AT MIKE’S FLOORING & DESIGN
FROM THE DRIVEWAY TO THE ROOFTOP AND EVERYTHING INBETWEEN, MIKE'S FLOORING & DESIGN CENTER HAS YOU COVERED.
In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, the “Cold War” began. It was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, and lasted until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The “Cold War” was based on an ideological and geopolitical struggle for global influence by these two superpowers, following their roles as the Allies of World War II that led to victory against N**i Germany and Imperial Japan in 1945.
Towards the end of the “Cold War”, Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States on January 20, 1981.
President Reagan was dubbed the “Peacemaker” as his philosophy towards this situations was based upon “peace through strength”.
President Reagan’s strategy in dealing with the Soviet Union and ending the Cold War involved reviving the U.S. economy, restoring American self-confidence, rebuilding American military might, and working closely with our democratic allies. This included a massive buildup of the United States Armed Forces, directing funding to the B-1 Lancer bomber, the B-2 Spirit bomber, cruise missiles, the MX missile, and the 600-ship Navy. This is where the “Seawolf” comes into play. The Seawolf was to be the most “state of the art” nuclear submarine, designed to be faster, quieter, better-armed, and an eventual replacement for the Los Angeles class nuclear-powered attack submarines.
In 1983, Project “Seawolf” began. President Reagan commissioned this assignment to Submarine Commodore Guy Curtis III as the Director of the Seawolf Development Project, PDS 350. The Director of the Attack Submarine Acquisition Programs PDS-350, Commodore Guy Curtis III, had, as a result, complete management control of: attack submarine R&D programs and funds in NAVMAT; PMS-409, the Submarine Combat Systems Project; PMS-393, the New Design Attack Submarine Acquisition Project. In addition, over the next few months PDS-350 will take over technical direction and funding of the Sea Nymph, masts, antennae and submarine communications programs currently controlled by various organizations within the Naval Material Command.
Concurrent with the establishment of PDS-350, a Technical Advisory Submarine Research and Development Panel was established to develop a Coordinated Submarine Technology Base Plan for all attack submarines. Membership of the advisory panel includes representatives from the Office of the CNO, Naval Undersea Systems Command (NUSC), Office of Naval Technology, Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Naval Ocean Systems Command (NOSC), Naval Electronics Systems Command (NAVELEX) and NAVSEA cognizant R&D offices. Miss. Judy Rumsey joined the Seawolf Project in Sept 1983, and filled a key role as the Research and Development Director for Seawolf. Upon completion of the project, Commodore Guy Curtis named the submarine’ USS Seawolf SSN21. As President Reagan commissioned Commodore Guy Curtis III to create 11 of these state of the art submarines, only 3 where actually created. Once the Soviet Union caught wind of this “peace through strength” arsenal now being developed and implemented for the United States Navy, the Soviet Union decided to call it “quits” and end the cold war. Just maybe in this case, “loose lips, saved ships”.
Admiral Guy Curtis and Miss. Judy Rumsey eventually married in 1994 after Admiral Curtis retired from the Navy. They both served careers with the US Navy for 37 years each.
“In order to meet future threats while maintaining ship delivery schedules, concentrated action on the part of Navy management is considered essential. Through the centralization of control over the acquisition and design of our attack submarine fleet, it is expected that state of the art improvements in submarines and their combat systems will be realized. These systems will be delivered to the fleet on time and with high quality in order to maintain our superiority in the undersea theatre”.
COMMODORE GUY CURTIS III, USN
Mrs. Judy purchased a home in Ocean Pines, Maryland as an investment property. After several years of renting out the property, and not seeing it for approximately 20 years, she decided to perform a site visit. As she and Retired Admiral Guy Curtis III, at his young age of 88 returned to visit her investment property, they came to the realization that it was outdated, in disrepair, and needed a complete makeover from the driveway to the rooftop and everything in between in preparation for the departure of Mrs. Judy’s home into a new phase of uncharted waters with a new Admiral’s assistant at the helm.
Henceforth, history has now come “full circle” with Admiral Curtis and his lovely wife Mrs. Judy, again embarking on their newest project together, affectionately called project “Seawolf” in Ocean Pines, just like it started many years ago in 1983 with Project “Seawolf” for President Ronald Reagan.
As with starting any new project, research and development needs to be done prior to beginning the task.
The results of their R & D led them to contact Mike’s Flooring & Design Center in Fenwick Island, Delaware for direction and assistance. Upon meeting with Mike and his Team, which includes Jerit Seidor, President and Owner of “Set Apart Construction”, Mike’s Project Manager Brian Lehmuth, along with Steven Benton, Jr. owner and operator of “AC Dreamscapes, LLC.” out of Frankford, Delaware to do the landscaping, and Real Estate Agent Terri Bradford with “Hileman Real Estate” in Ocean Pines as the listing agent for Mrs. Judy’s home once the project was completed, Admiral Curtis and Mrs. Judy decided to move “full speed ahead”.
Project “Seawolf” in Ocean Pines was now under way. From the driveway to the rooftop and everything in between; a new driveway, new roof shingles, all new kitchen and bathroom cabinets, fixtures, quartz countertops, appliances, lighting, fans, floor covering throughout the entire home, drywall repairs, painting, stair rail refinishing, front porch decking, rear outside screen porch renovation, removal of trees, new rock garden landscaping, and much more.
During the renovation and progress of Project “Seawolf” in Ocean Pines, Mike’s Flooring & Design Center discovered that in fact, Mike’s Flooring & Design Center provided the installation of all of the floor coverings and ceramic tile 23 years ago when the home was built in 1999 by Grace Construction, LLC. However, at that time Mike’s was under the name of Mike’s Carpet Connection. As of today, Mike’s Flooring & Design Center still provides their service to Grace Construction, LLC. for all of their floor covering and custom ceramic bathroom and kitchen installations.
According to Mike, as he quotes “this is not my business, it belongs to God” and he as to be a good steward of God’s business. Mike sees this project not as a coincidence, but “Divine Intervention”, as his Team has been “Blessed, Privileged, and Honored” with the opportunity to serve Admiral Guy Curtis III and his lovely wife Mrs. Judy, as they did for the United States of America, One Nation Under God, many years ago, and still do even in retirement. Now, this project has also become “full circle” for Mike.
The team diligently worked together with the Admiral and Mrs. Judy, updating her investment property in preparation for its next Captain and First Mate. However, this time, Mrs. Judy is being assisted by her husband, Retired Admiral Guy Curtis III as she is now “at the helm”. This too has come “full circle” with their beautiful marriage.
Project “Seawolf” in Ocean Pines was completed, ready for final inspection by the Admiral and Mrs. Judy, and I am happy to say, all was found to be "ship shape, seaworthy" and ready for departure onto its next voyage.
As the Listing Agent, Terri Bradford had already been diligently working with potential buyers for the Admiral and Mrs. Judy, a contract was signed within four weeks, and the property went to settlement six weeks later.
It has been my pleasure and honor to have been of service to Admiral Curtis and Mrs. Judy for this project. My only regret is that we will not have any future projects to work on, other than "Project Scheduling Dinner" at the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, Maryland. I look forward to taking on that assignment as well.
Mike
