Photo By EJ Hersom | The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) arrives at Naval Air Station Pensacola in...... read more read more
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Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida (September 3, 2024) - Having entered the Naval Air Station inlet under the watch of Pensacola Lighthouse, Sailors and Marines from the future USS Richard M. McCool, Jr. (LPD 29), the Navy’s newest San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, spent the week visiting with community members from their commissioning host, the City of Pensacola, Florida.
Joined by the ship’s sponsor, Shana McCool, and McCool’s great-grandchildren, the crew has been warmly welcomed by the community, with events supported by local businesses, flyovers by the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, and Naval Air Station Pensacola where the ship will be commissioned on September 7.
Capt. Jeff Baker, commanding officer, was presented a proclamation declaring September 3, 2024, USS Richard M. McCool Jr. Day in Pensacola, Florida, by Deputy City Administrator David Forte. Commissioning Committee member Buck Mitchell also presented a proclamation on behalf of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners celebrating the commissioning.
Baker thanked the community, his crew, the commissioning committee, and the ship’s sponsor for all their work in bringing this ship to the Fleet. Reflecting on McCool’s legacy Baker quoted the Capt. when receiving the Medal of Honor “‘Fight as a unit, not as an individual.’ It is important to me to instill in my crew this legacy,” he started.
“His legacy is about far more than three days of honorable service in World War II. He served in three wars. He served 30-plus years. And then he continued to serve when he retired. His legacy is about service. His legacy is about who he was. The legacy of Capt. McCool is all through our ship. This crew knows who he is; knows what he stood for. They know his was a life of service.”
LPD 29 is named for U.S. Navy Capt. Richard M. McCool, Jr., Ret., who received the Medal of Honor because of his heroic actions in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa.
For more news from Commander, Naval Surface Forces, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/com or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SurfaceWarriors.
| Date Taken: | 09.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2024 21:45 |
| Story ID: | 480115 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 449 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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