The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce that the October 2016 story of the month has been selected to honor the crew of the USS John P. Murtha LPD 26.

The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was invited to document and archive the commissioning of the USS John P. Murtha LPD 26 which was held on October the 8, 2016 at Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The commissioning marked a time -honored tradition that signifies the acceptance for service and entry of a new ship into the fleet of the United States Navy.

The ship was named in honor of John Patrick Murtha, a United States Marine Corps Reserve officer and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1969 to 1974. Representative Murtha was the first Vietnam War veteran elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He would serve in the United States House of Representatives from February 5, 1974 to February 8, 2010. The USS John P. Murtha is the 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock commissioned by the United States Navy.

This story is dedicated to the brave men and women serving on the USS John P. Murtha LPD 26. May you have fair winds and a following seas.

The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program honors the crew of the USS John. P. Murtha, featured within this series titled, Stories of Service, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.