NUWC Division Newport employee shares family legacy with USS Fort Lauderdale

NUWC Division Newport employee shares family legacy with USS Fort Lauderdale

By NUWC Division Newport Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. -

When the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) docked at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island from Nov. 21-24, it was especially meaningful for a Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport employee whose family name is linked to the ship's name.

John Lauderdale, a resident of New London, Connecticut, serves in Division Newport's Undersea Warfare Electromagnetic Systems Department as principal for safety for electronic warfare, imaging and radar for PMS 435, visited the USS Fort 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 under Andrew Jackson when the Tennessee volunteers were dispatched to New Orleans in 1812 and as a major during the Second Seminole War in 1838. William was the younger brother of Lt. Col. James Lauderdale who was John's great-great-great-grandfather.

The city of Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the U.S. during the Second Seminole War in 1838. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. The city was incorporated in 1911.

The USS Fort Lauderdale, commissioned July 30, 2022, is the 12th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship and is designed to embark and transport elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions.

When the ship pulled into Newport on Nov. 21, a co-worker brought it to Lauderdale's attention.

"I was working at the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut when Barbara Collins told me," Lauderdale said. "I was extremely surprised and excited, as I've been meaning to write a letter to those on the ship about the history of the name."

Upon learning of the USS Fort Lauderdale's arrival, Lauderdale immediately asked for permission to leave work a couple of hours early so he could visit the ship.

"I walked up to the ship and requested to come aboard, like you would for any visit," Lauderdale said. "You should have seen the look on the watch stander's face when he read my last name on my retired military identification card. He was very surprised."

Once aboard the ship, Lauderdale was treated as an honored guest and was greeted by Command Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Knott, who presented him with a personal challenge coin. He was introduced to many of the chief petty officers and a Marine Corps sergeant major, as the ship has a Marine detachment assigned to it. The intelligence specialist chief petty officer gave Lauderdale a tour of the ship and presented him with a unique challenge coin in the shape of a 28, signifying the ship's hull number and honoring joint Navy chiefs and Marine Corps senior non-commissioned officers. He was also introduced to the ship commander, Capt. Gill McCarthy.

"The captain described himself as a 'history geek,' so he enjoyed hearing about my lineage and who the ship is named after," Lauderdale said. "He also gave me one of his personal challenge coins. We took a photo in front of the ship's sponsor letter, and he asked me if they could archive my story with the ship's history.

"I went aboard with no preconceived expectations and came away with a lifetime of memories," Lauderdale said. "This was a bucket list moment for me. I think my great-great-great-grandfather would be pleased to see the family legacy carried forward."

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, 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 major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.