Navy
Del Toro names future LPD for Silver Star recipient, and 2 ocean surveillance ships for renowned explorers
Stars and Stripes
January 12, 2025
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Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named two new ships during a ceremony at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., on Jan. 10, 2025. (Paul W. Gillespie/The Baltimore Sun)
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named a future San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock (LPD 33) USS Travis Manion on Friday in Maryland along with two T-AGOS — the first two ships in the newly named Explorer class of ocean surveillance ships — the future USNS Don Walsh (T-AGOS 25) and the future USNS Victor Vescovo (T-AGOS 26).
Del Toro named the future USS Travis Manion during a ceremony with the Travis Manion Foundation in Annapolis. This will be the first Navy vessel named for Manion.
On April 29, 2007, Manion and his fellow Marines were ambushed while searching a suspected insurgent house in Iraq’s Anbar province. As he led a counterattack, Manion was fatally wounded by a sniper while aiding his wounded teammates. He deliberately exposed himself to heavy enemy fire to draw fire away from his wounded Marines. For his actions, he received the Silver Star and the Bronze Star with Valor.
“Today, as our men and women continue to serve on the front lines, I know Travis would want this ship to be a tribute to this entire generation of veterans and a reminder to honor and remember their service and sacrifice,” said Marine Col. (Ret.) Thomas Manion, chairman emeritus of the Travis Manion Foundation.
Amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions.
Del Toro named the two ocean surveillance ships — the future USNS Don Walsh and the future USNS Victor Vescovo — during a ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy.
“These ships are essential to maintaining strategic deterrence and operational awareness in the world’s oceans,” Del Toro said.
The future USNS Don Walsh is the first in the class, named in honor of the renowned explorer and pioneer of deep-sea submergence known for his historic dive to Challenger Deep in Mariana Trench as a Navy lieutenant.
“The Walsh family is profoundly honored that the Navy has chosen to recognize Don Walsh’s lifetime of service and dedication by naming this new T-AGOS ship after him,” said Liz Walsh, daughter, and one of the sponsors for the future ship alongside her mother, Joan Walsh. “Don sometimes described being a kid in the San Francisco Bay area, daydreaming about where all those ships were going as they sailed to and for over the horizon; that little boy would certainly marvel that one day his legacy would be memorialized in such an enduring way.”
The future USNS Victor Vescovo is named to honor the private equity investor, explorer and retired naval intelligence officer who currently holds the world record for the deepest dive of a crewed vessel to Challenger Deep. He was the first person to reach Earth’s highest and lowest points.
This will be the first Navy vessel named after Vescovo.
“The naming of this ship for my brother, as the USNS Victor Vescovo, is a very deep and moving honor to me and our family,” said sister Victoria Vescovo Webster, and sponsor of the ship. “The role of this ship will be such a perfect combination of his tremendous achievements as an explorer, and his service as a Naval Intelligence officer. I am truly grateful to be named as the sponsor for this ship, and will endeavor to fulfill that role with the same spirit of service as the ship’s namesake.”
Operated by the Military Sea Lift Command, the Explorer-class will play an integral role in the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare operations.
Del Toro named the future Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ship (EMS 3) USNS Portsmouth during a ship naming ceremony at Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., on Wednesday.
The future medical ship honors the legacy and commitment of the Navy doctors, nurses, corpsmen and staff of Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and the city of Portsmouth. This will be the fourth Navy vessel named after Portsmouth.
“Today, we stand united in pride and gratitude as we honor the incredible contributions of the dedicated medical professionals at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. For generations, they have provided compassionate care and unwavering commitment to our military families, veterans, and the Portsmouth community,” said Shannon Glover, Mayor of Portsmouth.
Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ships are designed as a dedicated medical ship that optimizes hospital-level medical care in support of distributed maritime operations.