SAN DIEGO โ The U.S. Navy added a new warship to its fleet Saturday as General Dynamics NASSCO christened the USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8) at its San Diego shipyard, completing the sixth and final vessel in the Expeditionary Sea Base program.
The ceremony was attended by senior military and Navy officials, including Vice Admiral John F.G. Wade, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz, and Benjamin C. Kohlman, assistant secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The ship's daughter and granddaughter, Heather and Jessica Cafferata, served as co-sponsors and performed the traditional christening.
The vessel is named for Private First Class Hector A. Cafferata Jr., a Marine Corps Reserve member who was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary valor during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in November 1950. During a night attack in sub-zero temperatures, Cafferata single-handedly held off a regimental-strength enemy force and, critically wounded, hurled a live grenade away from his fellow Marines โ saving their lives at the cost of serious personal injury. President Harry Truman personally presented the Medal of Honor in 1952.
"Ships are not just steel and machinery โ they carry legacies, and they connect past generations to future ones," said David Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. "The remarkable story of valor and sacrifice of Hector Cafferata Jr. will soon sail across the globe, carried by a ship that embodies his courage and dedication."
The 784-foot Cafferata features a 52,000-square-foot flight deck capable of supporting MH-53, MH-60, and MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft. When activated, the ship will primarily support aviation mine countermeasure missions and special operations forces, operated by Military Sealift Command. For East County families with ties to Naval Base San Diego, Miramar, and other regional installations, the shipbuilding industry at NASSCO represents an ongoing connection between San Diego's workforce and national defense.