MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Aedan Eriks, a native of Palatka, Florida, assigned to the U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock warship USS Richard McCool Jr., traveled to the late Capt. Richard McCool Jr.’s hometown of Tishomingo and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, from July 2-7, to honor the legacy of the ship’s namesake.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Palatka.
“I learned from my school the meaning and value of helping those around you,” Eriks said. “I helped at the school pantry where we handed out food to those who could not afford it. I also learned work ethic and the value of physical fitness from my stepfather, who works tirelessly at his truss plant and still manages to find time to run 10 miles a day for what he describes as ‘fun.’”
Eriks graduated from United Brethren in Christ Academy in 2022 and joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Eriks serves as an electronics technician.
“My grandfather served in the Navy as a gunner's mate,” Eriks said. “I joined to follow in his footsteps, carry on my family's tradition of military service and defend our nation.”
This was the Richard McCool Jr. crew’s first visit to the area since its commissioning in 2024.
The visit provided an opportunity for the local community to engage with their U.S. Navy and witness firsthand the professionalism and commitment of its sailors, while also giving the crew a chance to learn more about the late Capt. McCool’s small-town American origins and to build upon this meaningful namesake connection.
During the visit, sailors participated in the LibertyFest Big Songs & Stripes Show and celebrated America’s 250th Fourth of July at the LibertyFest parade. The sailors also visited Capt. McCool’s hometown of Tishomingo to see an exhibit in his name at the Chickasaw Bank Museum, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and attended an open community forum hosted by the American Legion.
The ship was named for the late Capt. Richard McCool Jr., a Tishomingo native who received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for the heroism he displayed after his ship was attacked by kamikaze aircraft in the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. Despite suffering from shrapnel wounds and painful burns, he led efforts to battle a blazing fire on his ship and rescue injured sailors.
San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warship with the mission to land, train, and deploy a Marine Landing Force during sustained joint amphibious combat operations at sea, ashore, and in the air. The warship is crewed by sailors and Marines who support joint maritime operations using the Navy’s newest state-of-the-art combat systems, enabling the rapid deployment of Marines ashore by air or sea. Additionally, the vessel is fully equipped to provide critical support for humanitarian disaster relief and evacuation missions.
For more information about USS Richard McCool Jr., visit the ship’s official U.S. Navy page at https://www.surflant.usff.navy.mil/LPD29/ or the ship’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LPD29/
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Eriks has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of getting to help in qualifying hundreds of sailors in the safe and professional use of small arms weapons systems such as the M18 service pistol and M4 carbine,” Eriks said.
Eriks serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is more than simply a choice I made to benefit myself,” Eriks said. “It's about protecting our interests and ensuring future generations are afforded the freedoms being an American grants.”
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/