by Lt. Wes Holzapfel, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Robert Zhan
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2010 Cameron
County Junior Senior High School graduate
and Emporium, Pennsylvania native is serving with a U.S. Navy
helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 2nd Class
Louis Fragale is a legalman with the “Airwolves” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron
(HSM) 40, a Mayport, Florida based
squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and
Anti-Surface Warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly
65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel over 120
miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As a legalman, Fragale
serves as
a paralegal for the Navy and ensures that the squadron is legally compliant in
all matters.
Sailors take many of
their life’s lessons to help shape their navy experience.
“Growing up, I learned to
treat everyone with respect,” said Fragale.
“You never know what someone else is going through.”
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable
multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety
of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy
ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting
the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its
greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Fragale said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that
readily defends America at all times.
“My father was an hull
technician in the Navy and my uncle was a machinery repairman who also served,
so teamwork was instilled in me from a young age,” said Fragale.
Sailors’ jobs are
highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 297 Navy men and women are
assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This
includes everything from maintaining helicopter airframes and engines, to
processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.
Serving in the Navy, Fragale is learning about being a more
respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous
responsibilities.
“Serving gives me a sense
of pride,” said Fragale. “I joined because of my family, but now I am part of
something bigger.”