NORFOLK, Va. — USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) is set to arrive Friday in Norfolk, which is its new homeport.
Naval Surface Force Atlantic is hosting a welcome ceremony at 1 p.m. for LPD 29 at Naval Station Norfolk.
LPD 29 is the 13th San Antonio class amphibious transport dock that was commissioned on Sept. 7 by the United States Navy.
The landing platform dock is a warship that embarks, transports and lands elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions, according to the Navy.
The ship was named in honor of U.S. Navy Capt. Richard M. McCool, Jr., who fought in the Battle of Okinawa. McCool Jr. received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for the heroism he displayed while leading efforts to battle a blazing fire on his ship, USS LSC 122, and rescue injured sailors after his ship was attacked by kamikaze aircraft.
