USS ''Jack H. Lucas'' (DDG-125) will be an , first of the Flight III variants and 75th overall in the class. She is named after

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Jacklyn H. Lucas Jacklyn Harold "Jack" Lucas (February 14, 1928 – June 5, 2008) was an American Marine in World War II who was awarded the Medal of Honor at the age of 17 years as a private first class in the Marine Corps during the Battle of Iwo Jima. During ...

, recipient of the Medal of Honor. On 17 September 2016, she was named by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.

Construction

''Jack H. Lucas'' was launched 4 June 2021, and christened 26 March 2022. The ship is "expected to enter the fleet in 2023," although the U.S. Navy has not given an exact date.

Operational history

''Jack H. Lucas'' left Ingalls, Mississippi on 12 December 2022 for three days of sea trials before returning to port on 15 December 2022.

Namesake

Jacklyn Harold "Jack" Lucas (1928-2008) was a U.S. Marine, and later U.S. Army Airborne Officer, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the

Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJ ...

, at the age of 17. He is the youngest Marine and youngest serviceman in World War II to be awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor. When the keel of was laid in 1997, Lucas placed his Medal of Honor citation in the ship's hull, where it remains sealed.

Gallery

File:DDG-125 in Huntington Ingalls Industries drydock.jpg, ''Jack H. Lucas'' sits in drydock at Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding prior to launch. File:Jack H. Lucas Commissioning.jpg, A bottle is smashed against the hull of the future ''Jack H. Lucas'' at the ship’s christening ceremony.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jack H. Lucas Arleigh Burke-class destroyers 2021 ships