A 2008 Terry Parker High School graduate and Jacksonville, Florida, native is serving aboard the future USS Tulsa, a littoral combat ship homeported in San Diego.
Petty Officer 1st Class Tyrell McCray is a culinary specialist responsible for the galley equipment and all operations of food service. He is in charge of logistics for the ship’s Moral Welfare and Recreation program. On top of his food service responsibilities, McCray is also a damage control petty officer in charge of making sure damage control equipment works correctly to combat fire and flooding emergencies. He is also the ship’s barber, a stretcher bearer/medical assistant during emergencies for injured personnel and a line handler for mooring and anchoring evolutions. “The thing I enjoy most about my job is being able to challenge myself every day, no matter what I’m doing. Most times we never have set schedules and are always on the move,” said McCray. “I like cooking as my primary job. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they eat is rewarding, but sometimes when you’re able to do other things that are not part of your primary job, it shows that you’re able to handle anything. More accomplishments equal more success and that leads to more opportunity.”
Tulsa is an Independence variant littoral combat ship - a resilient and flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities – from advanced core weapons systems to the latest in trimaran hull design and propulsion systems. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help our Sailors achieve the mission.
Littoral combat ships are a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking, and win against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines, and swarming small craft.
McCray has carried lessons learned from his hometown into his military service.
“The main lesson learned from my hometown is to be more open when it comes to opportunity,” McCray said. “I wasn’t really looking for much opportunity nor was I trying to better myself until I moved and went to the Navy,” he added. “So I told myself I was going to try to do anything and everything to better myself. The Navy was the perfect opportunity to just be more than who I was before. I’m glad I was able to see new cities and towns beyond my hometown. It has broadened my knowledge and understanding of the world. Every place I visit has something unique about it and even though it’s not like home, I love the experience.”
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard Tulsa. Increased automation equals a smaller crew. In the case of LCS 16, that is a core of 70 men and women who keep all parts of the ship running smoothly. Minimally manned crews place high demands on sailors. Each crew member performs a number of tasks outside of their traditional job or area of expertise.
“On any given day Tulsa sailors are asked to perform the duties of two or more Sailors on any other surface ship,” said Cmdr. Drew Borovies, the future USS Tulsa’s commanding officer. “Tulsa’s successes to date are a testament to her sailors’ in depth technical training, willingness to put in long hours to get the job done, and commitment to taking care of their ship and each other. They truly are the best that the Surface Navy has to offer!”
McCray has military ties with family members who have previously served and is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandpa was in the Air Force for about four years. I didn’t know he was in the service until after I joined, because he doesn’t talk about it much. There was not really an influence from him that encouraged my decision to join the military,” said McCray. “My influence to stay Navy is my beautiful wife Dichelle and our handsome boys Amarion and Kaiden.”
Tulsa is the fifteenth littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the eighth of the Independence variant. It will be the second ship to be named to honor the city and citizens of Tulsa – Oklahoma’s second largest city. During its February 16, 2019 commissioning ceremony in San Francisco, the warship will be officially placed into active service. The ceremony includes “bringing the ship to life” and other orders rooted in centuries old naval tradition.
For information about the commissioning ceremony, visit https://www.usstulsa.org/.