When the usFort Lauderdale (LPD 28) docked at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island from Nov. 21-24, it was significantly vital for a Naval Undersea Warfare Coronary heart (NUWC) Division Newport employee whose family title is linked to the ship’s title.
John Lauderdale, a resident of New London, Connecticut, serves in Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare Electromagnetic Packages Division as principal for safety for digital warfare, imaging and radar for PMS 435, visited the usFort Lauderdale to share his family’s legacy. The ship is named after the city in Florida, which is named after Lauderdale’s great-great-great-granduncle William, who served as a lieutenant beneath Andrew Jackson when the Tennessee volunteers have been dispatched to New Orleans in 1812 and as a big via the Second Seminole Wrestle in 1838.
William was the youthful brother of Lt. Col. James Lauderdale who was John’s great-great-great-grandfather.
The city of Fort Lauderdale is named after a group of forts constructed by the U.S. via the Second Seminole Wrestle in 1838. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts have been abandoned on the end of the battle. The city was included in 1911.
The usFort Lauderdale, commissioned July 30, 2022, is the twelfth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship and is designed to embark and transport elements of a landing strain for numerous expeditionary warfare missions.
When the ship pulled into Newport on Nov. 21, a co-worker launched it to Lauderdale’s consideration.
“I was engaged on the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut when Barbara Collins knowledgeable me,” Lauderdale talked about. “I was terribly shocked and excited, as I’ve been which suggests to jot down a letter to those on the ship regarding the historic previous of the title.”
Upon learning of the usFort Lauderdale’s arrival, Lauderdale immediately requested for permission to depart work a couple of hours early so he would possibly go to the ship.
“I walked as a lot because the ship and requested to return again aboard, comparable to you’ll for any go to,” Lauderdale talked about. “It’s best to have seen the look on the watch stander’s face when he study my remaining title on my retired military identification card. He was very shocked.”
As quickly as aboard the ship, Lauderdale was dealt with as an honored customer and was greeted by Command Grasp Chief Petty Officer Michael Knott, who launched him with a personal downside coin. He was launched to a lot of the chief petty officers and a Marine Corps sergeant primary, as a result of the ship has a Marine detachment assigned to it. The intelligence specialist chief petty officer gave Lauderdale a tour of the ship and launched him with a novel downside coin throughout the type of a 28, signifying the ship’s hull amount and honoring joint Navy chiefs and Marine Corps senior non-commissioned officers. He was moreover launched to the ship commander, Capt. Gill McCarthy.
“The captain described himself as a ‘historic previous geek,’ so he cherished listening to about my lineage and who the ship is named after,” Lauderdale talked about. “He moreover gave me actually considered one of his non-public downside money. We took {a photograph} in entrance of the ship’s sponsor letter, and he requested me if they could archive my story with the ship’s historic previous.
“I went aboard with no preconceived expectations and acquired right here away with a lifetime of reminiscences,” Lauderdale talked about. “This was a bucket itemizing second for me. I consider my great-great-great-grandfather will be joyful to see the family legacy carried forward.”
NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare coronary heart throughout the nation, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains primary detachments in West Palm Seashore, Florida, and Andros Island throughout the Bahamas, as well as to check out providers at Seneca Lake and Fisher’s Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.